Freemark Abbey, December 28, 2012

Winery - 7 / Wines - 6
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Old world tasting room feel.  Nice selection of well-made varietals.
www.freemarkabbey.com

I may be a wine geek, because I chose to visit this place because of its role in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting.  In that event, six California red wines were tasted blind along with four renowned Bordeaux reds, with one of the California reds receiving top honors.  Having already visited five of the six California wineries in the tasting event (Clos du Val, Heitz, Mayacamas, Ridge, and Stag’s Leap), I figured it was time to visit the remaining winery.  So, I bypassed the town of St. Helena by using the Silverado Trail and cut across Deer Park Road to get to Freemark Abbey.  It was nice to see that they had preserved much of the history of the original winery in the tasting room building.  Much of the stonework and the woodwork dates back over 100 years (which is old by Napa Valley standards).  Apparently the winery endured by changing its crop to other fruits during the infamous period of prohibition.  They have long since switched back to strictly wine-making.


The historic Freemark Abbey tasting room

There are few things more welcoming on a chilly winter’s afternoon than a fireplace burning as you walk into a room, even when the fire is fueled by natural gas.  Walking into the stony winery building, I spotted the fire an immediately set out to warm my hands.  The fireplace is furnished with two leather chairs which make for a comfy place to taste your wine.  The walls of the winery are the original stones, not stone siding used in modern construction.  The same stones are exposed on the interior of the building, revealing the craftsmanship that went into its original construction (and restoration work).  The rich hardwood floors echo the woodwork used in the ceiling of the building, much of which is alleged to be from the original construction.  The tasting bar blends in with the rest of the woodwork in the room, while built-in bookshelves proudly display large-format bottles of Cabernet for sale.  A second tasting room for wine club members lies behind the original tasting room and was built more recently.  I joined the wine club during this visit, so I’m looking forward to checking out the other tasting room during my next visit.

Inside the original tasting room at Freemark Abbey

I opted for a flight of various red wines and was pleased with what the winery has to offer.  The wines are all made with nice balance, appropriate weight, decent complexity, and nice fruit.  I started with the 2010 Merlot, followed with a 2009 Zinfandel, then a 2009 Petite Sirah, and lastly the 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  I purchased a bottle of the Cabernet for myself, and was impressed enough by the Petite Sirah to pick up a bottle as a gift.  When I returned home, I tucked away the little bit of history I has just purchased in the cellar.
Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 7 and the wines offered as a 6.

January 8, 2013 – Wine: 2002 Hewitt Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

To honor my drinking buddy’s imminent birthday, I offered him a selection of some of the nicest wines in my cellar.  It was fun watching him struggle to choose just one bottle, but in the end, he settled on this 2002 Hewitt.  This is the wine that sent me down the path in search of some of Napa Valley’s finest, and to this day remains my favorite wine out of Napa Valley.  I first tasted this (naively – out of a preview bottle) in February of 2005.  The wine was consistently impressive from the moment it was opened until four hours later when we finally started to drink it.  Since then, I have opened it three times to celebrate my birthday and have relished every drop. 

Tonight, this wine was again spectacular.  The aromas from this wine swept over the dinner table as soon as the glasses were poured.  It needed about 30 minutes to whip itself into shape, but near perfect balance was attained after about an hour or so.  The palette is both elegant and powerful, with rich flavors of red currants, black cherry, chalky minerals, leather, and tea (to name just a few).  Upon finishing the wine, what struck me most was how consistently this wine has delivered ever since my first sip back in 2005.  The way that this wine has held up, I expect to enjoy another bottle in eight to ten more years.


2002 Hewitt Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon



January 6, 2013 – Wine: 2006 Ridge Carignane

This was the fourth vintage of the Ridge Carignane that I have enjoyed, including the 2004, 2005, and 1992.  The 2004 was a little disappointing because of my expectations (but not bad), but the others have been outstanding, including this wine.  I first discovered a Carignane made by Nine Gables Winery in the Sierra foothills.  Their 2001 vintage of this grape was excellent.  The Ridge Carignanes have all been equally as good or better.  Carignane is usually blended with Zinfandel or Syrah, but on its own it provides a nicely structured wine with aging potential and nice flavors.  The Ridge is well balanced with nice flavors of sour cherry, tobacco, minerals, and cranberry.  I enjoyed this wine after it had been opened from the night before and it was holding up nicely.


