Dr. Wineaux Goes to Napa Valley
Tales of the April, 2016 trip to Wine's "Disneyland"
Here in words and pictures is the trip I took with my brother to Napa Valley in April, 2016. It took a while to get my notes together, typed up and in a sensible fashion. I hope you enjoy!
Day One April
8, 2016
I met up with my older brother in San
Francisco and we drove up to the Napa Valley.
We made decent time and hit near closing time for most tasting rooms.
Our first stop was one of my brother’s favorite places, Kathryn Hall winery. Right
on Highway 29, across from the Louis M Martini winery, a large Bunny sculpture,
made out of chrome stands near the entrance.
I had never been to this winery –
the building is two stories with a lot of glass, a big patio off to one side.
Here are the wines we sampled while
at this location.
2012 Hall T Bar T Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, Sonoma
County $60
Our 2012 “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet
Sauvignon is deep garnet in color with aromas of wet stone, black cassis
preserves, sweet tobacco, caramel and toast. The palate has flavors of ripe
dark fruit with rich, structured tannins. Enjoy over the next decade.
I
found the wine to be a very good Alexander Valley cab, with an expressive nose,
good cab flavors and a good long finish. Drinkable now but much better in a
couple years.
2012 Hall “Couer” Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa County $75
Winery Exclusive
94 Points International Wine Report
As it begins to open it delivers
aromas of wild blackberry, nutmeg, pipe tobacco and crème de cassis. There are
rich flavors of blackberry preserves, crème de cassis, anise and mocha in this
full-bodied, layered Cabernet. This wine needs time for the tannins to soften
and would be best to allow this impressive bottling at least another year in
the bottle to mellow.
Nice
Cabernet – interesting nose with expected flavors. Finished a touch hot, maybe
the alcohol content (?). Pretty nice with a good finish.
2012 Hall “Ellies”Cabernet Sauvignon $80
93 Points Virginie Boone - Wine Enthusiast
Blended with a healthy dose (21%)
of Merlot, this luxurious, velvety wine is named for co-owner Craig Hall’s
mother. Blackberry jam, black pepper and a touch of thick tar mark the
full-bodied deliciousness going on here, a totally pleasurable experience worth
enjoying now, though it can be held through 2020.
Another
good Cabernet(do they make any clunkers?) that gets a boost from the Merlot in
the blend. Very drinkable now, but could hold a number of years.
2013 Hall 1873 Cabernet Sauvignon $80
Top 100 Wine 94 Points - Wine Spectator
"Ultrarich, layered and
tightly focused on a dense core of meaty blackberry, currant, loamy earth,
anise, crushed rock and graphite notes. For all the flavor and depth, this
features a persistent finish that folds in smoky, toasty oak, adding an extra
dimension of texture, flavor and aroma. Drink now through 2028." - James
Laube
A
big wine – full nose with a big mouthful of juicy dark fruits, graphite and
hints of herbaceous spice. Very long tannic finish – hang on to this one for a
few years.
2012 Hall Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon $125
95 Points International Wine Cellar
“The 2012 'Jack's Masterpiece' is
another highly impressive Cabernet from Hall in this vintage. The wine is
barrel selected from the choicest mountain fruit and it reflects beautifully in
the wine. As this opens it releases striking aromas of ripe dark fruits, crème
de cassis, mocha, sweet spices, Turkish coffee, anise and dill, which all take
shape and mirror on the palate. This is extremely compelling, showing the
intensity of this great vintage, but currently needing some additional bottle
age to fully unwind. (Best 2018-2035).”
The
Cabernets just keep rolling – another monolithic, deep wine, with lots of fruit
and long finish with tannic overtones.
2013 Hall Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $160
96 Points Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
“Another
of the artisan collection series, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain
District is another wine of great purity and expression. The wine has loads of
intense blueberry and blackberry fruit, while licorice, graphite, spice box and
pen ink are all present in this complex multi-dimensional wine. It is
full-bodied, pure, rich and a tour de force in this great vintage. Drink it
over the next 25-30 years.”
This
was an exceptionally deep, powerful wine.
The tannins stand out but do not overwhelm the expression of the fruit
flavors.
2013 Hall Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $160
99 Points Robert Parker, Wine
Advocate
“The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell
Mountain is exquisite. It has an impenetrable blue/black color to the rim, a
gorgeous nose of incense, charcoal, mulberry and blackberry liqueur, a
multi-layered texture, and terrific purity and length. Keep in mind this is a
2013, so it has at least 25-30 years of upside and would probably benefit from
4-5 years of additional bottle age. This is sensational.”
Another
very well made wine – the tannins are much more restrained but the finish is
very long. Will hold up well but is
approachable now.
