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SUSTAINABLE, SOME WINES ORGANIC

Carol Shelton is one of America’s most innovative and highly­ respected winemakers. With over 40 years making wines from some of California’s finest vineyard sites, Carol Shelton has won Winemaker of the Year ten times, twice in 2021 alone!

She has countless gold medals for her wines and was named one of eight Pioneer Women Winemakers of Sonoma County in 2005. She continues to win awards and accolades – her Wild Thing Zinfandel was included in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2014 and again (yup!) in 2021. And when we say countless medals, it’s seriously countless. Here’s the list for just one vintage of one of her wines, the 2019 Rockpile Reserve Zin, and it’s pretty typical!

94 Points- Wine Spectator May 2023

91 Points – Connoisseur’s Guide to CA Wine, Jan 2022

DOUBLE GOLD Medal, 97 points - 2022 Sunset International Wine Competition

DOUBLE GOLD Medal, 94 points - 2022 Toast of the Coast Wine Competition

DOUBLE GOLD Medal - 2023 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition 

GOLD Medal, 93 Points – 2022 Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 93 Points – 2022 West Coast Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 93 points – 2022 International Women’s Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 93 points – 2022 North of the Gate Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 92 Points – 2022 LA Invitational Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 91 points – 2022 American Fine Wine Competition

GOLD Medal, 90 Points – 2023 San Diego International Wine Challenge

GOLD Medal, 90 Points – 2022 Orange County Fair Wine Competition

GOLD Medal – 2022 Concours d'Vin International Wine Competition

GOLD Medal - 2022 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition

GOLD Medal – 2022 Dan Berger International Wine Competition

GOLD Medal – 2022 San Francisco International Wine Competition

GOLD Medal – 2023 Zin Challenge, Alameda

Having worked at UC Davis on the team that developed the famed Flavor Wheel, then after graduation, doing stints with Peter Lehman, Robert Mondavi, and Buena Vista where she worked with the legendary Andre Tchelischeff, Carol settled at Windsor Vineyards, making literally dozens of different, award-winning wines. In 2000 Carol and her husband Mitch Mackenzie founded Carol Shelton Wines so that Carol could finally explore her talents to the fullest, and make the wines she always wanted to. With many harvests under her belt and her passion for winemaking still strong, Carol Shelton has become an iconic woman winemaker. For Carol, the best is yet to come.

The Wines (italics from Carol)

Wild Thing Chardonnay (Dry Creek, Sustainable): Carol’s Chardonnay is our golden-haired wild child, an exuberant and delectable mouthful of joy. Sourced from her estate vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, this vivacious white wine is a classic California Chardonnay with a delicate balance of richness and acidity to please all the Wild Things out there… Remember, you are what you drink!. 

Wild Thing Viognier (Placer County, Sustainable): High up in the Sierra Nevada, in the California Gold Country town of Auburn lies this gem of a vineyard of Viognier, planted and managed by the father and son team of John and Joe Damiano.  When picked just a bit less ripe than many California Viogniers, the fruit expresses lively citrus and gentle white flower aromatics, while barrel fermentation in mostly older French oak barrels leads to a wine of perfect structure and creamy-crispy balance.

Coquille Blanc (San Luis Obispo County, Sustainable): Coquille is pronounced “ko-keel” and it is French for shellfish or scallop, like the scallop shells on the Shelton family coat of arms. Carol is well-known for her delicious Zinfandels, something not as well-known by her fans is her reverence for White Rhone-style blends. Coquille Blanc is the white wine she always wanted to make – exotic, complex, balanced, luscious and food friendly, it is the perfect complement for its French namesake, scallops, or any other shellfish, fish or poultry that might be on the menu. A Chateauneuf-Blanc style wine of varialbe amounts of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier & Marsanne, grown mostly in the Paso Robles AVA of San Luis Obispo County . The ‘23 is 50% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne

Wild Thing Rendezvous Rose (Mendocino, Organic): A rendezvous with friends is all the more delicious a pleasure over a bottle of luscious chilled dry rosé, hence the name of our Rendezvous Rosé.  Created by bleeding half of the “pink” juice off of red grapes a full two days after crushing them, it is fermented cold like a white wine to retain every luscious drop of crisp strawberry fruitiness. The blend varies from year to year- through 2020 it was about 80% Carignane 20% Zin, in 2021 the Carignane crop failed so it was 80% Zin and 20% Carignane. The 2022 is 50% Carignane, 30% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah… but in every vintage it’s a lush, powerful rose for red wine drinkers- this is one that can wash down burgers, grillled steaks… you name it!

