2017 Peterson GSM Red Wine, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Dark red fruit aromatics swirled with a subtle spicy blend foretell the deliciousness discovered on the palate. Subtle spicy cedar notes weave through deep lush flavors of black raspberry, strawberry, and Bing cherry. The luscious fruit is balanced with an integrated tannin and oak structure that shows a bit of muscle in the broad finish as traces of baking spices and black pepper appear.
Jamie’s (Peterson) Vintaged View & Vineyard Notes
When we replanted the Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard in 2007, we were inspired to try different grape varieties. After multiple trips to the Rhône Valley of Southern France, the inspiration to plant Grenache was solidified. Without experience growing the varietal in our mountain vineyard, or making much in the winery, we weren’t sure what expression the resulting wines would put forward. Now we know.
The Grenache from the mountain produces a high-quality wine with all the classic characteristics of great Grenache—soft, luscious fruit, pepper and licorice spice, and some of the garriguey flavors, with the essence of minerality from the site coming through.
Building on this base, we strived to create a blend with depth and complexity, while not overwhelming the nuances of the core. Each year we experiment and trial the different Rhône flavors from our mountain vineyard. Along with the Grenache, the wine has classic components of Syrah and Mourvèdre, balancing the wine beautifully and giving it potential to age for at least 7-10 years.
A rich, hearty beef stew or pork tenderloin with pears and shallots will pair well with this fruit-forward yet robust Rhône blend.
Specs
Composition & Harvest Dates:
Varietal Breakdown | Harvest Dates
50% Grenache | Oct. 4
33% Syrah | Sept. 6
17% Mourvèdre | Oct. 11
Vineyard: 100% Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.7%
pH: 3.67
TA: 0.61g/100ml
Barrel Aging: 22 months
Cooperage: 50% new French oak barrels, 50% 4-8 year-old neutral oak barrels
Bottling Date: August 1, 2019 (unfined and unfiltered)
2020 Peterson Vignobles Red Wine, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
The aromas offer a lovely medley of subtle red fruit laced with traces of kid-glove leather and loamy soil. Bright, balanced flavors begin and finish the wine, revealing ripe strawberry, pomegranate, dark cherry, and a hint of rhubarb. Mid-palate, a spicy cedar essence appears, merging with the vibrant dark flavors. The integrated structure and a touch of dried fine herbs with a lavender essence appear in the long finish.
Jamie Peterson’s Vintaged Views
My father first produced Vignobles in the 1990’s as a way to showcase our Petite Sirah and other Rhône varietals in a savory blend that reflects the Dry Creek Valley terroir. And, as a side note, it was one of my favorite wines to sneak tastes of as a teenager.
By blending three varietals from distinctively different Dry Creek Valley vineyards, we are staying true to Fred’s vision of showcasing how our local terroir creates a unique palate profile. With this twelfth vintage since the resurrection of the wine, we’ve built upon the core of spice and zestiness from Carignane harvested off our Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard and the eastern bench of Forchini Vineyard, and brought in rich, dense Petite Sirah from Bernier Vineyard. Syrah from our estate vineyard adds varied fruits and plushness to bring it all together. This Rhône varietal blend creates layers of fruit, spices, and herbs, along with complexity and balance—all hallmarks of wines from the Dry Creek Valley.
Not a subtle wine, but meant to show more finesse and refinement than some of our other blends. We’re glad to have Vignobles back in our cellar, and I no longer have to sneak tastes, but enjoy each sip all the same.
Enjoy this delicious blend with herbs de Provence pork chops, or a classic cassoulet with white beans, sausage, and chicken.
Specs
Composition:
Varietal-Vineyard Breakdown | Harvest Dates
50% Carignane - 34% Bradford Mtn. Est.Vnyd | 9/7
16% Forchini Vineyard | 9/11
25% Syrah - Bradford Mountain Estate Vnyd | 9/20
25% Petite Sirah - Bernier Vineyard | 9/28
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.42
TA: 0.64g/100ml
Barrel Aging: 25 months
Cooperage: 33% new French oak barrels, 17% new American oak barrels, 50% older, neutral oak barrels
Bottling Date: December 1, 2022 (unfined & unfiltered)
2021 Peterson Mendo Blendo Red Wine, Tollini Vineyard, Mendocino
Tasting Notes
Robust only begins to describe this luscious, intensely flavored wine, but it’s a start. The focused aromatics present perfectly ripened, juicy wild blackberry woven with traces of mocha and oak. The smooth mouthfeel exposes the concentrated flavors of boysenberry, dark cherry and dried strawberry. As the structure appears mid-palate, so do delicious notes of chocolate, creamy coffee, and just a hint of pear. The rich intensity lingers on, leaving you time to wonder if it’s too soon for the next sip.