The picture is the Sculpture in front of the Winery – a big
chrome leaping bunny!
Right next door was the Whitehall Lane winery. I am familiar
with the winery but had never stopped in the tasting room before. They were
very nice and we tried a variety of their products. Here are the ones we tried:
2014 Whitehall Lane Carneros Chardonnay $36
Tasting Notes from the Winery
"This chardonnay has attractive aromas of golden delicious apples,
cinnamon, lime, nutmeg, cream soda, sultanas and a perception of chalky
limestone minerality. It is rich and softly textured with a very long creamy
finish. Its palate provides a full bodied wine with apricots, vanilla, lemon
curd and toasted brioche with a hunt of almonds. Enjoyable now and through 2019
with proper cellaring."
The
Chard had a nicely fruity nose – good southern Napa valley fruit with a nice
balance; some butter and oak but a lot of green apple and tropical fruit. 1/3
of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and it was aged in both oak and
stainless steel. Very nice white wine.
2014 Whitehall Lane Pinot Noir Las Brisas Vineyard, Carneros $50
Tasting Notes: The breezes (las
brisas) blowing off the San Pablo Bay in Carneros make the Las Brisas Vineyard ideal for growing Pinot Noir grapes.
This succulent and ripe Pinot Noir is beautifully balanced with supple flavors
of strawberry, cranberry and sweet oak. Its mild tannins offer a smooth,
lasting finish
Leather
and red fruit dominate the nose; moderate cherry flavors, rather light
aftertaste. Fair enough Pinot.
2012 Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $42
WE90 Wine Enthusiast - "With a healthy
helping of Merlot, as well as Petit Verdot and Malbec, this Cab is soft and
well integrated, high in acidity with layers of bright, just-picked raspberry.
Lurking in the underbelly of its soul are elements of cedar and dried
herb."
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6%
Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec
Very good nose of red fruits and graphite.
Broad mouthfeel; red and black fruits with hints of tar and cola – moderate
finish and aftertaste. Very nice at this price.
2012 Leonardini Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $125
This 2012 Leonardini Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon is inviting with notes of dark fruit and toasty oak. The
flavor profile is focused and balanced with black berry, black cherry and
polished tannins integrated through to its long, silky finish. Enjoyable today,
this wine will continue to evolve through 2028.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Verdot
Very
fruity nose – flavor had quite a bit of tannin along with the red fruits.
Fairly nice balance, but would be better with a few years of bottle age.
2011 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $100
WE92 Wine Enthusiast - "Sublime leather and a
shake of black peppercorn provide a touch of intrigue to this wine that gets
better in the glass as it goes. Elegant, balanced and displaying cool-vintage
sparks of pencil shavings and cranberry, it is effortlessly spicy in clove,
particularly on the finish. "
Lighter
nose than the previous wine, good stone fruit flavors, black and red, nice
length on the finish. Very drinkable right now, with mild tannins.
2009 Bel Forte Petite Sirah Port
Style $45
Belforte is a true port-style wine made from Petite Syrah
grapes grown in Napa Valley. The name Belforte loosely translates to
"beautiful fortified wine". During the fermentation process, the wine
was fortified with exceptional high proof brandy to halt fermentation and give
this flavorful wine a high degree of natural sweetness. The wine was aged in 12
oak barrels for 22 months.
This was a very nice, sticky sweet
dessert wine with very bright fruit flavors. An enjoyable treat.
Dinner that evening was at Brix Restaurant.
Dinner
started with a “Special Drink” – an Espresso Martini – semi-sweet chocolate,
liquor – not sweet, but very tasty.
Opened with a French Onion Soup. Nicely caramelized onions, deep rich
beef broth and croutons with melted cheese. Very nicely done.
Cabernet
braised short ribs followed – so soft they cut with a fork. Richly flavored
beef short ribs served with cranberry beans and deep fried greens for
crunch. Absolutely wonderful, a great
entrée – my brother had had a wonderful hangar steak.
With
dinner we had a bottle of 2010 Elyse Korte Ranch Zinfandel, Napa Valley,
California.
Elyse sourced this 2010 Zinfandel form the Korte Ranch Vineyard
in St. Helena. Blended with just a splash (3%) of Petite Sirah, the wine spent
10 months in 20% new American oak before bottling. From the winery: "The
2010 Korte Ranch Zinfandel is deep purple in color with ripe red and black
fruit aromas that draw you in from across the room, while subtle floral notes
provide even more intrigue. The palate is lushly textured and gushes with
blackberries, black cherries, plums, and hints of vanilla and nutmeg."
A real
nice Zinfandel, red fruit aromas followed by a broad mouthfeel of red and black
fruits, with hints of spice and cherry cola. Wonderful meal to top off our
first day of Napa Valley.