Wild Thing Zinfandel (Mendocino, Organic): Old Vine Mendocino Zinfandel is a treasure. Grown on the benchlands and slopes of mountainsides — this 60 plus year old vine Zinfandel was named for these wild- looking vines and also for the uninoculated, or “wild,” yeast ferment that was used to create it.  It takes a lot of effort to tame this wild fruit, but it is worth all the trouble. Wild Thing is dangerously good! Remember – you are what you drink ….

Collins Reserve Zinfandel (Collins - Limerick Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley):

Karma Zinfandel (Bastoni Vinehard, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma County): The name KarmaZin™ was bestowed in gratitude for the many gifts of good Karma received in life, whatever the source. When positive energy is put forth in hard work mixed with integrity, the giver is rewarded with success, the fulfillment of a dream. 80% Zinfandel 10% each Alicante Bouschet and Petite Sirah. 18 months in oak barrels--30% new Hungarian, 20% new French, 10% new American, 40% 2-year-old French. Very complexly layered spice and black fruits, lively! Dark chocolate, Creamy oak, a bit of vanilla cola, brown spices-nutmeg/cinnamon. Rich in mouth, good structure for aging, a bit chewy in its youth.

Monga Zinfandel (Cucamonga Valley, Organic):Monga is BACK! Regrettably, these ancient vines don’t produce fruit every year, but when they do… wow!! Big, bold, spicy and complex, and unique in style and terroir, Monga is Old Vine Zinfandel from the Lopez Vineyard, located in Southern California’s Cucamonga Valley.  And by "Old Vine" we mean REALLY old vine- planted in 1918 with roots stretching down past 90ft scrounging for water - these vines don't even produce every year, but when they do...

Oakley Zinfandel (Oakley, Contra Costa, Sustainable): The 6-acre Planchon Vineyard was planted in 1902 in alluvial sand with no irrigation, in a warm inland corner of the Sacramento River Delta. The Oakley’s unique terroir, composed of delta sands up to 90 feet deep in places, are extremely well drained and nutrient-poor, producing very low yields of superb grapes. The sands prevent phylloxera from gaining a foothold, so these ungrafted, gnarly old head-trained vines are growing on their own deep roots, and produce fruit with immense character and round, spicy, caramel flavors. Beautiful nose of sage, blackberry and milk chocolate, touch of caramel and cedar from the oak, bit of dusty earth. Almost Cabernet-like in its profile, from the kiss of green herbs to nicely structured tannins. Bright acidity while still creamy, and a plush, long finish.

Peaceland Zinfandel (Fountaingrove District, Sonoma Valley): The name comes from the translation of its owners’ German last name, Friedland. The unique “tall-head” trained vines were planted on steep hillsides, amidst groves of bay and live-oak, with stunning vistas of the city of Santa Rosa far below. The vineyard was almost completely destroyed by the 2017 Tubbs Fire; it is now completely dry-farmed as all irrigation was destroyed along with about 40% of the vines. Deep spicy jammy berry, rich chocolatey oak, layers of loveliness! Juicy razzberry jam in mouth, bright acidity and good structure for aging. This baby packs everything that Zin should be and much more!

Pizazz Zinfandel (Lodi): We chose to honor Charlie Piazza’s half century of growing in Lodi by making an anagram of his name to christen this classic old-style Zin.  These gnarly head-trained vines, planted back in 1970, deliver brilliant wild cherry jam on a milk chocolate-marshmallow background.  S’more, please! Note this wine was discontinued with the ‘21 vintage.

Rockpile Reserve Zinfandel (Rockpile): Rockpile, an AVA created only in 2002 with about 15,000 acres of land (a mere 150 planted to vineyard), sits on the flank of Rockpile Creek, above Sonoma Lake and the Dry Creek Valley. Formerly part of the Dry Creek AVA, it was parsed off as a distinct terroir due to its steep rocky slopes, its position above the fog line and the unique concentration of its fruit. The name for our reserve wine, Rocky Reserve®, comes from the deep red, rocky soils of the Florence Vineyard in Rockpile, 1400 feet above Lake Sonoma and Dry Creek Valley. This is a more elegant and restrained Zin, worthy of ten or more years of cellaring, though it is enjoyable now since it is packed with fragrant black and blue berry fruits. For more info on the Rockpile AVA, read on, and for a map of the AVA with further discussion of the terroir, click here.

