Tasting in Napa
My latest trip to Napa Valley:
I have had the distinct pleasure of traveling to and tasting in Napa Valley for over 20 years now. It's always a pleasure to head down there and see old friends and enjoy some of the greatest wines that the world has to offer. Napa is an enigmatic place, it's place with a long history, but a short memory, and of deep traditions and quick fads. It's a place where on one hand you have huge money, inflated egos and serious price tags. On the other hand though, you have a small group of winemakers with a long standing connection to the land and place, who craft beautiful wines, and charge a fair price for them. These are winemakers who make wine out of passion and who are doing it for the love of their art, not as an attempt to make some overpriced trophies and trying to achieve fame and fortune. It's the latter I've always been interested in, and it's this group of passionate artisans I call my friends and whose wines I always love to drink.
Napa is an easy drive from San Francisco, with traffic permitting you can be there in about an hour and half. It's a picturesque drive, where shortly out of the city you're surrounded by pristine agriculture land and a gorgeous, Mediteranean-esque landscape. For the most part, Napa Valley has maintained most of its agricultural roots and has through good fortune and prudent planning avoided becoming a bedroom community of San Francisco. Nowhere in such a small area (keep in mind, the Valley is only 174 km2) is there such an immense diversity of wines, and brilliant restaurants ranging from delicious and authentic local Taco stands to the legendary and world famous French Laundry.
Most wine lovers tour the more well known wineries along highway 29 or the Silverado Trail. But the true spirit, authenticity and flavour of the Valley is located in the hills of Napa Valley , where there are little or no signs marking the wineries. These are the wines that are made by long time residents of the valley who are more concerned about making great wine rather than getting their winery in Architectural Digest. The proof of a world class wine is in the bottle, not in the building.
My first stop was to check into my hotel, the John Muir Inn, a great spot on the corner of HWY 29 and Trower in the town of Napa. The prices here are reasonable, the location central and easy to access and room nice and comfortable. If you stay here though, make sure to ask for a room which does not overlook the highway unless you want to be woken up at 6:30am by trucks gearing down. The added perk of staying here is the five dollar coupon they give you for Marie Calanders restaurant, which is a mere fifty or so paces across the parking lot and a great little diner. If you like pies, you've come to the right place, as the pies here are fantastic and worth a visit alone.
After breakfast I wandered around town and re-familiarized myself with the area. My first stop was at one of my favourite grocery stores, Dean & Deluca in St. Helena. I love the merchandising, the array of food, the wooden floors and of course, the wine selection. I checked out the labels for awhile, seeing who some of the new names in the valley were and checking out my friends labels as well. The selection here is great, and I always get a kick out of checking out other bottle shops. It's a pity these types of stores are illegal in British Columbia, wouldn't it be great to be able to buy a nice bottle of wine and get a delicious sandwich under the same roof?
The Tastings:
Hendry Ranch Wines:
The Hendry farm/homestead has been in his family since 1933, a short period of time when compared to European standards, but quite lengthy for California. The Hendry Ranch is located in the southern part of Napa Valley , on the way up to Mt Veeder. This is a cooler climate sight by Napa standards, some 10 degrees cooler than Oakville and 15 degrees cooler than Calistoga in the north.
Hendry's web site not only understates George and Mike's sheer brilliance, but also their dedication to the art of crafting high quality wines. George Hendry for example, "divided his time between the vineyard and the design of cyclotrons" according their website. Think about it, when George isn't doing work in the vineyard, he's building cyclotrons! That's intense; George is a seriously smart guy. Mike, who is George's nephew and since 2001 the vineyard manager there, grew up in Canada (could be why he's such a likeable chap) and has degrees in physics and engineering. As you can ascertain, this is a smart family, with a keen brain for science, but what makes them really special is their ability to marry science and art, and that's the angle they take when crafting their wines.
Prior to starting their winery George sold his cabernet grapes to Robert Mondavi. It was these grapes that made up the reserve program and were used for Opus One. With their scientific background they have mapped their entire vineyard and divided into 50 different blocks, (see high res map, http://www.hendrywines.com/vineyard.htm) carefully documenting the growth, yield and grape quality. The result is great wines of uncompromising quality, because making great wine starts in the vineyard.
2007 Pinot Gris - tasted out of Screw Top & cork closure
I tasted the two wines side by side and the result was nothing less than profound. The screw top wine was clean, fresh and vibrant, while the cork finish wine was a bit flatter and sad to say, a bit duller as well. The Hendry Pinot Gris is the standard bearer for this grape in the Napa, and while both bottles were delicious, hats off to the screw top.