Day 2 April
9, 2016
After
getting coffee, we headed north up Highway 29 from the city of Napa. Running
ahead of schedule, we decided to stop at the “Castle”, which opened earlier
than some other wineries.
Castello di Amorosa is an actual castle
built from stone from Europe in the manner of ancient days. All the ironwork including lamps, gates and
door hardware was hand-forged by Italian Artisans. All doors and windows were
made by Italian artisans and feature leaded glass in the windows. Over 200
containers of handmade bricks, tiles, doors, windows and furnishings were
brought over from Europe.
Medieval
designs and construction methods were employed to create Castello; 30 years in
the making – 15 years of actual construction. The Castello contains all the
elements a medieval castle would have possessed – a moat, drawbridge, 5 towers,
high defensive ramparts, courtyards and loggias, a deep well, a functioning
church, stables, an outdoor oven, an apartment for the Nobles, a Great Hall and
even a prison and torture chamber.
The
Castle opened to the public on April 9, 2007 and is owned by Dario Sattui.
The
castle has a self guided tour, with rooms of medieval items and signs
indicating what would happen there. Then
you head downstairs to a large room with a big bar and assorted items for sale. You pay for your tasting and here is what we
decided to sample. All wines are Castello di Amorosa, unless noted.
2013 Pinot Noir
Reserve, Anderson Valley, California $49
A bright red opaque wine with nice berry flavor – black
cherry – and nice acid balace to go with foods. A hint of tannins – a little
light but a good example of the Anderson Valley, Pinots with more character
than some other areas. Rated 90 by the Wine Enthusiast.
2012 Zinsaro
Zinfandel, Russian River, California $39
A moderate nose but flavors fell flat on the mid-palate. A
little spice but not much – modest aftertaste – only fair, for a Russian River
Zinfandel.
2012 Merlot, Napa
valley, California $42
Real nice nose of red fruit and floral nuances. Nicely
balanced wine with red and black fruit flavors, good acidity and a pleasant aftertaste
with modest tannins.
2011 Il Brigante,
Napa Valley, California $36
A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Sangiovese, 10%
Merlot and 2% Zinfandel – a sort of American Super Tuscan. An unusual blend,
but the Sangiovese dominates the nose. The flavor profile is unique – tannin
and backbone from the Cabernet, hints of spice from the Zinfandel, body from
the Sangiovese and leather from the Merlot. Acidity is well balanced – this is
a big steak type wine.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $55
Nice big Cabernet nose – flavors of red and black fruits
with leather and graphite in the blend. Long aftertaste with moderate tannins –
a nice Napa Cabernet.
2011 La Castellana,
Napa Valley, California $98
Super Tuscan Blend – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and
5% Sangiovese.
Nose has a lot of Sangiovese, despite it’s minimal
appearance and the fruit in the flavor is modest – very mellow. Tannins are
soft and the aftertaste limited. Not showing very well.
2011 El Barone
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California – Cazello Estate $98
Real big Cabernet nose – a deep dark wine with black and red
fruits and nuances of herbs and leather. Some tannins, although I would drink
in 5 years – a nice cabernet in all.
2012 Butala Estate
Reserve Cabernet, Napa Valley, California $145
A big nose of dark fruit and tobacco. The wine had a tannic
grip with dark fruits and cigar box. Very long finish with the tannins hanging
on. Big wine that will age well – fruit was sourced from the Coombsville area
in Napa.
Our
attendant was Vincenzo, who was very
Italian and a lot of fun.
Our appointment was at Vincent Arroyo Winery up in Calistoga (The Saratoga of California).
A fairly small winery but renowned for making great Petite Sirah.
The
building is unassuming but the staff is very welcoming. Here is what we tasted
at the winery.
2014 Chardonnay Napa
Valley, California $28
Lightly oaked, this Chard had good fruit – citrus and peach
and nice texture. Really nice and under $30.
2013 Melange Reserve,
Napa Valley, California $19
A Sangiovese, Tempranillo and cabernet Sauvignon blend – had
a soft red color with nice red fruit flavors. Very rounded mouthfeel, good
acidity – a real food wine.
2013 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $40
Broad nose – tannic grip with dark red/black fruits, some
graphite and cedar. Rael big flavor, long finish with tannic overtones –
drinkable but best in five years.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon Reserve, Napa Valley, California $55
Wine spent three years in the barrel – hints of herbs in the
nose with the fruit. Less tanninic than the 2013 but very nicely rounded with a
long finish. Very nice wine drinking good now and in five years.
2013 Petite Sirah
Estate Bottles, Napa Valley, California $35
Great dark color;flavors of red berry and black fruits, nice
acidity. Very nice example of this grape (wine).
