Now and then I’m given a bottle or two of wine. Such was the case with the two bottles I received from Steelhead Vineyards. What’s great about this is I get to try some great new wines, and I get some great information about that winery without having to do much of the research.
So, let me tell you about the vineyard and the two bottles of wine I received. They are the Steelhead Pinot Noir 2011 and the Steelhead Red Wine 2010. We decided to have the two wines with a simple pasta dish, salad, and crusty bread. The pasta meal was an excellent choice to act as a backdrop for these two wines. Although we enjoyed both, our preference was for the Steelhead Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011.
Steelhead Vineyards
The story behind the creation of Steelhead Vineyards is kind of cool.
Quivira Vineyard & Winery founded Steelhead Vineyards in 1998. Both are located in the beautiful Sonoma Wine Region of Northern California. They had two goals with Steelheads Vineyard’s creation. They wanted to use their resources to create an outstanding wine and to find ways to maintain and restore the natural environment in the area.
The Steelhead Vineyards name and label began as a tribute to the Steelhead Trout native to the area and the Coho Salmon. The label image was an expression of Quivira Vineyard’s commitment to restoring the natural habitats and waterways under their stewardship. With the help of some California agencies, university organizations and Trout Unlimited, their restoration efforts to bring back the steelhead trout was a great success. Their actions have since inspired others to do the same. These facts alone would be reason enough for me to consider buying their wine.
Steelhead Vineyards is now in partnership with “1% For The Planet.” This organization supports environmental causes by using the donations of 1% percent all members of the organization’s sales for the sole purpose of restoring and preserving natural habitats and environments in need. Yet another good reason to purchase their wine.
This is what the winemaker has to say about these two wines:
Steelhead Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011:
“A fresh, bright melange of red fruits on the nose, highlighting dark cherry and dried strawberry. The palate enters with bright cherry, wild Raspberry and Pomegranate with a hint of cola, earth, and spice. This medium bodied pinot has classic old world elegance and balance making it extremely versatile. This wine complements richer seafood, poultry and other meats.”
Steelhead Vineyards Red 2010:
“Aromas of deep, dark ripe berry immediately draw you in for a taste. Echoed on the palate with Blackberry and bing cherry married with chocolatey notes and subtle toasty oak. Aromas and flavors flow into a lush mid-palate and a long, lingering finish that is clean with crisp, balanced acidity. Shines with summer BBQ’s.”
I love the fact that whenever I buy a bottle of wine from Steelhead Vineyards I am in some small way, helping with a much-needed environment restoration.
You can find Steelhead vineyard wine at amazon.com, wine.com, bevmo.com and any good wine purveyor.
Time for a glass…
If you enjoyed reading about these wines, check out J Lohr Vineyards Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir, Mirassou Pinot Noir, and La Merika Pinot Noir.