Cabernet Sauvignon: Varietal of the Month

 

Probably the most famous of all the varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon is King of the grape world. It grows in practically every wine region and is noted for it’s concentrated flavors and ability to age gracefully for decades. Its hearty body and tight-knit finely grained tannins make it pair worthy with a variety of foods. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon from cooler sites, deliver wines of balance and harmony with great texture and characterized by rich black fruit flavors and minty herbal notes with long lasting tannins.

 

Here are capsule reviews of Cabernet Sauvignon you may find along the Wine Road.

 

Alexander Valley Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

 

This 2018 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and made with certified organic grapes. In the glass it presents a minty and floral scent that deepens with notes of licorice, rhubarb, leather, eucalyptus and clove. On the palate it’s full black cherry, blackberry, olive, leather, mocha and cassis with a long minty finish. It’s bright, beautiful and balanced, with juicy flavors and classic fine grained tannins. Pair with Beef Empanadas.

 

ABV 14.0%

$34

 

Colagrossi 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

 

Soft, savory, and smooth with a bright finish, the 2018 Colagrossi Cabernet Sauvignon is a delight. On the nose you’ll find blackberry, vanilla, and graphite. On the palate, juicy black fruits and notes of tobacco, along with rhubarb and plum that culminate in a long spicy finish. Pair with Wild Porcini Mushroom Risotto.

 

ABV 14.7%

$55

Ehret 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bavarian Lion Vineyards, Knights Valley

 

The 2017 Ehret Cabernet Sauvignon from Knights Valley opens with a bright and bewitching nose with notes of blueberry, eucalyptus, fig, and black cherry. On the palate deep flavors of licorice black olive, and cassis merge with a soft smoky cedar note. Lovely balance of acid and tannin, with a long lingering spicy finish. Pair with Jason Robinson’s Tri-Tip. You can find the recipe on episode 149 of the Wine Road podcast.

 

ABV 15.0%

$75

 

 

Jordan 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

 

The Jordan 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is pure splendor in the glass. It smells so good, bright and aromatic with notes of black cherry, mocha, dusty cedar, mint, baking spice, and graphite. Lovely and lyrical it has classic structure and flavors of cassis, ripe black cherry and smooth silky tannins with hint of cedar and eucalyptus that slowly fades. Pair with pork loin and potatoes au gratin. Great age ability over the next decade or more. 

 

ABV 13.8%

$85

 

Longboard 2019 Rino Chaser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

 

The Longboard, 2019 Rino Chaser, Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley is a delicious expression of texture and flavor. It’s chock-a-block with scents of boysenberry, cranberry, and mocha. On the palate lush flavors of cassis, mocha, sweet blackberry and mint with a savory note of warm vanilla. The fine-grained tannins are taut, long lasting and bright on the finish. Great overall balance and structure makes this a fine candidate for aging. Pair with Duck confit.

 

ABV 14.5% 

$50

 

Carol Shelton 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Reserve, Rockpile Vineyard

 

Gorgeous, juicy and full-bodied the Carole Shelton 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Reserve, will captivate you from the very first sip. On the nose, notes of cedar, cherry, fig, graphite, and tobacco. On the palate a wonderful rush of cassis, blackberry, black cherry and deep mocha, glide upon rails of long lingering tannins that slowly fade to a satisfying finish. Pair with Classic Cheese burger, rare! Or if you are local, pair with the Ruben sandwich from Troubadour sandwich shop in Healdsburg. 

 

ABV 14.8% 

$50

 

West 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Ridge Block, Dry Creek Valley

 

Smooth and harmonious the West 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley offers a spicy bouquet on the nose with notes of mint, green bell pepper, eucalyptus, rhubarb, and baking spice. On the palate a silky mouth feel with flavors of juicy black cherry and blackberry along with clove, black olive, leather, mocha, and a tantalizing hint of tomato leaf. Finely textured tannins deliver a bright licorice and minty finish to this elegant and engaging wine. Pair with a lamb chops and chutney. 

 

ABV 13.5%

$55

 

 

Robert Young 2018 Scion, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

 

Bold and full bodied, the 2018 Robert Young Scion, Cabernet Sauvignon is a fine example of Sonoma meets Bordeaux in style. Classic notes of leather, mint, black cherry, mocha and cassis are on the nose. On the plate, plush flavors of fig, mocha, and black fruits, with clove and graphite. It opens softly and builds gradually with great structure and taut spicy tannins. Pair with filet mignon. Lovely to drink now or cellar for future enjoyment.  

