I was entertaining company and wanted to visit a winery that offers an impressive entrance, intimate tasting, and well-made wines at a reasonable price. That, and I just wanted to go back to Hess Collection again. I really enjoy the gently winding road through the redwoods that takes you to Hess. While Napa Valley is itself an escape from the urban madness, Hess is a mountainside escape from Napa Valley in its own right. Built with an eye for art, you will find art installations nearly everywhere you look. But the art I wanted to see was the barrel room. The smell of the wine soaking into the oak and the symmetry of the barrels stacked up appeals to me.
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| The barrel room at Hess Collection winery |
On this visit I selected four red wines to try. I started with the 2011 Artizin Zinfandel, which seems a little riper than most 2011 reds. Next I tried the 2011 Artizin Petite Sirah, followed by the 2009 Hess Collection Block 19 Cuvee (a claret/meritage bland), and ended with the 2010 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Of these, my favorite was the 2009 Block 19 Cuvee for its ripeness and balance.
A full review was written already about Hess Collection during my visit on May 12th, 2012.
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