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Benziger Family Winery Buy Online |
Rating: C-D
Jan 6th, 2007 |
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1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 Phone: 707 935 3000 Hours: Open Daily 10am - 4.30pm Club/Discounts: 20% Discount Tasting Fees: $5 for 5 Tastes. Reserve: $10 for 5 Tastes Benziger winery is a little difficult to find but definitely worth it when you get there. It seems to be a popular winery to visit and caters well to the large crowds. The tram tour of the winery seems to be particularly popular ($10), in which a tractor pulls a tram load of tourists through the vineyards on a 45 minute adventure. We, of course, bypassed the tour and headed straight to the tasting bar. The tasting room is big and has a large area dedicated to retail. There is a smaller room off to the side for tasting the reserve wines. We had excellent service for both the regular tasting and the reserve tasting, and were given two tastings for free. Our servers were knowledgeable and fun and enjoyed talking to us about the wines they were pouring. I am doubtful we would have the same experience in the height of the Summer when it is three people deep at the tasting bar though. Go in the off season. Recommended. |
Sort by : Vintage / Name / Rating
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| 2001 Reserve Merlot ($42) | Rating: C-D
Jan 6th, 2007 |
 Best Value Wine of 2007
Best Value Merlot of 2007
We got talking to our server about the Reserve Merlots and we were very impressed when he pulled out a bottle of the 2001 and opened it up in front of us. Benziger really do a good job on their reserve Merlots and again this was excellent. Very nice Merlot and seemed excellent value at $42 |
| 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) | Rating: C
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Good fruit, big finish, dark ruby red color. Could so with more time in the bottle but we were impressed |
| 2003 Reserve Merlot ($42) | Rating: C
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Shane had taken a bottle of the 2002 Reserve Merlot to Ireland and everyone who tasted it thought it was incredible so we were looking forward to trying the 2003. We were not disappointed. This is a very well balanced wine with good fruit upfront and a nice, smooth finish |
| 2003 Rose Ranch Merlot ($37) | Rating: B-C
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Nice Merlot. Good fruit. Smooth finish. "Chewy, chocolate flavors" |
| 2004 Oonapais ($50) | Rating: B-C
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Not as good as the impressive Merlots and cab, this is a "biodynamic" wine. It has good fruit and a long finish |
| 2005 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($27) | Rating: B-C
Feb 6th, 2008 |
| Good fleshy Pinot with balanced fruit on the palate and a pleasant finish.
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| 2003 Caton Vineyard Petite Sirah ($42) | Rating: B
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Was not mad about this wine. Very dry finish again. Not big fruit,you can tell where the main flavours and finish in Ty's Red comes from. |
| 2003 Ty's Red ($35) | Rating: B
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| This is a very interesting wine. It is described as a Bordeaux / Rhone blend with 60% Merlot, 26% Syrah and 13% Petite Sirah. It has a very dry finish |
| 2004 Bruschera Vineyard Zinfandel ($45) | Rating: B
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Made from 22 year old vines and aged in French Oak for 19 months, this is a fruity Zin with a touch of spice and pepper |
| 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19) | Rating: B
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Very, very dry finish. Nice fruit upfront but the finish is overpowering. Definitely needs time but not sure how good it would get |
| 2004 Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($25) | Rating: B
Jan 6th, 2007 |
| A light Pinot. Easy to drink. As the server said: "It goes with Beef Burgundy", I think he meant Beef Bourguignonne. |
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