Wellington Cellars

The day is overcast with a light fog hugging the mountaintops. In other parts of the country, it might be considered gloomy day, but in Wine Country, it creates a cherished winter feel. Nestled in the valley below, Wellington Cellars offers an intimate wine tasting experience. “We get a lot of tourists during this time of year to get away from the snow,” says Joel Hernandez, a wine educator for Wellington Cellars.

The winery was originally established by John Wellington and his son, Peter, in the 1980s, growing estate wines from vines that were more than one hundred years old.

“They were producing four times more than we are now. They were in wine shops and markets, grocery stores across the country,” says Henry Belmonte, the current owner. “That was their market; distribution. When we acquired the winery and vineyards we felt we were better suited for direct-to-consumer. We limited production to where we were making truly outstanding wine.”

In 2014, the winery was sold to the Belmonte Family who immediately cut production from 15,000 cases annually to 4,000.The Belmontes soon began to renovate the production facilities and replant the vineyards

Enter VJB. A winery of Italian varietals, established in 2003 by the Belmonte family. The Belmontes originally owned a restaurant, but creating a winery became a passion project for Vittorio’s two sons, Henry and Victor, after they fell in love with the idea that they could serve their own wine with their food.

The inspiration behind the winery took hold during a trip to Italy. “We [have] family in Italy and when we would go and visit them my uncle’s wine would be on the dinner table in the house in a jug,” says Henry. “We would go to small little restaurants in town where my family lived and it would have the owners wine.”

Though Victor didn’t live to help see the winery become a reality, it inspired Henry to finish what they started in his honor. Henry created 50 cases with winemaker David Coleman, naming the finished project VJB, for his brother, Victor Joseph Belmonte.

“That’s how VJB came to be. 50 [cases] grew to 200, 200 grew to 2,000 and from that time of 2001 to 2003, we sold the restaurant and decided to open the VJB tasting room,” Henry says. “When we had the VJB project going, we weren’t looking for another winery, what we were looking for was just a production facility.” 

As they began the search for a new facility, Henry was told of something that was a little more than a production facility. It was also a working winery with existing vineyards. It was Wellington.

Since it’s purchase in 2014, Wellington began to flourish on its own, creating French varietals under the guidance of the Belmontes and the craftsmanship of winemaker Tom Foster.

We begin with a 2016 Estate White Rhone Blend for the day’s first taste. A dry sip boasts of citrus, spiced pear and vanilla with a long, smooth finish. It was the perfect compliment with the second tasting, a 2016 Pinot Noir that countered the White Rhone Blend with aromas of red and black fruit alongside hints of pepper and oak. It covers the entire palate with a wide finish and a lingering sensation that invites one to drink more.

Wellington’s crown jewel is its 2015 Estate Zinfandel. Foster decided to make three different Zinfandels based on each vine’s birth year. This Zinfandel came from the 1912 vine, with spices delicately tiptoeing around a soft, smooth finish. Next is the 2016 Estate Malbec, two years removed from the 96-point 2014 vintage. Its bold berry flavors blend famously with integrated tannins, creating a perfect wine to enjoy with hearty meat. Just 100 cases of this wine are produced annually. The last taste was the 2015 Patrone Bordeaux Blend, which encompasses 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, 5 percent Malbec and 5 percent Petit Verdot, creating an exquisite and excitingly rich wine with a long, perfect finish surrounded by notes of oak and spice.  

“When someone goes wine tasting, there’s a certain culture there, completely different from a restaurant experience, a wine bar or even a brewery. I think there’s a sense of serenity, calmness, a vibe that you get, a sense of romance,” Henry says. “I think that there is such a different, intimate experience in wine tasting compared to anything else.”

Discussing the grand changes for the winery while walking across the property, the last bit of morning dew fades from the grapes, Henry divulges plans to renovate the tasting room, create an outdoor patio and restructure an open barn for food. The newly constructed barrel room and its intricate rock-wall exterior is in its final stages of production. These changes are expected to occur over the next few years.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Reservations: Optional. (Accepts walk-ins).

Picnics: Yes

Pets: Welcomed outdoors

Did You Know? The Belmontes once owned Caffe Portofino, an Italian restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa, which opened in 1987. For 15 years they ran the restaurant, famous for its lively happy hour, before selling it in 2002, as they pursued the creation of VJB Vineyards. Despite the background in the restaurant business, Henry does not prefer in wine-food parings. “I just don’t create a meal looking for pairings, I create a meal to eat what I crave,” says Henry. “If I want our buttery Wellington Chardonnay with baby backed ribs slow cooked at home, I’m going to do it!” Like fingerprints, there are no two palates alike, so pairings do not work for everyone according to Henry. People should just enjoy what they crave when having a glass of wine.