I recently tasted a selection of wines from Flat Top Hills with Head Winemaker Randy Herron and Consulting Winemaker Angelina Mondavi. We met over Zoom and discussed not only these specific wines, but also the project in general.
Flat Top Hills is named after a piece of property in the Dunnigan Hills that the Mondavi Family has owned for years. They supplement their Estate fruit with select purchases of fruit in other regions such as Alexander Valley, The Sierra Foothills and Dry Creek Valley.
Flat Top Hills is an environmentally friendly producer. Whether it’s Farming practices, Green facilities, or being Socially Equitable, their across the board their practices are consistent. That’s not something always seen in a brand coming to market with value driven wines.
A number of things impressed me about this set of wines. Across the board they’re full of varietal character. These wines are proportionate and they’re dry. Often when it comes to wines in the vast under $20 category, the offerings tend to be fit for palates looking for sweet wines. In speaking to Randy and Angelina it’s clear the goal is to create wines that are a step up in quality from the entry level wines many begin their drinking journey with. And while lots of wine lovers have started their journey with wines that have a little bit of residual sugar in them and moved on to other things eventually, there isn’t always a clear path forward. Having wines that are well made, dry, and well-priced offers a natural place for consumers to graduate to.
Flat Top Hills 2018 Sauvignon Blanc ($14)
The moment I sampled this Sauvignon Blanc my interest was piqued. Citrus notes abound from the first whiff to the last sip. This crisp and refreshing SB is balanced and food friendly.
Flat Top Hills 2018 Chardonnay ($14)
Green apple notes are the dominant characteristic here. Hints of spice are evident too along with wisps of Bartlett Pear. This is terrific entry level Chardonnay to pour for someone who thinks they don’t like Chardonnay.
Flat Top Hills 2019 Rosé ($14)
Composed of Dolcetto, Grenache, and Carignane, this Rosé is a bit darker hued than the “extremely pales Rosé” that lives in my minds eye. Don’t let the color fool you, this is an excellent example of Rosé and one of my two favorites of this lineup. Red fruit drives the aromatics and the flavors here. Red apple, cherry and cranberry are evident along with a touch of vanilla bean. I warn you it’s hard to stop drinking this once you start.
Flat Top Hills 2016 Red Blend ($16)
The under $20 Red Blend category is easily the most afflicted when it comes to sweet wines lacking character or depth. This blend of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah puts the lie to that notion. This wine is dry, balanced and eminently food friendly. Dark fruit, spice and dusty chocolate notes are all evident. If you’re looking for a house red to purchase by the case, this would be a fine choice.
Flat Top Hills 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)
Blueberry, plum and black cherry notes are evident here from the moment you stick your nose in the glass. Savory herbs, hints of vanilla and a dusting of cocoa are present as well. Crushed cherry notes drive the solid finish.
Acorn Winery
Gianpaolo Manzone represents the sixth generation of his family involved in the wine business in one aspect or another. His family has two plots of land that add up to 24 acres under vine. In addition to being the winemaker, Gianpaolo is also the vineyard manager for this property which sits is in two different town’s right in the midst of the Piedmont Region. I recently had dinner with Gianpaolo at Ristorante Morini in New York. The evening was fascinating for a multitude of reasons, but two in particular stood out for me. He was remarkably passionate about what he does; that love and intensity for his vocation comes rushing out of him in loud and descriptive bursts. Here’s a man who not only loves tending his vines and crafting wine, he loves sharing it with people and explaining what he does. The other captivating item was how differently he treats each wine he makes. An example would be the grape Nebbiolo. He uses it to make both a varietal wine and several Barolos. However, he has different production and barrel regimens for each. By treating each one differently he’s allowing the grapes in question to shine more prominently than they might otherwise. Over the course of the night we tasted nine wines including a couple of slightly older Barolos which helped form a mini-vertical. 
Holiday weekends, parties and festive gatherings of every shape and size always get my mind thinking about what kind of wine to serve. These events offer a particular challenge. What will make the casual drinker happy and still keep the wine lovers interested? And certainly it wouldn't hurt if it’s a wine that pairs well with a broad array of foods. Of course one answer would be to serve multiple wines but that has various complicating factors. So when possible I strive to find one main wine to serve at large gatherings. Here’s a look at what I plan to pour this upcoming Labor Day.
The Frisk 2012 Prickly Rosso was produced from fruit sourced in the Victoria region of Australia. This offering blends together Merlot (51%) and Docletto (49%). Fermentation took place in stainless steel with a selection of yeasts. This wine features a bit of fizz brought on by the yeast. It has a suggested retail price of $11.
The wines of Italy are fascinating for many reasons. One of those is the sheer breadth and variety emanating from there. There are tons of varietals made in a host of styles. Sangiovese based wines such as Chianti and Brunello get a lot of attention as does the Nebbiolo based Barolo. However some great pleasures can be had from other grapes that don’t get as much play. One of those is Dolectto. I’ll look at a fine example of one today.
The Paolo Manzone 2010 Dolcetto D’Alba “Magna” DOC was produced using fruit sourced from vines that have roughly 25 years of age on them. The vineyards chosen sit roughly 375 meters above sea level in Piedmont. After gentle pressing the wine was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. 1,250 cases of this offering were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $17.99.