Are you looking for bold, show-stopping wines? Look no further than Theopolis Vineyards.
Theopolis Vineyards is located in the Yorkville Highlands of the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. Founded in 2003 by Theodora R. Lee (aka Theo-patra, Queen of the Vineyards) a trial lawyer and law firm senior partner, Theopolis Vineyards is one of the first black women-owned wineries.
I’m a fan of bold red wine, and was excited to try the 2019 Estate Petite Sirah from the Yorkville Highlands. This is my first time trying a Petite Sirah from this appellation.
The wine had a beautiful, deep purple color. On the palette, it was dominated by ripe black cherry and black pepper with notes of herbs and spice. Full-bodied, with smooth tannins and a long finish, I could see this wine aging well in the next few years.
Theopolis Vineyards also produces three Pinot Noirs each from a different appellation: Yorkville Highlands, Anderson Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands.
Living in Monterey, I’m most familiar with Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and I chose to try the Theopolis Vineyard 2018 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir.
I found this Pinot Noir to be very bold with aromas of ripe cherries, raspberries and notes of vanilla and baking spices. It had a long finish with soft tannins and great acidity. At 14.5% ABV, this is an intense Pinot Noir that can hold its own with food.
If you like bold red wines, then I recommend you try this Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah – you won’t be disappointed.
When I saw that Theopolis Vineyards made a wine using the Symphony grape, I was intrigued because outside of the classroom, I haven’t heard of that grape before. I’m always on the lookout for unique wines, and when I have the chance to try an uncommon grape variety I eagerly accept.
Symphony was developed by Dr. Harold Olmo at UC Davis in 1948 by crossing Muscat of Alexandria with Grenache Gris. It was originally developed to withstand the hot growing conditions of California’s Central Valley. Theopolis Vineyards is the first winery I’ve seen with a single varietal Symphony wine.
The Theopolis Vineyards 2021 Yorkville Highlands Symphony wine, is a dry white wine. It was very floral on the nose, with notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle, pear and lychee.
Thank you Theopolis Vineyards for the opportunity to try these fantastic wines.
