Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, November 3, 2013

Winery - 4 / Wines - 7
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Authentically rustic old-world tasting room.  Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay.
www.savannahchanelle.com

I have been enjoying visiting the tasting room at Savannah-Chanelle since before I started tasting wine.  I would accompany my sister there for wine tasting, but I would merely sample the amazing mustards that they had on display.  Soon after that I started enjoying wine and I returned to sample their offerings.  Since then, I have returned every year to try the latest vintage.  As their winery is on the road returning from the Christmas tree farms in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it makes for a fun place to stop after cutting down a fresh Christmas tree.  Often times I am fortunate enough to stumble upon a terrific clearance deal they have going on in the tasting room, but not this time.  (My supply of party wines is beginning to dwindle, so I had hopes.)  In any event, I was looking forward to the opportunity to taste their latest releases.

The authentic old tasting room at Savannah-Chanelle

The drive to the Savannah-Chanelle mountain winery is an easy drive up Highway 9 from the town of Saratoga.  The turn into the winery’s driveway is tight, so go slowly and be prepared.  The driveway climbs the hillside through majestic redwoods leading up to the old winery operations building.  The barn-like structure seems to be maintained in a state of arrested decay – the building is clearly well-kept, but there is no trace of “new” here.  Just outside the main door to the tasting room a few tables are arranged for enjoying your wine flight in the open air of the mountain-side tasting room.  Inside, the large barn has been set up with two tasting counters along opposing walls, with tables set up in the middle of the room displaying merchandise for sale.  (Check out the funny cocktail napkins.)  Two skylights let in sunlight during the summer months, but no direct light enters the rest of the year because of the hillside and trees.  Just as you enter the tasting room is a grand piano, where the same woman has been playing every weekend afternoon for the past decade.  The tasting room can get very busy on weekend afternoons, so plan around this.

The busy tasting room at Savannah-Chanelle

The tasting menu has six wines on it, but I only wanted to sample four of them.  I started with the 2012 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, followed by the 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir.  I next tried the 2009 Insiders’ Club Pinot Noir (which is a selection of special lots), and ended with the 2009 Tondres Grapefield Pinot Noir.  Of these, my favorite was the Insiders’ Club Pinot Noir for its ripe fruits and excellent balance.

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 4 and the wines offered as a 7.  This is consistent with my previous visits.