ABV 14.7%

$72

 

 

Wine Road Podcast Episode 08 - California Wine Month

Wine Road EP 08 - California Wine Month - In this short but sweet episode we talk about California Wine Month and what the Wine Road is doing to feature California wine, we discuss the book Down to Earth, and taste the 2012 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Optima.

Listen here:



Show Notes:

• California Wine Month - 0:35
• Major Valleys and AVA’s along the wine road - 2:26
• Sub-AVA’s - 3:56
• Wine Road Map great resource for visitors- 4:45
• Wine of Day // Wine of the Cast - 2012 Optima Cabernet Sauvignon - 5:22
• Down to Earth wine book published by the Wine Institute 6:35
• George Rose Photographer 6:46

Links:

• Wine Road Website - https://www.wineroad.com
• Wine Road Map - https://www.wineroad.com/maps/
• Optima Winery - https://optimawinery.com
• Down To Earth: A Seasonal Tour of Sustainable Winegrowing in California- https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Seasonal-Sustainable-Winegrowing-California/dp/0615946615
• George Rose Photographer - http://georgerose.com

Wineries Mentioned:

• Optima - https://optimawinery.com

Music:

"Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Ridge Monte Bello Blogger Tasting--Historical Vineyards Series

The final Ridge Vineyards Blogger Invitational of 2011 was hosted this past Sunday, December 11th, at Ridge Monte Bello in the historic barn that served as the very first tasting room for the original winery. In the barn our host, Christopher Watkins, set the stage for the tasting theme--Historic Family Farmers-- Back in time to the original family farmers that started the vineyards know as Ridge today. 

In keeping with that theme, we tasted 3 never before tried by the public wines from the Torre, Klein and Perrone vineyards. These tiny production wines are a part of the Historical Vineyards Series and were sourced entirely from the original planting locations, each wine named for one of the founding families -- Torre, Klein and Perrone. These small quantity wines are actually "beta releases" in a way, harvested from sub parcels, following a premise of "viticultural gerrymandering" based on original planting areas. 

Also part of the tasting was a vertical of Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet. 

But there was more to the "Historic" theme-- Christopher brought in four curious machines--ancient hunks of metal, steampunk style communication devices--called typewriters, and each blogger was required to "go back in time" and write a tasting note using one.

We got warmed up with a splash of Monte Bello Chardonnay 08-- always a pleasure.

Klein, Torre & Perrone

Historic Family Vineyards Series--

Today the oldest vines on the property are those planted by William Short in 1949. Prior to Short acquiring the property John Torre planted 100 acres on Monte Bello ridge and the old Torre winery building is now the Monte Bello tasting room.

Klein Cabernet Sauvignon 2009--

Very young and green on the nose with eucalyptus and earth tones on the palate that opened up with more dusty notes and medium-soft tannins.

Torre Ranch Merlot 2009 -- 

This wine is just a baby in terms of it's longevity and has lot's of room to develop over the next several years, but I really liked as is. It was full of flavor with plums and violets and spice. Also a brief whiff of  oregano in there. Beautiful garnet color.  

Perrone Cab Franc 2009--

A tone poem of bright fruit. Very berry, with perfume of violets and a burst of acid. Of course these wines have a lifetime ahead of them, but the Perrone was distinct and fresh and most enjoyable in the present state. The Perrone was my favorite of the Historical Vineyards series.

With these beautiful wines inspiring our palates and our brains, it was time to hit the typewriters-- below are Fred Swan and Jeff Solomon striking out a tasting note. 

I wrote a tasting note channeling the spirit of Mattie Ross from the Charles Portis novel, True Grit-- because in a way that's what Ridge wines have --True Grit. Not in a literal sense, but in a sense of honesty and purity of intent. Unfortunately my first attempt at typing the note was foiled by the fact you must manually advance the paper to the next line...so things go a bit cramped on the page.

Next we tasted a Vertical of Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet. These wines all 100% estate grown were being featured as a holiday 3 pack in the tasting room. You better have been a very good boy or girl this year if you expect to see these beauties under your tree.

Ridge 2003 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet -- Smokey, smoldering, and silky--with a toasty, salt water taffy nose and rich dark fruit.

Ridge 2004 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet  -- Chalky nose with blackberry, current and minty fresh flavors. Tannins were supple but with room to bend--may need a Thai massage to loosen up a bit.

Ridge 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet  -- I found it dusty on the nose at first, that then developed into light florals with a hint of cocoa and spice. On the palate it was full of dark fruit, very concentrated-- but it's still tightly wound and needs some time to unwind.

