KUNDE ESTATE WINERY AND VINEYARDS

9825 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, California

by Sergio Sismondo
This winery is located in the east side of the Sonoma Highway (Route 12), at Kenwood. The tasting room is very large, cool, and comfortable. The friendly staff add to their wine expertise their good humor to make this tasting experience quite different and unforgettable. In the tasting room is also a substantial collection of elegant kitchen and wine accessories, useful cook books, tasty bits, and more tempting merchandise for visitors to purchase. No wonder this tasting room was voted the Best Tasting Room by The Northbay Business Magazine 2003 readers' poll.


OUR CHOICES.

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We tasted a wide variety of new releases, including Cabernet-Sauvignon, an extraordinary variety of excellent Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, and more. Following is a list of the wines sampled, with our ratings.

Cabernet-Sauvignon, Drummond Vineyard, Reserve, 1999 91
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Drummond Vineyard, Reserve, 2000 91
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Drummond Vineyard, Reserve, 2001 91
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Drummond Vineyard, Reserve, 2002 91
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Estate, Sonoma, Reserve, 2001 92
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Estate, Sonoma, Reserve, 2002 91
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Estate, Sonoma, 2001 90 (7)
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Estate, Sonoma, 2002 90 (6)
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Estate, Sonoma, 2003 90
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, 2002 88
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, 2003 87
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, 2004 88
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, 2005 89 (2)
Chardonnay, Home Ranch Vineyard, 2002 90
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, Reserve, 2002 90
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, Reserve, 2003 92 (1)
Chardonnay, Estate, Sonoma, Reserve, 2004 90
Chardonnay Nu, Estate, Sonoma, 2003 89
Chardonnay Nu, Estate, Sonoma, 2005 90 (5)
Chardonnay, Wildwood Vineyard, 2001 88
Chardonnay, C.S. Ridge 2004 88
Claret, 2001 89
Gewurtztraminer, Estate, Sonoma, 2000 89
Gewurtztraminer, Estate, Sonoma, 2004 89
Gewurtztraminer, Estate, Sonoma, 2005 88
Meritage "202" 2004 89
Merlot, Estate, Sonoma, 2000 89
Merlot, Estate, Sonoma, 2001 89
Merlot, Estate, Sonoma, 2002 89
Merlot, Clone 181, Sonoma, 2002 87
Merlot, Clone2 2003 90
Primitivo Estate, Sonoma, 2003 90
Primitivo Estate, Sonoma, 2005 89
Sangiovese Estate, Sonoma, 2004 89
Sauvignon Blanc, 2001 86
Sauvignon Blanc, Magnolia Lane 2002 88
Sauvignon Blanc, Magnolia Lane 2003 89
Sauvignon Blanc, Magnolia Lane 2004 89
Sauvignon Blanc, Magnolia Lane 2005 90 (3)
Sauvignon Blanc, Magnolia Lane 2006 89
Sauvignon Blanc, Block "4SB20" 2005 88
Syrah, Estate, Sonoma, 2000 88
Syrah, Estate, Sonoma, 2001 88
Syrah, Estate, Sonoma, 2002 89
Viognier, Estate, Sonoma, 2003 89
Viognier, Estate, Sonoma, 2005 89 (4)
White Wine Blend, Fred's Whit 2005 88
Zinfandel, Estate, Sonoma, 2001 87
Zinfandel, Estate, Sonoma, 2002 90
Zinfandel, Estate, Sonoma, 2003 88
Zinfandel, Century Vines, Kenwood, 1999 90
Zinfandel, Century Vines, Kenwood, 2000 90
Zinfandel, Century Vines, Kenwood, 2001 90
Zinfandel, Century Vines, Kenwood, 2002 91
Zinfandel, Century Vines, Kenwood, 2003 90
Zinfandel, Sonoma County, "Robusto" 2000 89
Zinfandel, Sonoma County, "Robusto" 2002 89
Zinfandel Port, Estate, Sonoma, 2000 89

(1) This magnificently rich Reserve Chardonnay was named and recommended in the "Prestige" category by SANTÉ Magazine. It fully deserves this and many more accolades.

(2) This very flavorful Chardonnay was awarded "4 Stars" by Restaurant Wine Magazine.

(3) This excellent Sauvignon Blanc won the "OYSTER AWARD" at the 2006 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. It was also awarded "4 Stars" by Restaurant Wine Magazine.

(4) This rich and crisp Viognier was awarded "4 Stars" by Restaurant Wine Magazine.

(5) Chardonnay "Nu" is essentially unoaked. This wonderfully clean and crisp wine, an excellent representation of the Sonoma Chardonnay fruit, was awarded a DOUBLE GOLD, BEST OF CLASS, at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair! If you have been waiting for a Chardonnay of great class at a reasonable price, this is your chance.

(6) This wonderful Cabernet-Sauvignon was named for "Recommended Premium Wine" by SANTÉ Magazine.

(7) This Estate Cabernet-Sauvignon by Kunde has been named for "Best Buys in the Market" by Connoisseurs Guide.

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  • Among all the whites our choice for "best buy" is Chardonnay Estate Reserve of 2003 or 2004, priced at $35, and with our ratings of 90.
  • Among the reds our choice of best wine tasted goes to the Century Vines Zinfandel of 2001, priced at $28, with our rating or 90; or the 2002 priced at $30 with our rating of 91. The Vines are 125 years old, and producing excellent fruit, which made a rich wine with distinctive layered characteristics.
  • Our choice for "best value for money" goes to the Merlot Estate 2000, 2001, or 2002, each priced at $18, and with our ratings of 89. This wine was a medal winner at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.
{short description of image}Wine Expert Paul Wesolowski and Liane Sismondo at a barrel tasting in the cave

RETROSPECTIVE.

We tasted a wide range of new releases, focusing our attention on reds, Syrah, various Zinfandels, including a Zinfandel Port, and a variety of Cabernet-Sauvignon. All the wines were good, and we rated them in the upper 80's and 90's.

  • Our preference for a white wine goes to the Viognier 2001, an intense fruity and rich white wine. It is priced at $22 per bottle, and our rating was 89.
  • Our preference among the red wines tasted went to the 1998 Drummond Vineyard Cabernet-Sauvignon, which we rated 94. It is priced at $50 per bottle, and there is limit of 2 bottles per person.
  • Our "Best value for money" choice goes to the Gewurztraminer 2000, which is priced at $13 and which we rated 89. Truly a great buy, in our opinion.

The Zinfandel wines sampled during these visits are included in the extensive Zinfandel listing in this web site, in the section "Wine Listings / California - Zinfandel".

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For more information, please visit: www.kunde.com.

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