2008 Albarino
I love producers who think outside the box, try new things, and experiment with different grape varieties. Although I have not been that impressed with California's previous attempts at Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, this Albariño really impressed me. I love Spanish Albariño and this wine delivers all of the qualities I look for. It's fresh, zippy and full of explosive fruit flavours, with a little bit of classic varietal saline note to it. A real lovely wine to enjoy with fresh seafood.
2007 Unoaked Chardonnay
This is generally how I like my Chardonnay. I prefer this styles of wine in which the fruit is not over-powered by oak. This is like a good, if not great M âcon. It has a nice leanness to it, yet still displays intense flavours. Very nice indeed.
2005 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
People think that when a wine says barrel fermented all of it is barrel aged, not the case, this is a non-malolactic wine with just 50% new wood. This Chardonnay has more volume than their unoaked version, and this case the oak is not overwhelming at all. Still, this is a rich, elegant, thoughtful Chardonnay, the way it should be when oak is involved.
2006 Pinot Noir
A surprise for me after the mediocre 2005 vintage, half new French barrels partial whole berry, no racking, and limited maceration. I was quite enamored with this wine, very well crafted, the Pommard clone gives the wine some backbone, a beautiful lift of fruit, with some rustic earth notes, very smooth and well integrated, well crafted, very pleasing and pleasurable.
2006 Block 7&22 Zinfandel
One note before I go on about the wine. Zinfandel as a grape usually has a muted colour, yet many of the Zinfandels on the market are quite dark in colour. This is because many producers blend in some Petite Sirah to give the wine some extra colour. Muted black in colour, made with 100% Zinfandel, an earthy note to the wine with lifted berry fruit aromas, spicy notes - anise, pepper etc, rich but not over powering even with 15.6% alcohol.
2005 Block 5 Zinfandel
This block is planted to a clonal selection from the Brandlin vineyard on Mount Veeder . This wine is darker, deeper and more profound than the aforementioned wine, a big style of zin but again crafted in a thoughtful drinkable style - it is not big for the sake of being big. Excellent and enjoyable now, this will age nicely.
2006 Primitivio
This is a B-I-G wine, no lack of anything here. You like flavour and intensity? Here you are, the wine for you. The wine clocks in at 16.3% alcohol, and would work well with chocolate. A big, brooding wine with deep and intense flavour, not an everyday drinker, but a great little treat none the less.
2005 Hendry Red Wine
(30% Petit Verdot, 26% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Note the blend, a Bordeaux blend, yes, but going the opposite way from usual. This is a very interesting (and delicious) take on a time tested old formula. For me this was my favourite of the lot, but that is just me speaking. Earthy, intense, smooth, rich with great density of fruit, but not overpowering at all. This is lovely stuff here folks, and a great California take on a Bordeaux blend.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
The star of the line-up here, I mean after all, we are in Napa here so eventually we'd have to get to some killer Cabernets. Deeply coloured, with an intense nose and layers and layers of fruit to it. This wine has a freshness to it I find almost invigorating it's big and dense, sure, but very complex and well rounded. A brilliant example of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a world class wine.
*A wide range of Hendry wines are available in store now.
Peter Franus Wine Company:
Peter Franus has been making wines in Napa Valley for over 30 years now, and is a guy who goes about his business making great wines, all the while flying under the radar and avoiding the random trends that come and go through the valley. I've always thought that Peter has a distinct style of winemaking, with his aim is to create rich, textured wines that allow the decadently ripe California fruit to shine through into the bottle. For those of you who have not tasted his wines in the past you will certainly be rewarded and maybe even a little surprised. His forte is with Zinfandel, but there are no weakness' in his stellar line-up that include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and a tasty little red blend to round out the impressive line-up of wines.
2006 Merlot
This wine is one of the reasons why Merlot became so popular, and why for a time Merlot was so in vogue with winemakers and drinkers alike. This is a stunning example of what the grape can achieve when it is put in the hands of a good winemaker. Opaque, black in colour, with lots of deep black fruit tones, and framed by soft and smooth tannins. The palette is seamless, rich, chewy and opulent. This is an exceptional buy.
2005 Red Wine
85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance being Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine has lots of structure, with the Cabernet France giving the wine an added dimension of herbal black olive tapenade notes. Structured and dense, the wine has a lingering complex finish.
