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Healdsburg Wineries

Unti Vineyards

4202 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg (Sonoma County), California; Tel. 707.433.5590

Unti is a great example of why you shouldn't sweat appointment-only tasting rooms. George Unti (or his son, Mick) takes your phone call, tells you to come on out, meets you at a makeshift tasting area in the winery/barn and then charms you with stories of his vineyard, his wines and his philosophy of winemaking. No pressure, no hard sell. Just you and George sipping a few hearty Syrahs on a Sunday afternoon.

Unti's Italian-style wines are best drunk young. With little pretension and an eye toward big fruit, easy oaks and everyday drinking, you'd be foolish to hide these wines away for long, though they do benefit from breathing a bit after opening.

The '03 Segromingo ($15) is a Chianti-style wine that's perfect for a casual meal. The '03 Barbera is silky and bright, picked very ripe so it drinks sweetly, rather than with a pucker. Syrah is Unti's favorite grape, with the '02 just released and the '03 coming soon. With amazing color and depth, it's as pretty to look at as it is to drink. The '02 lacks some of the earthiness of the '01, but has lots of nice, ripe fruit that will likely age well over the next couple of years--if it lasts that long in your cellar. -- Heather Irwin

Unti Vineyards. 4202 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, California; Tel. 707.433.5590. By appointment only. No tasting fee.