Fred’s (Peterson) Vintaged View
Our Mendo Blendo reflects the two realities inherent in all interesting wines: place and people. The place being Mendocino County and the people (besides Jamie and myself) being Alvin and Sally Tollini, who grew the grapes that produced this wine. Though we would never trade living in and producing wines from Dry Creek Valley, I’ve always enjoyed Mendocino County, its people, and its wines.
Mendocino County winegrowing is an important part of my history. I began my winegrowing career in December 1973 as a vineyard worker for Frey Vineyards in Mendocino’s Redwood Valley. We began producing our Zero Manipulation wine from the Tollini’s Home Ranch “Wild Vines” Carignane in 2000, and have produced it every year since. Alvin Tollini is a third-generation Redwood Valley grower and a wonderful person, as well as an exceptional grape grower.
When Alvin offered us some of his Petite Sirah grapes, we were excited to produce a wine with the Tollini Mendocino Petite Sirah at its core. With 50% Petite Sirah along with 36% Syrah, 7% Grenache, and 7% Carignane—all from Tollini Vineyard—we couldn’t legally call the wine a Petite Sirah, but wanted to come up with a fun name to reflect its origins. The name Mendo Blendo is our wink and a nod to Mendocino’s other agricultural crop of note.
Enjoy a hearty pairing like Sicilian pasta with creamy pistachio sauce, slow-roasted rosemary garlic lamb shanks, or Tuscan pork stew.
Specs
Composition: 100% Tollini Vineyard
Varietal Breakdown | Harvest Dates
50% Petite Sirah | September 15
36% Syrah | September 15
7% Grenache | September 21
7% Carignane | September 28
Appellation: Redwood Valley, Mendocino County
Alcohol: 14.8%
pH: 3.36
TA: 0.7g/100ml
Barrel Aging: 22 months
Cooperage: 14% new American oak barrels, 7% new Hungarian oak barrels, 79% neutral old barrels
Bottling Date: August 9, 2023 (unfined & unfiltered)
Peterson Winery has been producing wine in Dry Creek Valley for 30 years and, like most wineries in the Valley, produces Zinfandel as well as other wines. Yet a closer look shows that is where the similarities end.
Owner Fred Peterson is an iconoclast with an old-world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. The evolution of Peterson wines and winemaking accelerated when Fred’s son Jamie became assistant winemaker in the summer of 2002. In 2006, after moving from the tiny red barn on Lytton Springs to Timber Crest Farms, Jamie was given the overall responsibilities as winemaker. As a winegrowing team, Fred and Jamie assess the grapes from each vineyard and vintage as the season progresses, evaluating how the weather, soil and site are interacting for the particular vintage. At Peterson winery, the winemaking process begins while the grapes are still on the vines. Zero Manipulation is a discipline the Petersons follow to capture the character and balance of inherent in the grapes. Zero Manipulation means using the most gentle, traditional winemaking practices possible to maximize the flavors, aromatics, and texture of the wines. Fred and Jamie celebrate vintage differences and don’t tweak or homogenize the wine to obtain consistency of flavors, a common practice in mass-market wineries. For Fred and Jamie, Peterson Winery is all about the wines. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll see the heart and soul that goes into every bottle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
First & foremost, thanks so much to Alice for bumping me back to the top of the ratlist after I recently received a bottle that couldn’t be reviewed. Thank you, Alice!
Shortly after the email to tell me this package was on the way, UPS delivered midweek and I decided to let the bottle sit upright untouched until the weekend.
PopNPour: Red fruit immediately on the nose, but not overpowering. Beautiful ruby color, with a bit of sediment settled around the neck of the bottle. Taste is smooth, with a slight linger of mineral finish. Alcohol is present, but not at all forward. Initial reaction is that this wine has enough structure to hold its own against any meal served alongside it.
