Esterlina Vineyards

Located near the Mendocino coast, ideal growing conditions for the types of wines the Esterlina’s favor; you will find the family-owned boutique winery in Philo, California.  Limited production, the grapes are grown on the estate and also in the Anderson Valley.  Handcrafted, Esterlina Vineyards’ wines are made bottle by bottle, hurry to get your favorite for they are quickly snatched up. 

Making wine for generations, the Esterlina family winery derives its name from the Spanish word for Sterling, the family name.  They originally were based in Anderson Valley.   

Esterlina owns the Cole Ranch in Ukiah, California where they harvest grapes for their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinoir Noir and Reislings.  The ranch possesses a unique microclimate at a higher elevation and the cold nights extend the grapes’ ripening time.  The wines are delicate and earthy with a bright fruit flavor. 

My brother introduced me to this fantastic wine from the Bacigalupi Valley over the holidays and it has become one of my favorites:

2005 Zinfindel

Balanced and smooth, this Zin has a nose of bramble fruit and spice.  It has a nice long finish and is very enjoyable.

Another favorite of mine is:

2005 Sonoma County Port

Ruby-style port made from Zinfandel, Syrah and a little bit of traditional port grape Touriga Nacional.  It is smooth and wonderful with dark chocolate after dinner.