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More than simply a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, Alisos is Palmina’s signature wine. The intent and extreme focus of this blend is to create a wine with style, concentration and structure using many of the techniques of the Veneto region of Italy. Since the very first days of Palmina in 1995, this wine has been produced from Sangiovese and Merlot. Beginning in 2001, the wine has been crafted from grapes from a single vineyard source - the Alisos vineyard located in the rolling hills near the town of Los Alamos, California. The steep south-facing hills, low yields, cool growing conditions, and meticulous farming of the vineyard have produced fruit that is superb. A reflection of our love of the Amarone style of winemaking, our 2004 Alisos showcases the fantastic balance between the characteristics of Sangiovese and Merlot. We also feel the 2004 Alisos is a wonderful expression of the singular soil in which the grapes were grown.

A wine that demonstrates the power of blending, Alisos combines the softness of Merlot with the red fruit aromas and flavors of Sangiovese. The technique of drying a portion of the Sangiovese and adding that to the blend adds a base of darker fruit and prune notes that balances the red fruits of Sangiovese and Merlot. The nose of this powerful and inviting wine includes raspberry and anise, with flavors of black cherry, red fruits and ginger with hints of cedar and almond skin tannins.

The 2004 Barbera is a dark ruby red color with beautiful purple highlights. It is a dark, rich wine that eagerly displays the characteristics of the two vineyards. The cool climate of Santa Rita Hills lends the dark color and the sprightly acidity of the wine, while the warmer Alisos vineyard adds softness. The nose is inviting and fresh, forecasting concentrated fruit on the palate. Intense yet delicate blueberry, raspberry and spicy characteristics abound. At first taste, your taste buds start yearning for food – as this wine is designed to make you crave a meal. Young mission figs, black cherries, a bit of black strap molasses and tar are balanced by firm and bright acidity. This balance of dark fruit and natural acidity makes this wine an etension of the plate, enabling you to feel satisfied and happy during and at the end of a meal.

Great dark color. A very balanced wine with plum spice, slight licorice, tar notes & black cherry. The finish is crisp but rounded with soft tannins. The wine is ready to drink upon release, but will continue to improve over the next three to five years.

The first impression is visual – this wine looks like liquid 14K gold – a newly placed wedding ring! The aromatics are sensual – nectar, ripe apricots, jasmine, white flowers and lycees. In a word, the wine is “fragrant”. A hint of surprise is evident on the first taste – this is an elegant, dry wine that has honeyed characteristics and a silky texture. A bit of nuttiness is complemented by flavors of spun clover honey, with a hint of pear with allspice. The finish is l-o-n-g and lingering and rich. It needs a long, lingering meal for its full potential! No doubt about it – this is a sexy wine.

Bright floral aromas reminiscent of orange blossoms absolutely burst out of the glass; there's also a hint of honey there. The ethereal, light nose is followed by a palate that is decidedly weightier than expected. A bright, mandarin orange initial impression blends into flavors of apricot. The finish is crisp and dry with a long, lingering mineral freshness.

Chrystal and Steve have an “adopted” family in the Friuli region of Italy, the Scarbolos, who are very much a part of their lives. When Steve and Chrystal were married in Friuli last year, they were presented with a wedding wine made for them by Joe Bastianich and Valter Scarbolo - a harmonious blend of Refosco, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Continuing the family connection, each year the Scarbolo’s son Mattia comes to stay with the Cliftons during the summer, learning about California and Palmina’s winemaking. When Chrystal and Steve decided to introduce a Palmina version of their wedding wine, they also wanted to honor the Scarbolos by naming the wine Mattia. An intense ruby color with glints of garnet first delights the eye. There are spicy, white peppery notes, and then hints of herbs d’provence or bouquet garni on the nose. The aromatics are lingering and are then echoed on the palate. This wine is a true spice garden, complemented by a beautiful tannic structure and a velvety texture. Lavendar and deep rose petal notes linger with dark, concentrated fruit, raspberry, hints of anise and dusty currants. There is a nuance of dark chocolate truffle on the long, pleasant finish.

This is a complex one, with a huge variety of aromas, flavors and textures. The nose hints at lilies, lavender and rose petals, while wild berry and ollalaberry flavors combine with those of nutmeg and toasted hazelnuts and almonds. Beautifully integrated oak tannins hint of cocoa powder and apple butter.

