Nestled on 25 acres in the Valley of the Moon between the rocky slopes of the Mayacamas and the Sonoma Mountain ranges, lies a little gem. In 1996, Rich Little and his lovely wife, Joan, purchased the property and aspired to cultivate vineyards and raise a family.
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Little Vineyards is producing some big
wines at its 25-acre Valley of the Moon site
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Amanda Sunshine Radick
Sonoma Index Tribune
In 2002, Rich and Joan paired their grape-growing skills with the winemaking talents of Joan’s brother, Ted Coleman.
Little Vineyards became established as a small winery producing no more than 2,500 cases a year. They were approved to crush their first vintage and Ted Coleman crafted two award-winning wines from their estate-grown fruit: 2002 Zinfandel and 2002 Resonance, a syrah and cabernet sauvignon blend.
Little Vineyards continues to produce award-winning estate red wines and I have had the pleasure to try a few of Little’s new releases and soon-to-be released wines.
Keep your eyes peeled for 2004 Band Blend Track 2, soon to be released. Starting with a tart, fruity nose, flavors of rich berry mellow in the mouth. The malolactic fermentation lends to the creamy finish with mild oak notes. I would pair this red blend with grilled steak or Italian sausage with sautéed greens and mushrooms, served over my favorite pasta. This rockin’ red is sporting a hot red screw cap. I asked Rich Little why he chose a screw cap and he said, “So the guys in the band could open it.” A definite must-have for the rock ‘n’ roll wine fan! Only 467 cases produced.
Just released, the 2004 zinfandel has already won a gold medal at the San Francisco Wine Competition. With sassy fruit aromas on the nose, this zinfandel carries itself beautifully, with luscious blackberry and cherry flavors on the palate with a chewy mouth feel. The finish is long and elegant with notes of vanilla and a hint of spiced oak. With its peppery qualities in mind, I think this zin would be a nice match to black pepper-crusted seared ahi tuna with a tossed baby green salad topped with shaved parmigiano-reggiano. Don’t forget the cracked pepper! There were 452 cases produced.
Another new release from Little Vineyards is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an outstanding cab and big, indeed. The deep ruby color and soft fruit on the nose indicates a beautifully crafted wine. Intense fruit and a silky mouth feel make this an absolutely exquisite cabernet. Notes of vanilla and cream linger on the finish. Pair it with your favorite creamy brie and some crusty sourdough bread. Or, if you’re feeling like a culinary daredevil, try whipping up a cabernet-rhubarb reduction sauce, served over roasted pork tenderloin. Only 437 cases of this cabernet were produced.
Most Little Vineyards wines are available primairly in their Tasting room, on their web site www.littlevineyards.com, Sonoma Market, Glen Ellen Village Market, The Sonoma Wine Exchange and many fine local restaurants. The tasting room is open by appointment only and the phone number is on the sign if your driving by (707)996-2750 but it is best to call in advance. For more information on Little Vineyards, go to www.littlevineyards.com or call 707.996.2750.
Until next time, Cheers!
Along with its award-winning zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon, Little Vineyards also offers Band Blend, a mix of 43% cabernet sauvignon, 26% zinfandel, 18% syrah, and 13% petite sirah. It retails for about $15 a bottle and, according to Little Vineyards web site, it’s unrefined, unfiltered and unforgettable.Little Vineyards: red wine, vintage cars and cool guitars
Bradley Gray
(published:11/10/05 )
Last week, I was shopping for wine at Sonoma Market, and I spotted a distinctive bottle that caught my eye.
I was actually scouting out “critter” wines (see last week’s column) and how wine marketing types are
focusing on female consumers.
Well, this particular bottle appealed to me. It featured a bright red Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and a
vintage Fender Twin Reverb amplifier. The wine was called “Band Blend.” How cool! I had to find out more…“Band Blend” is made by Little Vineyards, which is neatly tucked away just behind B.R. Cohn’s tasting room in
Glen Ellen. I paid a visit last Sunday.
The winery is housed in a beautiful converted barn at the end of a country lane. Rich and Joan Little purchased
the property in 1995 and they have since been selling grapes to Ravenswood. Rich Little was a systems
engineer working in San Francisco at the time.