The Mystery Guest Wine--

By the graciousness of Mr. Alan Bree, we were treated to a lovey Monte Bello 1985 Zinfandel from his private collection, which after quick calculation, Christopher determined that by drinking the bottle, of which only 33 barrels were produced, we had just enjoyed 5% of the worlds know supply of Monte Rosso Zin. Wow.

Thanks Alan. And thank you Christopher, for another fun, inspiring and enlightening blogger tasting.

Opulence? JCB Hez It! -- A Visit to Raymond Vineyards in Napa Valley

The wine revolution will not be televised—it will be shown live at Raymond Vineyards. And it’s going to be quite a show. Things are different here. Owner Jean-Charles Boisset has taken the venerable Raymond vineyards and sprinkled pixie dust all over. Boisset is the mastermind and ringmaster for some evolutionary new ideas in the experience of wine. But don’t let the wow factor fool you. There is some serious good wine here along with all the glamour and glitz. 

On Saturday May 14th I visited the Raymond Vineyards with a group of bloggers and wine writers and it was unlike any winery visit I’ve ever experienced before. It was a three-ring circus of wine, creativity, and decadence. 

Ring 1 –Tank Room and Crystal Cellar: The Baccarat chandelier in the Crystal Cellar steals the show, but once your eyes adjust to the low lighting there’s plenty more to see; stainless steel walls, a mirrored bar and a display of crystal decanters. The philosophy is kind of Forest Gump like in it’s approach—Beauty is what beauty does. Surround yourself with beautiful things and beauty becomes you. It seems to work. Who knew stainless steel could be so sexy? From the looks of it, Studio 54 is alive and well in Napa at Raymond. I half expected Dr. Frank-N-Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show to pop out from behind a tank and purr in my ear “Give your self over to absolute pleasure!”  But instead Boisset arrived and the wattage of the room amped up considerably. Boisset is a bundle of energy, ideas and most of all showmanship. Take one part P.T. Barnum and one part marketing genius, (shaken, not stirred) and you have Jean-Charles Boisset.

In the warm glow of the candle lit Crystal Cellar winemaker Stephanie Putnam poured the current releases:

2009 Napa Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

2006 Appellation Collection Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Appellation Collection St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Appellation Collection Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 

2006 Generations Cabernet Sauvignon

All of the Cabernets were exceptional examples of what Napa Valley is known for, but I liked the Rutherford best--Hearty, meaty, and balanced with sweet notes of blueberries. Very drinkable now and well into the future too.

Ring 2—Barrel to Barrel: Next it was time for the arts and crafts portion of the tour. We split into teams to decorate individual barrels that are part of Barrel to Barrel a new program for delivering a wine by the glass experience in restaurants and homes. The materials provided for the decorating were anything but traditional. Liberace would have approved. Hello! Leather, glitter, leopard prints, sequins, peacock feathers and marabou galore. I think a tasteful decoupage of wine labels might be a better approach. But hey…C'est la vie! 

While sipping the 2009 Barrel to Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon we set upon decorating the mini barrels. The end result included a sexy kitty, an ode to “Eyes Wide Shut” and an over the top Mardi Gras creation that took first place. If you want to try your hand at barrel decorating too, you will soon be able to visit the Raymond website to decorate one online and be eligible to win an actual barrel in real life. 

Ring 3—The JCB Lounge: As we entered the JCB lounge I had the feeling of Déjà vu. Where had I seen this place before? Was it in a scene from a movie? Boogie Nights perhaps? Gianni Versace’s home in Miami Beach? Possibly. Then it hit me…I’d seen it all before here in this commercial.

Opulence? JCB hez it! The JCB lounge had the same vibe going on-- Mirrors and gold statues? Check! Stack of gold bricks? Yup! A charming and charismatic leader with foreign accent and beautiful female staff? Check! Check! Check! Check! The mini giraffe was about only thing missing. Actually the JCB lounge is beyond opulent. It’s a sensory extravaganza of gold and marble and crystal and candles and glitz all grooving to a steady beat of Michael Jackson videos playing on the big screen. Honestly, you really must see it to believe it. 

This is where we tasted the JCB label wines, which are numbered and labeled with evocative terms. 

JCB No.81 Chardonnay—Alluring*Ephemeral*Insatiable

JCB No.7 Pinot Noir—Debonnaire*Charismatic*Seductive

JCB No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon—Voluptuous*Opulent*Incorrigible

The Pinot from Sonoma coast fruit tasted true to it’s terrior with a light scent of lavender and mint and rich flavors of clove, blackberries and a bit of bacon fat too.

