It was quite an event at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan; as Korbin Ming, the General Manager of Moonridge Vineyards and Korbin Kameron was pouring eleven of his family’s wines that day.

The rest of the tasting featured red wines and we began with Korbin Kameron Merlot Moon Mountain District, Sonoma County 2019.  When Mitchell Ming began planting the estate, all five red Bordeaux varieties, as well as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc were selected, after initial soil analysis.  Phil Coturri, the Vineyard Manager has been there since the beginning, and it has been said that no one has more experience farming mountain vineyards in Sonoma with thirty-five years pioneering organic and biodynamic winegrowing in California.  This wine was aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which fifty percent was new; with eighty cases produced. A nice deep garnet color wine that offered notes of cherries, dark berries, alluring scents of cinnamon and cloves.  On the palate tones of black cherries, cola, and spices, blended with mellow tannins and a nice medium count finish.

Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District, Sonoma County 2019 was the first of the Cabs that we tried.  Over the years, I have had the good fortune to try the Cabernet Sauvignon wines going back to 2006 and considering that the vineyard was planted in 2000, that was definitely one of the earliest issued wines.  Moon Mountain District AVA is a sub-appellation of Sonoma County, just north of the city of Sonoma and on the eastern edge of Sonoma County and is the western slopes of Mayacamas mountains between Sugarloaf Ridge and Carneros; while Mount Veeder AVA encompasses the eastern slopes.  Fermentation and Aging is done in French Oak, of which fifty percent is new, and the barrel time is eighteen months.  With a production of six-hundred-twenty-cases produced.  A deep garnet colored wine that offers notes of black fruit, figs, cassis, lavender, and some molasses.  On the palate black cherry and blackberries, cocoa, espresso and traces of leather, mingling with tight tannins, and ending with a nice finish of fruit and terroir.

The next wine that we had was Korbin Kameron Proprietary Red Wine Estate Blend Cuvee Kristin Moon Mountain District AVA Sonoma County 2019.   This blended Cuvee is named after Korbin’s sister, who is the Director of Design at the winery.   The wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  It is blended and aged for eighteen months in French Oak of which seventy-five percent is new.    There was one-hundred-fifty-five cases produced.  This deep garnet/purple wine offered notes of black and red fruits, rhubarb, figs and rose petals.  On the palate blueberries and black cherries lead with secondary flavors of cola, pink peppercorn and a nice medium count finish of fruit and terroir.