Founded by wine legend Rodney Strong, you’ll find Windsor Vineyards in the town of, well, Windsor, a sleepy adjunct to nearby Healdsburg. Windsor is probably best known for the personalized labels it can apply to bottles — the wines we review below were both branded with the Drinkhacker name — which can get pretty impressive if you’re willing to put some effort into the label design. (There’s even hand-etching options if you’re ready with some coin.)

Of course, a pretty (or unique) label is one thing. What about what’s in the bottle? Let’s taste these two wines from Drinkhacker! Er… Windsor Vineyards.

2019 Windsor Vineyards Chardonnay Russian River Valley – Oaky but not overblown, there’s a lovely bruleed lemon custard element here that pairs well with the baked apple notes that fill the body of the otherwise simple wine, gentle elements of cinnamon lingering on the finish. Slightly doughy but balanced by its baking spice elements, the modest vanilla components in the wine sweeten up the finish just so. Easygoing, but enjoyable and never overblown with oak. B+ / $27

NV Windsor Vineyards Brut Rose North Coast – Bone dry, with gentle berry and red flower notes quickly emerging on the palate. Lightly doughy, the wine leans more heavily on its floral notes as it develops (and warms) in the glass. Hints of herbs and a squeeze of lemon peel give the finish a sense of brightness, but it’s invariably on the light, airy side. A fine “welcome to the party” wine. B+ / $32

windsorvineyards.com

NV Windsor Vineyards Brut Rose North Coast

$32

8.5

Rating

8.5/10