Some of the wineries, winemakers, and topics we have covered over the years for Wine Tributaries often find their way as links on other wine sites. We decided to include some as a way to pay tribute to the wines and people who who have shaped the wine industry.

New Showcase for White Oak Vineyards & Winery
by Tim Hayes & John Koetzner

Remember the good old days of small wine producers who operated out of barns, garages and the like? Well, those days are not completely over, but White Oak Winery that was located in downtown Healdsburg has undergone the metamorphosis from cute caterpillar to magnificent Mediterranean butterfly as a showcase winery in the Alexander Valley.
Originally started by Bill Myers in 1981, White Oak Winery has been a regular award-winner for its wines since its inception. From the very first Carignane Myers made as a professional winemaker back in 1981, which received a gold medal at the Los Angeles County Fair, through its first Sonoma County Harvest Fair Sweepstakes in 1991 for a 1990 Chardonnay, White Oak has continued to consistently make wines that please the palate for wine lovers.
More recently, Myers gathered a group of partners in 1997 to develop his new vision for White Oak, resulting in the purchase of sixteen acres of vineyard in Alexander Valley, including some old vine Zinfandel vineyards that date back to 1925 and 1939, and culminating in the construction of a new tasting room and winery. The partners own about 1,000 acres of grapes in Sonoma and Napa Counties, giving the winery access to some of the best fruit from both counties.
In addition to a new facility, another change for White Oak is winemaker Steve Ryan, who joined the winery in 1998. Ryan had previously worked for Martinelli Vineyards since 1992 getting national recognition for his wines there, and he had learned the technical aspects while doing stints with Alderbrook and Dry Creek Vineyards.
All of this has resulted in a beautiful place to stop, enjoy some great wine, and to take in the grandeur of Alexander Valley. The tasting room looks out at the surrounding vineyards in the valley as well as some of that old vine Zinfandel.
While there, be certain to glance in the library room with its collection of bottles that date back to that original 1981 Carignane. During our visit, Bill Myers had opened a bottle to see how it had aged since its release many years ago. We’re happy to report that it still had a brilliant ruby color and terrific fruit.
Those who attended White Oak’s open house this first weekend in June were treated to a taste of that Carignane from a five liter bottle. But, do not despair if you missed this opportunity to taste one of these early treasures. White Oak will be doing some library wine tasting on August 21.
However, in the meantime you should stop by soon to try their current releases. We tasted wines with Denise Gill, Director of Public Relations & Hospitality, getting a good overview of what White Oak is currently offering at the tasting room.
Our first sample was the 1997 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. It had a nice rounded fruit nose, melon fruit with hints of grass, and a soft lingering finish.
We followed the Sauvignon Blanc with the 1996 Sonoma County Chardonnay which is currently retailing for $10.00 a bottle. It has excellent fruit and a lingering finish. This is a terrific bargain and there are only 100 cases left. However, our pick for their Chardonnay is the 1997 Chardonnay from Poplar Vineyards. It’s a Russian River Chardonnay that is done with a 100% malolactic fermentation. The nose has tropical fruit and sweet vanilla overtones, great balance between wood and the rich fruit, and a long, lingering finish. Only 470 cases were produced and they are sold only from the tasting room. It retails for $19.95.
Although White Oak has become synonymous with Chardonnay, we found that their red wines were just as impressive. Their 1996 Sonoma County Zinfandel retails for $13.95. Denise Gill jokes, “It’s for people who like to age it on the freeway.” However, we know it will do quite nicely in the coming years. It has a spicy nose with great berry fruit, soft tannins, and a lingering finish. This is a great bargain to fill the cellar for those spontaneous dinners that need a good accompaniment to the food.
We also tasted two new releases for their open house. One was the 1997 Napa Valley Merlot. It has a cedar and spice nose, cassis fruit forward, medium tannins, and a long lingering finish. This is a nicely balanced wine that sells for $19.95. The other stellar release is the 1997 Myers Limited Red from Sonoma County. It is a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Cabernet Franc that has a spicy and berry nose, complex berry fruit and wood flavors, medium tannins, and a great finish. It is priced at $21.95 and is worth cellaring for a time to truly enjoy its complexity.
White Oak Winery may no longer be that little place downtown that we used to visit, but it still has kept its quality, and it has blossomed into one of the showcase stops for wine tasting along the Alexander Valley. We suggest you make a visit real soon.