2006 Brandlin Zinfandel
For those of you how have been following these wines you will know Franus' signature wines are his Zinfandels. The Brandlin ranch sits on Mount Veeder , and Peter has a way of taming mountain fruit without losing its sense of identity. Tasty wine, rich and powerful. This is a great example of why California wines can be so fun to drink.
*These wines are on the way and should be in the market soon. Marquis has stock on Franus wines from previous vintages
Neyers Vineyards:
Bruce Neyers has been the national sales manger for Kermit Lynch for around ten years, now. His travel schedule makes mine look like a family holiday; he is always on the road, if not in France somewhere in the United States. I remember him telling me one of the ways he keeps his wines reasonable, at least by Napa standards, is he is not solely dependent on the winery for income. The wines were initially made by Ehren Jordan long time wine maker at Turley. Ehren has slowly backed away from the day to day task of being Neyers' head wine maker and now consults at critical times of the year. Both Bruce and Ehren have worked for Kermit Lynch and spent a lot of time in France. The Neyers wines are California in body, but French in spirit and soul.
2006 Tofanelli Vineyard Zinfandel
Explosive aromatics of bright fruit and cedar shavings. A full bodied wine, but not thick and over extracted. This wine does an amazing job of hiding it's ripeness, and displays an elegance that is not generally seen from this grape variety.
2006 High Valley Vineyard Zinfandel
This is in Chiles valley and is farmed by Jay and Pam Hemingway who also own the Green and Red winery. The vineyard is located between1800 and 2000 feet in elevation, and this makes a dramatic difference in the wine produced from this vineyards grapes. This wine has a more restrained style to it, with dark fruit and spicy notes being the predominant features.
2006 Pato Zinfandel
The Pato vineyard is in Contra Costa County , just outside the city of San Francisco itself. There are some great old vineyards around here, some of them being 80+ years old. Unfortunately these beautiful old vineyards have a knack for being ripped up due to urbanization, although this has slowed down thanks to the economy. Let's hope that when things get back to normal down here they at least slow down ripping out these great relics, and living pieces of history. Back to the wine though. This is a stylish Zin, packed with dense Saskatoon berry flavours, backed-up by pie spice and anise notes.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
The vineyards is in Conn Valley, and was planted by famous viticulturalist David Abreu (Wines from his own winery sell for $500 a bottle). This wine reminded me of a very European styled cabernet sauvignon, subtle and elegant with tight fruit, cedar and currant overtones. I quite liked this wine but if you are expecting a Napa power house this wine is not for you.
2006 'AME' Cabernet Sauvignon
From the same home ranch vineyard that Bruce and his wife own in Conn Valley , these grapes are from the highest part of their vineyards. The grapes from this section always seemed to have a darker, richer colour so they decided to make a separate bottling for it. It does not disappoint, while most definitely bigger than the regular cabernet bottling it is done so in a thoughtful manner. A cool climate styled Cabernet, with savoury notes and just the right amount of fruit and acidity. Lovely stuff - I love mountain wines from Napa valley. Only 550 or so cases are made of this gem.
*Currently, we have the '06 Tofanelli Zinfandel in store, with the other wines listed above in store, but of different vintages.
Cafaro Cellars:
Joe is one of the quiet giants in Napa valley, and has been making wine here for over 40 years. He has a wealth of knowledge seldom seen around here. If you ever have the chance to meet and taste with Joe, you will see how the wines reflect the man, quiet, thoughtful, understated and elegant, that is Joe and that is how his wine are made. I had not tasted with him for a few years and was I had almost forgotten just how good they really are. They are all now from his own estate just above Chimney rock winery on Silverado Trail. Production is down from a high of 3500 cases to under 3000 for 2009. Joe is not the flavour of the month, never has been and has no desire to ever be. The simple fact is that he has been around too long, like Ridge vineyards in Santa Cruz, they do not make great press, but they do happen to make great wine and that is fine with me.
2005 Merlot
Wow, what a wine, this is simply stunning; this wine will get you back in the Merlot camp (why did we stop loving this grape again?) Deep colour, deep fruit, chocolate and dusted coco power notes, honestly I cannot think of having a better merlot at twice the price. Incidentally, I do have this wine on order, ball park it to be around $45, which is a steal.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
This is the bread and butter of the winery. Deep colour, with deep complex fruit and displaying notes of coffee, anise and vanilla all interwove in a long elegant manner. A tour de force indeed. I dare you to find another Napa wine of this quality for this price - I don't like your chances.
