Our first release of Meritage (pronounce like heritage) is scheduled for release at the upcoming California Family Winemakers’ Tasting that will be held at Fort Mason in San Francisco on August 23rd and 24th.

Meritage was created to identify wines that represent the highest form of the wine maker’s art – blending. Our wine maker, Jim Milone, with 30 years of experience in wine making, blended Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from our 37 acre vineyard at the base of Duncan Peak in 2006. Each varietal lot was kept separate during the vinification and aging process. These varietals were aged extensively in French oak barrels and blended shortly before bottling. After waiting three long years to release this wine we are sure that given Jim’s fantastic wine making skills and intuition, this first release of our Meritage promises to be as good as our Double Gold winner in this year’s California State Wine Competition, Petit Verdot.

Join us for the 5th anniversary celebration of Pure Mendocino, a weekend celebration benefiting the Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County. The two day event starts with a dinner on August 29th from 5 to 9 pm at Paul Dolan’s Biodynamic Dark Horse Vineyard in Ukiah. Then on Sunday, August 30th, the Apple Farm will showcase Mendocino’s organic and/or biodynamic cheeses, meats, wines, olive oil and produce, with a silent auction and apple farm tour by hosts Tim and Karen Bates.

According to Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Centers, Sara O’Donnell, “Pure Mendocino is an exploration and celebration of the healthy community created around our region’s organic and Biodynamic farms, vineyards and ranches. It’s a unique celebration of life and hope that has educated the public while supporting the efforts of the Cancer Resource Centers, raising to date more than $150,000,” she said. The funds are the bedrock needed to finance ongoing services at no cost to those facing cancer in our community.