We have arrived at #1: Pollak Vineyards
This vineyard offers wine aficionados everything, from gorgeous views to the excellent tastings. I’ll admit – I was initially hesitant to stop here on my first trip to the AVA, as it’s one of the bigger wineries in the area, but fortunately I squeezed it in after a long day on the road.
Since it was late in the day and about an hour before closing, I pretty much had the whole place to myself. The staff was professional, well trained, and all dressed alike in black polo shirts (as a prior naval officer, I appreciated the uniformity), and the whole property reminded me of a farmhouse overlooking a beautiful lake, against sloping mountains.
From the moment I stepped into their tasting room, Nick (general manager) oversaw my tasting and led me through a flight; we had a great discussion on the history of the winery, their wines, and other vineyards in the area. He even offered tastings on some off-menu wines! And while nothing blew me away outright, each and every wine was extremely solid and very well done.
If I haven’t said it before: the biggest compliment I can offer a winery is that their entire selection of wines and vintages is high quality – and there wasn’t a single tasting I didn’t enjoy here.
Their Cabernet Franc Reserve was well put together and one of the better ones in the area (where everyone offers some rendition of a Cab Franc). The Pinot Gris hit the nail on the head for what a Pinot Gris should be, and was bursting with beautiful flavors at a great price point ($25); I ended up purchasing a bottle to enjoy at home. Their Petit Verdot was fine, but I expect it will improve much more with age. Last but not least was the Mille Fleurs, a dessert wine for all you sweet tooths out there. It’s a mix of brandy, Viognier, and Petit Manseng. To my pallet: straight-up Kit Kat bar with a buttery finish. SOOOOO cool flavors (as I am writing this I wish I had a bottle).I’m not sure everyone will be a fan, but it’s something everyone should try at least once. It’s a great wine to explore new flavors with.
1) Wine = 4.4
2) Price Point = 4.1
3) Service = 4.2
4) Decorum / Scenery = 4.1
5) X factor = 4.1
Overall: 4.24
I really enjoyed my time at Pollak Vineyards, and they are the prime example of how to execute well in all the required disciplines. They’re clearly a solid #1 for this area, and I’m looking forward to my next visit. I suggest you check them out too!