2013 Petite Sirah,
Rattlesnake Acres, Napa Valley, California $50
A Barrel sample – very dark color; hints of vanilla on the
nose followed by deep dark berry flavors. Tannins support the wine, giving it
good structure – really nice juice.
Vinnie was our tour guide – he was relatively new, but was
fun. We met Vincent Arroyo in the barrel room – seemed nice. We were considered
“barrel worthy” with our endless wine chatter – that is the Rattlesnake
vineyard taste we had.
Chateau Montelena
The
historic winery from the Tasting of 1976 – still owned by the same people. Some
contend they have been coasting on the laurels, but they have made a little
comeback, in terms of quality wines.
We paid
our fee and went to the second room back to a bar for our tasting. Here is what
we sampled:
2014 Sauvignon Blanc,
Napa Valley, California $35
Not a great color, nice nose of citrus fruits. Flavors were
peach and grapefruit with a little undertone of spice. A wine begging for
seafood.
2013 Chardonnay, Napa
Valley, California $58
Very pretty color with a green apple aroma. Good acidity,
green apple and tropical citrus flavors – a touch sharp at times. Would be
better in a year, to mellow and meld the flavors.
2013 Zinfandel,
Calistoga, California $39
Moderate nose; good flavors of red fruit and hints of spice
– Surprisingly long finish.
2013 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $58
86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc
Pleasant nose – good cabernet flavors, black and red fruit,
some cedar and graphite and no green pepper. Good rounded mouthfeel and a
moderate finish with tannins. Would be better in two years.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Estate Bottled, Napa Valley, California $58
98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Verdot – Deep, dark color
with a nose that seemed a little closed-in. Lots of deep black fruits, graphite
and cola – very long finish with tannic support. Drinkable now but would hold
up 5 – 10 years.
2006 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Estate Bottled, Napa Valley, California $175
Full nose of red and black fruits. Full mouthfeel with the
red and black berries, oak , cola and hints of cedar. Very long finish with
little tannins remaining. Nice bottle ready to drink.
Freemark Abbey
Our next stop was a Freemark Abbey, down the road (Hiway 29)
from our last stop.
We bought and split the Cabernet Collection Tasting. Here
are the wines:
2011 Cabernet
Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $100
Deep, dark color and a nose redolent of red berry fruit. A
full flavored wine with red and black fruits, oak and hints of cigar box and
cedar. Good long aftertaste, though the tannins were light. Very nice and only
13.5% alcohol.
2004 Cabernet
Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $130
Dark color, and an expressive nose of red berries. Full
mouthfeel with red fruits, graphite and cigar box. This vintage has no Petite
Verdot in it. Nice long finish with some tannins – nice bottle to enjoy now.
2011 Cabernet
Sauvignon Josephine Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $120
Good nose of red berry – flavors of black fruits and berries
and nuances of black pepper. Somewhat shorter finish but still nice – tannins
moderate.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon Bosche’ Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $125
Deep color – moderate nose, somewhat closed in. Flavors of
black fruits, tobacco, tannins and oak. Tannins keep it from being fully
expressive, needs about 5 years bottle age to blossom.
2004 Cabernet
Sauvignon Bosche’ Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $140
Full nose of red and black berry – broad mouthfeel with an
elegant long finish. Red berries, tobacco and graphite dominate the palate.
Less tannins than the 2004 Sycamore – a wine to open tonight.
Next stop the always fun Heitz Wine Cellars. They don’t charge for tastings! (as of my visit
there). Here is what we tasted:
2014 Chardonnay Napa
Valley, California $26
Modest nose – nice flavors of grapefruit and pear along with
some oak. Moderate aftertaste, but really pretty tasty.
2012 Zinfandel Ink
Grade Vineyard Napa Valley, California $26.50
Floral, raspberry and anise hints in the nose. Modest red berry and black cherry fruit with
just hints of spice. Broad mouthfeel with a moderate finish.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $52
Moderate nose of red berries. Flavor profile of red and
black berries, cigar box and tobacco – with a nice long finish. Moderate
tannins hold the wine in check.
2002 Cabernet
Sauvignon Trailside Napa Valley, California $85
Wonderful nose of dust, violets, red berries and cedar.
Broad mouthfeel of red fruit, cedar and tobacco (hints of graphite around the
edges). Tannins mostly gone, drinking very well right now.
1998 Cabernet
Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard Napa Valley, California $NA
Expressive nose of tobacco and red berry. Flavors of red fruits,
tobacco, briar and that hint of eucalyptus. Long finish with no tannins –
drinking very well for it’s age.