2002 Ata Terra
This is all from Joes estate vineyards; he picks part of the cabernet later, extended maceration 20 months in barrel and 4 years in bottle before release. Bring on the cult wines, this will blow them and you away. Awesome stuff, I can't wait to get in store and into your cellars.
*These wines are on order and will arrive in store later in the fall of '09
Ritchie Creek Vinyeard:
Owner Pete Minor is now 75 years young, and he has been making wine here since 1974. He purchased the land in 1966, and planted four acres. He makes uncompromising wines of authenticity and purity; I love the wines and what they stand for.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Pure black in colour, there is no light getting through this glass. Deep dense flavours with pencil lead, blackberries and mocha. This wine has amazing concentration and is a benchmark for Spring Mountain Cabernet and is a Napa Valley classic.
Mayacamas Vineyards:
This was my first visit here in almost 15 years. The land was purchased in 1889 by a German immigrant by the name of John Henry Fisher, he purchased the land as a get away from city life in San Francisco. What amazes me is that even today the winey is in the middle of nowhere with a twisted and curvy paved road which turns into a dirt road a little ways in. How a person would even find a place such as this back then is beyond comprehension. Needless to say, the setting is spectacular in its solitude and setting, and is a great place to taste wine and contemplate life.
The wines produced here are uncompromising, and is truly a modern Stone Age winery. The bottling line was purchased in the 1940's and it still employs the William press that was purchased in 1958. These wines are what legends are made of and where California made is reputation. I would feel very conformable comparing these wines to anything from Bordeaux. Not for the faint of heart but pure to the art of winemaking. These wineries are a dying breed, but for everyone's sake I hope this one still has a long life ahead of it.
Philip Togni
Philip has been in Napa Valley since the late 1950's, with his first stop being at the above mentioned Mayacamas. Philip also started Chalone, has worked for Gallo, Ingelnook, Chapallet and Cuvaison to name a few, He eventually started his owned winery in 1983 and has been making noteworthy and incredibly long lived Cabernets under his own name since then. A spry and witty 81 years old, Phlip, his wife Birgitta and their daughter, Lisa, run the 10.5 acre estate. Year after year they continue to craft stunning age worthy wine which will compliment the most discerning cellars.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
As dense, pure and focused a wine as you will ever come across. This is a tightly knit wine, giving off powerful aromatics and displaying flavours of cassis, Loganberries, cedar and along the edge some black olive like notes. This is another classic crafted by the deft hand of Philip Togni, and I Have no doubt that it is capable of aging for 25 years.
*Currently we have the '05 in stock (a blockbuster of a wine as well), and I would expect the '06 to arrive early next year
Spottswoode
I am somewhat biased when it comes to Spottswoode. I have been bringing the wines in since the 1986 vintage, their first being the much vaunted 1982. Their history is a model of a family sticking together when adversity strikes. The Novacks father passed away at an early age, mid 40's I believe, leaving his wife Beth with a young family to raise and a vineyard to run. They sold fruit to Duckorn, Shafer and many other top end houses in the valley. Everyone commented on how good the fruit was and their peers suggested they make their own wine. The legendary Tony Soter (who now makes some incredible Pinot Noir under his own label up in Oregon) was their first winemaker. Through nothing short of hard work and determination, Spottswoode is what it is today. I have immense respect for the entire family and what they have achieved and there are few wineries in Napa Valley which have 25 years of wine making history crafting wine from the same vineyards plot.
2006 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 25th Anniversary
Simply spectacular, this was a life affirming wine, and indeed the kind of wine that made me remember why I got in the wine biz in the first place. Dense blueberry and currant flavors are followed up with earth and tree bark notes, and some minerality on the back end. The team here has once again produced an invocative and thought provoking wine and simply put, this is the quintessential California wine, period, enough said.
* I expect this wine to arrive in store near Christmas time, so keep an eye open for it, Spottswoode's never stick around on the shelf long.
And with that, my week ends with a sentimental favourite. My week in the valley was an incredible time as always, full of great wines and even greater friends. As Napa continues to grow and evolve it's always a relief know that there is still a constant here in the valley, and that a handful of legendary, world class producers still exist here, who's wines are as classic as always. I'm honoured to be able to sell their wines in my store and to be able to offer them to wine enthusiasts of British Columbia.
