While traversing the valley with my
wine-tasting buddy, Ma(i)sonry was selected as our second stop (of five). Planning for visiting five wineries should
have included the quantity of wine poured at the tasting, but I overlooked this
aspect. It turned out that each stop
offered an abundance of wine to sample, especially Ma(i)sonry. The good news was that I was able to try
three wines that I was eager to taste, and we were able to compare 7 samples of
Cabernets (well, one was mostly Merlot) and pick our favorites. And, the Ma(I)sonry tasting room offers an
art-filled look back in time with its historic stonework and eclectic mix of
antiques. This is a very relaxing
environment for tasting wines.
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| A generous mix of art and antiquities upstairs at Ma(I)sonry in Yountville |
Each pour at Ma(i)sonry is about two
ounces, which is double the size offered in most tasting flights. My friend and I shared each pour from our two
flights. We started with the 2012
Blackbird Arise, which is remarkable for its flavor and structure. Next came the 2010 Coup de Foudre Cabernet
Sauvignon, followed by the 2012 Lail Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012
Pahlmeyer Jayson Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012 Pahlmeyer Red, the 2012 Tor Napa
Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and ending with the 2010 Juslyn spring Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon. The clear champion
of this lineup is also the most expensive, namely the Pahlmeyer Red. The Blackbird Arise was clearly the second
favorite, and it was at the bottom of the price range. (I ended up buying both.)
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| Looking past the old cut stone surrounding the windows to the tasting gardens at Ma(i)sonry |
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