2009 Cabernet
Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard Napa Valley, California $225
Aroma of red fruit and eucalyptus – flavor had a tannic grip
with red and black fruits, tobacco and cedar. A very long tannic finish – wine
needs bottle time to mellow out.
NV Ink Grade Port $35
Made from mostly Petite Sirah, it had a big sweet fruit nose
– flavors of bright red, sweet berry with a tar undertone. A mouth-filler” –
very nice little dessert wine.
We trooped over to Louis
M Martini – they were renovating the old tasting room and had a set up in a
large barrel room. Here is what we had:
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $38
86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 % Petite Verdot and others –good
cab nose of red fruit and herbs. Flavors
of dark fruit, herbs and leather with a long finish and moderate tannins.
2012 Cellar 254
Meritage Napa Valley, California $65
Real big nose of red berries and red fruits. Big flavor of
red and black fruits, anise and leather. Long finish with finesse tannins –
Very nice wine.
2013 Gnarly Vine
Zinfandel, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma, California $60
Nice nose of red jammy fruit. Flavor profile of Raspberry
jam and blackberries with hints of spice and smoke. Modest aftertaste – high
alcohol content of 16.2%.
2013 Petite Sirah
Napa Valley, California $55
Nice nose of black berries, dirt and herbs. Dark fruit
flavor with plum and an undertone of tar on modest tannins. Good finish – nice
example of the varietal.
NV Petite Sirah Port, Napa Valley, California
Sweet but not cloying, nice full mouthfeel – very pleasant
dessert wine. Better with the chocolate truffle they served with it.
Next Stop – Franciscan
Vineyards.
Here is the line up from Franciscan – hang with me, there is
quite a bit. If I don’t specify, the wine is Franciscan, the other label is Mt
Veeder – I’ll try to indicate that.
2013 Chardonnay Cuvee
Sauvage, Napa Valley, California $40
Wonderful vanilla scented nose; full flavors of green apple,
citrus and pear. Very nice with a long finish for a white wine.
2013 Mt. Veeder
Cabernet Franc , Napa Valley, California $65
Good nose of violets and red fruits; flavors of red fruits
with hints of tar and tobacco. Modest finish with little tannins.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Oakville, California $65
Pleasant nose of red berries. Flavors of red berry and red
fruits with spices, cardamom and nutmeg. Moderate aftertaste with nuances of
cherry cola and sage. Very interesting.
2013 Mt. Veeder
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $44
Pleasing nose of red fruits and hints of caramel. Flavors of
red fruits and various herbs – nice aftertaste with moderate tannins.
2013 Petite Verdot
Reserve, Napa Valley, California $65
Vibrant nose of flowers and red berries. Flavors of cassis,
floral overtones and red fruits – modest aftertaste with little tannic
structure.
2012 Mt Veeder Cabernet
Sauvignon Elevation 1550, Napa Valley, California $65
Pleasing nose of dark fruit and berries. Flavors of dark
fruits, leather and some white pepper – very long finish with structured
tannins.
2012 Mt Veeder Cabernet
Sauvignon Rosenquist $100
Unusual nose of red fruit and coffee. Full flavors of black
fruits, cherry, coffee, tobacco and herbs. Nice lengthy finish.
2012 Stylus Napa
Valley, California $110
Moderate nose of red berry and red fruits. Flavors very
upfront with red berry, tobacco and undtertones of tar. Nice finish with
moderate tannins.
2012 Mt Veeder
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $100
Nice nose of red fruits; flavors of red and black berries,
hints of tar, graphite and dust. Pleasing lengthy finish with moderate tannins.
On
to our final stop of the day before going to dinner. We call it “Micky’s”,
better known of Grgich Hills Winery.
Tony is a member of their wine club.
Here is what we tasted:
2012 Petite Verdot,
Yountville, California $NA
Somewhat closed nose with some red fruit and floral hints.
The flavor was broad, with red fruits, floral tones and dusty herbs with a nice
lengthy finish. Tannins stay in the background and the wine is well balanced.
2009 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $90
A pleasing nose of red/black fruits, with a beautiful color.
Flavors of red and black fruits, tobacco and pencil shavings – a long finish
with supporting tannins.
2011 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $90
Nice fruit on the nose; broad flavors of red and black
fruits, tobacco and cigar box. Long finish with moderate tannins
2004 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Yountville, California $175
Nice red fruits on the aroma; well balanced red and black
fruits and cigar box flavors. Nice balance, very drinkable, but could hold
about another 4-5 years. Very elegant finish.
2005 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $90
Good nose of red fruits; flavors of red and black fruit,
cigar box and herbal notes. Nice finish with modest tannins.
2007 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $90
Pleasing nose of red fruit; Nice flavors of red and black
fruits but much less cedar/cigar box then the others. Decent finish, but not
nearly as broad as the others.
