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WTN: Tasting at Woodenhead Vintners, Santa Rosa

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WTN: Tasting at Woodenhead Vintners, Santa Rosa

by Jenise » Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:22 pm

Worst tasting of our trip to Sonoma chosen because someone had a friend who worked in the tasting room. This place was a real mixed bag. Though some of the wines were okay or even good, overall the wines were too ripe and the prices didn't track quality. They generously kept urging us to ask for anything, they would open it, but after a few we all felt we'd seen enough and moved on. Felt bad for the friend of a friend.

2018 Woodenhead Chardonnay Piper Ranch, Manchester Ridge Mendocino Ridge
The pourer called this a "lighter style" but there was nothing light about it: deep color, ripe fruit, low acidity, cloying finish. $48. No thank you.

2018 Woodenhead Zinfandel Mendocino Ridge
Winery pour. Bramble, super ripe berries, brown sugar, praline. Probably high in alcohol but I couldn't get my hands on the bottle to confirm. Pass. $42

2016 Woodenhead Charbono Mendocino County
Great nose, dry midpalate with mild fruit that maybe comes closer to grenache than anything else with firm acidity and the tannic structure this grape is known for. Liked it enough to buy two bottles for geek bait. $35

2016 Woodenhead Pinot Noir Wiley Vineyard Anderson Valley
Too ripe: dark, spicy, sweeter, some iodine. Pass. $65

2015 Woodenhead Brut Rosé Russian River Valley Champagne Blend
Pissed off the pourer by transferring it from a flute, which retarded the flavors, to a burg bowl which showed more complexity. Really enjoyed this, but not at $50.

2019 Woodenhead Pinot Noir Mendocino Ridge
Classic Sonoma pinot flavors, very balanced. Good. $40
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN: Tasting at Woodenhead Vintners, Santa Rosa

by David M. Bueker » Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:10 pm

Never even heard of them.
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Re: WTN: Tasting at Woodenhead Vintners, Santa Rosa

by Jenise » Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:26 pm

I did a search when I posted this to see if anyone had ever mentioned them, I didn't think I knew of them either. But alas, it's come up a few times. Brian Miller discovered them on a bike ride and spoke well of a Humboldt county pinot and a "high octane" zin. Bill Spohn mentioned a zin a mutual friend named Alvin brought to a two-men-and-a-pizza lunch to which Bill brought a barbera--the barbera won. It's obvious from Bill's note that that zin was a riper, gobbier style like what I experienced. And there's also a note from me many years ago about a "simple, super soft, dilute" Woodenhead pinot someone brought to a pinot dinner about which I wondered aloud if it had been watered down to reduce the alcohol. "Tastes like it."

At least on this forum, this winery's track record is poor.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

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