Bonnie Brae Wine & Liquor Mart
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Phone: (303) 733-7261

Bonterra Winery
– Mendocino, California

“We have learned through experience that only organically grown grapes can express the purity and intensity of varietal character that a truly great wine requires.” “Decades of learning and the resulting winemaking accolades we have received have reinforced our passionate belief that our organic grapes make better wine.”

The Monthly Selection

2007 Mendocino "Organic" Cabernet Sauvignon  

Gold Medal – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; Bronze Medal – Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards; Silver Medal and “Best in Class” – International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Winemaker Comments: Cabernet Sauvignon is known for creating wines of amazing density and complexity with both concentrated and nuanced flavors. In making Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon, I like to add to these layers of flavor by blending in small amounts other red varietals (in the case of the 2007, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 % Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Merlot) – to add color, texture and a bit of spice. Aged for 12 months in French Oak, 30% of it new, this Cabernet offers aromas of bing cherry, currant, and raspberry with spicy notes of cedar, dried cranberry and vanilla. In the glass, you will find juicy red berry flavors and a very approachable, rich and full mouth with a lingering and thoughtful finish. Good structure and polished, yet soft tannins promise an ever more pleasing wine to come.

Regular Price $13.99 Web Special $11.99

2006 Mendocino "Organic" Merlot  $4.00 Off This Month!!

Gold Medal (91 Points/Exceptional) – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirit Competition; Silver Medal – Long Beach Wine Competition.

Winemaker Comments: 86% Merlot, 7% Zinfandel, 4% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah. Raised on vines in a valley that absorbs the full brilliance of a Mendocino County day, this nuanced wine blends a focused Merlot character with an evident heritage of Bordeaux. Aromas of cranberry, chocolate and cola spice add to the old-world style. Our Merlot is wonderfully dry, with compelling fruit and touches of herbs and light oak. Our blend for the vintage layers Merlot with the other grapes, bringing complexity and a slight smoked herb aroma to the wine. Medium-full, even a bit creamy in the mouth, the evident ripeness of the fruit is somewhat restrained, leading to an unexpected elegant style. The wine was aged 12 months in toasted French and American Oak 17% of which was new, 16% in once-used Oak and the remainder in mostly neutral Oak.

Regular Price $16.99 Web Special $12.99

2006 Mendocino "Organic" Syrah

90 Points Wine Enthusiast who described this 2006 as, "Extraordinarily rich in briary flavors of wild blackberries, licorice, cocoa and pepper, this Syrah has the added virtue of finishing dry. Nicely soft, it’s a beauty, especially at this price.” 88 Points Wine Spectator.

Winemaker Comments: Our Syrah vineyards are entering their prime, reflected in the wine’s brilliant color and intense aromas. Bonterra Syrah blends a touch of Rhone varietals like Grenache (1%), Petite Sirah (2%) and touches of Mouvedre and Viognier for a powerful floral note. Concentrated berry flavors come to the fore with notes of vanilla and toasty oak spice from aging in French oak. You can see youth well served in this wine’s brilliant crimson color and intense, heady aromas of black cherry and wild mountain blackberries before giving way to bitter-sweet, vanilla chocolate. The tannins are velvety smooth and supple. The oak is wonderfully integrated, with complementary flavors of cedar, oak, and spice. This is a distinctive Bonterra Syrah, more fruit-forward than previous vintages, more distinctive and unique.

Regular Price $15.99 Web Special $12.99

2007 Mendocino "Organic" Chardonnay

Silver Medal – Long Beach Wine Competition; Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirit Competition; Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences: “Chablis-like aroma that’s light and perfectly balanced to the mild oak.”

Winemaker’s Comments: 96% Chardonnay, 3% Muscat, 0.5% Rousanne, 0.5% Vioginer. Among the many fine Chardonnays, ours stands apart for the authenticity of its fruit flavors, derived from grapes raised organically along the Russian River. A hint of oak complements the freshness of fruit and the evident notes of green apple, pear and citrus. Our wine is aged for several months to develop a rich, creamy texture that gracefully balances its fruit-forward character. For our chardonnay, we have adopted a style that deliberately uses less oak to emphasize the crisp freshness of our organic fruit -- offering the characteristic flavors of green and baked apples, pear, and citrus. We age most of the wine with neutral oak in order for these fruit characteristics to shine through, but we add just a little new oak to give the wine a touch of vanilla. An initial impression of rich, buttery cream turns to aromas of honey and toasted almonds, quickly followed by pineapple, lemon and crème brulee. This wine has a refreshing, bright, clean minerality with a vibrant tartness and lemon zest.

