Mumm Napa, May 26, 2013

Winery - 5 / Wines - 7
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Elegant patio tasting experience.  White and rosé sparkling wines.
www.mummnapa.com

I am not a big Champagne drinker (I have never had a full glass of it) so I haven't had much motivation to visit Mumm Napa and try their sparkling wines.  A friend visiting from Southern California over the weekend provided the motivation.  What better way to start an afternoon of wine-tasting than by sipping bubbly under clear skies and in perfect weather (73F degrees).  My guest found this very appealing so I was confident we were off to a good start.  Tasting during Memorial Day weekend can involve some crowds, as was the case with our visit.  (I later learned that a tour bus had arrived a little before us and had filled the place to capacity.). We were told that we would have to wait about 15 minutes to be seated, but were on our way to a well-shaded table in the sun in under ten minutes.  If you visit midweek, it should be easier to get a table up against the vineyard for the best possible view.  While Mumm does sell some snacks to accompany their bubbles, they do not allow picnicking at the winery, so plan your meals around this.

The main entrance to Mumm Napa

It’s clear that the folks at Mumm Napa intended for their guests to enjoy their sparkling wines outdoors.  The indoor tasting area is essentially a screened porch (with glass doors) providing a direct view of the vineyards while tasting indoors.  The ceiling is essentially the painted underside of the roofing materials, but is finished and painted in a way that you do not notice how minimal it is.  The floor is similarly minimal, essentially a finished concrete in a warm, neutral color.  The inside walls are painted a creamy buff color.  The overall feeling is that of sitting in a comfortable sun room.  The cashier’s room where you pay after enjoying your flights of bubbles has been decorated with more attention.  Large wooden cabinets display the bottles of wine for sale and provide dramatic contrast to the soft crème color on the walls and ceiling.  Here you will also find an assortment of wine-related goods for sale, including bottle stoppers and an assortment of chilling buckets.

The indoor tasting porch at Mumm Napa

Mumm Napa offers four different tasting flights.  As there were three of us (and with some apologies to our pourer), we ordered their three top flights (one each) so we could share and compare each of the wines.  So, in all, we tasted eight individual wines (one was repeated in two flights).  This sort of comparison is fascinating as you have an opportunity to compare and contrast the different influences of grape varietals (Chardonnay versus Pinot Noir) and aging (we compared the same wine from 2007 and 2008, and another from 2005 and 2006).  Of the eight wines we tasted, there were two quite remarkable wines that stood out: the 2005 DVX was outstanding for its balance, flavor, and subtle richness, while the Brut Reserve Rosé was the most flavorful and balanced.  I bought a bottle of the Brut Reserve Rosé to take home.

So many pretty bubbles - our flights at Mumm Napa

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery a 5 and the wines offered a 7.

June 27, 2013 – Wine: 2006 Provenance Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

There were just two vintages of this rich, balanced, flagship wine from Provenance.  The 2005 was my favorite of the two, but what made the 2006 special was that I was in the tasting room when the wine maker, Tom Rinaldi, came dancing out of the lab with a beaker full of red wine declaring he had just blended the 2006 Estate Cabernet.  He eagerly dropped an ounce in each patron’s glass to get their impression, and it was delicious.  That was back in 2008.  I acquired four bottles through the wine club.  The first one was opened in 2010 and was far from ready – it still had a little of the 2006 funk lurking behind the scenes.  Now, the wine has had more time to integrate and develop.  On the palette, the wine is rich and a little spicy, with delicious red and black fruits, minerals, and leather notes.  I’ll try to wait about two more years before I open the next bottle.

