Crane Creek Vineyards

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Sep 13, 2012

If you are looking for a winery experience wherein you are invited and encouraged to hang out and relax, this is the place for you. Wines were very good. Suggestion to management: waive the tasting fee with purchase.

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Jun 19, 2012

Norton Wine Review: Our first attempt at securing Crane Creek Vineyard’s Hellbender was not to be since they were already sold out in late summer, but they were hoping to have more available later. O.K., I know you are wincing from this Hellbender term, so understand that this wine is named for the rare, locally found, orange-red, 20" long, largest salamander in the western hemisphere. So mid-November, 2010 I drove again over two hours one way through beautiful back roads to see if Hellbender was back on Crane Creek’s menu (and it was). Hellbender is produced on a nineteen acre vineyard at 2100’ elevation with only one acre set aside for these non-lyred Norton vines which were set out in 1996. 225 cases annually can be produced if all goes well with the harvest. This is a no excuses dry 100% Norton wine with a typical Southern slight sour taste. Immediately one would conjure negative thoughts with such a description, but in the opinion of the proprietor, most Southern wines, be they Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc., have “sour” overtones because of the regional clay soils. This is a nice Norton that doesn’t portray being overly oaked in spite of the fact that this 2007 wine had been held in Pennsylvania Oak barrels (very similar to French Oak according to the vintner) for over 25 months. Weather, setting, host, visitors, a stunning black bean soup, two well behaved dogs, and a pleasantly different Norton made for a great day. I will “lay down’ this case of Hellbender for four or five years to see what time will bring to this interesting animal. *[Note posted online three months after visiting Crane Creek Vineyard: Results of the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition which was the largest competition of American wines ever, with over 4,900 wines submitted and a panel of 60 judges. There were 480 wines entered in the Native American Red category and Crane Creek’s 2007 Hellbender Red (Norton) took their gold medal.] I opened my 2007 Hellbender case and tasted a bottle for 2012's Father's Day. Oh my, this is going to be good. I guess 2014 will do this Norton correctly.

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Mar 20, 2010

2010 - Spring

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Sep 18, 2008

Favorite Wine: Traminette

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Oct 06, 2007

They charge you for wine tasting? We bought 6 bottles and were a little offended at this charge.

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: Sep 26, 2007

You ha to pay for sampling. This was in insult when we left with 6 bottles of wine.