 SILVER | 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2008 Kimmel Vineyards Chardonnay SILVER | 2011San Francisco Chroniclel Wine Competition 2007 Kimmel Vineyards Merlot  GOLD | 2010 San Francisco Int'l Wine Competition 2007 Kimmel Vineyards Merlot  SILVER | 2010 Riverside Int'l Wine Competition 2007 Kimmel Vineyards Merlot  FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
WINE WRITERS ARE TALKIN'...
NOVEMBER, 2011 TASTING PANEL – 94 PTS for our Kimmel 07 Merlot
94 PTS. "Refined, dignifi ed—this textured red goes beyond the fruit. It’s a sleek performance Merlot with vino-dynamics. A Gold Medalist from the San Francisco International Wine Competition." DOWNLOAD THE REVIEW >
SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 WINE ENTHUSIAST – 91 and 92 for our Kimmel 09 Chardonnay and 07 Merlot
91 PTS. "A big boy out of Mendocino ... intense, creamy, layered anf hugley voluptuous, clearly well made with and acidic bite and long finish.. (9/1/2011) " > READ THE FULL REVIEW AT W.E.: About our 07 Merlot... 92PTS. "Terrific...Stood out in a blind tasting among expensive Napa Bordeaux-style reds...firm tannins and a brisk backbone of acidity.... Really a dramatic wine that should hold over the next four years. (11/1/2010)" > READ THE FULL REVIEW AT W.E.:
Interview: Tuesday, March 1, 2011 WHAT'S COOKING ON WINE: SONOMA WINE REPORT INTERVIEWS GARY KIMMEL
> Check out photos of the interview on our facebook wall > Listen to WCOW's interview with Gary Kimmel.
REVIEW: Wine with SLHousman http://winewithslhousman.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html 2/2011 "...This ‘08 Chardonnay is great in the fact you can taste lots of fruit but still has a very light oak finish. Strong aroma’s of green apple and a light scent of vanilla. First tasting crisp green apple, light pear, and a touch of apricot. This Chardonnay finishes with a very light creamy oak. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay! Love the families motto “Our Passions....Great Wines, Family, Friends and the Land.” I can tell drinking this wine that this is definitely the Kimmel family passion. Can’t wait to try their Merlot next, which has won awards!" Thanks, Sherri!
Interview: December 27, 2010 WHAT'S COOKING ON WINE WITH MIKE HORN INTERVIEWS JIM KIMMEL
>Listen to Mike Horn's interview with Jim Kimmel. Recoded at Ruth's Chris Steak House, Pasadena.
GOODGRAPE.COM NAMES KIMMEL VINEYARDS "SMALL WINERY OF THE YEAR" IN "2010 BEST OF WINE" AWARDS.
"The winner of the Small Winery of the Year Award goes to Jim Kimmel and family from Kimmel Vineyards....Kimmel Vineyards is truly a family operation with all of the positives and negatives that come with being a small business – the struggles to sell grapes, heck, the struggle to sell wine, period—the twists, and turns of being a vineyard owner and a small vintner." We encourage you to follow the GoodGrape.com – this blog has been a winner of the WINE BLOG AWARDS consecutively each year since 2007.
AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE ... 10.28.10  "Thanks for sharing the nice selection of Chardonnays. ...There are three new world Chardonnays that I think are exceptional:1. Kimmel Vineyards 2007 Potter Valley Chardonnay $32 2. Hanzell Chardonnay (any vintage) $40 3. XumeK 2009 Zonda Valley Chardonnay $15.00 ... Of the three, my favorite is Kimmel. This comes from a single-vineyard site in Mendocino that is just reaching its top potential. Low yields, careful and judicious use of aging in French oak give this wine incredible length on the palate, and a smooth creamy texture. We rarely rave about wines (we taste a lot of samples at my marketing company) but this is a wine I gladly buy." A Comment from reader JTincknell, responding to The Top New World Chardonnays @ snooth.com 7.6.10 "2007 Kimmel Merlot ... it speaks of juxtapositions and paradoxes: A buzzy rush of booze is balanced by fresh raspberry and blueberry notes." Read the full review at Drinkhacker.com 10.6.09 "Slight tint of apple green color catches your eye when you first observe this lovely wine. Hand crafted and very small production, makes this award winning wine a best-of-the-best pick from The Wine Attic. High quality winemaking and excellent fruit creates a honey, pear nose, lots of citrus on the palate, well-balanced acids. Creamy, oak finish. This is a yummy wine for a special occasion...." ~Jan Manni, The Wine Attic with Jan Manni 4.27.09 Kimmel, Mendocino, Chardonnay 2007 "The tropical notes on this wine are explosive. It’s as if there’s a banana Popsicle hiding in the glass. Joining with the fruit there are brown spices and a sense of freshly-split oak. In the mouth the wine is quite ripe, with oakiness, warmth and tropical fruit showing on a silky textured palate – very nice." ~Ray Johnson, TASTE WINE, rjwine.com
SOMMELIER JOURNAL RECOMMENDATION
"New non-vintage releases to watch for include the Roederer Estate Brut Rosé Anderson Valley ($27) and the Scharffenberger Cellars Brut ($19), both lovely sparklers from Mendocino. From 2009, look for the concentrated, minerally, unoaked 2009 Captûre Sauvignon Blanc Tradition Sonoma County ($32). From the challenging 2008 vintage, the vibrant, beautifully balanced Kimmel Vineyards Chardonnay Mendocino ($32); the rich, Morello cherry- and mocha-imbued Chanticleer Sangiovese Yountville Napa Valley ($45); and the luscious, deeply fruity, and complex Tamayo Red Wine Contra Costa County ($15) are excellent artisanal selections."
SWEET WINERY PROFILE...
Read Jeff's very entertaining winery spotlight at goodgrape.com |