I have had the distinct pleasure of traveling to and tasting in Napa Valley for over 20 years now. It's always a pleasure to head down there and see old friends and enjoy some of the greatest wines that the world has to offer. Napa is an enigmatic place, it's place with a long history, but a short memory, and of deep traditions and quick fads. It's a place where on one hand you have huge money, inflated egos and serious price tags. On the other hand though, you have a small group of winemakers with a long standing connection to the land and place, who craft beautiful wines, and charge a fair price for them. These are winemakers who make wine out of passion and who are doing it for the love of their art, not as an attempt to make some overpriced trophies and trying to achieve fame and fortune. It's the latter I've always been interested in, and it's this group of passionate artisans I call my friends and whose wines I always love to drink.
Napa is an easy drive from San Francisco, with traffic permitting you can be there in about an hour and half. It's a picturesque drive, where shortly out of the city you're surrounded by pristine agriculture land and a gorgeous, Mediteranean-esque landscape. For the most part, Napa Valley has maintained most of its agricultural roots and has through good fortune and prudent planning avoided becoming a bedroom community of San Francisco. Nowhere in such a small area (keep in mind, the Valley is only 174 km2) is there such an immense diversity of wines, and brilliant restaurants ranging from delicious and authentic local Taco stands to the legendary and world famous French Laundry.
Most wine lovers tour the more well known wineries along highway 29 or the Silverado Trail. But the true spirit, authenticity and flavour of the Valley is located in the hills of Napa Valley , where there are little or no signs marking the wineries. These are the wines that are made by long time residents of the valley who are more concerned about making great wine rather than getting their winery in Architectural Digest. The proof of a world class wine is in the bottle, not in the building.
My first stop was to check into my hotel, the John Muir Inn, a great spot on the corner of HWY 29 and Trower in the town of Napa. The prices here are reasonable, the location central and easy to access and room nice and comfortable. If you stay here though, make sure to ask for a room which does not overlook the highway unless you want to be woken up at 6:30am by trucks gearing down. The added perk of staying here is the five dollar coupon they give you for Marie Calanders restaurant, which is a mere fifty or so paces across the parking lot and a great little diner. If you like pies, you've come to the right place, as the pies here are fantastic and worth a visit alone.
After breakfast I wandered around town and re-familiarized myself with the area. My first stop was at one of my favourite grocery stores, Dean & Deluca in St. Helena. I love the merchandising, the array of food, the wooden floors and of course, the wine selection. I checked out the labels for awhile, seeing who some of the new names in the valley were and checking out my friends labels as well. The selection here is great, and I always get a kick out of checking out other bottle shops. It's a pity these types of stores are illegal in British Columbia, wouldn't it be great to be able to buy a nice bottle of wine and get a delicious sandwich under the same roof?
The Tastings:
Hendry Ranch Wines:
The Hendry farm/homestead has been in his family since 1933, a short period of time when compared to European standards, but quite lengthy for California. The Hendry Ranch is located in the southern part of Napa Valley , on the way up to Mt Veeder. This is a cooler climate sight by Napa standards, some 10 degrees cooler than Oakville and 15 degrees cooler than Calistoga in the north.
Hendry's web site not only understates George and Mike's sheer brilliance, but also their dedication to the art of crafting high quality wines. George Hendry for example, "divided his time between the vineyard and the design of cyclotrons" according their website. Think about it, when George isn't doing work in the vineyard, he's building cyclotrons! That's intense; George is a seriously smart guy. Mike, who is George's nephew and since 2001 the vineyard manager there, grew up in Canada (could be why he's such a likeable chap) and has degrees in physics and engineering. As you can ascertain, this is a smart family, with a keen brain for science, but what makes them really special is their ability to marry science and art, and that's the angle they take when crafting their wines. Prior to starting their winery George sold his cabernet grapes to Robert Mondavi. It was these grapes that made up the reserve program and were used for Opus One. With their scientific background they have mapped their entire vineyard and divided into 50 different blocks, (see high res map, http://www.hendrywines.com/vineyard.htm) carefully documenting the growth, yield and grape quality. The result is great wines of uncompromising quality, because making great wine starts in the vineyard.
2007 Pinot Gris - tasted out of Screw Top & cork closure
I tasted the two wines side by side and the result was nothing less than profound. The screw top wine was clean, fresh and vibrant, while the cork finish wine was a bit flatter and sad to say, a bit duller as well. The Hendry Pinot Gris is the standard bearer for this grape in the Napa, and while both bottles were delicious, hats off to the screw top.