2006 Ridge Carignane



January 2, 2013 – Wine: 2005 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Having thoroughly enjoyed the 2007 vintage of this wine, I was eager to open my last remaining bottle of the 2005 vintage.  After decanting for about 90 minutes, the wine was nicely balanced and wonderfully smooth, although the fruit has definitely taken a back seat to the mineral and tobacco flavors.  Reviewing my tasting notes from a couple of bottles opened earlier, it seems this mineral development has happened in the last year.  A number of wines from 2005 have disappointed me with their aggressive mineral development, this wine included.  Compared to the 2005 Provenance Cabernet that I opened for Christmas, the restrained fruit was a bit of a letdown.  (This may be due in part to the 375ml bottle format.)


2005 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon



Turnbull Wine Cellars, December 28, 2012

Winery - 6 / Wines - 6
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Antique Ford Model A and photography exhibit.  Nice Syrahs, Cabernets, and Sauvignon Blanc.
www.turnbullwines.com

I discovered Turnbull’s wines before I discovered their winery.  One day while browsing some half bottles of wine online, I placed an order for two half bottles of Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc.  Thanks to a warehouse worker’s rush to fulfill my order, I was instead shipped Turnbull’s 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (an understandable mistake) instead.  I decided to repeat the experiment and wound up with the two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc, as expected.  After being impressed by the Cabernet, I decided to pay the winery a visit, and have returned a number of times since.  It had been nearly four years since my last visit and I was eager to return.  So I started my day’s wine tasting by stopping by the Turnbull tasting room in Oakville.


The approach to the Turnbull Tasting Rooms from the parking lot

 There are two distinct, redwood-sided winery operations just off Highway 29.  One is for Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford and the other is for Turnbull Wine Cellars in Oakville, just south of Cakebread.  The Turnbull parking lot ends at a courtyard where a nicely restored Ford Model A pickup rests, for those of us who are motoring fans.  To the left of the truck is the reserve tasting room (not used in the colder weather) and photo gallery.  During my visit, they had a number of photographs by Ansel Adams on display (among other artists), mounted to racks of stacked wine barrels. 


The estate tasting room at Turnbull Wine Cellars

 To the right of the truck is the entrance to the estate tasting room, where reserve tasting is also offered in the colder weather.  This room is where I did my tasting during this visit.  Inside, the tasting room is done in white walls, an earthy green slate floor, and rich woodwork for the built-in wine racks and the L-shaped tasting room counter.  A large Christmas tree dominated the middle of the tasting room floor and was decorated with items offered for sale.  (The tree is seasonal.)  Large French doors open onto a patio and let in an ample supply of indirect light.  Guests can bring their wine out to the patio during the warmer months.


Inside the estate tasting room at Turnbull Wine Cellars

 I had a choice between the Estate and the Reserve tasting menu and opted for the Estate menu, primarily to taste the 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Estate menu also included a Viognier wine which I opted to skip.  I started my tasting with the 2008 Syrah, followed by the 2009 Estate Cabernet, and the 2008 Petite Sirah.  Finally, in a generous gesture, I was allowed to substitute the 2007 Leopoldina Cabernet Sauvignon into my tasting lineup.  Surprisingly, my favorite wine from the lineup was the Syrah for its rich smoothness and clean fruits.  (But, as I recall, the 2005 Turnbull Syrah was also remarkable and I bought a bottle as a gift.)

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 6 and the wines offered as a 6.  This is consistent with my previous visit.

December 26, 2012 – Wine: 2002 Ridge Home Ranch

This wine was probably the one most responsible for my love-affair with Ridge Winery.  Always delicious, the Ridge Home Ranch (Cabernet/Merlot blend) offers a richness approaching the Monte Bello with younger approachability and priced at half the cost.  Regrettably, my favorite wine at Ridge was only produced in two vintages: 2001 and 2002.  The 2001 vintage matured early, allowing me to thoroughly enjoy that wine while the more tannic 2002 rested.  Now the 2002 is showing its stuff with explosive red fruits of cranberry, cherry pie, currant, leather, and minerals.  I am grateful that this is not my last bottle.  When I heard there would be no 2003 vintage, I began hording the 2001’s and 2002’s.  (I bought two cases each of half bottles.)

