I had two motivations for my prompt return to Napa Valley this week. First off, I was eager to try out my new SLR on the fall color in Napa Valley before any more weather stripped the foliage from the vines. Second, I had a pickup at Saint Clement that I had missed by two days during my prior visit. As I pulled into the valley from the south, I could see that I was nearly too late to capture any decent photographs of the area. But, the further north I traveled, I soon learned that the weather had been a little more forgiving up this way. I managed to capture a number of great shots. (The geek in me took pictures with my point-and-shoot to compare with those from the SLR.) And, my wine club shipment was ready for pickup as anticipated. Had I delayed my trip any longer, I might have had to pay shipping so they could get my wine out from underfoot.
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| Some repurposed wine barrels at the winemaker's studio at Saint Clement Vineyards. |
The weather was warm for late November so I opted to try some white wines with my flight. I started with the new 2013 Bale Lane Sauvignon Blanc (which needs a little time to sweeten and integrate, but shows good promise). Next I enjoyed the 2012 Abbots Vineyard Chardonnay. Then it was on to the reds, starting with the 2011 Oroppas, then the 2011 Johanna (a red blend in my pickup), and lastly the 2010 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Of these, the Johanna was my favorite, but I picked up a bottle each of the Chardonnay, the Oroppas, and the 2010 Star Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
A full review was written already about Saint Clement Vineyards during my visit on May 12th, 2012.
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