Benchmark Wineries

Ficklin Vineyards 

In the late 1940s, Ficklin planted 13 acres (5 ha) of red Port varieties for the purpose of making Port-inspired fortified wines. They remain focused on that today, producing red, tawny, and Madeira styles.


Quady

This sweet and aperitif wine specialist made its first wine in 1975, a fortified Zinfandel. Quady’s best-known wines are Orange Muscat, Black Muscat, and Moscato. Along with other dessert and fortified wines, Quady makes excellent vermouth under the Vya label.


Papagini Wines

Founded in 1973 by an Italian family with a long history of winemaking, Papagini makes roughly a dozen dry, varietal wines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah. They still produce Alicante Bouschet, the variety on which they originally focused. Pagagini also sells bulk wine and grape concentrate.