2008 Cabernet
Sauvignon, Yountville, California $135
Nosed was somewhat closed – some red fruit. Flavors of red
and black fruit, tobacco and tar – decent finish, but a bit more tannic.
2004 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley, California $90
Full nose of red fruits; Flavors mostly red fruit, cherry
cola, underlying dusty herbs and tobacco. Good finish but not very long;
Balanced acidity – a bottle ready to go now or fairly soon.
2005 Cabernet
Sauvignon Yountville, California $150
An unusual nose of red fruits and herb – like oregano and
sage; Flavors of red and black fruits, tobacco and herbs. Nice finish with some tannins – bottle would
hold up for a few more years.
From here, we went to an early dinner reservation at Bottega
Napa Valley. We were unable to get anything except early or late. But I’m glad
we got one!
“Bottega is an Italian word for an artist’s workshop, a
place where a skilled craftsman practices and perfects his trade. Here, Chef
Michael Chiarello shares the culmination of his life’s work in the
kitchen, bringing together the best of Italy and Napa Valley in one
unforgettable dining experience through traditional family recipes
prepared with an inspired California twist.” (From the web site)
Appetizer “POLENTA UNDER GLASS”
Caramelized wild
mushrooms with balsamic game sauce and a parmigiano frico
A dish served in a glass container with excellent polenta
and mushrooms with a great balsamic reduction sauce. The dish was very rich and
satisfying.
Pasta Course – RICOTTA GNOCCHI DELLA NONNA
Ricotta “pillows”
with old hen tomato sauce, and Pecorino
Romano
They melt in your mouth – simply marvelous.
Wine – a glass of Montepulcino (Italian). Nice berry nose,
well balanced wine with fruit and bracing acidity. Excellent accompaniment.
Main Course – POLLO ALLA DIAVOLA SUL MATTONE
Calabrian marinated
chicken “Under a Brick” with roasted Italian peppers and cipollini onions
A split chicken, cooked under a weight with crispy skin and
tender juicy meat with roasted peppers and onions adding flavor and textures.
Outstanding dish – not a boring chicken dish.
The next day (April 10, 2016) – we started early at Nickel and Nickel – where my brother is
a member of their club.
Named for John C. Sullenger, who
purchased the land in 1865 and established the farmstead in the 1880s, the
2,800 square-foot Sullenger House is a handsome farmhouse with charming Queen
Anne details, built around 1884. Abandoned and neglected for more than two
decades, the home was restored in 2002 and provides a warm and friendly welcome
to our winery guests.
The tasting starts with a splendid
tour and a glass of chilled chardonnay. Our tour guide was a life-long resident
of Napa Valley – at least as old or older than myself – named Walt Bell. He
chatted with us about the changes in the valley,
about picking grapes in his youth. He worked at a now closed restaurant in the
valley for years, met many of the old time winemakers and their children.
From
the parlor, you head outdoors – one vineyard is right against the Opus One
vineyrad, next door - Prime real estate.
Then past a long pool to an old barn – one brought in from back east and
dating from the 1700’s.
Gleason Barn Originally built circa 1770 in Meriden, New Hampshire by the
Gleason family, the 3,000 square-foot pre-Revolutionary War-era hay barn was
spared demolition in 2001. After two years spent dismantling the barn,
designing blueprints, restoring and saving the wood beams, the barn was shipped
in pieces to Nickel & Nickel and was reconstructed at our winery in 2003 to
house offices and a laboratory for the winemaking staff.
The next stop is the fermentation
barns – new buildings on the estate, but where the real work is done. They have a massive press that is complete
state-of-the-art; Stainless steel vats and lots of oak barrels. There was also
a nice cork display, where the cork comes from on the tree and how it is
handled and made. (Would have been a good picture-Doh).
The tasting happens in the Dining
room of the Sullenger House – they set up 4 glasses with Cabernet poured and
ready to go. They also offer some wonderful snack items – breadsticks, 3 cheeses;
Piave from Italy, Beemster Classic from the Netherlands and Midnight Moon from
Cypress Grove Chevre in California. The
entire tasting is very classy, but not stuffy. Here are the wines:
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne vineyard, St Helena, California $115
A nice nose of red berry and
cassis. Broad flavors of red berry, blackberry and dusty herbs. Long finish
with mild tannins.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Quarry Vineyard, Rutherford, California $115
The nose has hints of red pepper in
it; Flavors of red fruits, pencil shavings, tobacco and dusty herbs. Heavier
tannins than the previous wine.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Copper Streak Vineyard, Stags Leap, California $115
The nose is like cherry cola –
almost sweet. Flavors of red fruit, cherry cola with overtomes of tobacco and
tar. Nice finish with moderate tannins.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard, Oakville, California $115
Modest nose of red fruit; flavors
of red and blackberry, plum and tobacco. Nice but less dimensions than the
other wines on the table. Modest finish with light tannins.
