Vol. 5 No.2
Sonoma County / Napa Valley
Visits in This Issue:
|
11/28/97 |
11/29/97 |
11/30/97 |
12/1/97 |
12/2/97 |
Journal notes and tasting scores from late Fall tour of the Napa/Sonoma wine country.
Tasting scores: each wine was evaluated using the requisite sight, smell, and taste impressions, using an alpha-oriented rating system (I usually rate the nose and the taste separately, and then give the wine an overall rating). An "n/n" indicates that no notes were taken. More extensive tasting notes were made, but specific descriptions are not included here. Also, beginning with this issue, I rated a couple of other areas: the tasting room ambiance, and the tasting room staff. The "ambiance" covers the general appearance and feel of the place, as well as their choice of wines available for tasting. The "staff" rating covers the wine service and general friendliness of the pourer(s) et al. Scores reflect my own opinion.
Friday, November 28, 1997 - Day 1
Having been nearly a year-and-a-half since we'd last been wine tasting in Napa/Sonoma (Feb '96), we were salivating for another visit (does the name Pavlov ring a bell?). We planned to take our usual route through wine country, working our way North through Sonoma County and then South through the Napa Valley. We left Orange County about 6:40am, and figured to arrive at our first stop at about 1:30pm. Original plans called for the first visit to be Gloria Ferrer. But we could see that stopping at the bubbly house would be a major time-sink, what with caves and all. Plus, Ferrer was a little out of the way geographically from where the rest of the day's stops were scheduled (Sonoma Valley). So, improvising, we started with scheduled visit #2, and decided to add-in an alternate, somewhere on the fly. That alternate ended up being B.R. Cohn -- mostly because they were open until 5:00pm (a bit jaded, 'eh?).
Arrived at Buena Vista at 1:35 to a busy place, with people milling about everywhere. First time here. Parked in the way-out lot and hiked in through the grounds to the winery itself. The surrounding grounds were nice, but nothing special, aside from the historical angle. Inside, the large tasting room was doing a brisk business. Friendly and attentive guy pouring 4 wines N/C from a larger list. In celebration of the winery's 140th anniversary, they had some "special anniversary" wines on the list. The blurb pointed out that these bottlings were intended to approximate the "original" label and packaging of the late 1800's versions. Since I was picking up a couple of these bottles for someone else, I got first-hand experience at what must've been a pretty safe-to-transport bottle back then. Boy, these honkers were h-e-a-v-y! With very thick glass, the bottles looked and felt like magnums. Hefting these babies, I could just picture desperados riding up to a stagecoach and hollerin', "awright, thro down all yer wine and nobody gets hurt." This stuff would've survived the toss just fine. Our pourer informed us they were also pouring some special and reserve tastes upstairs. We checked it out, but passed up further tasting and headed out. After hiking back to the car (dragging the anniversary bottlings behind us), we were surprised to find we'd spent 40 minutes here. So much for our breakneck schedule. Out at 2:18. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Buena Vista:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Lake County
A-
$8
1994
Merlot
Carneros Estate
B+
$18
1996
Zinfandel
Vintners Blend
B
$19
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Grand Reserve - Carneros
B+
$26
Arrived at Ravenswood at 2:25 to a crowded parking lot and moderately busy tasting room. Made a place for the car or double parked, depending upon your interpretation of the law, and climbed the steps of 1,000 tears to the tasting room. We could've walked up the driveway, but it doesn't look as good in print. We quickly found an open section at the far end of the tasting bar, which was kind of surprising considering the crowd. It looked as though they've expanded the size of the tasting room since our last visit (Oct '93), and they really needed it. Pouring 4 wines N/C from larger list, plus they had an additional wine open -- the Rancho Salina meritage. I'd seen this around the local wine shops for about $18, but hadn't bought any, so this was an opportune time to taste it. Nice, unimposing fellow doing most of our pouring, though another fellow pitched in too (with a holiday weekend all the winery staffers are moving in high gear). One trophy you can't take away from them, Ravenswood's tasting room is still the undisputed fruit fly champion of the hemisphere. Out at 2:50. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+
Tasted at Ravenswood:
1996
Zinfandel
Vintners Blend
A-
$10
1995
Zinfandel
Napa Valley
B+
$13
1995
Merlot
Sonoma County
A-
$18
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County
B+
$16
1995
Rancho Salina
Red Meritage - Sonoma County
A-
$25
