Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine is a casual, inexpensive dining spot in Aptos with a focus on Persian and Mediterranean food. It’s an ideal restaurant for seven women friends to have dinner where we can share a good laugh, and not-so-subdued conversation. And food is ordered over the counter so each can pay his own bill.

Zameen owner, Ed Watson, carries a few local wines, but plans to eventually stock a whole lot more. I order a bottle of Francis Coppola Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($21)—part of the Diamond Collection – with fruit from various California vineyards. A hearty Cab is just what’s needed to go with robust foods such as falafel, lamb wraps, Mediterranean meatballs and spiced chicken kebab.

River Skimmer 2010 and Garden Variety Cheese

Rebecca King is a professional chef, farmer, cheese maker and shepherdess. As we arrive at King’s Monkey Flower Ranch in Royal Oaks, Calif. last month for an open house, her flock of about 100 sheep are busy grazing, and barely look up to greet us. One solitary black goat catches my eye—standing alone in the middle of a flock of his white and woolly ovine friends.

We start by sampling some of King’s fine cheeses, then taking a tour of the property—which includes the milking area and cheese-making facility—before heading to the picnic table for lunch.

Vine Hill Chardonnay 2009

Vine Hill Winery happens to be located on one of the oldest grape-growing regions in California – established by brothers John and George Jarvis and others in 1867. It is one of the most gorgeous spots in Santa Cruz County – sitting high on a hill with magnificent views of the Monterey Bay. This particular area is known for the thin sandy loam that carpets the lithic bedrock of the mountains. Add to this the cooling air of the bay and the result is prime grape-growing land.

Pinotage 2009

If you want to taste something totally smooth and sexy that’s going to knock your socks off, then try Loma Prieta’s Pinotage. The 2009 Amorosa Vineyard ($45) is so impressive that you just keep coming back for more. It’s not surprising, then, that this gorgeous wine, aged in the finest oak, has won numerous gold medal awards—two of the most notable being a double gold at the 2011 Indy International Wine Competition, and Best of Class at the 2011 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition.

Pinot Noir 2008

The story goes that the Spanish explorers named the area Lucia when they came to the area around the time of the feast day of St. Lucia, celebrated in December. And now we have something else to celebrate—Lucia Highlands’ wine.

I came across Lucia Highlands’ Pinot Noir at Seascape Sports Club at the Comerica Challenger tennis tournament in July in Aptos. Local winery owners Carol and Bret Sisney had donated a couple of cases for a function at the tournament—one of Pinot Noir and another of Chardonnay—the two wines they are making right now.

The Sisneys, with their partner Gary Filizetti, purchased the vineyard in 2001, and the first bottling that same year produced 120 cases of Chardonnay. Now, with the assistance of consulting winemaker Steve Passagno, the 2009 bottling produced 400 cases of Chardonnay and 600 cases of Pinot.

Chardonnay 2009

I had this empty bottle of Ghostwriter Chardonnay sitting on my desk for some time—intending to write about it. I had chosen this particular bottle at Soif when some friends and I headed there after a concert at The Civic—and we all enjoyed this interesting wine along with a couple of plates of hors d’oeuvres. I carried the bottle home so that I could take in the label—a study in pale minimalism—featuring an old manual typewriter. And there’s not much else, really, except this strange verse (copied from the label verbatim):

Merlot 2004

The previous owners of Vinocruz were selling off most of their wine before heading to New York so I bought a few bottles to write about—and the Perrucci Merlot was one of them. As it happens, J-P Correa, co-owner of the wine shop, needn’t have rushed into getting rid of his inventory because the business eventually sold and we can now look forward to the whole wine shop being restocked with good local wines.

The 2004 Merlot is quite exceptional. Smooth, rich and full-bodied with hints of caramel, vanilla and dark berries, it fills the senses with its lovely complexities. It certainly aged well in the bottle. I would imagine that the 2004 is hard to come by now, but the good news is that this month sees the release of Perrucci’s 2009 Merlot. Both wines retail for around $25.

Hunter Hill’s new release of their Old Vine Zinfandel 2009 ($25) is a bold and luscious wine that has been aged for one year in American oak. Grapes to make this fruit-forward wine come from the ancient Mohr-Fry Ranches’ vineyards in the Lodi appellation, resulting in a rich and full-bodied elixir. Zinfandel lovers will truly appreciate the complexities, aromas and flavors captured inside every bottle – and the full-bodied, jammy rich finish only leaves you wanting more. Fortunately, 250 cases were produced, so the winery is not going to run out any time soon.

Hunter Hill is a gorgeous place to visit. Owners Christine and Vann Slatter are justly proud of their property – now complete with stunning pond and water feature. Vines heavy with fruit extend up the hillside, and at this time of year everything is green and lush.