October 20, 2012 – Wine: Boa Ventura Red Mutt blend

When I first tasted this red blend at the winery (Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Zinfandel), I was impressed with its freshness, its Zinfandel characteristics and the extra weight provided by the Petite Sirah.  While aging, this wine has taken on a woody and mineral character that is difficult to describe, though consistent with the other wines produced by this winery.  (I suspect either the barrels or the soil contribute to this.)  I picked up flavors of sour cherry pie, tobacco, mineral, and chalky tannins.  The wine is nicely balanced right now, but could stand another year of bottle age.

2008 Boa Ventura Mutt Red Wine

October 15, 2012 – Wine: 2006 Etude Carneros Pinot Noir

The fact that I bought this 2006 Pinot Noir (the vintage was rated 86-87 points) says a lot for the wine already.  Very few of the 2006 Pinot Noir offerings motivated me to buy any.  But, after tasting it at the winery, I saw some promise in the wine and bought a couple of bottles.  I opened the first bottle too young (back in 2009 or 2010), so I left a note to hold onto the second bottle until after 2011.  Now this wine has turned delightful.  The initial nose offered up notes of cinnamon.  The palette was beautifully balanced and elegant, with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, baking spices, and minerals.  Any of the 2006 vintage heat characteristics are now absent from this wine, which offers hope for my lone remaining Pinot Noir wine (a Gary Farrell).

Chimney Rock Winery, October 1st, 2012

Winery - 7 / Wines - 7
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Dutch influenced architecture, relaxing patio, nicely made Cabernets and blends.
www.chimneyrock.com

This was my first visit to Chimney Rock winery, even though I had passed by a number of times on my way to other places in the Stag’s Leap district.  The old-world architecture, easily visible from the Silverado trail, had long captured my attention as I drove by, so this time I planned a trip there.  I have to admit that I would have liked cooler weather for my visit (it hit 100F today), but inside the tasting room the air conditioning was working overtime to keep us all cool.  Fortunately, I visited early enough in the day (just before 1:00) to avoid the worst of the heat and had a chance to spend a short time on the patio enjoying my wine.  That didn’t last too long as the increasing heat drove me back to the air conditioning.  Had the temperature been 10F to 15F degrees cooler, you would not have been able to get me back inside (except for the next pour).

The patio at Chimney Rock Winery

From the parking lot, the exterior has a modest appearance such as you would expect to find in Holland today.  Inside, the tasting room is modest in size yet accommodating.  The tall, vaulted ceiling echoes the European feel established by the exterior and adds a sense of roominess to the tasting area.  A tasting bar occupies the center of the long room, with three sides exposed for guests to work their way through a flight of their wines.  The bar is made of classically sculpted fruitwood and is topped with marble.  The floor is done in a neutral, wide-planked wood that does not detract from the counter.  The open-beam ceilings support an intricate brass chandelier that helps to light the space softly.  Just outside the tasting room doors you’ll find a patio set up to accommodate six small groups in a very comfortable setting.  The patio’s style is very California and typical to Napa Valley, in stark contrast to the rest of the Dutch inspired architecture.  It is so well executed though that you hardly notice the change in style as you step outdoors.

The tasting room at Chimney Rock Winery

The tasting menu offers four different flights to suit your mood, including a flight of the current release (2008) of their red blends.  I was in the mood for their vertical flight of Cabernet Sauvignons, running from the 2005 vintage through 2008.  My favorite of the lineup was the tasty 2005 vintage for its more prominent red fruits and its added maturity.  They sell the current release of the Cabernet Sauvignon in half bottles so I bought one to take home.

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 7 and the wines offered as a 7.

September 21, 2012 – Wine: 2004 Shafer Vineyards One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon

I remember tasting this wine in a vertical tasting of the 2002, 2003, and 2004 vintages at one sitting.  While the ’02 and ’03 were both Napa Valley blends, the ’04 grapes were sourced strictly from the Stag’s Leap district.  At the time, my favorite was the 2003 for its strength, while the 2004 was somewhat shut down.  Still, it was a very nice wine, and when I happened upon a half-bottle, I bought one.  Tonight, I chose this bottle to open for a toast to the Space Shuttle program and the work these amazing flying machines and their crews have accomplished.  In the half-bottle, this wine is nearing its peak.  The wine is utterly smooth, wonderfully balanced, with good weight, and features flavors of blackberry, black cherry, earthy leather, and a subtle mineral character.

2004 Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon

September 19, 2012 – Wine: 2007 Bell Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This was my last wine club shipment from Bell.  My cellar was overflowing and I needed to cut back on the supply, especially since Bell wines are made to rest for a few years.  So, I reluctantly dropped my Bell Wine Club membership.  The winery was singing the praises about this wine when I picked it up, but they were still pouring the 2006 vintage so I could not preview it.  (Most wineries release early to their wine club members – a perk.)  I decided it was time to try this half bottle tonight and I was impressed.  After about 75 minutes of decanting the wine knitted together into a lovely balance.  The wine is medium bodied with vintage-typical flavors of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, tobacco, and mineral notes.  The finish on this wine is surprisingly rich – not plush like wines costing three to four times as much, but rich unlike most wines in its price class.  The hoopla is well-deserved.

