Great California Values
How to Beat High Prices and Find the Best the Golden State has to Offer
Of course, as vintages change, so do the choices. But most producers profiled here deliver quality wines year in and year out, and many of these wineries (and winemakers) make multiple values bottlings, often of diverse varietals, so committing their names to memory can be a good values-buying strategy regardless of grape type.

JC Cellars
The Impostor California 2005 - 92 points - $32 - 1,143 cases
As exotic as it is potent, with deep blackberry liqueur, sandalwood and wild game aromas and rich, ripe cassis, blueberry and licorice flavors.

After a decade of crafting top wines at Rosenblum, Jeff Cohn left in 2006 to focus on this label, his own. At JC Cellars, he extends his winning streak with single-vineyard wines along with his passion for Rhône-style reds and Zinfandel. The Impostor, anchored by Zin, offers an exotic range of ripe fruit flavors and loads of spice, with wonderful richness and depth. It includes smaller portions of [Syrah], Mourvédre, Viognier and Petite Sirah.

Syrah California Cuvée 2005 - 92 points - $25 - 760 cases
Offers wonderful savory aromas, with a mix of ripe plum, berry and peppery, spicy notes. Intense, concentrated, supple and harmonious.
Cohn's California Cuvée Syrah, a blend of wines not used in JC Cellar's single-vineyard lineup, is yet another example of the winemaker's ability to achieve a remarkably complex cuvee at a good price. -J.L.

Winemakers producing urban legends
Inside Bay Area | September 2007

City winemakers put hint of Oak-land in their product
Inside Bay Area | September 2007

The Oakland Wine Tour: Forget the Stretch Humvees of Napa and Taste Local Wines
NovoMetro | August 22, 2007
"... Two of them, Dashe Cellars and JC Cellars, share wine making facilities and a tasting room at 55 4th Street, not far from Jack London Square. JC Cellars is owned and operated by Jeff and Alexandra Cohn. Jeff Cohn worked for Rosenblum Cellars in Alameda for ten years, and during that time, he made his own wine under the JC Cellars label. In 2005, he and Alexandra moved into their own winery with fellow Rosenblum alums, Michael and Anne Dashe of Dashe cellars."

Wineries and Wine Tasting in Oakland? You Bet—thanks to an eclectic bunch of East Bay artisanal winemakers.
Oakland Magazine | Uncorked, September 2007
Adobe Acrobat PDF (1 meg)

Sunset Magazine
The best wines in the West: 2006
RED WINE OF THE YEAR: JC Cellars Ventana Vineyard Syrah 2002
"Smoky and earthy, with dark berries and black pepper."
Sunset Magazine, September 2006

A note from the winemaker
Sometimes a moment in time changes everything. This moment happened for us just the other day. We received notice from Sunset Magazine that our 2002 Ventana Vineyard Syrah was selected Red Wine of the Year by their tasting panel of master sommeliers, wine masters, teachers and wine writers.

Sometimes great press takes time to come out, and unfortunately we have sold our last bottle of the 2002 vintage Ventana Vineyard Syrah. But do not fear, because our 2003 Ventana Vineyard Syrah has been released and we think you will like if not even more. Be the first to get your hands on this one, before it disappears as well.

Thank you for all your support!
The JC Cellars Team

  Daniel: What's in a name? Often it's wine fit for Valentine's Day
Mercury News, February 2007
"If the two of you are still feeling your way, and you don't want to seem too pushy, there's the 2005 J.C. Cellars "The First Date"' ($28), a white Rhone blend dominated by roussanne from Santa Barbara County. It's rich, ripe and fragrant, with a long finish. It could provide just the spark for a longer relationship."

Great red for barbecue: Try our picks with grillable meats like chicken, steak, lamb, and sausages
Sunset Magazine, June 2006

Wineries in Oakland? Co-tenants plan summer open house for this Sunday
The Oakland Tribune, June 2005

He seeks grapes here, he seeks ’em there
MSNBC Today, March 9, 2005

Making His Mark: Jeff Cohn of JC Cellars Follows His Passion for Wine
Alameda Magazine, November 2004
Adobe Acrobat PDF (2 meg)

Rhône by the Bay
Wine Spectator, February 2004

Winemakers to Watch: an interview with Jeff Cohn
San Francisco Chronicle, December 2003