2002 Ridge Home Ranch (Meritage)

December 25, 2012 – Christmas Dinner Wines

For Christmas dinner, I was to bring the wines and a fresh green bean dish.  After staying out too late on Christmas Eve, I dashed off for Christmas dinner sensing that I had forgotten something.  I had set aside the wines to bring two days earlier, but the green beans stayed in my refrigerator (unprepared).  So, we had a medley of frozen vegetables instead.  Fortunately, the rest of the dinner was delicious and nobody missed the green beans.  These are the wines I brought:

2003 St. Clement Progeny Vineyard Syrah

This delicious wine was the middle vintage of a three-year vertical from one of my wine shipments.  After slumbering in the cellar for four years, this wine is entering a phase of poised elegance.  Delicious fruits, exquisite balance, and silky smoothness made this a fantastic treat to pair with the lamb chops for dinner.  Of course, I opened the wine too early and it was gone by the time the lamb chops made their way to the table.

2003 St. Clement Armstrong Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

I remember tasting this at the winery at a special event back in 2009.  It was surprisingly tasty then.  Tonight, it has developed and refined even further, showing its pure red fruits, restrained minerals, and near elegant texture.  For a vintage that has been given a poor reputation, these two wines tell a success story.

2005 Provenance Oakville “To Kalon” Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine showed that it was the youngest of the three, but it also flaunted its superior vintage characteristics.  While still somewhat tannic, the fruits are well presented and delicious with wonderful balance.  But the real gift in this wine is the richness on the finish.  Picking a favorite from these three wines is not an easy task, but I am leaning toward this wine tonight.

December 23, 2012 – Wine: 2005 Etude Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

I remember spotting these half-bottles bottles in a wine mega-store while on a business road trip.  These were the only half-bottles of California red wine in the entire store.  Having tasted the 2004 vintage, I was excited about my find … at least until I looked up the rating when I got home.  I know that 90 points is a respectable wine score for any wine, you just expect a little higher when you are buying a recognized wine maker in a great vintage (and paying $42 for a half-bottle).  Discouraged, I tucked the two little bottles away and forgot about them … for nearly four years.  Tonight I opened one and was pleasantly surprised.  Had the wine been rated today, it most surely would have scored better (92?).  While this wine featured the vintage-typical red fruits like cranberry and black cherry with some currant on the finish, the surprise was the development of the flavors of baking spices (like cloves), all nicely integrated in a mineral wash.  This elegant wine delivered beyond what I had expected.

February 7, 2013 – One Year Later

So, it has been one year since my first post on February 7, 2012.  Since then, I have posted 140 times and been visited nearly 3,500 times.  I have posted reviews of nearly 30 wineries, mostly in Napa Valley, discussed wine-related topics (e.g., break-resistant wine glasses, suitable wine decanters, and wine storage), and commented on numerous wines from my collection.  I have started a number of side pages that organize day-trips around visits to four wineries each, using different themes to select the wineries.  All in all, I have put together quite a bit of content.  Here are the most visited posts to date:

Wine:  2007 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine:  2006 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc
Gary Farrell Winery
Wine Decanters

Here are the most visited winery reviews to date:

Gary Farrell Winery
Hewitt Vineyards
Caymus Vineyards
Hess Collection Winery

I look forward to my second year of providing information that I hope will be useful anyone reading it.

One Day Wine Tasting - The Cult Wineries

The wines from these places are highly sought-after wines that often sell out completely before the next vintage is released.  Often times you need to join the winery’s mailing list just to get an allocation of wine that you can purchase.  In a good vintage, these wines command staggering prices, but offer up a quality that is hard to find elsewhere.  Because their cult status attracts more attention, expect to make a reservation weeks in advance and be prepared to pay more for the opportunity to taste these wines.  Also, expect a more formal, orchestrated tasting experience than you would find at wineries that pour at a tasting bar.  Not every cult winery welcomes visitors on a regular basis, but these few are usually open to the public.

To see the list, click on One Day:  The Cult Wineries from the links on the right.

Check the end of the page to see which other cult wineries welcome visitors and under what conditions.