I have to say, I first found Boisset’s eccentric approach to the “wine of the mind” disconcerting. It seems nothing is too far-out or off limits. But then half-way through the tasting I found the energy of it all to be wildly creative and inspiring. I came up with several ideas on the spot, that I’m sorry to say, his attentive staff my now be charged with bringing to fruition. Sorry! (By the way--I think it would be great to spend a day brainstorming with Boisset and his team if they are interested.)

So, you might be thinking why all the theatrics? Are they trying to distract my attention from the wine? No, I don’t think so. I think it’s merely an attempt to deepen the experience and increase the enjoyment of wines that are already very good. But you can decide that on your own. Note: If you go to Raymond Vineyards be warned; the experience can be overwhelming. One of our group stabbed themselves during the barrel decorating session drawing much blood, and another got so carried away by the Michael Jackson videos, she lit her hair on fire in tribute to him. Proceed at your own risk. But do by all means proceed. Let go, loosen up and have some fun.

Battle of the Napa Chefs: Benefit for the Blue Oak School

This past Saturday I was invited to attend The Battle of the Chefs, a fundraising event at the Culinary Institute of America for the Blue Oak School in Napa. I live tweeted the event but there was so much going on, it was beyond the limits of twitter to capture it.

Battle of the Chefs was an Iron Chef style competition pitting Chef Michael Chiarello, of Yountville's Bottega Restaurant, against Chef Ken Frank of La Toque in Napa.

All the elements were in place:

* A stadium kitchen courtesy of CIA

* A panel of judges

* Two Top Chefs

* And in the role of Alton Brown—Barry Schuler co-founder of Blue Oak School and owner of Meteor vineyard. You can read more about Meteor and Schuler (the Mayor of Coolsville) in one of my previous posts here.

Kitchen Stadium

Playing sidekick and co-commentator to Barry was Oscar Renteria of Renteria vineyards. The judges included -- Lee Hudson, Michael Higuera, Wendy Rupprecht, Ramzi Deeik and Eugenio Jardim who was recently honored as one of Sunset magazines Top Sommeliers.

Tracy & Barry Schuler (left) Chef Chiarello and guest (right)

While Schuler, Master of Ceremonies, riffed on new Iron chef style slogans to replace “Whose Cuisine Will Reign Supreme?” such as: Whose Meal is the Real Deal? Which Cook Is Off The Hook? Who Will be the Master Cooking Tasker? Who’s Chow will Wow? Whose Food Will Be Real Gued?? …you had to be there for that last one …the crowd began to speculate on what the secret ingredient might be.

Thankfully the slogans were interrupted by the moment we had all been waiting for—the unveiling of the Secret Ingredient. Cue dry ice and strobe lights…and the ingredient was—Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Oh what a curve ball! On with the show!

It should be noted that I can not be 100% sure on some of the ingredients used and items created as there was a slight audio problem in the beginning of the show and it was quite difficult to hear much of what was going on. But to the best of my recollection here is what the Chefs prepared.

Chef Michael Chiarello--

Appetizer: Cabernet infused gnocchi. Burrata over fava bean greens and butternut squash.

Entrée: Cabernet caviar with smoked lamb tenderloin.

The entrée was presented with an inverted glass of smoke from the vine cuttings that the lamb was prepared with. Hmm… Where might have Chef Chiarello learned this technique? Last time I smoked anything under a glass it was in college and it did not involve lamb. But it certainly wowed the judges as they took a whiff of smoke then tucked into the lamb. Style points noted

Chef Ken Frank surrounded by fans

Chef Ken Frank:

Appetizer: As I mentioned it was hard to hear and see from the top of the stadium, but it sounded like his app included cheddar cheese tapioca. And I think green peppercorns also played a role in there somewhere. But suffice to say everything Chef Frank made smelled amazing.

Entrée: Grass fed beef prepared with snails and mushrooms and a traditional bordelaise sauce.

I can now fully appreciate what it must be like to go to a live taping of Iron Chef or any cooking show for that matter. It is sheer torture. You hear the sizzle and smell the aromas, but you can’t taste a single morsel--only watch helplessly as the judges’ taste the dishes and contort their faces into expressions of ecstasy and approval. Oh yes, watching is torture! It would have been nice to taste the food too. But seeing as the event was all in support of the Blue Oak School, it’s understandable and forgivable.

During the intermission guests were treated to a selection of wines from Pahlmeyer and Renteria vineyards. I tried the Pahlmeyer Cabernet and I really loved its elegant dusty leather and smokey blackberry flavor and wish I could have paired some of Chef Frank's entrée along with it.

One of the highlights of the break was getting the chance to meet and speak with Salvador Renteria and his wife, Maria Louisa. We chatted about the beauty of the Napa valley and how much Napa resembles parts of Italy. The Renteria’s were so engaging and it turns out they have a daughter named Marcella, which is my name too. No wonder we hit it off.