2013 Enroute Pinot Noir, Napa Valley $60
Opened at the end of the tasting,
this is a new label from the winery to make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wine
had a bright cherry nose – good flavors of cherry, spices and herbs. Nice
little Pinot Noir.
We wondered over to Silver
Oak, Napa Valley for a little taste.
The Iconic tower is a sign of the
Silver Oak winery. Here is what we sampled.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California $100
The nose was somewhat closed –
hints of black cherry. Flavor had earthiness, black cherry, herbs and cola with
moderate tannins. Finish had good length, with only moderate tannic grip. 90%
Cbarenet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petite Verdot.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Sonoma, California $100
Pleasing nose of red fruit and
vanilla. Nice broad flavors of red berries, cherry cola – seemed almost a
little “chewy”; tannins retained some grip over the fruit. Moderate finish with
some tannic grip. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4%
Petite Verdot and.5% Malbec.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California $100
Pleasant nose of red berry and
sage. Full flavors of red berry, cherry cola and hints of earthiness. Tannin
fairly soft but still a still a big wine.
Note of interest – they use
American oak, not French for their barrel aging.
Next stop, PlumpJack – a nice little stop next to the Rudd Estate.
We drank wines from PlumpJack and
two “sister” wineries, Odette and Cade.
2013 Adaptation by Odette Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California $30
A big nose of green apple and
citrus fruit; Full flavors of green apple, creamy citrus and even orange
undertones. Nice finish – a real surprising white wine.
2013 Adaptation by Odette Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California $50
Good nose of red and black berry;
flavors of blackberry, cassis, cherry cola and hints of tar and tobacco.
Moderate finish with mild tannins
2013 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $80
95 Points from RP – big nose of red
fruits and berries; flavors of red berry, cola, pencil shavings and graphite.
Long finish with moderate tannins. 77%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petite Verdot, 9% Malbec.
2013 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, California $100
94 points from RP – Bright nose of
red berry and tobacco; smooth flavors of red and black fruit, cedar box and
graphite. Very long finish with some significant tannins- but not too gripped
with them Very nice bottle
2013 Plumpjack Merlot, Napa Valley, California $50
An intense nose of wax, red berry
and herbs; smooth and full mouthfeel of cherry cola, red fruits and cedar.
Moderate finish but not many tannins.
2013 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, California $120
Nose was somewhat closed- some red
berry; Big flavors of red berries, cherry and graphite. Good tannic backbone to
provide a long finish.
2013 Plumpjack Syrah, Napa Valley, California $60
93 points from WS – modest nose of
toast and briar fruit; Flavor profile of red berries, briar, smoke, tobacco –
almost gamey – but very jammy. Modest finish without much tannin.
We scooted over to Rutherford Hill, a Terlato property
since 1996. My first stop at this site.
We each did a flight from the red
wine list, except for the opening glass.
2013 Terlato Pinot Grigio, Sonoma County, California $24
From the Russian River area –
pleasant crisp nose of pineapple; good acidity and balance with tropical fruit
and a hint of lemon on the finsh.
2011 Rutherford Hill Merlot, Cask Reserve Napa Valley, California $85
Pleasing nose of red bery and
cherry cola; Flavors of red berries, cherry cola and hints of tar. Long finish
with a tannic backbone. Has 8% Malbec to up the flavors.
2010 Terlato Merlot Angels Peak, Napa Valley, California $56
Good nose of red fruits; flavors of
cherry cola and black berries with a nice finish with little tannins. 90%
Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petite Verdot
2012 Rutherford Hill Merlot Rutherford, California $58
Nice nose of red fruit and cola;
Flavors of dusty berries, cherry cola and modest tannins on a long finish.
2010 Terlato Devils Peak, Napa Valley, California $68
Pleasant nose of red beryy and sour
cherry; Soft, smooth mouthfeel of black berries, mocha and floral hints. Long
finish with light tannins. 71% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 5%
Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Rutherford Hill Petite Verdot, Napa Valley, California $62
Modest nose of red berry and
cherry; Flavors of red berries and multiple herbs – sage, basil. Moderate
finish with very light tannins.
2010 Terlato Cardinals Peak, Napa Valley, California $67
Mild nose of red fruits and Italian
herbs; flavors of red berry, tea and herbs – long finish with moderate tannins.
