Drink the Bottles

  There are plenty of reasons to celebrate white wine. Dry Creek Vineyard gives us two particularly good ones. There are days when a glass of white wine is exactly what the occasion calls for. Maybe it's a warm afternoon on the patio. Maybe dinner is something fresh off the grill. Maybe you're putting together a cheese board and looking for something that won't overpower everything on it. Or maybe, as is the case today, it's simply National White Wine Day .   Whatever the reason, we're happy to have an excuse to open a couple of bottles. For this year's celebration, we turned to a California winery with more than five decades of experience making white wine: Dry Creek Vineyard . Founded in 1972 in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, the family-owned winery has played an important role in the history of the region—and particularly in the story of Sauvignon Blanc. We recently opened two of its 2025 releases: the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley , and the 2...

Five generations. Historic vineyards. A family committed to preserving Napa Valley. And three wines that tell a remarkable story.  But this story is not only about the wines. Some wineries make exceptional wine.  A select few become part of the history of the place they call home.  Ghost Block Estate Wines belongs to that rare group. When three bottles from Ghost Block arrived at Drink The Bottles—the 2019 BW9 Red Blend , the 2022 Ghost Block Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon , and the 2024 Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir —I knew I was receiving something special.  But what I didn't expect was the story behind the labels. Because before there was a bottle of wine, there was a family. Before there was a vineyard, there was a commitment to the land.  And before Napa Valley became one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world, families like the Pelissas were quietly planting roots, farming the soil, and helping shape the future of California wine.  The wines are...

  A Taste of Sonoma History in Every Glass When many people hear the word Zinfandel, they immediately think of a sweeter, easy-drinking wine style that became popular decades ago. But true California Zinfandel has a much deeper story — one rooted in history, old vineyards, and winemakers who have worked for generations to preserve some of the country’s most treasured vines. The 2021 Old Vine Zinfandel from Dry Creek Vineyard is a perfect example of why this grape deserves more attention. This is not simply a fruit-forward California red. It is a wine built around heritage, balance, and the character that can only come from vines that have stood the test of time. Located in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, Dry Creek Vineyard has long been recognized for its commitment to Zinfandel and the preservation of old vine vineyards. In fact, the winery is credited with first coining the term “Old Vine Zinfandel” in 1987 when it wanted to highlight the unique character of its historic viney...

  The Schlatter family has owned Merryvale Vineyards for about three decades and this property is rich in history.  The iconic winery was the first winery built in Napa after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.  The European and Bordeaux-inspired wines are the heart of the brand, resulting in rich and luscious Cabernet Sauvignons.  That is certainly the case here with the  2021 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley . Smaller yields were the result of a second year of drought in Napa Valley, creating more robust flavors and highly concentrated wines.  Overall, the 2021 vintage is highly rated with exceptional wines.  This wine is raisin colored with eggplant streaks.  Juicy blackberry, dried spices, stewed plum and flower bouquet on the nose.  The full bodied mouthfeel is immediately noticeable with solid tannins and balanced flavors of black cherry, tomato leaf, clove, blackberry and freshly sawn cedar plank.   This wine spent 16 ...

Some bottles earn attention because of age statements. Others because of rarity or allocated status. Then there are bottles like Charbay Doubled & Twisted — a whiskey that immediately makes you stop and ask, "Wait… they made this from what?" Charbay has built a reputation around doing things differently, and this bottle might be one of the clearest examples of that mindset. While many distilleries spend years refining a traditional formula, Charbay seems perfectly comfortable stepping outside the lines and creating something that doesn't fit neatly into familiar categories.  And after learning the story behind the distillery itself, that approach starts making a lot more sense. Charbay isn't a new craft distillery chasing trends. The Karakasevic family traces its winemaking and distilling roots back to 1751 in Europe. Multiple generations were involved in the family trade long before Charbay ever existed in California. Founder Miles Karakasevic eventually brought ...

There are bottles you plan to open for a special occasion, and then there are bottles that somehow disappear into the cellar, only to resurface years later at exactly the right moment. The 2021 Fraternity Red Blend from Baldacci Family Vineyards became our “lost bottle” — misplaced after arriving from a collaborative partner, then recently rediscovered and finally poured. As it turns out, some bottles are worth the wait. What makes this one even more personal for us is that Baldacci was one of the very first wineries we visited during our inaugural trip to Napa Valley back in 2009. Long before Drink The Bottles existed, we still remember the warmth of the experience, the beauty of the property, and the feeling that Napa wine country was something truly special. Revisiting Baldacci all these years later through this bottle felt unexpectedly nostalgic. The 2021 Fraternity Red Blend pours a deep garnet with rich ruby undertones, dense in the glass with slow, elegant legs, hinting at s...

There’s a certain kind of wine that feels reserved for special occasions—the kind you open, pour carefully, and overthink a little too much.  This isn’t that wine. The 2022  Cline Rock Carved Cabernet Sauvignon is the kind of bottle that fits into real life. Not just the dinner table, but the kitchen. Midweek. Music on. Sauce simmering. Glass already poured. And honestly, that’s where it shines. Right away, this wine gives you exactly what you want from a California Cabernet—rich dark fruit, plenty of structure, and just enough depth to keep things interesting. But it doesn’t overwhelm you.  That's the beauty of Alexander Valley and Sonoma.  Immediately approachable and smooth.  Easy to come back to. What makes this bottle stand out isn’t just what’s in the glass—it’s how naturally it fits into the moment. You don’t need a perfectly set table or a formal pairing. This is a wine that works while you’re cooking, not just once you sit down. Tomato sauce on the sto...

  The history behind PEJU Winery is absolutely mesmerizing and one that you will never tire of hearing.  It's a man with a dream, a vision and determination.   Tony Peju moved his family from Los Angeles to Rutherford and began selling his young wines out of a garage.  Throughout the years, a formal tasting room is added, additional vineyards, the iconic tower is built and the adult children join the winery full time.  While Tony passed away in 2023, he leaves a legacy and his footprint on Napa Valley wine.  Tony is often regarded as the father of Direct to Consumer (DTC) Wine Marketing. The 2023 Peju Winery Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is another stunning example of organically farmed fruit from winemaker Sara Fowler.  Fowler is celebrating her 20th vintage with PEJU this year and you can feel the love and terroir in every bottle.   Dark purple-black in color with swelling aromas of blackberry jam, blackcurrant, ...