After the intermission we returned to the stadium for the results. The tension was as thick as the smoke in the air. And the result was---split! Chiarello was declared king of the apps while Chef Frank won best Entrée.

In the end it was a win for both, but most of all a win for the Blue Oak School, where the first class of 8^th graders will graduate this year. If you live in Napa and want to know more about The Blue Oak School click here.

The Napa Patch also covered the event and you can read that account here.

Coombsville is Coolsville

Last Sunday I went to a little harvest party for the release of Meteor Vineyards 2007 Perseid Cabernet Sauvignon in Coombsville. This southeast section of Napa used to be relatively unknown. Practically off the grid. But it's possible the days of Coombsville being just under the radar are over. Coombsville is Coolsville in many ways.

Located on a rocky knoll in sight of Mt. George, the soils around Meteor are an unusual combination of volcanic and clay, with a heap of cobblestones thrown in giving the vines a unique foundation to grow in.

Coombsville is Coolsville with a mild climate and consistent temperatures that keep the growing season long and the fruit less prone to the heat spikes common in surrounding AVA’s. That means the grapes benefit from a long hang time and get the chance to grow up to be the grapes they were meant to be.

Maybe that’s where the idea of the zip line came in? If hang time was good for grapes maybe it would be good for people too. That concept was put to the test with the Meteor Zip Line.

I did not partake of the zip line due to the fact I was wearing a skirt and I could just imagine it billowing up over my head as I crashed into an oak tree at end of the line. But next time I hope to do the Coombsville Sip n' Zip. You’ve probably never seen a zip line at a regular harvest party have you? Like I said, Coombsville is Coolsville.

Adjacent to the Meteor vineyard is an exquisite residence constructed entirely of glass, stone, hardwoods and rammed earth. At first glance it looks like an elaborate structure from the elite levels of Angry Birds. Airy, open, and in harmony with the land, it’s the perfect complement to the vineyards that surround it. I mention the residence because it’s here that you see attention to detail is everything.

For example, only a mad genius would think to embed a circuit board artifact in the Fu-Tung Cheng countertops, but crazy cool touches like that are everywhere in the home just waiting to be discovered. And that philosophy of nuance and integrated detail shown in the house also seems to be what vineyard owners Barry Schuler and his wife Tracy had in mind when they collaborated with winemakers Bill and Dawnine Dyer to create their wines.

The wines I tasted at Meteor were all 100% Cabernet Sauvignon estate grown. I tasted the 2007 Perseid new release and the 2006 Special Family Reserve that was recently featured in Savuer magazine. I also got to taste the 2005 Special Family Reserve. The Meteor Estate Special Family Reserves are extremely limited production wines with just a few barrels made of each.

The 2007 nose changed quite a bit in my glass as it opened up from bright plumy notes to a rich tobacco scent. I tasted fresh blackberry and a bit of violet and clover on the palate with good tannins. I’d certainly love to try this wine again in a few years but it was quite successful in the moment.

The 2005 and 2006 Special Family Reserves were beautiful. Full, steady, and balanced, the structure reminded me of a chord progression--a Lou Reed riff—deep, dark, and haunting. I’d like to play these lush notes over and over.

Schuler may be a kingpin of the investment and tech world, but beneath his business savvy is the soul of an artist. Actually, he is an artist, a potter, and it seems to me that Meteor wines reflect the same careful hand shaping and artistry as his ceramic pieces.

Also at the party were a selection of Coombsville wines from other producers in the area. I wish I had taken more careful notes because I tried several that were outstanding. The Coombsville folks all seem very supportive of each other’s winemaking efforts. Who knows, maybe there’s a serious feud going on somewhere, but it all seemed very Kumbaya to me. Must be that Coombsville is Coolsville vibe at work.

SIDE NOTE: Some wine bloggers may be wondering how the heck I got invited to such a cool Coombsville event at Meteor. Well I guess you could say it’s because of Twitter.

I first met Mr. Schuler at a meeting with AOL back in the dark ages of the early Internet. Before he became the CEO of AOL, Barry led their Interactive Services group and I was working for a company that was soon to launch Travelocity. I think in the meeting he showed us the door and told us to get lost. Just kidding, to be perfectly honest I really don’t remember the details of the meeting. But I do remember he seemed like someone who was going to make interesting things happen.

Fast forward to 2009-- Barry gave the keynote at the Wine Bloggers conference. Now he owned a vineyard and was making wine and I was a wine drinker blogger. We followed each other on twitter. Everything had come full circle.

