Dashe Cellars
Sonoma County (California) 

The Estate
Dashe Cellars were founded in 1996 by Anne and Michael Dashe, a husband and wife winemaking team who created a small winery that focuses on wines from Sonoma County. Since Anne's winemaking origins are French and Michael's are American, they wanted to elaborate distinctive wines that offered the best from both of their countries of origin.

The Vineyards
They have decided to concentrate on single vineyard sites - to locate small independent vineyards and create wines that reflect the vineyards unique soil, climate, and regional characteristics. They use traditional fine winemaking techniques such as small lot fermentations, the use of indigenous yeast on the grapes to conduct the fermentations, little or no fining or filtration, and small barrel aging. All the wines are made, tasted, and blended by the production team of Michael, Anne, and Matt Smith (enologist).

The Wines

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UPC code: 6 54884 30500 5
2000 Dashe Cellars, Merlot 12/750ml
"One of the most intense yet balanced wines we have ever produced. The wine was a revelation for us in its intensity, its elegance and its pure hedonistic deliciousness." 
Dark red color. Intense aromas of black cherry, cassis, clove, black pepper, green olive, and floral notes. Very elegant and velvety on the midpalate. In the mouth, the sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit dominates, with cassis, chocolate, vanilla, and green olive highlights. Shows an extremely long and sweet finish of red fruit, chocolate, and luscious chalky tannins.

National Retail Price: $29.95 / bottle

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UPC code: 6 54884 30503 6
2003 Dashe Cellars, Merlot, Iron Oak 12/750ml
89% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot.
Aged in 100% French oak barrels (18% new oak) for 14 months.
Deep, dark ruby color. Aromas of lavender, black cherries, raspberries, chocolate, spice and dried herbs, vanilla.
Wonderfully complex and balanced fruit, raspberries, cherries, plums, with firm acidity, notes of earth and herbs of Provence spice, sweet velvety midpalate of chocolate and vanilla, finishing with long, sweet, complex cherry kirsch fruit.
This wine will complement a wide range of food - roast meats, rich sauces, or simply favored with cheese.

National Retail Price: $29.95 / bottle

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UPC code: 6 54884 10102 7
2008 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Dry Creek 12/750ml
95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
The wine was aged for 10 months in a mixture of French oak (30%) and American oak barrels (70%) - 15% new oak—including their new 900 gallon French oak casks that allow to gain the softness of oak aging without adding excessive oak flavors in the wine. As is their tradition, they also kept the SO2 levels in the wine to an absolute minimum, and did not fine the wine before bottling. In their blending trials, they added about 5% of petite syrah (for structure and aging potential).
A stellar Dry Creek Zinfandel from a stellar vintage, this is a jet-black colored wine with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, cassis, plum, black pepper, clove. 
Blackberry and concentrated black cherry fruit on the palate, black current, chocolate, clove spice, thick and luscious texture on the mid-palate, complex, long sweet finish of black cherry fruit, chocolate, licorice, and spice

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UPC code: 6 54884 10102 7
2007 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Dry Creek 12/750ml
95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
The wine was aged for 10 months in a mixture of French oak (30%) and American oak barrels (70%) - 15% new oak—including their new 900 gallon French oak casks that allow to gain the softness of oak aging without adding excessive oak flavors in the wine. As is their tradition, they also kept the SO2 levels in the wine to an absolute minimum, and did not fine the wine before bottling. In their blending trials, they added about 5% of petite syrah (for structure and aging potential).
A stellar Dry Creek Zinfandel from a stellar vintage, this is a jet-black colored wine with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, cassis, plum, black pepper, clove. 
Blackberry and concentrated black cherry fruit on the palate, black current, chocolate, clove spice, thick and luscious texture on the mid-palate, complex, long sweet finish of black cherry fruit, chocolate, licorice, and spice.