2007 Bell Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

September 15, 2012 – Wine: 2005 Provenance Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

This was the first vintage of the Provenance Estate Cabernet.  The other Rutherford Cabernet is sourced from multiple vineyard sites, not all of which belong to Provenance.  When young, this wine was powerful and rich.  Last year it showed nice fruits and a rich mid-palette.  The richness is waning now, but the fruits are clean and the balance is impeccable.  I noted dark cherry, cranberry, black licorice, leather, and subtle minerals.  I wanted something nice to open for my sister’s last night of her visit, and this wine served that purpose nicely.

September 8, 2012 – Wine: 2002 J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard

J. Lohr is a well-known Paso Robles winery, but they have one source of grapes from Napa Valley called Carol’s Vineyard.  From there they get the grapes to make their Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  I first tasted this wine with the 2002 release and recognized its potential.  I opened the first bottle three summers back as a bribe to convince my sister to take in two adorable kittens I found in my back yard knowing her weakness for J. Lohr’s high-end Cabs and cute kittens.  Alas, the wine was consumed and I had to find another home for the adorable cats. 

Tonight my other sister was visiting from Colorado and I gave her a choice of three wines to open, including a 2002 Groth Cabernet and a 2005 St. Clement Rutherford Cabernet.  She picked this wine.  (We opened the St. Clement later when my other sister arrived.)  After about a 30 minute decant, the wine was showing wonderfully.  The texture had smoothed out to pure silk, while the fruits delivered prominent vintage-typical red berry flavors backed up by subtle minerals.  All this was delivered in perfect balance.  To say that this wine was at its peak would be an understatement.  (If you use a temperature-controlled wine refrigerator, it might go another year or two.)

November 2, 2012 – Fall Color on its Way to Napa Valley

If you are a fan of autumn’s annual festival of color, then the time to visit Napa Valley is fast approaching.  (My fascination with fall colors must be hereditary as both my parents originate from Upstate New York.)  During a visit to Napa Valley today, I noticed the change starting to take place.  Nearly every vine has already been harvested and is starting to develop yellow colors in its leaves.  While the days have remained fairly warm (in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s), the temperature at night is dropping into the 40’s.  This should lead to some spectacular colors in the days ahead, especially in about two weeks (Nov 14^th-ish) as we get some really cold night temperatures.  This is about a week earlier than in the past few years.



Fall color commencing in the Sauvignon Blanc vines at Provenance on November 2, 2012.


If you are planning a drive through the area, there are a few special stretches that are my favorites.  On the south end of the valley, the drive along Highway 121 east near Domain Carneros is my all-time favorite as it develops more of the rusty red colors.  Second is the view of Oakville from either Silverado Vineyards or Miner Family Vineyards – both offer seating elevated well above the vineyard level.  I also enjoy the view from St. Clement vineyards just north of the town of St. Helena, the vineyard view from Cuvaison winery in Carneros, the roof of Opus One Winery in Oakville, and the gondola ride up to Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga.  Of course, if all you did was drive north along the Silverado Trail to Calistoga and return south along Highway 29 to Napa, you would still catch the majority of the fall color that Napa Valley has to offer.  Just try to go on a day that is at least partly sunny to catch it in all its glory.



The view from the Cuvaison tasting room in Carneros, November 27, 2009



Summers Estate Wines, August 24th, 2012

Winery - 5 / Wines - 6
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Modest winery that maintains the old Napa Valley feel (before bling became popular).
www.summerswinery.com

My start to the day was delayed by heavy construction traffic entering the valley, and I was unable to make up any time thereafter.  As I drove down the Carter Cellars’ driveway on the north end of Calistoga (and Napa Valley itself) at 4:45 PM, I wondered what to do next.  It was too early to get dinner, and too late to taste anywhere that closes by 5:00.  Directly across the street was the driveway entrance to Summers Estate Wines, with a closing time of 5:30 neatly printed on the winery’s sign.  Voila!  So, that’s how much planning went into this winery selection.  Sometimes, that’s how your tasting experience in Napa Valley goes.


The entrance to Summers Estate


 After the reserved stuffiness of Opus One, and the intimate tastings at the other two tasting rooms, it was nice to walk up to the tasting room bar and enjoy a very casual wine tasting experience.  From the outside, the building is humble and well-kept (except perhaps for one droopy gutter that gives the false impression of deferred maintenance).  Inside, the tasting room is nicely done in a creamy off-white color, with a large tasting counter in the center of the tasting room.  Around the edge of the room are a couple of tables for a more intimate experience, but I headed for the bar.  The long wall of the tasting room is made up of picture windows and glass patio doors that open onto the backyard, where a few tables are set up for outdoor tasting and picnicking, along with a bocce ball court for working off the picnic.


One of the intimate tasting spots inside Summers Estate tasting room



On the tasting menu are six wines, including whites, roses, and reds.  After all the wines from the day, I opted for just three of the reds.  I started with the 2009 Charbono, followed by the 2008 Zinfandel, and the 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  My favorite was the Cabernet, though the Zinfandel was a close second.  I have only visited two other wineries in Napa Valley where I recall a Charbono being poured: Augist Briggs and Hess Collection.  If you are a fan of this grape, these are the places to look for it.

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 5 and the wines offered as a 6.