About an hour later, returned for another sample: the wine has started to relax, releasing aromas of berry and a bit of oak. This robust wine is drinking smooth and has a great mouthfeel. Slight mineral finish is still around, but there’s no hint of the 14.5% ABV. It took more than a bit of willpower to save some sampling for the next day.
Day Two: Aromas of stone fruit and oak lead the way. Being direct, this wine is delicious. Enough fruit to know what’s there without pushing into jammy territory. More sediment than most bottles I pour, but that’s a feature not a bug and it wasn’t at all off-putting. Really love the weight of Carignane in this blend.
Verdict: If space allows, this is an easy pick up—a great everyday option, a party pleaser to impress and enjoy, and also something that I would be excited to see with a few more years behind it.
Thanks to Peterson Winery, WD, & Alice for the opportunity to rat.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Winery Mixed Red Blends - $58 = 25.43%
Guh – I don’t need more wine in my already overflowing basement…but I cracked the 2016 GSM last month from a previous offer, and it was fantastic on day 2. Anybody in CHM interested in a split?
Happy Monday, Casemates - Jamie P checking in here from the winery. Thank you all for being a part here and buying the wines, and to the crew at WCC for working with us to put together a mix of Rhone blended wines that hopefully will make a lot of people happy.
The Mendo Blendo has been selling out quickly the last few vintages, between our few channels of distribution for it in the states and the UK, and our wine club. We initially weren’t going to offer any of it, but decided that given the past support of Casemates for it, we could dedicate a little. The 2021 is a beast of a wine, and isn’t released here at the winery until April, but we felt it has recovered enough from bottle shock to show well now (or tuck it away a few months)
Happy to answer any questions, and will check back in regularly!
@foxrunner I’ve thought about offering something in B.I.B, but shipping them is a bit of a custom project, and we don’t do very large amounts… a little labor of love, since they are and always have been hand filled since we started doing them 12 years ago… Perhaps one day!
2017 GSM Red Wine, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
This will need to be a quick one as Alice has once again managed to find the only week I’m traveling this year!
I like GSMs. I enjoy each of these varietals independently of course, but together they always seem to balance each other out. The Peterson GSM was no exception here. I found the first taste even, neither acidic nor overly sweet. It’s basically ready to go right out of the bottle. I appreciated the garnet color as well as the earthy tones it brought forward. There was not noticeable funk or odor when opened, and it continued to smooth out from there.
Second day was as good, maybe slightly better. It showed some added sweetness and no sign of acidity. I was slightly dismayed to have the cork break on me when I attempted to pull it out, but if you can’t finish a bottle of wine on the second day, then why are you even here, amirite?
Happy with this bottle. Would pair great with pizza or filet. Just a really versatile, well-balanced, easy drinker right here. Enjoy!
@rjquillin cork looked fine on first pull. No sediment particles at all. This was the second pull after I recorked it. Overall not much to worry about I think.
@ACraigL
Yeah, I’ve had that happen as well with somewhat older corks, but generally not just the next day.
Just yesterday I was cleaning up an older vacuum pump I needed to pull down a refrigeration system after a leak repair of a wine cabinet and used a bubbly cork to plug an air exit vent to the oil case. After cleaning it broke off when I went to pull it. Was going to use a corkscrew to pull it, but then thought, just turn on the pump and the pressure may pop it out. Yep, a couple meters into the air easy with a loud pop.
You are now returning to a discussion of the current offer…
Greetings all!! I had the pleasure of trying out that
2021 Mendo Blendo…
So after reading Jamie’s notes on the Mendo Blendo it makes a little more sense why this wine wasn’t quite “on”.
Got the bottle on Thursday and popped it a few hours later with some Mexican food. It came across a little sweet, a little thick, and a little smoky. I know i bought some of these bottles before, and it was quite a departure. The spicy of the chiles worked well with the sweetness, so that was a benefit, but it really wasn’t my jam. (sorry?)
HOWEVER!!!
I kept it on the counter, screwed the cap back down and waited until Saturday. SO much better. The thickness is lessened, and the sweetness now is just richness. Now don’t get me wrong – it’s a bold blend. The PS and Syrah duke it out for superiority. Overall, though, it’s just much better with the air.
So yeah, this will get under control with some time. I think this is the first time i’ve experienced a baby bottle so baby-like, and opening up shortly after Brown gave me the box certainly didn’t help.
Thanks all! And thanks Peterson and WCC for the opportunity!!