Ridge Winery, May 18, 2013

www.ridgewine.com

It was time again for the Monte Bello Final Assemblage event up atop Monte Bello Road.  Once again, the event was held inside the beautiful old winery barn that now serves as the rustic setting for winery events.  Outside there were a few wine barrels set up as bar tables with umbrellas for enjoying the spectacular weather.  To top things off, the breezy weather from the days prior left a crystal-clear view of Silicon Valley and the south end of the San Francisco bay.  The big surprise was from the elegant stone work being installed to link the tasting room with the event barn.  While not quite complete, I can tell from what is in place that the finished product will be perfectly designed to bring elegance to this rustic setting and its lush gardens.  I’ll post a photo once the job is done.

On a clear day from Ridge Winery, overlooking downtown San Jose

The first wine on the tasting menu was the 2011 Jimsomare Chardonnay, which is showing what a lovely vintage 2011 is turning out to be for white wines, and especially Chardonnays.  Next we enjoyed the 2004 Geyserville, which I had opened just a few nights earlier.  This was followed by the 2012 Monte Bello final assemblage from the barrel, and the 2008 Monte Bello from a magnum bottle.  The 2012 shows incredible improvement from the March tasting event where the wine was still a little premature, but my favorite of the day was the 2004 Geyserville.

June 26, 2013 – Wine: 2008 Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel

All it takes is one wine-tasting trip to the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County to learn the value of old-vine Zinfandel.  While most Zinfandels bring tasty fruit to the equation, with some tending towards elegance, it is the old-vine grapes that lend Zinfandel its spicy complexity.  I visited the Seghesio tasting room in Healsburg the first time in 2006 and walked away with a 2003 Barbera that I let rest for three years before opening and enjoying.  I bought this Zinfandel last year thinking that the summer heat we experienced in 2008 may have helped produce a tasty Zin, and it did.  This wine needed about 30 minutes to come into balance, after which it drank quite nicely.  The palette was complex and spicy, featuring hibiscus tea, red cherry, pepper, baking spices, and minerals.

June 25, 2013 – Wine: 2007 Bell Cellars Canterbury Syrah

After tasting so many gamy, meaty Syrahs, I thought I would never find one to my liking.  Luckily I kept looking.  I have since uncovered a number of very nice Syrahs, including those from August Briggs, Saint Clement, Turnbull, Rodney Strong, and Landmark.  But it was Bell that first showed me that there are indeed Syrahs that I can enjoy.  I have enjoyed all of Bell’s Syrahs over the vintages.  This was the last of my half bottles of Bell Syrah that I had been holding onto since 2009.  The wine needed about 45 minutes to settle into its best form, but it did so quite nicely.  The wine was well balanced with a persistent finish.  On the palette I noted white pepper, tea, red cherry, unsweetened chocolate, and minerals.  This wine turns out to be a great value for the quality delivered.

Provenance Vineyards, May 14, 2013

www.provenancevineyards.com

It was time again to pick up my wine club shipment, as well as a few bottles I had ordered by phone during a recent sale event.  Of course, I always enjoy my visits to Provenance.  I love the hardwood floor fashioned from the staves of old wine barrels, not to mention the friendly staff and delicious wines.  This visit was made a little more special as the main wine maker, Tom Rinaldi, entered the tasting room, wrapping up a winery tour for a group of industry insiders.  I have enjoyed talking with Tom Rinaldi for more than six years now, and he recognizes me on sight.  (He even checked out my wine pickup, suggesting that my selections might make him a little envious.)

The lawn outside Provenance Vineryards

As this was my last winery visit of the day and I’d have time afterwards for my body to process the wine I was about to drink, I allowed the tasting room staff to pour me a couple extra wines.  I started with Provenance wines: the 2012 Wildwood Sauvignon Blanc (to compare it to the other 2012’s), then the 2012 Malbec Rose, the 2009 Napa Valley Merlot, and the 2009 To Kalon(2) Cabernet Sauvignon, which was my favorite of these wines.  Then, I enjoyed the 2009 and 2007 Hewitt Cabernet Sauvignon, with the 2007 being my overall favorite.  The two Provenance reds and the rose were all part of my wine shipment, but I switched out the rose for the Sauvignon Blanc to better suit my tastes (they were the same price).  Finally, I worked on some puzzles on the front lawn of the winery for about half an hour before heading off for dinner.  Some passing geese made for a fun photography moment.