You’ll first be drawn to the 2005 Pinot Grigio by the almost luminescent green-gold strawlike color of the wine. A swirl of the glass unleashes aromas of pear-blossom and a delicate lemon-lime citric nuance. This Pinot Grigio, however, expresses itself “en bocca” (in the mouth) where it bursts with flavors of appley pear and lemon curd, overlaid with a remembrance of a tropical, hibiscus tea and hints of marzipan. There is an underlayer of flinty minerality and a very pleasing and crisp acidity. Delightfully refreshing as it is, this is a rounded, full-bodied wine with weight on the palate. The texture is silky, creamy and unctuous, but with a nice crisp “bite”. The wine lingers on the palate with a long, brisk and lasting finish. This youthful and vibrant wine should be served slightly chilled and enjoyed while young.

The first impression of the wine is of heady aromatics that are floral, with distinct notes of white flower, apricot blossoms and lilies, with hints of fresh bread and lycees. A first taste wakes up the palate with other exotic flavors of asian pear and kumquats.The wine has a bracing and lively fruit-acid balance, with nuances of minerality, a subtle reminder of fruit-pie meringue and a long, lingering and pleasant lemon-lime finish. Weightier than most Pinot Grigio wines, this is more than just something to drink until the red is open

The greenish-gold color almost glows in the glass; aromas of pears and pineapple mingle with something exotic - lychee maybe - with a slight citrus background. In the mouth, there's a strong reminder of fresh white peaches; the wine is full-bodied for the varietal, with a long finish and a rounded, creamy mouthfeel.

The grapes for the 2004 vintage of Botasea hail from two unique vineyards in Santa Barbara County. The Zotovich Vineyard in the cool-climate Santa Rita Hills appellation provided the Barbera for the blend, while the Sangiovese came from the warmer Alisos Vineyard outside of the town of Los Alamos. The grapes were hand harvested at the end of September 2004.

If there are two adjectives to describe this wine, they are “crisp” and “fresh”. The wine is a light blonde color with an inviting brilliance – a ray of sunshine in a glass. You can tell by looking at the wine that it will be racy and steely, and the nose is a further indication of that perception. There is a flinty minerality on the nose, with a hint of grapefruit and guava. Tasting the wine confirms the first impression – this is a bone-dry wine of medium weight and nicely balanced with a lively acidity. On the nose there is a strong hint of green tea jasmine and green coffee bean aromas. Intriguing flavors of tea tannin and herbal notes are present on the finish.

From the most popularly planted grape from the Friuli region of northeastern Italy, this delicate white exhibits a nose that blends sweet amaretto and honeyed aromas with lychee nut and citrus blossoms. On the palate distinct flavors of white peach blend with meyer lemon and blood orange. The balance provides a very clean and pleasing, lemon curd finish.

A beautiful straw-like color hints of sensations to come. Extremely aromatic, the nose is floral and honeyed, with hints of something tropical, perhaps gardenia? Perhaps the bouquet leading you to other conclusions, on the palate the wine is dry with a viscous texture, tastes of tropical fruits flavors of guava, passionfruit and kiwi and a bit of spice – cumin and perhaps cinnamon stick. The finish is lively and lingering with a minerality reminiscent of the seashore.

The three-acre Eleven Oaks vineyard has been fine-tuned into a site where the union of grape, soil, climate and farming is in perfect alignment for the quarrelsome, yet noble Sangiovese varietal. The resulting first vintage is an extraordinary wine, proudly bearing the name “Undici” (oon dee chee), or Eleven – an indication that the marriage of place and vine has harmoniously occurred. A deep ruby red color with darker crimson highlights and a radiant brilliance first attests that this is a Palmina vinification of this classic grape. There is a mentholated sense of the outdoors on the nose, with aromas of eucalyptus and rose petals beckoning the senses. There is a bottom base note of bakers cocoa complete with complementary dusty textural components, followed by a mid-palate experience of pomegranate, dried cranberry, robust dark fruit and a hint of passionfruit. The bittersweet cocoa notes continue, along with subtle reminders of kirsch and Moroccan spices. The wine is full bodied and beautifully balanced – there is a true bitter/sweetness to the wine, soft tannins, lively acid and a lingering and changing finish.