So kids, it pays to connect on twitter but even more than that, it helps to have had a real job at least once in your life.

Ridge Lytton Springs Wine Blogger Tasting III

This past Sunday Christopher Watkins, the Tasting Room Manager for Ridge Monte Bello, held a vertical tasting of Zinfandels from the Ridge Lytton Springs Library as well some select Cabernets from the vault at Ridge Monte Bello. This was an exceptional line up of wines and one might expect a formal setting and a hushed silence of reverence for the tasting. Instead it was serious amount of fun, a relaxed and casual day of tasting out on the crush pad at Ridge Lytton Springs. It was a scorcher the day we sat down to try the wines, but the crush pad stayed a cool 80 degrees in the shade. Hard to know if this temperature affected the wines on the palate, but I felt the heat made it slightly more difficult to capture the nose.

Chris assembled a terrific slate of writers and bloggers for the event and you can a find a full roster and links to the participant’s blogs here:

It’s great to sit with a group of enthusiasts to talk and tweet about wine on a high intellectual level. Okay, so that’s not exactly what happened at my end of the table. One thing about tweeting is that it makes initial interaction rather stunted. I was actually talking to Liza on twitter @BrixChix_Liza via tweets, even though she was sitting right next to me. Oh what a weird world we live in. Eventually we lifted our eyes off our phones and met our tablemates.

I had the pleasure of meeting David Tong and Richard Jennings among many others. Also in attendance was the notorious Ron Washam who pens The Hosemaster of Wine blog. Ron is an expert blogger baiter calling out the ridiculousness of bloggers and their antics in carefully crafted and parody filled prose, so I was expecting more of a general drubbing from him that day. But instead he merely threw out a few stale zingers and behaved himself for the most part. I think maybe it’s because the people at the table were serious about wine and serious about writing about it and sharing it with others, but for the most part don’t take themselves very seriously. So it’s hard to get your hooks into someone who agrees that what they do is not brain surgery for rocket scientists. Or some other fractured metaphor of false aggrandizement.

Maybe he was just caught up in the moment of sending his first tweet.

Oh dear, Ron tweeted, the world as we know it has ended. Anyway, enough about Ron, on to the wines.

The vintages we tasted included the Lytton Spring Zinfandels from 1987, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, & 2007.

The standouts for me included:

1992– Lavender notes and on the nose and good tannins

1993—A yeasty almost lemon cupcake-y scent with long finish. I was quoted as saying this made me want to have a cigarette and I don't even smoke.

2003—Interesting salty soy like quality. Umami as Chris says. Perhaps would make for a good sushi Zin.

2005—Hints of green pepper and fruit forward with a touch of grapefruit. Me likey very muchy.

2007—Full lush and worthy of an animal sacrifice on the BBQ.

We also tasted Cabernets from Ridge Monte Bello 1991, 1992 & 1994.

I thought all the Monte Bello Cabernets were complex and multi-faceted, but the 1994 had the perfect aligning of the planets for my palate.

We discussed foods that would pair well with the wines and came up with everything from tempura to guinea pig. We also theorized that if wine had been aboard the Apollo 11 moon launch they might never have left the capsule for the first moonwalk. Imagine what might have resulted. —

“That’s one small sip for Man and the rest of this Zinfandel from Monte Bello for Me. Huston, I’m staying here in the capsule and drinking this Monte Bello. It’s literally out of this world.”

How we got on to the subject of space travel is probably my fault, but that’s the fun of tasting. Everyone has a unique frame of reference to call upon in describing wine.

Here are a few screen shots of what others had to say:

You can search twitter for the hashtag #Ridgewines and read more of the tweets that where unleashed during the tasting.

Thanks to Christopher and also to Brandy Alexander (yes, her real name) for organizing and hosting the event.

VinRoc Wine Caves-Digging Deep on Atlas Peak

It’s been over 15 years since I drove to the top of Atlas Peak in Napa valley. Back then I was pulling a horse trailer and going to three day events at the Wild Horse Ranch facility just below the peak. But last Sunday I drove up to visit the wine caves at VinRoc, a small boutique winery run by Kiky Lee and Michael Parmenter.

The area has changed a lot over the years. There is more development in the way of homes and oddly enough, a Pet cemetery at the lower end of the road. But as the road climbs higher and higher up the mountain it remains relatively open and unspoiled. Just past the ranch where I used to take my horse, nestled below the mountain peak, is VinRoc. The views across the valley from the estate are jaw dropping and the birdseye view of the open ranch land below is spectacular.

