Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/687399
88 / the tasting panel / june 2016 BLUE REVIEWS STRETCHING ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF HIGHWAY 12 in Sonoma Valley's charming Kenwood district is the Kunde family estate: a contiguous stretch of 1,850 picturesque acres containing 750 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. The Kunde family has been tending this vast ranch of rolling green hills since the end of the 19th century. In 1904 they established a winery that today is run by the fourth and fifth generations. The winery—a state-of-the-art facility that still bears the estate's century- old Bonded Winery Number 202—consumes half the estate's grape production and turns it into 70,000 cases of premium wine. Kunde is one of those wine brands that have been around for so long that people tend to forget them. Well, it's time to pay attention again. I recently sat down with Jeff Kunde, the winery's current Chairman, and tasted through a selection of recent releases. Winemaker Zach Long has an easy-going style that translates into generous, impeccably clean wines that are varietally sound and completely user-friendly. I would have to say these wines—including a stunning Estate Red Wine from Moon Mountain District—represent an impressive upgrade in quality for this historic winery. —Anthony Dias Blue At Home in Sonoma Valley 91 Kunde 2014 Magnolia Lane Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Valley ($17) Fresh and forward with tangy citrus and bright acidity; a lovely, lively take on this varietal; long and charming. 2% Gewüztraminer. 91 Kunde 2014 Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley ($18) Juicy, snappy citrus and pear fruit; silky texture and forthright style; long and nicely balanced. KUNDE FAMILY WINERY IS PRODUCING WINES THAT ARE WORTH ANOTHER LOOK PHOTO COURTESY OF KUNDE FAMILY WINERY The rolling green hills of the Kunde estate in Sonoma Valley. 90 Kunde 2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley ($30) Crisp fresh plum and blackberry with toasty oak; lean and racy with great balance and a long finish. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. 93 Kunde 2013 Reserve Century Vines Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley ($50) Rich plum and blackberry nose; velvety and lush with rich black fruits, concentrated and deep but not jammy; elegant and pure with lovely balance. 5% Petite Sirah. 94 Kunde 2012 Estate Red Wine, Moon Mountain District ($100) Silky and smooth; elegant and supple; generous plum and berry fruit; incredibly mellow and refined; long and balanced on the finish. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot.