Kunde Family Estate, located near the town of Kenwood in California’s Sonoma Valley, is both rich in history and a contemporary leader in winegrowing practices and wine production.

The Kunde facility and vineyards encompass over 1,800 acres, where five generations of family ownership have been making wines since 1904.

All of Kunde’s wines are produced from estate grown grapes using sustainable farming methods. The company has been designated as Certified Sustainable by the California Winegrowing Alliance and also received the state’s highest environmental honor, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for its sustainable practices and “green friendly” facilities.

I had the good fortune to spend some time chatting and tasting with Kunde winemaker Zach Long at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival a few weeks ago. The personable Long has done an excellent job of producing wines that are well-balanced, flavorful without being overstated, and extremely food-friendly.

Here are a few Kunde wines I enjoyed from the winery’s Family Estate Series:

Magnolia Lane 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (about $16) – This wine really shines with a slightly herbaceous base of lemongrass and a refreshing smack of green melon and gooseberry. Try it with oysters, fettuccine alfredo or potato gnocchi in heavy cream.

Sonoma Valley 2011 Chardonnay (about $16) – Long creates a beautiful chardonnay by allowing 80-percent of the juice to go through malolactic fermentation and fermenting the remaining 20-percent in stainless steel. It’s highlighted with splashes of crisp citrus and followed by round, creamy baked apple flavors. This wine could be the perfect match with buttered shrimp or lobster.

Sonoma Valley 2010 Zinfandel (about $16) – Sophisticated and reserved, this zin has notes of brambly berry, plum, black currant and a lengthy finish accentuated with a subtle spiciness. Consider pairing it with duck, pheasant or mushroom risotto.

Sonoma Valley 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (about $21) – Intriguing aromatics of vanilla wafer, popcorn and buttered toast lead off, with flavors of dark cherry, bittersweet chocolate, black olive and a touch of dried herb. It’s a complex, yet fun red wine that packs plenty of punch for a cabernet at this price.

The winery also produces two other tiers of wines: a Destination Series, which is available only to wine club members and visitors to the facility’s tasting room; and a Reserve Series, which is produced – at a premium price, of course – in smaller quantities from the estate’s prime vineyard locations.

For more information about the winery: kunde.com.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Central Coast 2011 (about $11) – Looking for a lighter style red wine that should pair well with food? Give this California blend a try.

This combination of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec and few other red varietals displays plenty of bright red cherry and raspberry flavors with ample acidity that allow it match up nicely with chicken, turkey or any other poultry you might serve with it.

Throw in the bargain price, and you’ve got a can’t miss wine that won’t cost you a bundle.

Washington has become a major player in the production of domestic premium wines. But when it comes to overall size, California is still king – and the difference between the two states isn’t even close.

So how big is big? Imagine the roughly 45,000 planted acres of vineyards in Washington, times ten, and you’ve got California. This extra space alone is one reason why California accounts for almost 90-percent of all wines produced in the US.

California is also home to 111 recognized wine growing regions (versus 13 in Washington) and over 100 wine grape varieties compared to our 30-plus.

Chardonnay is far and away the leading white varietal in California, with sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and viognier among some of the other notable whites. Cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, pinot noir and merlot are California’s major red varietals, while cabernet franc, syrah and malbec are also reasonably popular among the state’s wineries.

During a visit to the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival last month, I spent quite a bit of time sampling wines from California, which was designated as the “theme region” for this year’s event.

Since it’s relatively easy to shell out $50 or more for a California cabernet from Napa Valley, my mission was to find some alternative, reasonably priced wines that were representative of the diverse product line the state has to offer.

Some of my favorite wines at the festival included the Bridlewood Estate Winery 2010 Estate Syrah (about $15), a guilty pleasure with blueberry, plummy flavors and a trace of residual sugar on the finish, the Cannonball Wine Company 2009 Merlot (about $14), a Sonoma County-based wine with soft, dark fruits capped with a hit of vanilla bean, and the Chateau St. Jean 2009 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon (pictured at left, about $24), a gorgeous, easy-drinking red with reserved black currant, berry and black cherry flavors.

Another Sonoma County winery, Kunde Family Estate, also impressed me with a full slate of nicely crafted, well-balanced wines from winemaker Zach Long’s Estate Series, and everything I tried was priced at about $20 a bottle or less.

Next week I’ll give you the particulars on Kunde, including several recommendations from the winery’s current releases.

You’ll find plenty of other good California wines to choose from in Bellingham wine shops and grocers. But if you’re unable to track something down, remember that a visit to the winery web site for online ordering is another purchase option that also gets the wine delivered to your door.

There’s a lot to like about California’s Joel Gott Wines.

For starters: price. Every one of today’s wines is priced at under $20 and each provides good solid value for the money.

Second: variety. The Joel Gott label offers plenty of choices for both red and white wine drinkers and covers the spectrum from light to medium to full-bodied wines.

Third: regional representation of varietals. Here’s a winery that isn’t afraid to venture outside of its home base in the Napa Valley to select grapes from other regions – or even other states – for use in the finished product.

For example, California isn’t exactly noted for its production of pinot gris, so Joel Gott sources grapes from Oregon’s critically acclaimed Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon Appellations. And for excellent riesling, the winery looks to the Yakima and Columbia Valley regions of Washington.

Here are my tasting notes on current releases of Joel Gott wines I’ve recently enjoyed:

2011 Sauvignon Blanc (about $14) – Bright and complex, the opening hit of white peach transitions into grapefruit, lime, and gooseberry flavors before concluding with a touch of savory herb.

2011 Pinot Gris (about $14) – Big aromatics and flavors of pear and Granny Smith apple lead off, with a smack of tropical fruits and a crisp, clean finish with a hint of minerality.

2010 Riesling (about $14) – Gorgeous floral notes, ripe apple flavors and a whisper of residual sugar balanced with brisk acidity highlight this big, sexy riesling.

2011 Chardonnay (about $16) – Sourced from Napa, Sonoma and Monterey Counties, this unoaked chardonnay still comes off as big and round with luscious flavors of pineapple, peach and honeydew melon and a borderline off-dry finish.

2010 Zinfandel (about $19) – This tasty, medium-bodied zin carries an understated, yet true-to-the-varietal flavor profile. Brambly berry and cherry fruits are accentuated with a dusting of warm spice and white pepper.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (about $19) – There’s a bit of an herbaceous quality up front that quickly leads to notes of black licorice and coffee bean. The finish drifts into a pleasant layer of black plum and cola with gentle tannins.

2010 Alakai (about $19) – This grenache-based blend of four red varietals displays a mouthful of strawberry and red cherry flavors for starters with a softer, less edgy finish than one might expect.

Look for Joel Gott Wines locally at Fred Meyer and Haggen stores.

If you like zinfandel, you have to consider Renwood Winery.

Renwood is located in the heart of California about one-hour east of Sacramento in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County. If you’re familiar with Amador County, you know that this part of California has earned a reputation for producing zinfandels that are among the best in the country.

Many of Redwood’s wines are produced from over 400 acres of estate vineyards located within the county, and although the winery produces a number of other wines in small quantities such as barbera, viognier, and pinot grigio, the focus as of late has been on what I think the winery does best: zinfandel.

As the result of its recent acquisition by an Argentinian concern that specializes in the ownership of vineyards, wineries and olive oil plantations, Renwood now utilizes the expertise of winemakers from Argentina, Italy and the Napa Valley. With a background this diverse, it’s no wonder the winery now produces a complete line of zinfandels that are almost certain to please every taste preference and budget.

I’ve done some power-tasting of Renwood zins as of late, and although it’s difficult to choose a favorite, I’ve narrowed it down to my “top five” based on character, flavor profile, and value for the dollar. Here are my choices:

Red Label 2011 California Zinfandel (about $15) – This tasty “everyday” zin opens with fragrant aromatics of raspberry and vanilla. Juicy strawberry and blackberry flavors hit the palate with a big, round finish of blackberry framed by a hint of tartness.

Black Label 2010 Premier Old Vine Zinfandel (about $20) – There’s a base of red cherry and plum for starters, with a plumper, underlying layer of rum raisin with hints of spice beneath. Decadent and delicious.

White Label 2010 Fiddletown Zinfandel (about $23) – Beautiful flavors of Ligurian cherry and black plum melt into a silky finish with a touch of chocolate. Overachieving, gorgeous and well worth the price.

Black Label 2010 Reserve Dry Creek Zinfandel (about $25) – Sweet alfalfa and wild berries on the nose with plenty of bright red fruits on the palate. The nicely structured finish displays a bit of brambly berry and a dusting of tannins.

White Label 2010 Timberline Zinfandel (about $40) – Compact layers of chocolate cherry with nuances of black licorice and dried herbs highlight this outstanding zin. It’s the perfect juxtaposition between yummy and elegant.

You’ll find Renwood wines at area Haggen stores and if not in stock, they can be special ordered.