Had to slug our way up Hwy 12 through Sonoma and all the holiday weekend traffic, but finally arrived at Kenwood about 3:20 to a bustling scene. Apparently we stumbled into the "Heart of the Valley" Holiday Open House. The deal was: you buy the holiday glass for $5, and you're able to hit all the participating wineries (St. Francis, landmark, Kunde, Family Wineries, Smothers, Wellington, and Stone Creek) for tasting without further charge. In addition, each winery had some sort of food pairing with their "featured" wine for the weekend. Kenwood's offering was pate with a Jack London Cab (I was in non-vegetarian heaven!), So, we went for the package deal, even though we probably weren't going to have time to hit any of the other places (with our schedule, who could?). Although it was crowded as usual inside the tasting room, we lucked into some incredible window of opportunity during a slight lull and grabbed an open area at the bar. Very friendly, if surprised lady assisted us. Surprised, because it apparently looked to her as though the Red Sea [of people] had parted, and we walked in. After watching us take notes for a while, our pourer recounted a story to us (and to the minions within earshot behind us clamoring for a front-row place at the tasting bar), about how one time two guys came in with laptops, and set up for a camp out at the counter. "Geez, get a life," she opined about the experience. Tsk, tsk, what a boorish thing to do, we agreed aloud, not completely sure if this was some sort of innuendo or thinly veiled comparison. Kenwood was offering 4 wines from their list, and from under the bar, and from behind the tasting bar, etc., and what generous pours they were! MP did mostly vineyard-designated Zins; I was on Cab rotation. Damn, I love this place. Out at 4:00. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Kenwood:
1995
Pinot Noir
Olivet Lane / Russian River
A-
$16
1994
Merlot
Massara Vnyd / Sonoma County
A-
$25
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Jack London / Sonoma County
A-
$25
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Artist's Series
A
$50
Arrived at Chateau St. Jean at 4:05 to yet another holiday weekend "doo." No list of wines from which to choose, you just follow the bouncing ball to each wine station. They were pouring 3 whites at separate stations outside in the patio area, and pouring 3 reds inside (Zin, Merlot, Cinq Cepages). We passed on the whites, and wasted no time moving into the big house. Nice wines and nice pours. Having the wines situated at different stations along some sort of obvious pathway seemed to be very efficient way of handling crowd management. Kudos for organization at this occasion, although, to be fair, not every winery has the space to do this. MP pulled an extra pour of the Cinq Cepages (absolutely stellar stuff), plus our pourer pulled out a Pinot from under the bar, all N/C. (After accidentally pouring MP a second pour of the Cinq Cepages rather than the Pinot, our obviously weary pourer told him "...oh, just pour that out," so she could pour the next wine. P-o-u-r i-t o-u-t ?? Excuse me? Not where we come from!) Nice idea they had, though, creating the tasting stations along a route, rather than trying to confine the tasters to the tasting room. Thus, people were able to move freely through the bldg, creating a less crowded atmosphere. Moved along, and out at 4:30. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B.
Tasted at Chateau St. Jean:
1995
Zinfandel
Old Vine - Alexander Valley
A-
$18
1994
Cinq Cepages
Red Meritage - Sonoma County
A-
$22
1995
Merlot
Sonoma County
A-
$18
1995
Pinot Noir
Durell Vnyd / Carneros
A-
$32
Arrived at B.R. Cohn at 4:40 to a moderately busy room. This was our "pick-up" winery of the day, which we substituted into the schedule when it became apparent we wouldn't make it to Gloria Ferrer. I'd been hearing good things about the Estate Cab, and this winery is one that had been on my alternate list of "gotta visit some day" for the last few years. Pouring 3 wines N/C, we were hoping one of them would be the Olive Hill Cab. However, we got the Olive Hill Merlot instead. Proprietor Bruce Cohn, the former manager of the Doobie Bros, was pretty much just hanging out in the front room, or taking care of office work. The smallish tasting room walls are dotted with Doobie memorabilia. Very pleasant and efficient staff. Nice enough place...nothing special. Out about 4:55. Ambiance rating: B. Tasting room staff rating: B.
Tasted at B.R. Cohn:
1995
Chardonnay
Sonoma Valley
B
$14
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver Label - San Luis Obispo County
B
$14
1995
Merlot
Olive Hill Estate / Sonoma Valley
B+
$24
Arrived in Santa Rosa about 5:35, and headed to John Ash & Co for dinner. Highly recommended! Busy day. It should go without saying, but on a Thanksgiving weekend, I recommend allowing more time at each winery, as well as more time traveling between them. Totals for the 1st [half] day: 5 wineries; 20 wines.