Regular Price $10.99 Web Special $8.99

2007 Lake County & Mendocino County "Organic" Sauvignon Blanc  

Silver Medal “Best in Class” – International Wine & Spirit Competition; 84 Points “ Lemon-lime and sweet pea notes are spicy, soft and juicy, with a slight candied edge and a light body.” – Wine Spectator.

Winemaker Comments: 54% Lake County, 46% Mendocino. Intense aromas of grapefruit, kiwi and freshly cut grass mix with concentrated tropical aromas and a bright minerality. A blend of fruit raised in the prime growing regions of Mendocino and Lake counties, this wine is the product of local organic viticulture in full flower. 96% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Muscat, 1% Chardonnay, and with our third vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, there’s no longer any doubt that we’ve truly found a way to celebrate the fresh, lively spirit of organic viticulture. Each vintage we marry two great growing regions, Lake and Mendocino Counties – blending fruit from exceptional organic growers who share our philosophy and care deeply about the land that they farm setting a high standard. We pick fruit at a variety of sugar levels to get complex layers of flavors, and we use a decidedly New World approach to minimize exposure to oxygen. This preserves the delicate green fruit aromas that help make this such a special wine – one with an integrated, almost boastful acidity gives that the wine a fresh, vibrant feel. Guava and melon linger on the palate.

Regular Price $12.99 Web Special $9.99

The Bonterra Story

The Bonterra story is best told by those who “feel” and know it best – the winery itself! “At Bonterra, we take our cues from the land and the fruit. We let them tell us what to do. We craft award-winning wines from organically grown grapes. Why grow grapes organically? It’s good for the earth and great for taste! As the winemaker, Robert Blue, states, “We have learned through experience that only organically grown grapes can express the purity and intensity of varietal character that a truly great wine requires.” Our holistic approach to winemaking – Modern organic methods infused with centuries of tradition – took root in 1987, when we were experimenting with wine and food pairings. The fruits, vegetables and herbs we used came from our extensive organic garden. The purity, intensity and freshness of the flavors were amazing. From that point on, we committed ourselves to growing grapes organically.”

”Over the years, we've evolved our philosophy based on what we know works. Today our vineyard is an environment of incredible diversity: soil, plants and animals work together to create a web of natural balance where all the elements thrive. Decades of learning and the resulting winemaking accolades have reinforced our passionate belief that our organic grapes make better wine.”

On 378 acres of steep hills and rolling valleys in mountainous Mendocino County, California, lies one of the world’s premier organic vineyards: Bonterra’s McNab Ranch. The land was first recognized as ideal for grape growing early in the 20th century. Since 1987, we have farmed this fertile expanse according to advanced organic practices. Each element of its carefully balanced ecosystem has a role in creating the ranch’s signature bounty. The viticulture is not only certified organic, but Biodynamic™ as well. Biodynamic™ Farming may be a “philosophy” to some, but the results are phenomenal. Developed in the 1920s, Biodynamic™ practices go beyond organic – enhancing productivity in a natural, holistic way. It’s a traditional method of farming guided by the seasons that considers the farm and the soil as a single living organism.

Biodynamic™ practices are designed to promote and enhance biodiversity and biological activity in the soil. Special mineral and microbial treatments are applied to the vineyard at specific times of the year. Off-farm inputs are minimized or eliminated. And strict management of resources is practiced to restore and maintain ecological balance. One unforgettable Biodynamic™ practice we use, involves cow horns. Horns filled with manure are buried to ripen over the winter. In spring, we dig them up and their contents are used to bring sustenance to the soil and roots of the vineyard. In a similar process, horns filled with silica are unearthed in summer and sprayed on the leaves to concentrate the sun’s light and warmth. Other vessels have been tried, but only natural horn produces the right results. When it’s all said and done, the wine must then pass the rigorous Demeter Certification process before it can carry the Biodynamic™ designation. Give one of our Biodynamic™ wines a try and we think you’ll agree it’s all worth it.

April 2010 SPECIAL FEATURES

Kim Crawford Winery - New Zealand
• 2008 “Marlborough”
  Sauvignon Blanc
• 2008 “Un-Oaked”
  Chardonnay 
• 2008 “Marlborough” Pinot
  Noir