You're points are 100% right on. I just get pissed when people claim to match burgandy or bordeaux from their backyard. you have an excellent head on your shoulders wine-wise. All your priorities are exactly where they should be. Way to prove me wrong!

 

You know, I'll tell you why I liked Sonoma more than Napa.  (Yes, you hinted at this and were right).  Napa, a narrow valley with every square inch covered in large commercial vineyards.  Sonoma?  Not so much.  Much more piecemeal.  It seemed like everyone with a significant yard had a dozen vines strung up to try their lot.  I appreciated the hell out of that.

I was talking to the Luxton guy about this.  He was telling me about taking the vines down and covering them up with straw etc in the winter.  I told him, if the vine can't hold its own it has no business growing there!

Off the top of my head I can't even tell you what varieties I have, it's not important.  I doubt you'd recognize them.  But I will learn them, become their student, and dammit I will make them sing for me!!  (whether they are in tune for anyone else is another matter altogether)

I think I have Marachel Foch maturing this year.  I gave into temptation and am starting a second red, Oberlin Noir, this year for maturity in 3 more years.  I think my white is Cayuga White.

As evidence of my limitations, I'm told what limits the vines you can grow is the coldest day of winter in 20 years in your area.  Well, I planted a variety of white table grape that was borderline for the area.  Even in the first summer, which was hot, it did not do as well as the other vines.  Then two winters ago, we got the coldest 3 days in 20 years.  Actual temps in the range of -20F.  It killed 5 of those 6 vines down to the root, and the 6th struggled up for a month in the spring before dying back.  I'm just replacing it with something one hardiness zone better.  This is why coastal, moderated areas do better -- they do not get so hot in the summer as we do here, but they NEVER experience the bitter cold we do.  Even in Napa, I noticed the propane-powered turbines to move air over the vines on the coldest days of winter.

MTA:  In my half drunken state I was going to post pics of my wine press (picked up by my grandmother at an antique store) and my fruit chopper/destemmer (designed and manufactured FROM SCRATCH by my father) to highlight my seriousness about this hobby, but both are currently still disassembled as I have not used them since my move to Indiana.  I have a surplus of red raspberries in my freezer that need to be wine-ified as soon as the average temps get above 70F, so I'll post at that time.

 

Several.  Including one each in Napa and Sonoma.  Not impressed yet, but I still have an open mind.  I don't think I went anywhere known for their Zin.  

I will probably make a trip to Napa later in the year, this will be on my hit list.

 

Which ones?

 

You do realize that it is possible to drink grapes from parts of Cali where you did not visit?  Zin grows better and is far more interesting down further south.  Napa zins should not be your goal.

 

Which ones?

 

You do realize that it is possible to drink grapes from parts of Cali where you did not visit?  Zin grows better and is far more interesting down further south.  Napa zins should not be your goal.

 OK, Christopher Creek Zinfandel 2003.  I like it, enough to have a 2nd glass that my risk yet again my never-ending attempts to actually get up and do a morning run.

How far south?  LA south or something?  Because we're vacationing there in the summer/fall sometime and likely driving up to San Fran at some point.

Killed a bottle of McLaren Stump Jump Shiraz tonight.   Lacking the peppery undertones I expect from a Shiraz.  A very tannic sourness I associate more with a pinot.   First glass was a disappointment as a peppery shiraz combined with wasabi almonds is really my favorite stress reduction combo and they didn't mesh.  However by the 3rd glass I am fine with it.

what's inside the bottle's pretty good too

Once again this one did not disappoint  (Owen Roe)