"The 2007 Zinfandel Dry Creek exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as lots of raspberry, black cherry, and spice characteristics offered in an uncomplicated, but exuberant style. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, and pure, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 2-3 years."
- Wine Advocate (Feb. 10), 88 pts

"Full bodied, ripely flavored, and slightly oaky in style; a wine with blackberry jam, cherry toast, pepper, and oak aromas/flavors, and a medium long finish."
4 STARS
"Excellent quality for its type, style and price. Among the very best of its type for its price. Highly recommended."
- Wine Enthusiast (June 09), "Restaurant Wine"

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UPC code: 6 54884 10102 7
2006 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Dry Creek 12/750ml
This is a black raspberry and chocolate bomb of a wine. Dark, brooding, and delicious, this is a great example of a ripe, warm weather zinfandel. It has the classic velvety mouthfeel of a Dry Creek zin and a long, luscious finish that leaves the raspberry and chocolate flavors lingering in your mouth long after you swallow.

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2007 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Todd Brothers 12/750ml
"Mike Dashe usually harvests the old vines at this Geyserville vineyard first - in 2007, that was early September. He doesn't inoculate the must and uses older French oak to mature the wine. The result is a zin with freshness and lovely textural grace. The fruit runs from transparent cherry skin to ripe peach and earthier notes of sweet carrots pulled directly out of the garden. As bright and juicy as the wine may be, the tannins are potent and need age to mellow. For the cellar, and eventually, brisket."
- Wine & Spirits (Feb. 10), 93 pts

"The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2007 Zinfandel Todd Brothers Ranch reveals an attractive bouquet of white chocolate, briery fruit, spice box, and a Provencal/garrigue-like character. Full-bodied, rich, and heady, this gorgeous Zin possesses both elegance and power. Enjoy it over the next 5-7 years."
- Wine Advocate (Feb. 10), 91 pts


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UPC code: 6 54884 10300 7
2006 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Todd Brothers 12/750ml
99% Zinfandel, 1% Petite Syrah
The wine was aged for 12 months in 18% new French oak and the remaining 82% in older oak barrels. Racking out of barrel every three months to clarify the wine and aid in its development. Although we added just a bit of Petite Syrah from the vineyard when “topping” the barrels, we decided the wine was perfect as it was when we were having our blending trials. Therefore, no additional lots were blended in, resulting in a wine that was 100% from the Todd Brothers Ranch, and 99% Zinfandel.

The 2006 vintage was a big, rich, and yet balanced vintage—one of our favorites. This year’s Todd Brothers Zinfandel is extremely lush, seductive wine that is both packed with flavors and extremely balanced. It goes incredibly well with grilled foods, rich sauces, and complex flavors.

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UPC code: 6 54884 10300 7
2005 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Todd Brothers 12/750ml
98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Syrah
"As was typical, we harvested the Todd Brothers Ranch grapes before any of our other grapes, in the first week of September."
The wine was aged for 14 months in 20% new French oak and the remaining 80% in older oak barrels.  Racking every three months out of barrel to clarify the wine and aid in its development.  As the wine aged, it deepened in color and developed a complexity and firm structure that we believe will help the wine improve with up to eight years of bottle age.
production: 466 cases 750ml
Purple-black color. Floral aromas of lavender and violets, blackberry, cassis, chocolate, coffee, licorice, and  clove spice. Dark blackberry fruit, cassis, chocolate, coffee, quite spicy with a thick and velvety mouthfeel, very persistent finish.


National Retail Price: $29.95 / bottle

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UPC code: 6 54884 40100 4
2007 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Late Harvest 12/375ml
The 2007 vintage was a year tailor made for the creation of Late Harvest wines. The long harvest season and moderate crop levels let us keep the grapes out on the vine long into October, and the grapes were able to concentrate their fruit evenly. When we finally picked the fruit, it was remarkably consistent—concentrated and just slightly wrinkled, but not raisined.
This year’s wine is more reminiscent of our wildly popular 2005 vintage of Late Harvest Zinfandel in its concentration and sweetness. The wine is extremely aromatic with spicy black pepper, cassis, and black raspberry flavors. In the mouth, the wine shows explosive raspberry and cherry flavors, a thick, viscose mouthfeel, and a very clean, persistent, sweet finish that almost is reminiscent of cherry kirsch.

Aged in 100% French oak (no new oak).