December 15, 2012 – Wine: 2007 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

I tasted this Cabernet at the winery from a full-bottle and was quite impressed with it.  I ended up buying a few half-bottles at the time.  Later I spotted more of these half-bottles at Cost Plus World Market for a fair price, so I bought a half-dozen more.  During my winery visit, this wine exuded the vintage-typical fruits of blackberry and blueberry, especially on the nose.  This time the wine has locked down the fruit, presenting primarily leather, tobacco, and mineral flavors, followed by subtle blackberry fruit and tea (even after two hours).  It looks like I’ll have to wait a year before opening any more of these to give the wine a chance to work back into shape.

Minery Family Winery, November 12, 2012

Winery - 6 / Wines - 7
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Second floor patio overlooking Oakville vineyards.  The Oracle is a must-try wine.
www.minerwines.com

Following my own advice about where to observe the autumn color, I brought my mom to taste wine on the upstairs deck at Miner Family Winery.  The afternoon temperature was quite agreeable for a mid-November afternoon, so we tasted outdoors on the patio.  The view from the Silverado Trail overlooking the eastern Oakville vineyards of Rudd Estate and others was nearly magical with the sunshine shimmering off the golden hued vines below.  The winery sits a few feet up the hillside, and this extra elevation broadens the view. 

The autumn view of Oakville vineyards from Miner Family Winery.

I first discovered Miner Family when I was visiting another tasting room and asked for a little advice for my next stop.  I put up two options and Miner Family was the recommended choice (for “their consistency”).  So I headed to Miner Family and have been hooked ever since.  During my first visit they were pouring the 2003 vintage.  Since then, I have found their quality to be amazingly consistent across the vintages.  This time they were pouring the 2009 vintage.


Minery Family Winery on the Silverado Trail

As you approach Miner Family along the Silverado Trail, you notice the bold, off-white, minimalist architecture practically protruding from the hillside.  The stucco exterior diffuses the afternoon sunlight giving the building a soft glow.  The winery operations occupy the entire first floor – this is intentional to force its guests to take in the view upstairs.  For those unable to climb a gentle flight of stairs, there is an elevator to get you to and from the second floor.  Upstairs, a partially covered patio welcomes you with comfortable, elegant furnishings.  Enter the tasting room through the double doors, head for the tasting counter, get your first pour, and head back outside to take in the view and the wine.  The tasting room itself is painted in warm, neutral colors with a beautiful wood bar for tasting.  Just to the back of the tasting room are large glass windows providing an overhead view of the winery operations below:  on the left are the fermenting tanks, and on the right is the barrel room.


The second-floor patio at Miner Family where you can enjoy your wine and the view.

One part of the tasting experience that I really enjoy at Miner Family is that they pour their wines in varietal-appropriate glasses (albeit stemless).  Having experienced a Pinot Noir in both a Cabernet glass and a Pinot glass, I can say that it makes a noticeable difference.  The tasting menu is comprehensive, making selecting just four wines to taste a fun challenge.  We enjoyed the 2010 Sangiovese in a smaller glass, while the 2009 Merlot, 2009 Cabernet Franc, and 2009 Oracle were served in a larger (Bordeaux) glass.  When it comes to value, few wines perform better than this Sangiovese, but the Oracle is my personal favorite.  I bought a half-bottle to bring home.
Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 6 and the wines offered as a 7.  This is consistent with my previous visit.

December 11, 2012 – Wine: 2005 Carter Cellars Coliseum Block Cabernet Sauvignon

I loved all of the 2005 Carter Cellars wines when I tasted them at the winery.  A couple of years back I opened a half-bottle of the 2005 Revilo Cabernet and was a little disappointed – it was disjointed and in need of more time.  Last February I thoroughly enjoyed a half-bottle of the 2005 Merlot.  Last night I was captivated by the 2005 Beckstoffer Cabernet.  So, I thought tonight I would compare the 2005 Coliseum Block Cabernet.  While this wine is still not yet ready, it features a dramatic nose.  The palette was almost Bordeaux-like and offered up flavors of tobacco and leather followed by plum, and cherry.  Though this wine lacks the richness of the Beckstoffer Cabernet, it does offer a promise of terrific balance and a little more elegance.  Overall, this is a very complex wine in need of time in the cellar.