Saturday, November 29, 1997 - Day 2
Left Santa Rosa at 9:00. Arrived at Fisher at 9:30 to an obviously quiet place in a beautiful location in the Mayacamas mountains. Met up with Fred Fisher inside the winery, and he proceeded to describe all the goings on in the vineyards. They've been timbering some of the area not already planted, especially near the power lines (see Carmenet entry), to make way for new vineyard plantings. Also, they've terraced the high hill immediately above the Wedding Vineyard and were putting in expensive stone retaining walls to fight erosion on the 45 degree slope. We went back inside for a pour of the '95 Coach Insignia, then wandered back outside. All this looking around led naturally to our getting into some philosophical discussions about vineyard plantings, wine pricing & marketing, and life in general. On the wine side, Fred felt some of his wines were underpriced in the current marketplace, noting in particular that his regular Chardonnay had been at about $17 for some time now. True enough, it would seem; and, when stacked up against his obvious competitors, he's probably right, although, as a consumer, the lower prices are to certainly our benefit. However, it looks as though the prices for his "regular" bottlings will be going up in the near future (the "Lamb" and the "Wedding" bottlings, already pricey, may increase as well). In any event, I very much enjoyed the visit and chatting with Fred. He's an interesting fellow, and he makes some very nice wines. I only wish we'd have been able to sample more of them. Out of Fisher at 10:35, and back down the mountain. Ambiance rating: A- (it is a great looking place). Tasting room staff rating: (though not exactly "staff," Fred didn't summarily push us along, and wasn't cantankerous. So he gets an A- in my book).
Tasted at Fisher:
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Coach Insignia - Napa Valley
A-
$24
Heading over to the Russian River area, we arrived at Hop Kiln at 11:20. Light rain outside, and a small crowd sipping inside. Nice chipper lady pouring 4 wines for $2 from their list. Struck up a conversation with another taster from up Mendocino way. He and the family were headed out to somewhere on the coast to do some crabbing -- that's fishing for crabs, as opposed to just complaining, and he thought he'd stop and get some libation to ward off the cold. Nice fellow. Out at 11:45, and down the road a piece to next stop. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Hop Kiln:
1995
Marty Griffin's Big Red
Red Meritage - Sonoma County
B
$9
1995
Valdiguie
Russian River Estate / Sonoma County
B+
$20
1996
Zinfandel
Russian River / Sonoma County
B+
$16
1995
Zinfandel
Primativo - Sonoma County
A-
$22
Drove just down the road to Rabbit Ridge -- another first-time visit. Arrived 11:52 to semi-busy room. Friendly staff of two was pouring 14, count 'em, 14 wines for $2. (I tried 13 of them, passing on the Mystique.) I'm particularly fond of RR's wines and admire Eric Russell's tour-de-force winemaking. I've never seen a winery try to cover so many varietals, and yet do so well with them. I was also curious to see if the winery was holding on to some of the delicious Sangiovese they've been turning out the last couple of vintages. No such luck. I'm guessing he's putting it all into their new super Tuscan, Avventura. Nice visit, although the tasting room could've used a little more "personality." It seemed a little stark somehow, reminding me of the garage-office for a new housing development. Appearing to be new, maybe it just needs to develop some character. Out at 12:42. Ambiance rating: A- (for a terrific array of wines). Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Rabbit Ridge:
1996
Chardonnay
Russian River Estate / Sonoma County
A-
$18
1995
Allure
Rhone Blend - Sonoma County
B
$7
1995
Montepiano
Red Meritage - Sonoma County
B+
$11
1995
Grenache
Sceales Vnyd / Alexander Valley
B
$9
1996
Zinfandel
Sonoma County
B+
$14
1996
Zinfandel
Rabbit Ridge Ranch / Sonoma County
A-
$30
1995
Merlot
Sangiacomo Vnyd / Sonoma County
A-
$22
1995
Merlot
Grand Reserve - Sonoma County
A-
$30
1995
Avventura
Red Meritage - Sonoma County
A
$30
1994
Syrah
Sonoma County
A-
$20
1995
LH Sauvignon Blanc
Sonoma County
A-
$18
1995
LH Zinfandel
Sonoma County
A-
$20
1995
Port
Sonoma County
B
$30
