In the News

Benziger In the News

Click on topics to the left to learn about recent news articles and reviews, press releases and what we're reading these days. Media inquiries? Drop a us a line and we'll be happy to help with whatever you need. Cheers!

Accolades and Articles

Good Times and Good Wine in Sonoma County

7x7SF, Dana Rebmann, Oct 31, 2012

"...One thing is certain, making wine is a family affair. The Benziger motto appears on the trellis when you first enter the property, “Education & Good Times.” Don’t be surprised if you meet a Benziger during your visit. They’re everywhere - in the vineyards, pouring wines and poring over paperwork."– 7x7.com

Full Article here.

California Travel Winery Review

About.com, Betsy Malloy, October 2012

"It's getting rare these days to find family-owned wineries that are still in the hands of the family that founded them. It's even rarer to find a whole clan of family members who work in, love and take pride in a family wine-making enterprise. Benziger Family Winery is one of the finest examples of that family tradition that we've had the pleasure to visit..."

Full Article here.

Farm to Table and Grape to Glass

Huffington Post Blog, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, October 3, 2012

"...Benziger Family Winery, in nearby Glen Ellen, is one of the most fascinating wineries we have ever visited--and that's saying a lot! All of their wines are certified sustainable, biodynamic, or organic, and the health of their vineyards is evident when you visit on one of their thrice-daily tram tours."

Full Article here.

Five Reasons to Love Napa and Sonoma

Wall Street Journal Blog, Charles Passy, September 6, 2012

"...You can’t go to a Napa and Sonoma winery without learning something. But the best of them take it to a whole other level. A case in point: the Benziger Family Winery, where they espouse a biodynamic approach to winemaking – organic gardening taken to glorious extremes so that the land is maintained in its most natural state."

Full Article here.

What to Drink Now: Drink Green for Earth Day

D Magazine, Sidedish, Haley Hamilton, April 19, 2012

"...Though they appreciate the environmental statement working green makes, the real reason t0 employ these practices is simply because wine made without contaminants and chemicals will end up tasting better and taste like the place it was grown."

Full Article here.

93 PTS, YEAR'S BEST, 2008 TRIBUTE

Wine & Spirits, December 2011

"...the 2008 follows in the character of previous vintages, balancing earthy intensity with graceful richness. The fruit tones shade toward black mushroom, the umami savor uncovering a range of flavors with time in the glass, as if digging in moist woodland soil. Scents of violets contrast that deep earthiness, leaving an impression of balance and clarity. For the cellar."

93 PTS, YEAR'S BEST, 2008 TRIBUTE

93 PTS, CELLAR SELECTION, 2008 TRIBUTE

Wine Enthusiast, December 2011

"Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine was grown on the warmer slopes of Sonoma Mountain, a less known but respected part of Sonoma County. It's dry and firm in tannins, with rich flavors of blackberries, currants, mocha and oak. Flashy and delicious now, it should gain in the bottle over the next six years."

93 PTS, YEAR'S BEST PINOT NOIR, 2009 QUINTUS

Wine & Spirits, April 2012

"...The wine is lean and high-toned, focused on the resinous, acidic soil character of the far coast. It's still undeveloped, maintaining the youthful greenness of stems, the flavors dark, vinous and lasting. For the cellar."

	SPOTLIGHT: LEADERS IN GREEN TECHNOLOGY March 21, 2011 Benziger is listed in this report which highlights 46 North Bay professionals in various fields who have been leading development and implementation of environmentally sustainable technologies, such as solar electric and geothermal energy, erosion control for better stream water quality and energy-efficient construction.
	A GRAND SLAM FOR BENZIGER Wine Review Online, Michael Franz Blog for April 6, 2011 … “Four wines from Benziger…wow, are they lucky!”….In a rare show of restraint, I bit my tongue at the time. What I really wanted to say, however, was, “Lucky? If you win one Platinum Award, maybe that’s lucky. But when you win four of them, that’s kicking ass!” To read the full Blog, click on the link above and scroll to April 6th.
	BENZIGER'S STUNNING PERFORMANCE Robert Whitley Wine Tasting, April 12, 2011 "...Wines that make it to the championship round have attained "platinum" status, which is a notch up from "gold" and roughly the equivalent of "double gold" at other wine competitions. Making a "platinum" winning wine is a feat for any winery; making four of them, as Benziger did, is a stunning accomplishment." Click the link above to read the full article.
	WINERY OF THE YEAR San Diego International Wine Competition, April 2011 Benziger placed four Platinum awarded wines during the 2011 San Diego International Wine Competition; ultimately receiving top honors of "Winery of the Year".

	94 PTS, 2008 TERRA NEUMA DE COELO, PINOT NOIR Wine Enthusiast, May 2011 “ A very refined Pinot Noir, high-toned and elegant, with alcohol well below 14%. There’s no lack of richness. The wine bursts with cherries, rhubarbs, pomegranates, cola and raspberries, wrapped into a silky texture, and finishing long and spicy. A shame to drink now. Should develop bottle complexity over the next 6–8 years.” - S.H.
	93 PTS, 2007 TRIBUTE Wine and Spirits Magazine, December 2010 “Grown at the Benziger family’s estate vineyard, which is farmed under a biodynamic regimen with the help of Alan York, Tribute has become one of Sonoma’s top cabernet blends. This vintage has lovely depth of fruit with earthy detail in the flavor and spiciness in the tannin. There’s a bright, juicy note to contrast those darker tones. Firm and accessible as a young wine, this will gain breadth with bottle age.”
	92 PTS, 2008 QUINTUS DE COELO, PINOT NOIR Wine Enthusiast, May 2011 “Tight, acidic and dry in youth, this Pinot has a don’t-drink-me-now austerity. It resists efforts to break it down at every point. However, it seems well able to age, given the balance, and the wealth of cherry, pomegranate, persimmon and rhubarb fruit. Cellar this fine wine until at least 2014.” - S.H.
	2008 DE COELO QUINTUS, PINOT NOIR, NAMED BEST OF CLASS San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, January 2011 The San Francisco Chronicle named the 2008 Quintus Pinot Noir Best of Class, while the following wines received Gold medal status: 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Signaterra Bella Luna Pinot Noir, 2007 Merlot
	BEST OF CLASS, DOUBLE GOLD, 2008 SANGIACOMO VINEYARD, CHARDONNAY 2011 Houston Rodeo and Wine Competition Our 2008 Sangiacomo Chardonnay was awarded a double gold and given Best of Class category.