This silly goose arrived too late to taste at Provenance Vineyards.

A full review was written already about Provenance Vineyards during my visit on February 8^th, 2012.

June 24, 2013 – Wine: 2003 Provenance Oakville To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

It is with some lament that I have opened my last of four bottles of this wine, but the wait was well worth the patience.  This wine has consistently performed well, ever since I first tried it in 2006.  The wine was young then and slightly green to the palette.  I opened the next two bottles in 2007 and 2011, with the latter opening being the most impressive.  Tonight, however, outperformed all the prior bottles.  Immediately after uncorking and decanting the bottle, the wine’s beautiful aroma swept across the countertop.  After about an hour, the wine came into form with a plush, evolving palette featuring pomegranate, dark cherry, tea, leather, and controlled minerals.  This wine’s remaining structure and tannins suggest that it could have continued to age gracefully another five years or more.

Ehler's Estate, May 14, 2013

Winery - 7 / Wines - 6
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Authentic old stone building, paintings from local artists.  Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, reservations requested.
www.ehlersestate.com

This trip exposed me to two treasures of stone-based architecture and construction.  Having just visited the newly renovated stone building occupied by Ma(i)sonry in Yountville, I now visit the historically preserved stone building at Ehler’s Estate in Saint Helena.  While there are a number of similarities between the two buildings, the big differences are that the Ehler’s Estate building started off its life as part of a vineyard operation, and that the modifications made over the decades to accommodate the structural dynamics of the building are more evident here – I noticed reworked beams supporting the walls and ceilings, whereas the Ma(i)sonry building preserved only the stone walls and original roof.  I first learned of Ehler’s Estate while shopping half-bottles at Whole Foods and found their 2004 vintage on the shelf.  I decided I would buy a bottle and later headed up to the winery for a tasting.  By now six years have since lapsed, so I decided to return.  I had forgotten how enchanting the old stonework can be when you first walk into the tasting room.  Much to my surprise, they now require a tasting appointment, so you should call ahead.  (They can often accommodate an appointment on short notice mid-week.)

The beautifully restored Ehler's Estate stone winery  building

Although the exterior of the tasting room building is quite simple in its stone architecture and ideal symmetry, the quality and elegance of its construction resound.  Inside, the same stones form the basis for your viewing experience as the walls are otherwise unfinished.  This is not to say that all you have to look at is four stone walls … the walls are adorned with wine-themed paintings by a talented local artist.  The large tasting room is divided into several tasting areas (think dining-room-table or sofa-loveseat-coffee-table, repeated), each providing a more intimate tasting experience.  As I was alone, I opted to taste at the tasting bar that runs the length of one wall.  A simple, finished concrete floor, like that of Ma(i)sonry, quietly complements the bold stonework on the walls.  Tall, sturdy, redwood timbers throughput the main floor provide structural support for the second floor.  The exposed wood of these supports blends nicely with the décor, serving to offset each tasting setting.  With less window space, the tasting room at Ehler’s has a dimmer, more romantic light casting across the room.

Inside the tasting room at Ehler's Estate winery

My flight began with the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc.  If you like Sauvignon Blanc, then 2012 is your vintage.  All of the 2012 Sauvignon Blancs that I have tasted have had superior quality to other recent vintages.  Next I was served the 2010 Merlot.  They also poured two Cabernet Sauvignons.  The first (a 2010) is named in consideration of the health benefits associated with red wines: One Twenty over Eighty (the normal human blood pressure).  The second (a 2009) is named for the year that the original winery operation was established, namely 1886.  This second wine was my favorite of the flight for its weight and balance.

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 7 and the wines offered as a 6.  This has been consistent as long as I have been visiting Ehler’s Estate.