VinRoc is relatively new venture but the vision Michael and Kiky have had for the grounds and their wines have been in the works for over a decade. Their small micro vineyard, planted just below the home and cave, is only five acres and they currently produce three wines: the signature VinRoc Cabernet Sauvigun, a special red blend called RTW for Red Table Wine, and a Granache-Barbera Dry Rose under the Enjoie label.

The winery reception room and main residence are nearing completion and we were given a tour by Kiky, the mastermind behind the design. The main home is open and spacious with thick stucco walls that offer insulation from the hot summer days and cool nights. The structure is well integrated into the land. It almost looks as if it just sprouted up organically after a wild winter rain. It’s deep grey color and stone roof blend seamlessly into the rocky landscape, the gentle curves like open arms giving a warm embrace to the valley below.

Outside under a pergola overlooking the vineyard, we tasted some of the Enjoie label Rosé. It’s color was a light salmon and it had a delicate bouquet of violet and plums. Drinking it made me forget the cold wind and I could almost imagine it was a warm bright day. I always appreciate wine for the sense of place it brings to the table and the Rosé reminded me of an afternoon in Provence. Then Michael showed me the back of the bottle which mentioned how a sunny day in St. Paul de Venice at La Colombe D’or had inspired them to create their very own rosé for the summer table.

We also tried a 2007 cab/merlot blend called RTW, for Red Table Wine. The RTW had chocolate, plum and black cherry notes, with a smooth finish. After our picnic in the wind, we retreated to the caves to tour the facility and sample the 2006 VinRoc Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to housing the barrels and wine making equipment, the cave also has many clever artistic touches by Kiky. The Atlas Peak AVA has volcanic soil, primarily tufa from material that has been ejected into the air and scattered about the land and most of the Cave was carved from tufa as well.

The VinRoc winemaking approach is based on super micro management. They literally make the wine by hand a ton at a time. By working in small batches each section of the vineyard can be harvested at it’s peak and optimal maturity. You can watch a video here made by a Japanese TV crew and hear Michael explain the process. Note: Michael's part is in English the rest is in Japanese.

The VinRoc approach to wine is one of patience and it seems to be working. We tasted the 2006 Cabernet and although it seemed a bit closed at first, it warmed up nicely with notes of dark berries, cedar, graphite and spice. I would have liked to try several more glasses, but the drive down Atlas Peak road was still waiting for me. I did buy a bottle of the RTW and Rosé for further tasting at home.

If you get the chance, I strongly suggest you give VinRoc a call and make an appointment to visit the caves. Michael and Kiky exude a relaxed, unhurried attitude that makes you want to hang out with them all day. Their great enthusiasm for the winemaking process is paired with a “Wow, this is pretty darn cool!” sense of awe and wonder. And their genuine respect and gratitude for what they have is reflected in their personalities and through their wines.

Hewitt Vineyards Cabernet

A few weeks ago I attended a release party for the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Hewitt Vineyard at the Provenance winery in Napa. A jazz combo played and Celebrity chef Joey Altman cooked for a captivated audience of wine club members out on the lawn, under white tents. (Note to non- Cabernet obsessed readers, keep reading to the end. Power of suggestion section may be of interest to you.)

In addition to the release of the Rutherford appellation 2007 vintage, there was vertical tasting of the 03, 05, & 06 Cabernet Sauvignons. All were priced the $85-$100 range. And all had high point ratings awarded to them from the usual wine rating suspects. But I try to ignore the numbers when I’m first trying a wine.

I found the 03 unbalanced, and rather quirky. I had a difficult time getting the nose on it and the finish was elusive as well. Over the course of a few hours I tried it several times and it was completely different at each taste, but still not appealing to me.

The 05 was more to my liking, fuller with big fruit flavors and a long finish.

I loved the 06. It was earthy and flinty almost dusty, with pronounced tannins.

But the 2007 from the Rutherford appellation was my favorite. Maybe I just like young wine, but I found it bold and balanced. I detected chocolate and tobacco notes with a kind of flinty fruit flavor.

Provenance Winemaker Chris Cooney agreed the 03 was challenging for some people and noted that that’s the whole point of tasting wine, to find what you like, not what someone tells you to like based on a rating. He admitted, of course, that all winemakers seek to get third party recognition and acknowledgment to give their wines a wider audience. But the ratings game is just an undeniable part of wine making.

An Oink, Oink, Here A Quack, Quack, There…

Later, seated at a table with some of the other guests, I sampled one of the dishes Chef Altman had just prepared. It was delicious with red cabbage, walnuts and balsamic vinegar and a main ingredient that I could not quite place. “What is this?” I said aloud to the others at the table. “It’s amazing. Is this beef?”