Out of Russian River area and over to the Alexander Valley for our appointment at Jordan. Arrived at 1:00, and we were joined by several others for a tour and tasting. Patterned after a Bordeaux chateau, Jordan is a gorgeous looking sight situated in the hills near the Russian River. Our host, the chateau sommelier Jaime Ortega, gave us an in-depth description of the winery's founding, and led us on a tour starting at the kitchen and around through most of the winery. Quite a clean operation, with very little activity or noise evident. In fact, through each stage, Jaime's excellent oratory on winemaking procedures was punctuated only by the zzztt sound of fruit flies blundering into the electronic bug zappers. The tour culminated in a dining room where our tasting consisted of a single 2-3 oz pour of the '95 Chardonnay. This was more than a little disappointing, considering Jordan is more well known as a Cabernet house. As if to excuse this choice of wine, Mr. Ortega informed us that Mr. Jordan's rationale for pouring the Chard over the Cab was that the Jordan Cabernet was already an established product, so he wanted to "...introduce more of the public to the Chardonnay." Seems a little misguided to me. If they feel they absolutely must serve the Chardonnay, why not just serve both it and the Cab? Or how about serving some of the "J." Maybe we should be introduced to that, as well. (As it turns out, "J," the name of Jordan's sparkling wine, has been given separate company status, and is now being made in Windsor at the [former] Piper Sonoma site, which was recently purchased by Jordan. They are also turning out some still wines under this label as well.) Out at 2:20. Ambiance rating: A- (for bldg and grounds -- not the wine). Tasting room staff rating: B+ (graciousness and wine knowledge).
Tasted at Jordan:
1995
Chardonnay
Sonoma County
B+
Out of Jordan and over to the Kendall-Jackson Tasting Room at the Plaza in Healdsburg. Arrived at 2:33. Short bar and lots of people inside, probably because the sprinkles are turning to rain outside. Got a jostled and squeezed a bit at the tasting bar, which was no surprise considering the crowd. Patterned after many commercial tasting rooms, the place did have the feel of a wine bar in a retail wine store. They were pouring our choice of 5 from their list of 9 or so for $2 including glass, but only 3 of the 9 available wines were red. This was quite disappointing, considering all the reds that are available in the KJ stable (ie. no Stonestreet or Cambria being poured). As a matter of fact, this array of above average red wines is exactly why we put the stop on our schedule. Unfortunately, our pourer could've used a short course in wine appellations, since she consistently got the appellations wrong when describing where each wine was from. Not really a big deal, except that we take notes, and since the bottle seldom remained on the bar long enough to see its appellation, we had to rely somewhat on her expertise. However, I'm sure that our desire to know the appellation of a wine makes us the exception to the rule, and that most visitors could probably care less. Anyway, listen up K-J, find a way to offer more of your reds for tasting to those of us who are willing to seek them out and pay for the privilege. Out at 2:56. Ambiance rating: B. Tasting room staff rating: B-.
Tasted at Kendall-Jackson:
1995
La Crema Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast
B
$21
1994
K-J Syrah
Durell Vnyd / Sonoma Valley
B+
$16
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Grand Reserve - California
B+
$25
Arrived at Preston at 3:15. Still raining. The place was loaded with bicyclists - getting out of the rain, I suppose. Preston is considered a big Zin and Rhone stop, so it looked as though we'd both get something here that we liked. Picked 4 reds N/C from their list, ending with an '84 Reserve Cab from their library. Quite vegetal. It's easy to see why they stopped doing Cabs. Visit and wines were okay, but nothing special. Out at 3:42. Friendly room and staff. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Preston:
1996
Zinfandel
Dry Creek Estate / Sonoma County
B+
$18
1996
Barbera
Dry Creek Estate / Sonoma County
A-
$18
1995
Syrah
Dry Creek / Sonoma County
B+
$22
1984
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry Creek / Sonoma County
B-
Up to Ferrari-Carano. Arrived at 3:50 to a busy parking lot. Looked like yet another winery holiday party. It appeared as though we arrived during a lull, or at least after the bus crowd had left. An overflow parking area had been established, and the main parking lot had staff shivering in the light rain while directing people where to park. Two tastings were offered: 4 wines N/C, or a special reserve tasting down in the cellar for $10 . After seeing that the reserve tasting consisted of 3 whites, 2 reds, we did the regular tasting. (At $5 the reserve tasting might have been interesting, but not at $10.) Out at 4:17. With its sprawling villa, F-C is still a destination to see, and the staff is usually very friendly and pretty animated. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B.