2008 Albarino
I love producers who think outside the box, try new things, and experiment with different grape varieties. Although I have not been that impressed with California's previous attempts at Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, this Albariño really impressed me. I love Spanish Albariño and this wine delivers all of the qualities I look for. It's fresh, zippy and full of explosive fruit flavours, with a little bit of classic varietal saline note to it. A real lovely wine to enjoy with fresh seafood.
2007 Unoaked Chardonnay
This is generally how I like my Chardonnay. I prefer this styles of wine in which the fruit is not over-powered by oak. This is like a good, if not great M âcon. It has a nice leanness to it, yet still displays intense flavours. Very nice indeed.
2005 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
People think that when a wine says barrel fermented all of it is barrel aged, not the case, this is a non-malolactic wine with just 50% new wood. This Chardonnay has more volume than their unoaked version, and this case the oak is not overwhelming at all. Still, this is a rich, elegant, thoughtful Chardonnay, the way it should be when oak is involved.
2006 Pinot Noir
A surprise for me after the mediocre 2005 vintage, half new French barrels partial whole berry, no racking, and limited maceration. I was quite enamored with this wine, very well crafted, the Pommard clone gives the wine some backbone, a beautiful lift of fruit, with some rustic earth notes, very smooth and well integrated, well crafted, very pleasing and pleasurable.
2006 Block 7&22 Zinfandel
One note before I go on about the wine. Zinfandel as a grape usually has a muted colour, yet many of the Zinfandels on the market are quite dark in colour. This is because many producers blend in some Petite Sirah to give the wine some extra colour. Muted black in colour, made with 100% Zinfandel, an earthy note to the wine with lifted berry fruit aromas, spicy notes - anise, pepper etc, rich but not over powering even with 15.6% alcohol.
2005 Block 5 Zinfandel
This block is planted to a clonal selection from the Brandlin vineyard on Mount Veeder . This wine is darker, deeper and more profound than the aforementioned wine, a big style of zin but again crafted in a thoughtful drinkable style - it is not big for the sake of being big. Excellent and enjoyable now, this will age nicely.
2006 Primitivio
This is a B-I-G wine, no lack of anything here. You like flavour and intensity? Here you are, the wine for you. The wine clocks in at 16.3% alcohol, and would work well with chocolate. A big, brooding wine with deep and intense flavour, not an everyday drinker, but a great little treat none the less.
2005 Hendry Red Wine
(30% Petit Verdot, 26% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Note the blend, a Bordeaux blend, yes, but going the opposite way from usual. This is a very interesting (and delicious) take on a time tested old formula. For me this was my favourite of the lot, but that is just me speaking. Earthy, intense, smooth, rich with great density of fruit, but not overpowering at all. This is lovely stuff here folks, and a great California take on a Bordeaux blend.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
The star of the line-up here, I mean after all, we are in Napa here so eventually we'd have to get to some killer Cabernets. Deeply coloured, with an intense nose and layers and layers of fruit to it. This wine has a freshness to it I find almost invigorating it's big and dense, sure, but very complex and well rounded. A brilliant example of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a world class wine.
*A wide range of Hendry wines are available in store now.
Peter Franus Wine Company:
Peter Franus has been making wines in Napa Valley for over 30 years now, and is a guy who goes about his business making great wines, all the while flying under the radar and avoiding the random trends that come and go through the valley. I've always thought that Peter has a distinct style of winemaking, with his aim is to create rich, textured wines that allow the decadently ripe California fruit to shine through into the bottle. For those of you who have not tasted his wines in the past you will certainly be rewarded and maybe even a little surprised. His forte is with Zinfandel, but there are no weakness' in his stellar line-up that include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and a tasty little red blend to round out the impressive line-up of wines.
2006 Merlot
This wine is one of the reasons why Merlot became so popular, and why for a time Merlot was so in vogue with winemakers and drinkers alike. This is a stunning example of what the grape can achieve when it is put in the hands of a good winemaker. Opaque, black in colour, with lots of deep black fruit tones, and framed by soft and smooth tannins. The palette is seamless, rich, chewy and opulent. This is an exceptional buy.
2005 Red Wine 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance being Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine has lots of structure, with the Cabernet France giving the wine an added dimension of herbal black olive tapenade notes. Structured and dense, the wine has a lingering complex finish.
