Benovia Winery a Superstar in the Making

This new producer in Santa Rosa is a superstar in the making. Owner Joe Anderson has provided the financial support to create a state-of-the-art winery and to resurrect the aging Cohn Vineyard. Talented winemaker Mike Sullivan (who made many brilliant Pinot Noirs at Hartford Family Winery and was named Wine Personality of the Year 2002 by Robert Parker) is at the top of his game. It has been a couple of years of anticipation and Benovia has finally released a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir in 2007. Benovia has recently purchased two properties which will eventually increase the estate vineyards to 75 acres. The first is a 40-acre parcel adjacent to the winery property on the north side. New plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here will come into production in 2013. An old house on the property will be renovated to offer a reception center for wine tastings and dinners. The second property is a cool site for Pinot Noir located on Falstaff Road near Freestone, 3.5 miles north of the Petaluma wind gap. 12 acres of Pinot Noir will be planted and will come into production in 2013 as well. These new properties will allow Benovia to eventually reach 5,000 case production. In the Fall, a Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir and Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir will be released. I have tasted both of these a couple times out of barrel and the Savoy recently after bottling and can tell you these wines are gorgeous, sexy Pinot Noirs. The Benovia Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Rosé are outstanding wines in their own right. This is a cult producer in the making and I would not recommend hesitating about joining the mailing list.

- By Pinot File, Vol 7, Issue 14, 03/15/2009