Tasted at Ferrari-Carano:
1994
Pinot Noir
Russian River / Sonoma County
B+
$14
1995
Zinfandel
Sonoma County
A-
$18
1994
Merlot
Sonoma County
B
$22
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County
B+
$22
Over to Geyser Peak, and arrived at 4:24. The tasting area was in an adjacent temporary location while they remodeled the regular tasting room. Happy and friendly staff pouring 5 wines, and the staff was nearly as animated as F-C's. Out at 4:54. Ambiance rating: B+ (the unusual assortment of wines being poured, overcame the poor temporary digs ). Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Geyser Peak:
1995
Malbec
Alexander Valley
B+
$21
1995
Zinfandel
Sonoma County
B+
$16
1995
Merlot
Alexander Valley
B
$16
1995
Petite Verdot
Alexander Valley
B+
$20
1994
Reserve Alexandre
Red Meritage - Alexander Valley
B+
After leaving Geyser Peak, we headed back to Healdsburg and to Bistro Ralph for dinner about 5:15. Moderately recommended. The menu seemed quite limited, and prices just so-so. Totals for the day: 8 wineries; 35 wines.
Sunday, November 30, 1997 - Day 3
Left Santa Rosa about 9:00, and headed for our first visit. Stopped on the way at the Tip-Top Liquor Warehouse to see what "discount" looks like in wine country. While not exactly stellar in appearance or setup, the prices were okay, being just a couple of $s higher than some of the Orange County wine merchants. Arrived at Hanna just before opening time at 10:00. They were pouring 5 wines N/C. And, selling, but not pouring, a RRV Pinot and a $35 reserve Zin! (These Zins are getting a little pricey!) Very quiet, only two other people came into the room while we were there. Friendly pourer, suffering through a cold. Out at 10:30. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Hanna:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Russian River / Sonoma County
B+
$11
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve - Russian River/Sonoma County
A-
$21
1996
Chardonnay
Russian River / Sonoma County
B+
$16
1995
Merlot
Alexander Valley
B+
$21
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley
A-
$20
Arrived at Chateau Montelena at 10:50. A trio of friendly guys pouring, with two of them alternating pours to us. Offering 4 wines for $5, which included the '95 Calistoga Cuvee and the '93 Estate Cab. We were also offered a pour of the soon-to-be-released'94 Estate Cab. This has always been an interesting room to visit. As I recall, on all my previous visits, the staff has seemed to exhibit a...well, an attitude. There was a smugness about them. They've given me the impression that they were doing me a rather large favor in taking my $5 and pouring me two or three tastes of wine. But, not this time! These guys were open and friendly. Kudos to whoever hired these folks. Out at 11:27. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Chateau Montelena:
1996
Johannisberg Riesling
Potter Valley / Mendocino County
B
$15
1995
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
A-
$25
1995
Calistoga Cuvee
Cabernet Sauvignon -Napa Valley
B+
$18
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate - Napa Valley
A-
$40
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate - Napa Valley
A
$45
Arrived at Schramsberg at 11:38. Our tour guide, David Nelsen, a former executive chef from the La Costa area gave us the background on Schramsberg, and then led us through the large storage caves, while explaining the making of sparkling wine via Methode Champenoise. At the end of the tour, a sit-down tasting for $7.50 covered three sparklers, including their Cremant. For an additional $12, they were offering a taste of the'85 Blanc de Blanc. Out at 1:00. Very nice tour and tasting. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A.
Tasted at Schramsberg:
1993
Blanc de Blanc
Napa Valley
A-
$24.50
1994
Brut Rose
Napa Valley
A-
$24.50
1993
Cremant
Napa Valley
A-
$24.50
Arrived St. Clement at 1:08. Two friendly ladies working the tasting room, and pouring 4 wines for $2, which could be credited toward purchase. Speaking of purchases, we bought an assorted few bottles, none of which we tasted! (Why does that happen?) Luckily, whenever we've been here, there hasn't been too much of a crowd in the small tasting room area. This place must've really been jumping Friday and Saturday. Out at 1:50. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at St. Clement:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
A-
$13
1995
Chardonnay
Abbott's Vnyd / Carneros
A-
$20
1994
Merlot
Napa Valley
A-
$24
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A
$26
Arrived Markham at 1:51. Our pourer, Ann Wirth, offered us a choice of two tastings: $5 for the special tasting (1 white; 4 reds), and $3 for the regular tasting (3 white wines only). We took the "special." Markham's Merlot is usually the best of the bunch, but this time the Petite Sirah really knocked me out as well. Generally quiet in the tasting room -- it looks like everyone has left the area and gone home. Out at 2:39. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Markham:
1995
Chardonnay
Reserve - Napa Valley
A-
$29
1995
Merlot
Napa Valley
A
$19
1994
Zinfandel
Napa Valley
A-
$17
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A
$19
1994
Petite Sirah
Napa Valley
A
$18
Swung by Turnbull for our next scheduled stop, but they had a sign up stating that they'd be closed for the day. So, we put plan "B" into action and headed south to pickup another add-on. Arrived at Trefethen at 3:03. Moderately busy room (maybe this is everyone's last stop on the way out of town). Friendly lady poured 3 wines N/C, including a reprise of the Cab, after exhausting the previous bottle. Out at 3:31. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: A- (nice touch, the offer to open a new bottle).