2006 Brandlin Zinfandel
For those of you how have been following these wines you will know Franus' signature wines are his Zinfandels. The Brandlin ranch sits on Mount Veeder , and Peter has a way of taming mountain fruit without losing its sense of identity. Tasty wine, rich and powerful. This is a great example of why California wines can be so fun to drink.
*These wines are on the way and should be in the market soon. Marquis has stock on Franus wines from previous vintages
Neyers Vineyards:
Bruce Neyers has been the national sales manger for Kermit Lynch for around ten years, now. His travel schedule makes mine look like a family holiday; he is always on the road, if not in France somewhere in the United States. I remember him telling me one of the ways he keeps his wines reasonable, at least by Napa standards, is he is not solely dependent on the winery for income. The wines were initially made by Ehren Jordan long time wine maker at Turley. Ehren has slowly backed away from the day to day task of being Neyers' head wine maker and now consults at critical times of the year. Both Bruce and Ehren have worked for Kermit Lynch and spent a lot of time in France. The Neyers wines are California in body, but French in spirit and soul.
2006 Tofanelli Vineyard Zinfandel
Explosive aromatics of bright fruit and cedar shavings. A full bodied wine, but not thick and over extracted. This wine does an amazing job of hiding it's ripeness, and displays an elegance that is not generally seen from this grape variety.
2006 High Valley Vineyard Zinfandel
This is in Chiles valley and is farmed by Jay and Pam Hemingway who also own the Green and Red winery. The vineyard is located between1800 and 2000 feet in elevation, and this makes a dramatic difference in the wine produced from this vineyards grapes. This wine has a more restrained style to it, with dark fruit and spicy notes being the predominant features.
2006 Pato Zinfandel
The Pato vineyard is in Contra Costa County , just outside the city of San Francisco itself. There are some great old vineyards around here, some of them being 80+ years old. Unfortunately these beautiful old vineyards have a knack for being ripped up due to urbanization, although this has slowed down thanks to the economy. Let's hope that when things get back to normal down here they at least slow down ripping out these great relics, and living pieces of history. Back to the wine though. This is a stylish Zin, packed with dense Saskatoon berry flavours, backed-up by pie spice and anise notes.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
The vineyards is in Conn Valley, and was planted by famous viticulturalist David Abreu (Wines from his own winery sell for $500 a bottle). This wine reminded me of a very European styled cabernet sauvignon, subtle and elegant with tight fruit, cedar and currant overtones. I quite liked this wine but if you are expecting a Napa power house this wine is not for you.
2006 'AME' Cabernet Sauvignon
From the same home ranch vineyard that Bruce and his wife own in Conn Valley , these grapes are from the highest part of their vineyards. The grapes from this section always seemed to have a darker, richer colour so they decided to make a separate bottling for it. It does not disappoint, while most definitely bigger than the regular cabernet bottling it is done so in a thoughtful manner. A cool climate styled Cabernet, with savoury notes and just the right amount of fruit and acidity. Lovely stuff - I love mountain wines from Napa valley. Only 550 or so cases are made of this gem.
*Currently, we have the '06 Tofanelli Zinfandel in store, with the other wines listed above in store, but of different vintages.
Cafaro Cellars:
Joe is one of the quiet giants in Napa valley, and has been making wine here for over 40 years. He has a wealth of knowledge seldom seen around here. If you ever have the chance to meet and taste with Joe, you will see how the wines reflect the man, quiet, thoughtful, understated and elegant, that is Joe and that is how his wine are made. I had not tasted with him for a few years and was I had almost forgotten just how good they really are. They are all now from his own estate just above Chimney rock winery on Silverado Trail. Production is down from a high of 3500 cases to under 3000 for 2009. Joe is not the flavour of the month, never has been and has no desire to ever be. The simple fact is that he has been around too long, like Ridge vineyards in Santa Cruz, they do not make great press, but they do happen to make great wine and that is fine with me.
2005 Merlot
Wow, what a wine, this is simply stunning; this wine will get you back in the Merlot camp (why did we stop loving this grape again?) Deep colour, deep fruit, chocolate and dusted coco power notes, honestly I cannot think of having a better merlot at twice the price. Incidentally, I do have this wine on order, ball park it to be around $45, which is a steal.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
This is the bread and butter of the winery. Deep colour, with deep complex fruit and displaying notes of coffee, anise and vanilla all interwove in a long elegant manner. A tour de force indeed. I dare you to find another Napa wine of this quality for this price - I don't like your chances.