@PetersonWinery absolutely! it’s always fun to try to see how air helps. I had a duck snort left over and it’s still great at 5 days so that’s wonderful. The Petite Sirah is still hitting hard and still tasty.
Hi Everyone, Working the market today in the Tahoe/Reno area selling wine. I have always liked the Peterson wines and it is an auto buy for me.
Cheers,
Scott
We love our Petersson wines! But seriously, I was on the 'No more wine for now. We’ve got boxes on top of boxes." And it hasn’t sold out, so we’re in for a case because it is just that good.
But really, after this time I’m firm on holding out until we thin the herd a bit. Unless…
/giphy melodious-watchful-mockingbird
2017 Peterson GSM Red Wine, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Jamie’s (Peterson) Vintaged View & Vineyard Notes
Specs
2020 Peterson Vignobles Red Wine, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Jamie Peterson’s Vintaged Views
Specs
2021 Peterson Mendo Blendo Red Wine, Tollini Vineyard, Mendocino
Tasting Notes
Fred’s (Peterson) Vintaged View
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not all vintages for sale on winery website, $400/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 8 - Tuesday, Apr 9
Peterson Winery Mixed Red Blends
3 bottles for $56.99 $19/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Peterson GSM Red Wine
2020 Peterson Vignobles
2021 Peterson Mendo Blendo
2020 Dry Creek Valley Vignobles Red Blend
First & foremost, thanks so much to Alice for bumping me back to the top of the ratlist after I recently received a bottle that couldn’t be reviewed. Thank you, Alice!
Shortly after the email to tell me this package was on the way, UPS delivered midweek and I decided to let the bottle sit upright untouched until the weekend.
PopNPour: Red fruit immediately on the nose, but not overpowering. Beautiful ruby color, with a bit of sediment settled around the neck of the bottle. Taste is smooth, with a slight linger of mineral finish. Alcohol is present, but not at all forward. Initial reaction is that this wine has enough structure to hold its own against any meal served alongside it.
About an hour later, returned for another sample: the wine has started to relax, releasing aromas of berry and a bit of oak. This robust wine is drinking smooth and has a great mouthfeel. Slight mineral finish is still around, but there’s no hint of the 14.5% ABV. It took more than a bit of willpower to save some sampling for the next day.
Day Two: Aromas of stone fruit and oak lead the way. Being direct, this wine is delicious. Enough fruit to know what’s there without pushing into jammy territory. More sediment than most bottles I pour, but that’s a feature not a bug and it wasn’t at all off-putting. Really love the weight of Carignane in this blend.
Verdict: If space allows, this is an easy pick up—a great everyday option, a party pleaser to impress and enjoy, and also something that I would be excited to see with a few more years behind it.
Thanks to Peterson Winery, WD, & Alice for the opportunity to rat.
Cheers, all!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Winery Mixed Red Blends - $58 = 25.43%
Was there a change to vineyard shipping on this one? Have purchased before in PA. Hoping to grab a case
@rmm989 Same! Looks like I need to hit up a Jersey friend.
Guh – I don’t need more wine in my already overflowing basement…but I cracked the 2016 GSM last month from a previous offer, and it was fantastic on day 2. Anybody in CHM interested in a split?
@fermentedwisdom
I assume you mean CMH. I would be interested in a split.
@cstoffel @fermentedwisdom Late to the party
Anyone else in CMH in for a split?
@cstoffel @smoothie72 Order is in, if you don’t get any other takers I’m happy to share 3 bottles with you if you’re interested
Happy Monday, Casemates - Jamie P checking in here from the winery. Thank you all for being a part here and buying the wines, and to the crew at WCC for working with us to put together a mix of Rhone blended wines that hopefully will make a lot of people happy.
The Mendo Blendo has been selling out quickly the last few vintages, between our few channels of distribution for it in the states and the UK, and our wine club. We initially weren’t going to offer any of it, but decided that given the past support of Casemates for it, we could dedicate a little. The 2021 is a beast of a wine, and isn’t released here at the winery until April, but we felt it has recovered enough from bottle shock to show well now (or tuck it away a few months)
Happy to answer any questions, and will check back in regularly!
@PetersonWinery
Props Jamie, for your outstanding lab notes provided!
@rjquillin Of course! Transparency is always valued and appreciated and glad you like seeing them!
