Winery Spotlight: Frick Winery

About:

Why would you sell your trusty 1957 Chevy? To get the capital to start a winery, which is what Bill Frick and Judith Gannon did back in 1976 to launch Frick Winery. Since the time he was just eight years old, Bill had an interest in wine, sparked by a family visit to the Italian Swiss Colony in Asti California, where his parents went wine-tasting.

Today, Bill still makes wine at Frick Winery using traditional methods, with syrah, viognier, grenache blanc cinsaut, grenache, counoise and merlot grapes grown in vineyards from the highland corner of Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. Frick Winery crushes, ferments and bottles just 1400 cases a year, so a great deal of attention and hand care goes into every single bottle of wine.

Wines:

2009 Frick Winery Grenache, Sonoma County, Conley Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley

For the red wine lover at your holiday table. This wine is rich and balanced, with aromas of ripe cherry, berry and cedar and flavors of black raspberry, cherry pie, black currant jam and cocoa. It pairs well with duck breast, duck pate, meat-heavy pizza and enchiladas.  $27/bottle, purchase here.

2012 Frick Winery Mourvèdre Rosé, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley Estate Bottled, Owl Hill Vineyard

This rose, produced from the classic Rhone grape, is fragrant with peach, apricot and strawberry and ripe with flavors of watermelon, Fraises des Bois, peach, red raspberry and plum. It’s not sweet, and its fresh fruit character makes it the ideal holiday wine to pair with poached salmon or roasted pork tenderloin. $22/bottle, purchase here.

2010 Frick Winery Viognier, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley, Estate Bottled, Gannon Vineyard

Looking for a light, white wine to serve with cheese? This 2010 Frick Winery Viognier boasts flavors of apricot, cantaloupe melon, papaya, mango, peach, lemon tart and hazelnut. Aged completely in stainless steel (no oak!) it’s the perfectl wine to serve with sheeps milk cheese and fresh bread. $27/bottle, purchase here.

Visit:

Our tasting room is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-4:30pm during the winter months, and Friday, Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-4:30pm Memorial Day through Labor Day. Our charming cottage offers views of the vineyards and friendly dogs to greet you. For groups larger than 6, please contact frick@frickwinery.com to make an appointment.