Carol Shelton Wines

Ambiance

• Carol Shelton Wines is located in an industrial section of Santa Rosa.

• Kinda like driving into a warehouse/office complex.

• No vineyard views and no frou-frou-fancy tasting room.

• You might even wonder if the GPS steered you wrong.

• Nope, keep going!

• Carol Shelton Wines is towards the back of the complex.

• Several other wineries are located at this same facility:

• Inspiration Vineyards, Donelan Family Wines, Pisoni Vineyard & Vines

• While tasting today at Carol Shelton Wines, I MET CAROL!

• She describes the industrial warehouses turned winery/tasting rooms as:

• “BARRIO DE VINO”

• Meaning:

• The facility (aka Barrio) itself is not “high falutin” or pretentious, BUT one thing is for sure:

• DE VINO (of wine) OR DIVINE wines are being produced and poured here.

• I personally love this type of wine experience.

• Several fantastic wineries all in one location.

• So much easier to wine taste when each tasting room is a short walk away.

• Sure, getting the quintessential vineyard experience is great sometimes.

Here at Carol Shelton Wines you get so much more:

1) CAROL

• Proprietor and Winemaker (see pic below).

• One of the FIRST dozen women to graduate from the UC Davis wine course back in 1978.

• Carol is very hands-on and is often around.

• She is welcoming and very willing to answer wine related questions.

• Called, The QUEEN of Zinfandel.

• As she took me on a little tour of the barrel room and production facility, I felt very at home in her winemaking home.

• She oozes winemaking pride.

• Her philosophy: If you put a lot into it, you get a lot back.

2) AWARD WINNING WINE

• In fact, she is the highest awarded winemaker in the country.

3) CHARACTER  

• From the beautiful mural of Rockpile Vineyards behind the tasting bar.

• To the many awards and recognitions displayed all over the tasting room.

• To the incredibly knowledgeable tasting room hostess.

• The tasting room is for sure an interesting spot filled with unique wine treasures.

Cost: 

• Tasting is $10 Per Person.

• Waived with wine purchase.

• Wines range from $18-$50 per bottle.

Appointment Needed? 

• No appointment needed.

• Open daily 11:00am-4:00pm

Wine Pick

• Black Magic 2017 Late Harvest Zinfandel.

• I NEVER go for a dessert wine.

• This wine enchanted my tastebuds. Not tooooo sweet. Just right.

• Plus, I LOVE anything and everything mystical, witchy, magic so this bottle screams me.

• I already have the bottle surrounded by my most magical crystals (see below)

• Advice from Carol’s husband, Mitch: Taste the wine first, THEN nibble the chocolate, then take another sip of Black Magic at the end.

• I also HIGHLY recommend all of Carol’s zin. They are delectable.

• OOOOOOO and if you try some of their Wild Thing Wines they may press a special hidden button that plays the song ‘Wild Thing’ by The Troggs!