Peterson is highly recommended. Pretty much an auto buy for us now. Sigh…
@wnance Thank you!!
@PetersonWinery Ordered…
@wnance You won’t regret it!! Good mix between the three for any pairing or occasion
You had me at Mendo Blendo…
@GNOP It’s hot to trot. One of our best vintages yet. Other wines both are tasting delicious as well and ready to go.
@GNOP @PetersonWinery Any chance we could see your bag in a box wines here? I’d love to try them and love your Rhones!
@foxrunner I’ve thought about offering something in B.I.B, but shipping them is a bit of a custom project, and we don’t do very large amounts… a little labor of love, since they are and always have been hand filled since we started doing them 12 years ago… Perhaps one day!
2017 GSM Red Wine, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
This will need to be a quick one as Alice has once again managed to find the only week I’m traveling this year!
I like GSMs. I enjoy each of these varietals independently of course, but together they always seem to balance each other out. The Peterson GSM was no exception here. I found the first taste even, neither acidic nor overly sweet. It’s basically ready to go right out of the bottle. I appreciated the garnet color as well as the earthy tones it brought forward. There was not noticeable funk or odor when opened, and it continued to smooth out from there.
Second day was as good, maybe slightly better. It showed some added sweetness and no sign of acidity. I was slightly dismayed to have the cork break on me when I attempted to pull it out, but if you can’t finish a bottle of wine on the second day, then why are you even here, amirite?
Happy with this bottle. Would pair great with pizza or filet. Just a really versatile, well-balanced, easy drinker right here. Enjoy!
@ACraigL
Any sediment sides, bottom or top?
No pic, so what did the bottom of the cork look like?
@rjquillin cork looked fine on first pull. No sediment particles at all. This was the second pull after I recorked it. Overall not much to worry about I think.
@ACraigL
Yeah, I’ve had that happen as well with somewhat older corks, but generally not just the next day.
Just yesterday I was cleaning up an older vacuum pump I needed to pull down a refrigeration system after a leak repair of a wine cabinet and used a bubbly cork to plug an air exit vent to the oil case. After cleaning it broke off when I went to pull it. Was going to use a corkscrew to pull it, but then thought, just turn on the pump and the pressure may pop it out. Yep, a couple meters into the air easy with a loud pop.
You are now returning to a discussion of the current offer…
I am doing a happy dance. Love Mendo. Love Peterson.
Also, if anyone in San Francisco wants one of each bottle I will share.
Greetings all!! I had the pleasure of trying out that
2021 Mendo Blendo…
So after reading Jamie’s notes on the Mendo Blendo it makes a little more sense why this wine wasn’t quite “on”.
Got the bottle on Thursday and popped it a few hours later with some Mexican food. It came across a little sweet, a little thick, and a little smoky. I know i bought some of these bottles before, and it was quite a departure. The spicy of the chiles worked well with the sweetness, so that was a benefit, but it really wasn’t my jam. (sorry?)
HOWEVER!!!
I kept it on the counter, screwed the cap back down and waited until Saturday. SO much better. The thickness is lessened, and the sweetness now is just richness. Now don’t get me wrong – it’s a bold blend. The PS and Syrah duke it out for superiority. Overall, though, it’s just much better with the air.
So yeah, this will get under control with some time. I think this is the first time i’ve experienced a baby bottle so baby-like, and opening up shortly after Brown gave me the box certainly didn’t help.
Thanks all! And thanks Peterson and WCC for the opportunity!!
@radiolysis Thanks for taking the time and giving it another day to open up!!!
@PetersonWinery absolutely! it’s always fun to try to see how air helps. I had a duck snort left over and it’s still great at 5 days so that’s wonderful. The Petite Sirah is still hitting hard and still tasty.
Hi Everyone, Working the market today in the Tahoe/Reno area selling wine. I have always liked the Peterson wines and it is an auto buy for me.
Cheers,
Scott
After much debate we decided to just give in and buy. Excited to try the GSM!
/giphy hostile-reverent-side
We love our Petersson wines! But seriously, I was on the 'No more wine for now. We’ve got boxes on top of boxes." And it hasn’t sold out, so we’re in for a case because it is just that good.
But really, after this time I’m firm on holding out until we thin the herd a bit. Unless…
/giphy melodious-watchful-mockingbird
Yum yummy Peterson GSM hits above it’s weight.