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petite Verdot
2010 Rutherford Hill Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley, California $52
Nice nose of red berry and red
fruits; flavors of cola, blackberry, black fruits and herbal notes. Long finish
with moderate tannins. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Verdot, 5% Cabernet
Franc, 4% Syrah
2010 Rutherford Hill Merlot, Atlas Peak, California $54
A jammy blackberry nose; flavors of
dark berries, tar, herbs and baking spices. Long finish with moderate tannins.
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Rutherford Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $62
Bright nose of red berries; Flavors
of cherry cola, red fruit, cedar and graphite. Long, lingering finish with a
moderate tannic backbone. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Verdot
2012 Rutherford Hill Episode, Napa Valley, California $185
Big cabernet nose of red and black
fruits with hints of tar; Big flavors of red berry and black fruits, graphite,
cedar and hints of tar. Real long finish with bracing tannins. Hide this baby
away for 7 – 10 years – way too young to enjoy now. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11%
Cabernet Franc
Our next stop was at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, the one made
famous by the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Since 2008, when they had a big barn for
a tasting room and toured you around the site, they had built a beautiful new
tasting room. We hadn’t asked for a tour, but went for a tasting.
Here is what we sampled:
2014 Chardonnay Arcadia, Napa Valley, California $34
Good nose of lemon, verbena and
other citrus aromas; Flavors of citrus, green apple, pear and no oak. A very
long finish, a great wine for seafood.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $145
Big nose of red berries; Flavors of
mocha and blackberry in a very filling way. Long finish with supporting
tannins.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon SLV Vineyard, Napa Valley, California $145
Big nose of red and black berry
with cherry cola overtones; Full flavors of cherry cola, tobacco and cedar box.
Very long finish with smooth tannins.
A picture inside the building.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23, Napa Valley, California $275
50% from Fay Vineyard and 50% from
SLV. Very inviting nose of red and black fruits; flavors of red berry,
blueberry and a little graphite. Extreme long finish with a moderate tannin
kick.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Apologue, Napa Valley, California $115
Full nose of red fruit and baking
spices – think cinnamon and cardamom; Flavors of blackberry, cassis and
tobacco. Long finish with finessed tannins. This was the last wine from the
section of Fay vineyard that was torn out for the Visitor center.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Hillside, Napa Valley, California $115
Good nose of red fruit and herbs;
flavors of red berries, sage and some baking spice. Long finish with light
tannins.
Statue outside of Stag’s Leap.
From Stag’s Leap we moved over to Chimney Rock. This was another new winery for me. It is
also another Terlato property.
2013 Sauvignon Gris, Napa Valley, California $NA
Bright nose of grapefruit and
baking spices; flavors similar to sauvignon blanc but with an odd spice flavor,
like allspice. Nice finish, clean – a very good seafood wine.
2012 Elevage Red wine, Napa Valley, California $110
57% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon,
5% Petite Verdot, and others
Pleasant nose of red fruits; full
flavors of red fruits and berries and cloves with a nice finish with woven
tannins. Good acidity to go with food.
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley, California $82
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% other
Nice nose of cherry, red fruits and
vanilla; full flavors of red fruits. Finish ended a little short but moderate
tannins.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $88
Big nose of red fruits and floral
tones. Flavors of cola, red berries and tobacco. Long finish with quite a bit
of tannins.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Ganymede SLV, Napa Valley, California $145
Big nose of red fruits and
lavender; Full flavors of red fruits, berries and herbs. Very long finish with
woven tannins.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley, California $NA
Great nose of red fruits and baking
spices; full flavor of cherry, cola and light herbs. Long finish with soft
tannins – drinking very well right now.
Our last stop was at Domain
Chandon. We each had a glass of NV Yountville Sparkling wine. Yeasty nose with
brioche; Flavors of brioche, hints of lemon and lime. Very clean and
satisfying.
Dinner that night was at Ad Hoc
Restaurant, where meals are prix fee served family style. Another of the Keller
restaurants – one I can afford and enjoy.
Opening – a salad with beets and a
lemon poppy seed dressing. A little spicy and tangy but very flavorful and
good.
I enjoyed a glass of Truchard Syrah
– nose was a little short, but the flavors of raspberry and red fruit with a
bit of spice was nice. Hints of tar on the finish.
Entrée – Smoked pork belly, Polenta
cakes, eggplant and brocolini. Delectable pok belly with hot polenta cakes –
very tasty. The vege’s were buttery, crispy and very good.
Cheese Course – Different cheese
with fig compote and drop biscuits. Very tasty – but I forgot what the cheese
were.
Dessert – Ice cream sundaes with
sauces – Hot fudge, Strawberry and butterscotch.
Dessert wine – Sherry Val Despino –
was very good with the sundaes.
Picture of Opus One with fog descending.
Hope you enjoyed the trip - I sure did. Until next time, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines! Salut!
