If you were to predict future NAPA/Sonoma/CA Wine Champions..who would they be?

[TheEngineer]

With so many new wineries coming out these last few years, who are your picks to the amongst the most respected wine vineyards in 5-10 years?

I think there will be a few votes for Joel Gott. Any others that are out there that we should get on their mailing list soon?

[winoweenie]

My personal choices would be Robert Craig, Flora Springs, Scherrer, and Joseph Swan. None of these are new, but established, talented winemakers who have kept their pricing egos down and produce, year-after-year IMHO, superior juice. WW...Add Dehlinger but the waiting list is long for his mailing list.

[Kcwhippet]

Not sure I'd pick Joel Gott. He's more of an entrepreneur than a dedicated winemaker. He (and his brother and/or others in his family) own the Palisades Market in Calistoga, Taylor's Refresher in St. Helena and SF, a car wash and an export company. Gott Wines is owned by he and his wife Sarah. She's the winemaker for Quintessa, and previously was the winemaker for Joseph Phelps (think Insignia), and I know she's very involved in the winemaking at Gott. He has others in his family involved in wine, as well. His mother founded Montevina, and his father founded Corbett Canyon before becoming CEO of Sterling. So, he's got the background and the support, but he's more of a deal maker (Three Thieves) and a businessman.

To add to ww's choices, I have to add Lewelling, and Bressler for Napa Valley CS. Then too, there are the guys making all that Central Coast Pinot that Bucko just doesn't go for - Brian Loring (Loring Wine Company), Kris Curran (Sea Smoke), Adam Lee (Siduri, and ROAR for Gary Francesconi), Eric Sussman (Radio-Coteau) and more. I also like the Syrahs from Red Car, Novy (owned by Dianna Lee's family and made mostly by Adam Lee) and Bonaccorsi (though Michael Bonaccorsi died last year so I don't know what direction the wines are going). Way too many!

[wineguruchgo]

I will say that the man to watch is Dave Phinney. He is a young, rouge 30 something who is making wine for Bennett Lane & he owns Orin Swift Prisioner. His wines at Bennett Lane are consistantly in the 90's and he really is very talented.

He has left Bennett Lane and is now concentrating on Swift. Being that he is so young he will have a career worth watching.

[wondersofwine]

I would say watch the Alexander Valley and Anderson Valley areas--no particular vintner in mind at the moment.

[dananne]

I'd echo KC's Central Coast Pinot Noir players, as well as his picks for up-and-comers with Syrah, adding Alban to the latter list. I think Cali Pinot has only just begun this great surge with the past year's momentum (spurred, in part, by Sideways). In addition, I think you'll see the rise of the specific vineyard (in much the same way that you've had historically with Napa Cab benchmarks like Tokalon, Beckstoffer, etc.) for Pinot Noir, such as Sanford & Benedict in Santa Barbara, and the Central Coast vineyards Pisoni, Gary's, and Hirsch.

[Kcwhippet]

Hey Weener. I just got the Robert Craig Wine Cellars newsletter. I've been getting it for quite a few years, but I never ordered from it, and I don't think I've ever had a Robert Craig wine. I guess I'm in the wine club, so if I got the 02 Affinity it would be $32, and the 02 Mt. Veeder CS would be $40. Not bad pricing. Are they really that good?

[winoweenie]

KC.....IMHO they absolutely kill the "NEW" botique wineries selling for 2 to 3X the bucks. I've been buying Craig since 1993 and haven't had one bottle that dissapointed. WW....BRWs'. What's your input? WW