Wally Zinfandel (Wallstrom Vineyard, Alexander Valley): Rod “Wally” Wallstrum was the Agriculture teacher at Healdsburg High School, and is a fixture in the local ag community. His small Zin vineyard in Alexander Valley yields some luscious fruit, full of spicy raspberry flavors and vibrant acidity. Spicy-peppery black raspberry fruit, right off the top, with gorgeous roasty-vanilla oak caramel, and a bit of dusty black cherry. Mouth offers chocolatey oak, creamy vanilla and tart cherry, with a dense middle and pleasing fruit and spice through its long finish.

Barbera d’Oakley (Oakley, Contra Costa; Sustainable): The 130-year-old Planchon Vineyard in Oakley is the source of this interesting blend of Barbera with its companion vines of Zinfandel and Merlot. The Barbera rows are a jungle of vegetation on the perimeter of the ancient Zin vines; they thrive on their own roots in this sandy soil because the phylloxera doesn’t survive sandy soils. The blend is a sort of “SuperPiedmont,” where Bordeaux varieties (here Merlot) add structure and elegance to the straightforward black cherry and blackberry fruit of the Barbera grape, and the Zin and Carignane chime in with their own bright raspberry and spice notes. Vibrant nose of tart black cherry and blackberry, with a kiss of green herbs and earth, black peppery spice and vanilla oak. Mouth shows some nice tart cherry and pomegranate, and mouthfeel is silky smooth, almost dangerous in how easy it is to drink. This wine would be delicious with tomato-sauced pastas, harder cheeses, and grilled things, especially portabello mushroom caps! Buon appétito!

Coquille Rouge (87% Central Coast, 13% Sonoma, Sustainable): Coquille Rouge is an American take on the southern Rhone. A blend of Mourvedre, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet, Grenache and a touch of Viognier, this is a supple, fruit-forward but balanced mouthful. The bulk of the fruit comes from century-old vines in Oakley, on the sands of the San Joaquin River delta. Phylloxera can’t gain a foothold in these soils, so these 100+ year-old vines are ungrafted! Notes of blackberry, charry, cranberry, blueberry and raspberry melded with a touch of warm dessert spices… drink in the spicy fruity goodness! 463 cases made.

Florence Vineyard Petite Sirah (Dry Creek Valley): This Petite Sirah is farmed by legendary Rockpile grower Jack Florence on a well-draining, rocky riverbed vineyard. Located on the northern tip of Dry Creek Valley.  Bright and jammy- a great example of what this variety can achieve in the right hands! Inky blue-purple in color, sweet black razzberry jammy fruit—yum! Dark chocolatey oak spice, bright acidity but very juicy-supple, bit of warm vanilla at finish, structured tannins for aging.

Oat Valley Carignane (Alexander Valley): Back to the future at last!  Carol used the vibrant red Carignane from these 60+ year old dry-farmed and head-trained vines at her long stint as winemaker at Windsor Vineyards, and now they have come “back home to mama!” These are our last grapes to harvest every year, but the resulting wine is well worth the wait.

Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon (Rockpile): Our Rockpile Reserve ® titles designate a series of elegant red wines from the Rockpile AVA, 1000-2000 feet above Lake Sonoma and the Dry Creek Valley in NW Sonoma County. This Cabernet Sauvignon is the second varietal of the series to be released, and it is comes from the Rockpile Vineyard of Rod and Cathy Park at 2000 foot elevation. Elegant with black cherry-cassis fruit and a nice hint of tobacco and cedar-spice, with the long smooth creamy finish that is so characteristic of Rockpile reds. Dark red in color. Black cherry-cola and cassis fruit, long and deep on nose and palate. Cedary oak spice and warm pipe tobacco aromas, dark chocolate, vanilla at finish, smoothly structured tannins.

Rockpile Petite Sirah (Rockpile): Our Rockpile Reserve ® titles designate a series of elegant red wines from the Rockpile AVA, 1000-2000 feet above Lake Sonoma and the Dry Creek Valley in NW Sonoma County. The Petite Sirah is from the, one of the first vineyards to be planted in the AVA, back in 1998. It is not a “rip your face off” Petite, but graciously styled while still full bodied and packed with black pepper and sweet oak. Passionate purple in color, lively black peppery spice on perfumey blue-blackberry fruit along with Cedary oak spice, dusty cocoa, warm vanilla creme at finish, structured tannins for aging.

Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel (Sonoma): Every once in a while, a twist of fate can deal a quirky hand, and with a stroke of magic it can become an enchanting experience. Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel conjures up a charming finale for a delicious meal - lusciously jammy and sweet, it complements many foods from savory cheese plates to decadent chocolate desserts. Abracadabra! <Extremely Limited Production>