Tasted at Trefethen:
1995
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
B
$21
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Eshcol - California
B+
$11
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
B
$24
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
(New bottle) - Napa Valley
B+
$24
Arrived at Beringer at 3:52, and headed upstairs to the Founder's Room. This room handles the pouring of Beringer's premium wines. The setup here is to pick from the list of available wines (both library and recent releases) and you're charged accordingly for a 2 ounce pour. At $2, $4, and $6 per glass for my selections, the wines were reasonably priced. Plus, with all 3 glasses placed in front of me, it was very nice to be able to evaluate and enjoy each wine without having to deal with the usual difficulties of short-sipping a 1-oz taste, before being poured the next varietal in line. Nice lady poured our selections, and also informed us that Beringer is changing the name of this room from the "Founder's Room" to the "Private Reserve Room." So, save all those old "Founder's Room" wine glasses, kids. They'll soon be collectibles. We each had 3 wines. MP started with the Alluvium Red Meritage; I started with the Knight's Valley Cab, and we both tried the Howell Mtn Merlot and the Private Reserve Cab. Out at 4:34. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Beringer:
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Knight's Valley
A-
$18
1993
Merlot
Howell Mtn
A
$40
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Private Reserve - Napa Valley
A+
$65
Arrived at Merryvale at 4:40. First visit to this winery. Nice large room, and only a moderate crowd. One of the few places open late (5:30), they normally offer a $3 tasting (3 whites, 1 red) and a $5 tasting 2 whites, 2 reds). But, our very friendly staffer not only accepted my ancient "get out of jail free" card (from a local Inn) and didn't charge us for the tasting, but she poured us 3 reds, including the "Profile." (Undoubtedly, our rapport with the lady, and the fact that they were closing soon, helped immeasurably.) Very nice visit. With the beautiful Cask Room (available for entertaining or dining) within view of the tasting bar, this certainly is one of the most gorgeous tasting rooms in the valley. Out at 5:15. Ambiance rating: A. Tasting room staff rating: A.
Tasted at Merryvale:
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Hillside
A-
$18
1994
Profile
Red Meritage - Napa Valley
A
$55
1995
Merlot
Reserve - Napa Valley
A
$32
Walked next door to Tra Vigne for our 5:15 dinner reservation! First time here, and I was quite pleased. Often, a place with a "hot" reputation like they apparently have, seems to do merely a mediocre job with either the food or the service or both. But, in this case both were excellent. Highly recommended! Totals for the day: 8 wineries; 32 wines.
Monday, December 1, 1997 - Day 4
Arrived at Silver Oak just after opening time at 9:05. Pouring 5 wines. Given the immense popularity of their wines, SO is usually only pouring one wine for tasting, and most often it's the Alexander Valley Cab. That was the case this time as well, but it still tasted great, as usual, even in the early morning ( our motto: "wine at Nine, mighty fine"). A nice plus: we were the first customers of the day, and our pourer was feeling pretty laid-back after his day off, so he didn't charged for the tasting. We browsed the tasting room a bit, and moved along. Out at 9:22. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A.