The first thing you see once inside the gate is an old Ford F1 pickup truck, which is rumored to be the same
one used on the “Sanford and Son” television series. Winery owner Rich Little confesses to being a “car guy,”
and did the restoration with friends. He told me tales of great muscle cars he used to own and showed me his ‘67
Bonneville convertable "The Blue Wind".
Little Vineyards got started a few years
back, when Little made some wine with the assistance of his brother-in-law Ted Coleman. Coleman, at
the time, was a part of Gallo Sonoma’s production staff. / Little is the leader of a rock ‘n’ roll band called Rich Little's Band Blend.“We used to drink it out of the barrel,” says Little. “The guys in the band said, ‘Hey, you ought to bottle this
stuff,’ and that’s how we got our start.”
Little and Coleman first bottled wines from the 2002 vintage, and it was so limited that it was mostly consumed
by family and friends. Their current (’03) release is their first commercially available wine. They currently
produce 1,500 cases annually, and their distribution range is equivalent to how far Rich can travel in his truck in
one day. “We’re going to stay small,” says Little, who handles the marketing end of the business. “I don’t want
to make more wine than I can sell.”
The vineyards are located smack in the middle of Sonoma Valley’s banana belt. Their 25-acre ranch hosts
zinfandel, cabernet and syrah, with malbec, merlot and petit sirah coming into production in the near future.“The soil here is perfect,” comments Little. “They dug the aqueduct through here, which meant a twelve-foot
trench. We got a good look at the soil profile. Lots of rocks, excellent drainage, and we’ve got this thermal thing
going on.” Little explained that the winery sits on top of hot springs.
“The tap water is over 85 degrees! It comes out of the ground that way. It’s actually 120 degrees at the well.
That (the warm earth) and the marine breeze that comes through means we never get frost.” / I asked
winemaker Ted Coleman what is was like going from a giant winery like Gallo to a tiny boutique winery.“I did it the opposite way as most (winemakers). I started at Gallo and worked my way up. Everyone else there
came from small wineries. I wish I had already had some experience at a small winery before we did this.”
Coleman’s wines are all quite good and I will certainly look for some spectacular things to come in future
vintages.
Most of their wine is sold to their “wine club.” I asked about the “club”, and they told me, “We have this book.
Anybody who visits the winery and signs the book is pretty much our wine club. They get first crack at new
releases, and they buy most of our wine.”
Little Vineyards is only open by appointment (mandated by their use permit), but they are more than
accommodating. The tasting room is rustic, with paintings of trucks and guitars. Something tells me that Rich
and Ted’s wives didn’t do the decorating. Little’s barn reminds me of a cool clubhouse for guys who dig muscle
cars, pickup trucks, electric guitars and red wine!
Call them at (707) 996-2750, or email them at winery@littlevineyards.com. Oh, and I understand that Little’s
band, is pretty well known around here
Little Vineyards “Band Blend,” Sonoma Valley Red Wine.
This wine is a combination of cabernet, zinfandel, syrah and petit sirah. It’s very fruit-forward, with lovely spice
and anise qualities. This hit the spot with barbecued baby back ribs last Sunday. They produced 540 cases,
and it retails for $15.
Little Vineyards 2003 Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley.
The first thing you notice about this wine is the rich, velvety mouth feel. It’s a medium-bodied wine, showing
elements of blackberry, cigar box and spice that come in layers. There is plenty of structure here, and I would
have to think that this is a wine that I want to try again after a year in the bottle. This isn’t a big, jammy, highalcohol
monster zin, which makes it really appealing to me! $25
Little Vineyards 2003 syrah, Sonoma Valley.
This wine is almost black. It shows nice coffee on the nose, with classic syrah characteristics of blueberry,
blackberry and spice. There is just a hint of noticeable American oak, and a supple, pleasing finish. Another
youngster, this wine can only improve. $30
Little Vineyards 2002 Resonance, Sonoma Valley Red Wine.
This is a very appealing syrah-cabernet blend, and was the first release from Little Vineyards. The nose on this
tasty gem features earthy elements that remind me of a forest floor after a rainstorm. Lots of black cherry and
raspberry elements dominate the mid-palate, with just the right amount of oak and acidity. This wine would pair
perfectly with Thanksgiving fare. There are only a few of the original 190 cases still available and it’s only at the
winery. $30. |