June 18, 2013 – Wine: 2007 Franciscan Magnificat

I remember my first wine-tasting trip to Napa Valley brought me to Franciscan Winery, where I tasted and adored the 2001 Franciscan Magnificat.  I have been a fan ever since, enjoying nearly every vintage bottled since then.  As I gained more experience with the 2007 vintage in Napa Valley, it became quite clear that 2007 would be an amazing vintage.  So, I bought a few half-bottles of 2007 Magnificat on blind faith.  I later tasted it in November 2011 and the wine was far too tannic to be enjoyed anytime soon.  So, it slumbered in my cellar until my curiosity piqued.  While the tannins have softened somewhat, this wine is still years away from its peak development and smoothness.  Looking past the tannins I noted classic flavors of the vintage, including blackberry, leather, blueberry, dark cherry, and minerals.  This wine will require patience, either to decant for hours or to rest a few more years.  (I’ll let mine rest.)

June 17, 2013 – A Pair of Magnificent 2002 Reds

It was my turn to pick some wine for dinner, so I selected two half-bottles of 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blends to compare over dinner.  Ever mindful of my experience with the 2001’s in half bottles (they all seemed to peak about two years ago), I have been eager to work my way through my half-bottles of 2002’s to be sure I don’t miss out on any of them.  As it turns out, both wines tonight could have continued their slumber for another two years easily, with the Lail capable of five or more years.

2002 Opus One and 2002 Lail J. Daniel Cuvee

2002 Opus One

I “forced” this bottle on a dear friend of mine who has attitude about things that are contrived or faked.  (Disneyland and the Opus One tasting room come to mind.)  Of course, I remember being struck by how deftly made this wine was when I first tasted it at the Opus One winery, so much so that I sought out a half-bottle of it.  (That was where my budget ended back then.)  Having opened and thoroughly enjoyed a 2001 Opus One two years ago, I was confident that this bottle would please.  Never have I witnessed the competing emotions of disdain and desire in conflict to the extent my friend exhibited, as the wine was undeniably superb.  Ultimately, he was forced to relent that this was an incredible wine, with balance, elegance, restrained power, and a beautiful nose.  The palette featured blackberry, black cherry, red roses, dark chocolate, leather, and wonderfully controlled minerals, finishing with a fascinating texture at the back of the mid-palette.

2002 Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvee

In stark contrast to the Opus One’s restrained power, the Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvee came on full throttle, offering no apologies nor causing any discomfort or pain.  I first discovered the J Daniel Cuvee in a tasting line-up of 2007 Napa Cabernets.  The wine offered restraint, purity, and elegance in stark contrast to the other 2007’s.  That tasting sent me on a quest to acquire a few more bottles, including this lone 2002.  My first impression of this wine tonight was that its  grapes harkened from Howell Mountain and Rutherford (currants and chalky tannins), but I was half wrong – not Rutherford but its neighbor, Oakville.  The wine offered up flavors of dark chocolate, red currants, leather, caramel, and minerals, with notes of cinnamon emerging after two hours.  Both powerful and elegant, this wine was my friend’s favorite, while I had a very slight preference for the style of the Opus One, though picking the “best” wine would be pointless as they are each great wines in their own right.

Paradigm Winery, May 14, 2013

Winery - 4 / Wines - 7
Range:  1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Hidden away from the main road, friendly staff and adorable dogs.  Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, and Zinfandel
www.paradigmwinery.com

I first discovered some half-bottles of Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon back in 2007 and was impressed with their wonderful, structured, balanced, and delicious 2003 vintage.  But, it wasn’t until three years later that I would actually visit the winery at the south edge of Oakville.  The first time you visit Paradigm, the winery will be difficult to find, no matter how well you have prepared (unless you use GPS).  Dwyer Lane, which is home to Paradigm winery, comes and goes in a flash as you speed up Highway 29 from Yountville.  On my second visit, I remember processing the road sign in the back of my mind about a quarter-mile beyond the turn when it dawned on me that I had missed it.  That taught me well and now I know precisely what to look for and when to prepare for my turn.  Of course, some of Napa Valley’s best jewels are hidden from the main road and worth the extra effort to find them.


