Camellia Cellars

"Sangiovese, which is the great grape of Chianti, enjoyed a surge of popularity in California a few years ago, but we have found too many of them candy - sweet, clumsy and lacking the charm of the real thing from Italy -- and at higher price, to boot. This is a big exception. It tastes like fleshy red fruit and earth, bursting with ripe berries, plums and cherries, but it has a dry finish with some bite." Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, The Wall Street Journal - September 16, 2005 Chris Lewand, with her father Ray Lewand and partner Bruce Snyder, form a unique wine producing team. While they have individual divisions of responsibility, each of them contributes to all aspects of running a small premium winery. Managing partner Chris Lewand coordinates all the business activities while leading the public relations efforts and making tasting and blending decisions with Ray and Bruce. Bruce Snyder oversees production but relishes the opportunity to put on clean clothes and show the wines anywhere he can. Ray leads the occasional special tastings for guests of the family's bed and breakfast, the Camellia Inn in Healdsburg, and helps around with whatever the activity of the day happens to be. The result is small lots of premium wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and their proprietary blend have received awards and glowing reviews. The Camellia Cellars line of premium wines reflects their hard work and distinctive food-friendly style. They have, through the years, made wine from nearly every Sonoma appellation. While currently working with three lovely small vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, the search for the "right grapes in the right spot" never ceases. – Description from djjoleM    (hide)