Saint Clement Vineyards, January 20, 2014

www.stclement.com

I was traveling with a buddy who enjoys the wines, views, and setting at Saint Clement Vineyards, so I decided to visit.  That turned out to be a costly, yet beneficial, decision as they were featuring a case sale that day.  Who can resist their delicious Oroppas blend, and at nearly a 50% discount on six bottles, why not?  There was one catch – I had to (re)join their wine club to get that pricing.  So, I decided I would trade my membership at Freemark Abbey for a membership here for a while and see how it goes.  After all, I have always enjoyed the taste and quality of Saint Clement’s red wines, and the setting is delightful, especially on a mild afternoon like today.  I also picked up a case of the 2010 Napa Valley Merlot to bring to parties (at under $20 a bottle, it’s perfect).

The historic tasting room at Saint Clement Vineyards

Naturally, when I saw that these wines’ prices were so dramatically price-cut, I had to taste to see what was up.  I started off with the 2011 Napa Valley Chardonnay, and followed with the 2010 Napa Valley Merlot and the 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Both these reds were nice, and the Cabernet was surprising considering the restraints imposed by that vintage.  Still, the Merlot impressed at its price point.  Next I tasted the 2010 Oroppas Cabernet blend, and the 2010 Star Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Oroppas was my favorite of the day, but this vintage of Star Vineyard (from Rutherford) looks like it will develop into an exceptional wine.


A full review was written already about Saint Clement Vineyards during my visit on May 12^th, 2012.