By Brandy Miceli. On the southeastern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains lies the vineyard where Left Bend sources Syrah for its Fiz Nat sparkling rosé and its Mashup. Vanumanutagi Vineyard, located on Redwood Retreat Road at the base of Mount Madonna, has a history that is as unique as the characteristics that make its grapes […]
Left Bend has won two gold medals and a double gold medal in the 2018 West Coast Wine Competition. 2015 Pinot Noir – Gali Vineyard – Santa Cruz County – Double Gold – West Coast Wine Competition. 2015 Syrah – Gali Vineyard – Santa Cruz County – Gold – West Coast Wine Competition 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon […]
One of the great marketing promotions for American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) is to have a group tasting day. A group tasting day is one day a year, quarter or month when all wineries, large or small,within an AVA are open to the public. Wine lovers will then flock to the area and try all the […]
Being a wine writer (say those two words fast ten times) has its good moments, and I’m grateful when they happen. Occasionally, I have the opportunity to taste product from wineries that are new to me and otherwise might go inexperienced. Some is good. Some goes unmentioned in my blog. And then – not too often – some send me into a state of wonder and joy. Such is what happened recently when I tasted Left Bend’s 2010 inaugural release of their Syrah.
Less than a half hour drive from the hustle and bustle of Los Gatos and Silicon Valley is Muns Vineyard, located high in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 2.5 miles west of the Loma Prieta peak and overlooking Monterey Bay. Muns primarily grows and produces Pinot Noir, but also produces a small amount of Syrah. […]