“No!” declared a woman at the table. “It’s pork.”

“Really? The flavor is most unusual for pork.” I said.

It was hard to really see the mysterious protein as it was completely coated in the balsamic and cabbage, and I wasn’t 100% convinced it was pork, but the woman was so adamant that it was.

I kept tasting it and puzzling over it.

“Are you sure this is pork?” I asked one more time. And the lady shot me an exasperated look and said. “Honey, I’m telling you this is pork. I make this recipe all the time. It’s PORK!” And then she got up and left in a huff.

So I took her word for it that it was pork and gobbled up the rest of it.

Then later, my husband and I went up to Chef Altman to ask him about the recipe and most of all to find out where he purchased the pork. For it was exceptional indeed.

And Chef Altman looked at us like we were nuts and said “That was duck.”

And as soon as he said “duck” it was like a flash of insight. Of course it was duck!! But I’d gone against my instincts and stopped trying to determine what it was when the lady at the table insisted it was pork.

I worried I might have a deficient fat receptor in my palate and made a note to myself to seek out the duck experience more often. (For research purposes of course.) But more troubling was the fact I let someone else’s opinion override my own sensibilities.

And I realized how the power of suggestion, and the power of numbers, by way of rating points, can sometimes carry you off track. So judge according to your taste, based on your own criteria, whatever it is. Trust your own palate! Even if you are wrong! After all, you know what you like.

But be it pork or duck or baloney, I think the 07 Hewitt Cab would pair perfectly with it. Then again why would you take my word for it? Go try it for yourself.

The Conn Creek Barrel Blending & Cupcake Pairing Challenge

On Sunday December 13^th Thea Dwelle, (AKA: Obi Wine Kenobi) in partnership with Paul Asikainen, Guest Services Manager of Conn Creek, hosted a bloggers blend-o-rama in the Conn Creek AVA Room in Napa Valley.

Just last week I participated in The Wine Sensory Experience in Calistoga where I challenged my scent abilities, so the AVA Room Blending Experience seemed the logical next step in my wine experience portfolio.

The AVA room was designed to create a blending experience offered nowhere else. According to Paul the tax licenses and bottling permits needed to allow guests to blend their own wine and take it home were intricate and mind boggling to say the least. But the end result seems certainly worth the effort in my opinion.

The room has nineteen barrels in all, fifteen barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon representing the diversity of American Viticulture Areas in Napa Valley and one barrel each of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot. The Cabernet barrels are grouped according to five fruit complexity profiles— Soft, Supple, Complex, Rich and Bold. Each barrel had notes about climate and soils (including a soil sample) and a map indicating where the AVA is located.

The tables were set with beakers and glasses and a blending book for note taking giving the AVA Room the air of a very high-end test lab. (If high school had been this deluxe I might have majored in Chemistry.) Paul gave us an overview of the blending process and then we were set free to begin. The first step is to taste from each barrel and note what samples appeal to you most. Then after you have an idea of what blend percentages you’d like, you fill your beaker accordingly and then test it in the large tasting glass.

This is more work than you might think, and a lovely buffet lunch was provided to help us keep our strength as we blended. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere and it was a selection of cupcakes on the buffet that led to my wine blend philosophy. It seemed there were as many different cupcake flavors (red velvet, pink champagne and black cherry) as there were Cabernet Sauvignon AVA’s and I was inspired to create the perfect Cabernet to pair with cupcakes, something bold and complex to complement the sweetness of the cupcake.

My final blend was as follows: 40% Stags Leap District from the Clo Du Val Vineyard. 40% Rutherford, Hozhoni Vineyard. 10% Rutherford, Conn Creek Estate Vineyard. And 10% Merlot. I ended up choosing all moderately warm climates across the board. And all had volcanic soil components as well.

The AVA Room Barrel Blending Experience was tremendous fun and very educational to have access to all the Cabernet samples in one place. The only thing I found difficult about the experience was the math conversion—going from a 100 % beaker to the 750 ML blending beaker. Luckily for this journalism grad there was a conversion chart in the back of the blending book and Paul graciously helped me out when I realized I was filling my large beaker with the wrong percentages. (Hint: start with the big percentage first and work up)

Once your blend is done you choose a bottle and a cork and in one swift pull on the corker you have a sealed bottle. Final step-- design and apply your label and that’s it.

Supposedly, we will drink these blends in a blend-off-challenge to be held at the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. But I don’t know if mine will last that long. I’m ready to open it right now. For more details and information on The Conn Creek AVA Room Blending Experience visit their website here.