Tasted at Silver Oak:
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley
A-
$40
Arrived Frog's Leap at 9:42. Had kind of a weird start to the visit. We arrived about 15 minutes early for our scheduled 10:00 appointment, and parked out in front of what looked to be the winery (no name, no address visible). While waiting patiently in the car until the appointed time, I noticed a couple of ladies at the trunks of their cars unloading and/or reloading bags of gifts and holiday decorations. This activity continued even as we ventured forth from the car at 10:00. We followed instructions on a sign posted in front that directed us out back to the hospitality cottage behind the winery. Once there, we milled about, waiting for our guide and watching the same ladies shuttle back and forth from the cars out front, to another building in the back. Meanwhile, another party of visitors arrived, and they too milled about, all of us waiting to be "recognized" as visitors with appointments. Finally, about 10 minutes later, one of the ladies told us she'd be with us in a minute -- as soon as she got the right key to the hospitality cottage. On her trip back with the "right" key, she came over to introduce herself as Mary Panek (sp?). Apologizing for the delay, she explained that she and the staff were getting ready for their holiday party. That's fine, but it would've been nice to acknowledge everyone a little sooner. Here we were standing around not sure if we were even in the right place. After a brief introduction of all parties (obligatory in these things) and the winery operations (always welcome), Mary prepared to lead us into the winery. Just then, a couple wandered up without an appointment, saying that they just "...thought we'd drop by..." to see the winery. After asking those of us with appointments if we'd mind if the latecomers tagged along (always awkward), Mary obligingly asked them to join our little group for the tour and tasting. Hey, why make appointments? Inside the beautifully reconstructed old barn, Mary poured two wines from splits. She really seemed to know her stuff, both about the winery and winemaking (they do organic stuff here). We left at 10:59, passing by the owners who were standing inside chatting with some ...buyers (?) . Ambiance rating: B+ (I liked the grounds & bldg, but would've rather seen a Cab or Merlot poured for tasting). Tasting room staff rating: B+ (attentive and knowledgeable, once the tour got going).
Tasted at Frog's Leap:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
A-
$13
1995
Zinfandel
Napa Valley
A-
$16
Arrived Cakebread at 11:06. First time here. Nice tasting room, with affable guy pouring 5 wines for $3.75 from list. Out at 11:34. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Cakebread:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
B+
$14
1996
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
B+
$25
1995
Pinot Noir
Carneros
A-
$28
1995
Merlot
Napa Valley
A-
$28
1994
Zinfandel
Howell Mtn / Napa Valley
B+
$21
Arrived Girard at 11:43. Nice fellow named Gary working the "room." Pouring 4 wines N/C. They're remodeling (or rebuilding) the tasting room/offices, so they've temporarily setup a tasting room in a trailer out in front. Out at 12:30. Ambiance rating: B (hey, what can you do with a trailer?). Tasting room staff rating: A (Gary effortlessly handled phones, other staff, our pours and our questions with ease).
Tasted at Girard:
1995
Chenin Blanc
Napa Valley
B+
1994
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
A-
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate Reserve - Napa Valley
A-
$45
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate - Napa Valley
A-
$30
1989
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate - Napa Valley
A-
$30
Took a little photo opp off Silverado Trail to shoot some of the vineyards. Man, is this beautiful, or what.
Arrived Chimney Rock at 12:47. This place is built on the former back nine holes of the Chimney Rock Golf Course. Pouring 3 wines for $3, plus $5 extra for the "Elevage" tasting. Friendly pair of ladies working the tasting bar and chatting with everyone. Out at 1:22. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Chimney Rock:
1996
Fume Blanc
Napa Valley
B
$12
1996
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
B+
$17
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A-
$26
Arrived Groth at 1:30. Nice fellow, T.J. Hartman, doing the pouring and tour guiding. Pouring 4 wines, he generously gave us another hit of the Cab, while telling us that they'd received a Wine Spectator "88" on the wine, which he felt was rather harsh. After tasting it, I had to agree with him: it certainly tasted better than an "88" to me. Tour took us around the grounds, through the winery, and back to the tasting room where he offered to pour additional tastes. Very nice visit. Out at 2:39. Ambiance rating: A-. Tasting room staff rating: A.
Tasted at Groth:
1996
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
B+
$12
1996
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
B+
$18
1994
Merlot
Napa Valley
B+
$27
1994
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A-
$27
Arrived Joseph Phelps at 2:51. Our guide, Karin, led our group over to the patio for an initial tasting. Once there, she asked if we could forgo the tour and just taste wine. We'd done the tour on our last visit (April '94), so it sounded good to us to just taste the wines. However, our Delaware visitors would have not of that ("...we want some kind of tour."). So our seemingly exhausted tour guide acquiesced to their whining and took us on an obligatory tour. Frankly, after a few tours of winery facilities, you've pretty much seen everything. What can make a tour special, however, is some barrel tasting. Unfortunately, they apparently don't offer barrel tasting on tours of this Phelps facility. (I believe she said that the red wines were handled at another Phelps facility closer to Napa city.) Out at 3:56. Ambiance rating: B+ (the grounds are beautiful). Tasting room staff rating: B.