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UPC code: 6 54884 40100 4
2006 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Late Harvest 12/375ml
Purple-tinged, deep ruby color.
Floral hints of jasmine and lavender, underscored by aromas of  dried fruit (apricot, plums), cassis, chocolate, vanilla. Quite sweet black raspberry flavors, mixed with plum, dried apricot, and hints of cherry, chocolate, and vanilla.  The explosive fruit is balanced with nice acidity, making the wine sweet but not cloying—an ideal dessert wine.

The balance of the wine and its intensity make it ideal for a wide range of desserts especially chocolate or fruit-based desserts.

National Retail Price: $22.95 / bottle

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2002 Dashe Cellars, Zinfandel, Big River 12/750ml
Aged 14 months in French oak barrels (18% new oak).
Inky black color. Aromas of chocolate and coffee, blackberry jam, clove and licorice, lavander and violets. Blackberry fruit flavors, chocolate, clove spice, velvety texture, very full-bodied with round chalky tannins, long sweet finish of blackberry fruit and chocolate.

National Retail Price: $29.95 / bottle

2001 vintage was rated 90 pts by the Wine Advocate

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UPC code: 6 54884 60303 3
2005 Dashe Cellars, Alexander Valley, Cabernet 12/750ml
The wine was aged for 20 months in 100% French oak barrels, with about 25% of the wine aged in new oak. Every three months the wine is racked out of barrel to clarify the wine and aid in its development.  Since the tannins were substantial, they fined the wine with 8 egg whites per barrel to remove harsh tannins and to give the wine a silky, velvety texture. A big, balanced, substantial wine, this Cabernet Sauvignon will be quite a long-lived, able to age 15 years or more.
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot

The Cabernet Sauvignon vines on the Todd Brothers Ranch—located in the steep hills of Geyserville—produce a classic Bordeau-style wine, with intense fruit, great structure, and full tannins that respond beautifully to extended bottle age. It exhibits all of the intensity and complexity of Alexander Valley Cabernet, but with a very balanced, elegant style that is reminiscent of a European wine.
Black colored wine displaying aromas of cassis, blackberry, plum, fennel, chocolate, black pepper. 
Intense blackberry and cassis flavors, ripe plum, licorice, lavender, chocolate, velvety texture in the midpalette but with firm tannins, long, intense sweet finish of blackberry and spice that persists for minutes.

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UPC code: 6 54884 60303 3
2004 Dashe Cellars, Alexander Valley, Cabernet 12/750ml
This exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the steep, red rock slopes of the Todd Brothers Ranch in Geyserville. We blended the wine with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec to create a complex, structured, and balanced wine, easily savored alone or with food.
Dark purple-blackcolor. Aromas of cassis, blackberry, chocolate, black pepper, clove, vanilla. Intense flavors of blackberry and cassis, ripe plum, chocolate, earthy, minerals, velvety texture in the midpalette, balanced and complex, firm tannins that soften in the finish, long sweet finish of blackberries that lasts for minutes.


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UPC code: 6 54884 60303 3
2003 Dashe Cellars, Alexander Valley, Cabernet 12/750ml
This exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the steep, red rock slopes of the Todd Brothers Ranch in Geyserville. We blended the wine with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec to create a complex, structured, and balanced wine, easily savored alone or with food.
Dark purple-blackcolor. Aromas of cassis, blackberry, chocolate, black pepper, clove, vanilla. Intense flavors of blackberry and cassis, ripe plum, chocolate, earthy, minerals, velvety texture in the midpalette, balanced and complex, firm tannins that soften in the finish, long sweet finish of blackberries that lasts for minutes.

"Dashe specializes in Zinfandel, and in fact is one of the few contemporary producers to make Zins that can be considered refined or elegant.  But Dashe also makes Cabernet, and this wine is every bit as impressive as the Zins.  It, too, tastes rich and ripe, but is in no sense excessive, with subtlety and nuance proving more compelling than sheer power."
- Wine Review Online, Paul Lukacs (June 2007),
89 pts

National Retail Price: $39.95 / bottle