A winemaker is often seen as an artist, carefully creating a masterpiece with each vintage. For Winemaker Rick Hutchinson, art and wine are life, and he pursues each with fervor. A native of Sonoma County,  Rick first became involved with wine on the bottling line at Sebastiani Vineyards in 1975, at the tender age of 20. Over the years he began honing his winemaking skills, apprenticing with some of the best in the business, including Doug Nalle, Grady Wann, John Kongsgaard and Mike Duffy. At the same time, he often found himself straddling a potters wheel, crafting sensual amphorae ? clay jars used by ancient Greeks and Romans to store wine.

Our favorite wines included:

2005 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley - This zinfandel offers ripe raspberry and sweet vanilla aromas.  Mouth-filling flavors of plum and spice are complemented by smooth tannins.

2005 Merlot, Dry Creek Valley - Straight forward aromas of white pepper, dried cherries and spice make for an exciting bouquet. Intense flavors of black cherries, ripe plum, anise and subtle hints of rose dance on the palate.

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - This is a dense, plum-colored Cabernet Sauvignon with profound and sultry aromas of black cherry, blackberry and vanilla. Ripe black cherry, blackberry and subtle hints of green olive burst forth on the palate.

2005 Petite Sirah, Dry Creek Valley - The intense flavors follow true to the nose with a touch of cola, black pepper and a lingering finish of warm vanilla and dark chocolate. The concentrated varietal fruit, combined with well-integrated tannins, produces a full supple wine.

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