The entry to Paradigm Winery

As you pull into the driveway at Paradigm Winery, proceed cautiously as there may be friendly Labradors on the loose.  If you enjoy dogs, then you will undoubtedly enjoy your visit here.  If you are not fond of dogs, a kind word to the staff will ensure that these kind creatures cause you no bother.  The building is modestly designed with a primary focus on purpose, and secondary on style.  This is not to say that the facilities are ugly in any way – on the contrary, the building is beautiful and elegant in its simplicity and quality.  The tasting room reflects this same modesty.  More of a large foyer than a salon, the tasting room accommodates six guests comfortably (standing).  The room features large windows that look out to the west over the estate’s vineyards.  The walls are a basic off-white that maintains a bright feel, while the polished concrete floor adds an earthy warmth and allows the wooden furnishings to stand out.  A large area rug occupies the middle of the room, though one must wonder if this is to add color and absorb ambient noises or to provide a comfortable spot for the dogs to relax in between tastings.  Just off the tasting room is the winemaker’s bench, where you can sometimes observe the analysis and blending of new juice before committing it to bottle.


Inside the Paradigm Winery tasting room

For tasting the entire lineup of Paradigm wines, I arrived a bit late.  It seems they had recently sold out of their delicious Merlot and Zinfandel wines, leaving only the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.  I started with the 2009 Cabernet Franc and followed it with the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, which I preferred.  Then, to ensure that my visit to the winery was well worthwhile, they poured me a taste of their 2000 Merlot.  Before tasting this wine, I was skeptical as I have had too many disappointing wines from the 2000 vintage.  But this wine was quite surprising with its lush, smooth fruits and terrific balance.  It was my favorite of the flight (though I actually brought home a couple of half-bottles of the Cabernet Sauvignon).

Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 4 and the wines offered as a 7.  This has been consistent as long as I have been visiting Paradigm Winery.

June 16, 2013 – Wine: 2005 Shafer Merlot

It is always hardest to open the last bottle of any wine … even more so when the wine has been so consistently special.  And like a child that grows up, this wine’s character has evolved.  When I first tasted this wine at the Shafer’s tasting room, this wine was my favorite of the flight (excluding the special pour of 1995 Hillside Select) for its red fruits.  So, I bought five half bottles to enjoy.  Through 2010, this wine showed delicious red fruits with a clean juiciness to the acidity, the hallmarks of the 2005 vintage.  By 2012, the red fruits were playing second string to such flavors as leather and dark chocolate.  This time, the wine was truly remarkable, starting off with unsweetened chocolate, followed by mineral notes, blackberry, black cherry, and leather.  These flavors were delivered with great balance and an interesting spiciness.  As I lament exhausting my supply of the 2005 Merlot, I can only find solace in the 2007’s that await my attention.

May 27, 2013 – Wine: 2006 Ridge Geyserville

I have always enjoyed a well-made Zinfandel, and Ridge makes some of my favorites.  I have always enjoyed the Ridge Geyserville for its balance, depth, and richness.  (For elegance, I turn to Ridge’s York Creek.)  Just as the 2006 cabernets were starting to let me down, along come the 2006 Zinfandels to fill the void.  This 2006 Geyserville was impressive in its youth and offered a promise of something greater in the future.  Five years later I have opened my third half-bottle and am enjoying it as much as when it was young.  All of the dark fruits deliver at once, with the dark cherry flavors persisting into the finish.  There are plenty of minerals, notes of leather and black licorice, but all is kept in good balance.  I uncorked this half-bottle on Thursday and had to return my glass to the bottle as my body was not accepting the wine gracefully.  Having stored it corked in the refrigerator until this afternoon (four days), it has held up surprisingly well.