Grape Options - Opinions

[jgareri]

Hi all,

Never gone the premium grape route before, so I was hoping to get your opinions on the options available to me. I was hoping to get some feedback for the following:

- Cab Sauv and Zinfandel from Shenandoah Valley
- I have the option to get cab franc, pinot noir or merlot for the El Dorado AVA
- There is also cab sauv from mokelumne river

Anyone have any experiences with these? El Dorado looks promising because its at 2000 ft but its also the most expensive of the options noted.

 

[Johny99]

I can't comment on the others, but I find the Sierra Foothills provides some high quality grapes although, I'm not sure I'd go Pinot Noir from there without a good reference. Even at 2000 ft is can be pretty warm for Pinot. One rule of thumb is to start with the best grapes you can get/afford.

Enjoy, grapes are the way to go!

 

[NorCal]

El Dorado is 20 minutes from me. I have not heard of Pinot growing there, too blasted hot. Merlot, some but not a whole lot, but Cab Franc grows excellent in this area. Do you know what vineyard?

 

[balatonwine]

El Dorado is 20 minutes from me. I have not heard of Pinot growing there, too blasted hot.

According to the the below graphic from http://eldoradowines.org/about.php#varieties, there is some small amount of Pinot Noir grown in El Dorado. Don't know its quality however. Oddly, the web site later states that the region "grows approximately 50 different varieties of grapes", not 70 as the graphic mentions.

 

[jgareri]

The vineyard noted is Georgetown, so I'm assuming from my Google search it's duarte-georgetown.

I think I'm leaning towards the Shenandoah cab, Lodi merlot and petit sirah for a cab dominant blend