Thumbprint Cellars

Thumbprint Cellars is a great little Sonoma producer with a tasting lounge in downtown Healdsburg, off the main square. I stopped there over the holiday and tasted some of their wines. Here are my notes:

2007 Pinot Noir, Schneider Vineyard, Russian River Valley, $45
Nose: Earth and cherries
Mouth: Bright fruit, tangy finish.

2005 Pedroni Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Dry Creek Valley, $45
Nose: ashy pepper flakes, green peppercorn.
Mouth: Peppers, peppers peppers! Finish of black cherries and raspberries. Really drinking nice right now.

2005 Three Some, $43 (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot)
Nose: Cab Franc comes through with strong pepper.
Mouth: Raspberries on attack, pepper-shaker throughout, long finish of black plums.

2005 Climax, $49
Nose: sweet, candied fruit
Mouth: Very sugary fruit, strawberries.

I really enjoyed these wines, but I didn't buy any during this visit. I'm finding it increasingly harder with the economy the way it is to justify spending more than $20 for a bottle of wine that realistically I'm going to pop for a daily drinker some week (or, save for a year or two for some magical event that never comes and just open it for a special dinner or dinner party).

I've also seen several of Thumbprint's wines on discount site
www.winestilsoldout.com for as much as half off, if not more. For instance, the 2005 Thumbprint Cellars Dry Creek Valley Schneider Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2005 (originally priced at $33.99) was available last week for $16.99.

Still, the people behind Thumbprint know what they're doing, and if you have a chance to try some of their wines, whether it's at a tasting, a wine bar, a restaurant or even the tasting room itself, I recommend you do.