The walls of Carol Shelton Wines’ tasting room are covered in awards, plaques, ribbons and other accolades. Part of the stairwell is, too. These honors—along with an illustrious reputation—belong to Carol Shelton, winemaker and president of Carol Shelton Wines, whose wines have proven popular with wine lovers of the North Bay and beyond. Shelton has devoted the past 46 years to wine, and has nothing but big plans ahead.
Shelton discovered her interest in winemaking in 1974, during her early days of studies at UC Davis. While touring Sebastiani Winery in Sonoma, she was awe-struck by the aromas of the barrel room; so much so that she decided in that moment to become a winemaker. Not long after, she switched her undeclared major to fermentation science, later becoming one of the first dozen women to graduate from the university in that field.
Shelton then made her way to Windsor Vineyards where she worked for 19 years as winemaker, developing both her techniques and her keen interest in zinfandels. With encouragement from her husband and business partner, Mitch Mackenzie, they opened a winery of their own in 2000, now with 23 harvests for her own label under her belt.
On my visit, I sampled seven wines, a typical number for the winery’s tastings. We start with the 2021 Wild Thing Viognier, delightfully fragrant—with a nose of honeysuckle, jasmine and citrus—yet not overwhelming. These grapes are picked a bit less ripe than many winegrowers pick for this varietal, says Shelton, which softens the sometimes overly-fragrant bouquet. It offers flavors of peach and apple, and a bit of creaminess from the oak rounds it out. Next are the Coquille Blanc blends: first the 2021 vintage, Shelton’s favorite of any she produces; then the 2017, which was placed in Wine Spectator magazine’s list of top 100 wines. The blend consists of grenache blanc, roussanne, viognier and marsanne, each varietal combined harmoniously to create a complex, delicious flavor.
As we taste, Shelton not only speaks with excitement about her own brand, but equal enthusiasm about other wines, winegrowers and winemaking techniques. She shares with me the history of her treasured vineyards, details on label requirements and different cork styles, the ins-and-outs of competitions and scoring guides. She shows me photos of her winegrapes, magazine covers on which her wines were featured, her long-haired dachshunds and the building plans for their new Windsor winery.
The Windsor project is many years in the making, but the team hopes to break ground this spring and open early 2024. Located within the Windsor Beverage District, the expansive structure will include a commercial kitchen, restaurant for popups and guest dinners, two tasting rooms and more.
I next try the 2021 Wild Thing Rendezvous Rosé. A striking ruby color, the rosé is equally lively in flavor, with notes of strawberry, cherry and a touch of minerality. A spritz of carbon dioxide added during bottling lifts the floral, strawberry aromas to the nose.
Shelton is renowned for her zins—she’s nicknamed the “Queen of Zinfandel” in the industry. She started to feel a pull toward the varietal in her earlier years as a winemaker, and has focused much of her career on producing exceptional single-vineyard zinfandels. Her Wild Thing Old Vine Zinfandel has earned high marks in nearly every competition its entered since its conception in 2000—the 2018 vintage placing 43rd in the Wine Spectator top 100, with the more recent vintages yet to be scored.
This is the wine I’m most excited to try. I taste the 2020 vintage, which is super-smooth on the palate and easy to drink, with vanilla and baking-spice aromas, and flavors of dark, juicy fruits like plum and raspberry.
Continuing with reds, I try the 2020 Coquille Rouge, which is a rich and textured blend of mourvèdre, carignan, petite sirah, grenache noir and Alicante Bouschet. These grapes produce a wine that resembles a berry fruit salad, “but in a dark, brooding way,” says Shelton. The multi-layered wine is perfect to pair with many foods—a key aspect of Shelton’s winemaking philosophy. 
The 2019 Rocky Reserve Zinfandel is the last of the tasting, and a strong finale. The Rockpile AVA from which these grapes are sourced is tucked high above Lake Sonoma and Dry Creek Valley, where the elevation protects the grapes from extreme heat, preventing sugar spikes and high alcohol content. The wine is pleasantly acidic, with polished tannins and a long, plush finish.
I leave the winery more knowledgeable than when I arrive, and with an eagerness to sip these wines again.
If the floor-to-ceiling awards and contest sweeps didn’t suggest it already, Carol Shelton makes wines that deserve their acclaim. Devoted to perfecting each element of her craft, the pride she feels for winemaking is palpable and shines through in the wines she makes. To see what the buzz is all about, stop by Carol Wines, have a glass and stay a while.
At a Glance
Carol Shelton Wines
3354-B Coffey Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-575-3441
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tasting fee: $15 per person
Wines Available: 2021 Wild Thing Viognier, 2017 and 2021 Coquille Blanc, 2021 Wild Thing Rendezvous Rosé, 2020 Wild Thing Old Vine Zinfandel, 2020 Coquille Rouge, 2019 Rockpile Reserve Zinfandel
Reservations: Encouraged but not required
Picnics: Yes
Pets: Yes, on a leash
Did you know?
Carol Shelton has been interested in yeast experimentation since her university days. She uses seven different yeast strains, many of which are new to the market, and tests them with different variables to see how they will impact a vintage. That’s how her famous Wild Thing Zinfandel got its name—from using an uninoculated, or “wild” new yeast. “They all bring something different to the party,” says Shelton.
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