Madonna Estate is very centrally located between Sonoma and Napa — it’s one of those wineries you pass by a thousand times when you’re driving through the wine country, but you never stop there.

I finally did on a recent drive in the area and tasted their wines, the vast majority of which are grown with estate fruit and are reasonably priced.

Madonna Estate Wines

2009 Madonna Estate Pinot Grigio / $27 / B / tough, bitter edge, organic

2008 Madonna Estate Chardonnay / $27 / C+

2007 Madonna Estate Pinot Noir / $30 / B / oaky on the finish

2006 Madonna Estate Barbera / $35 / B+ / smoky and tannic

2007 Madonna Estate Dolcetto / $35 / B- / huge and robust

2005 Madonna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon / $32 / A- / smoother, with some pepper notes

2004 Madonna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve / $50 / A- / really big, very different than the estate Cab; a cellaring wine

2009 Madonna Estate Gewurztraminer / $20 / B

2009 Madonna Estate Muscat Canelli / $23 / B+

madonnaestate.com