2002 Ata Terra
This is all from Joes estate vineyards; he picks part of the cabernet later, extended maceration 20 months in barrel and 4 years in bottle before release. Bring on the cult wines, this will blow them and you away. Awesome stuff, I can't wait to get in store and into your cellars.
*These wines are on order and will arrive in store later in the fall of '09
Ritchie Creek Vinyeard: Owner Pete Minor is now 75 years young, and he has been making wine here since 1974. He purchased the land in 1966, and planted four acres. He makes uncompromising wines of authenticity and purity; I love the wines and what they stand for.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Pure black in colour, there is no light getting through this glass. Deep dense flavours with pencil lead, blackberries and mocha. This wine has amazing concentration and is a benchmark for Spring Mountain Cabernet and is a Napa Valley classic.
Mayacamas Vineyards:
This was my first visit here in almost 15 years. The land was purchased in 1889 by a German immigrant by the name of John Henry Fisher, he purchased the land as a get away from city life in San Francisco. What amazes me is that even today the winey is in the middle of nowhere with a twisted and curvy paved road which turns into a dirt road a little ways in. How a person would even find a place such as this back then is beyond comprehension. Needless to say, the setting is spectacular in its solitude and setting, and is a great place to taste wine and contemplate life.
The wines produced here are uncompromising, and is truly a modern Stone Age winery. The bottling line was purchased in the 1940's and it still employs the William press that was purchased in 1958. These wines are what legends are made of and where California made is reputation. I would feel very conformable comparing these wines to anything from Bordeaux. Not for the faint of heart but pure to the art of winemaking. These wineries are a dying breed, but for everyone's sake I hope this one still has a long life ahead of it.
Philip TogniPhilip has been in Napa Valley since the late 1950's, with his first stop being at the above mentioned Mayacamas. Philip also started Chalone, has worked for Gallo, Ingelnook, Chapallet and Cuvaison to name a few, He eventually started his owned winery in 1983 and has been making noteworthy and incredibly long lived Cabernets under his own name since then. A spry and witty 81 years old, Phlip, his wife Birgitta and their daughter, Lisa, run the 10.5 acre estate. Year after year they continue to craft stunning age worthy wine which will compliment the most discerning cellars.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
As dense, pure and focused a wine as you will ever come across. This is a tightly knit wine, giving off powerful aromatics and displaying flavours of cassis, Loganberries, cedar and along the edge some black olive like notes. This is another classic crafted by the deft hand of Philip Togni, and I Have no doubt that it is capable of aging for 25 years.
*Currently we have the '05 in stock (a blockbuster of a wine as well), and I would expect the '06 to arrive early next year
Spottswoode
I am somewhat biased when it comes to Spottswoode. I have been bringing the wines in since the 1986 vintage, their first being the much vaunted 1982. Their history is a model of a family sticking together when adversity strikes. The Novacks father passed away at an early age, mid 40's I believe, leaving his wife Beth with a young family to raise and a vineyard to run. They sold fruit to Duckorn, Shafer and many other top end houses in the valley. Everyone commented on how good the fruit was and their peers suggested they make their own wine. The legendary Tony Soter (who now makes some incredible Pinot Noir under his own label up in Oregon) was their first winemaker. Through nothing short of hard work and determination, Spottswoode is what it is today. I have immense respect for the entire family and what they have achieved and there are few wineries in Napa Valley which have 25 years of wine making history crafting wine from the same vineyards plot.
2006 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 25th Anniversary
Simply spectacular, this was a life affirming wine, and indeed the kind of wine that made me remember why I got in the wine biz in the first place. Dense blueberry and currant flavors are followed up with earth and tree bark notes, and some minerality on the back end. The team here has once again produced an invocative and thought provoking wine and simply put, this is the quintessential California wine, period, enough said.
* I expect this wine to arrive in store near Christmas time, so keep an eye open for it, Spottswoode's never stick around on the shelf long.
And with that, my week ends with a sentimental favourite. My week in the valley was an incredible time as always, full of great wines and even greater friends. As Napa continues to grow and evolve it's always a relief know that there is still a constant here in the valley, and that a handful of legendary, world class producers still exist here, who's wines are as classic as always. I'm honoured to be able to sell their wines in my store and to be able to offer them to wine enthusiasts of British Columbia.
posted by Marquis Wines at
12:54 PM
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