Tasted at Joseph Phelps:
1995
Chardonnay
Carneros
A-
$18
1996
Viognier
Vin du Mistral
A-
$28
1996
Grenache Rose
Vin du Mistral
B+
$11
1995
Le Mistral
Vin du Mistral
A
$20
1989
Insignia
Napa Valley
A-
$45
1990
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A-
$40
Arrived Turnbull at 4:08. Our pourer, Gerard Moffit, was quite a character, informing us "...we're pouring 3 wines, or 4, if I like you." Apparently, he liked us. They've been remodeling and expanding the tasting room. And, when I asked about being closed the day before, he said they'd been cleaning the tanks, and the fumes would've been too much for most people, so they just closed for the day. Out at 4:37. Ambiance rating: B+. Tasting room staff rating: A-.
Tasted at Turnbull:
1995
Old Bull Red
Napa Valley
A-
$12
1995
Sangiovese
Napa Valley
A-
$20
1995
Syrah
Napa Valley
A-
$25
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
A-
$22
During our conversation with Gerard, we mentioned that we'd passed by Oakville Ranch up on Silverado Trail. His eyes lit up and he raved about the place, suggesting we go there next, and they should still be open. it was about 4:40, so we blasted back down Oakville Crossroad to try and get there before closing, but to no avail. The gate was shut, despite the 5:30 closing time stated on their sign. Bummer! So, off we headed to Mustard's for dinner. Arrived about 4:50, which is ideal if you want to beat the crowd. Totals for the day: 8 wineries; 30 wines.
Often, our conversation with the staff at each winery can prove to be interesting and very candid. A case in point: in chatting with one of the day's pourers (who shall remain anonymous), we were discussing how wineries handle their visitors, both those with appointments as well as drop-ins. Our pourer shared a story about how he had a customer in his tasting room making several purchases, and the customer mentioned an interest in going over to Caymus as well. However, since Caymus has gone "appointment only" for visits, the customer wouldn't be able to just drop by. So, our pourer offered to call ahead to Caymus to see if they could fit him in. Describing to the Caymus employee that he had a customer who was interested in making some purchases at their place, he asked if he could send the customer over. Surprisingly, Caymus said no way! But, these people were big spenders, he implored. Sorry, no appointment -- no visit! Even as he related the story, I could see how incredulous he seemed about the whole thing. That got me to reminiscing aloud about my first visit to Caymus some 7 years ago: they were tasting wine in a small cottage out behind the house, and Charlie Wagner stood beside the driveway and waved to us as we left. Looks like the old days are gone, gone, gone. Welcome to the new cruelty.
Tuesday, December 2, 1997 - Day 5
Driving up scenic Moon Mtn road and through several vineyards, we took a brief photo opp of the hilltop views. Arriving at Carmenet just before our 10:30 appointment, we were met by Lee Anne von Raesfeld, Director of Public Relations for Carmenet. After a warmup of Sauvignon Blanc in the upstairs tasting room, Lee Anne led us down into the unique round winery, and then into the storage cave they've dug into the mountain behind the winery. Here, we sampled 3 barrel tastes of works in progress, before returning to the tasting room to taste several Cabs. Seeing the major replanting efforts in action reminded us that they'd had a devastating fire here last year. The cause was traced to a power line in the area which had blown over into some trees. This in turn, started a blaze that ended up consuming some of Carmenet's prime vineyards. We were told that PG&E (Pacific Gas &Electric) was found fully liable for these damages, which covered replanting all the damaged vineyards, plus all the lost income, current and future, to Carmenet until these vineyards are able to produce again. In the meantime, Carmenet has been able to purchase grapes from both the Martini and Cotouri operations owing to its excellent relationship with its neighbors. This provided Carmenet with the necessary fruit for what will be the '96 Moon Mtn meritage. This was a fabulous visit, and one that rivaled my all-time favorite at Shafer (Feb '96). All told, Lee Anne opened 5 bottles of wine for us. To me, this is a benchmark for what "tours and tastings by appointment" should be. Out at 11:43. Ambiance rating: A+. Tasting room staff rating: A+.
Tasted at Carmenet:
1995
Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve - Paragon Vnyd / Edna Valley
A-
$15
1997
Chardonnay
(Barrel) Sangiacomo Vnyd / Carneros
B+
n/a
1996
Zinfandel
(Barrel) Delta / Contra Costa County
A-
n/a
1996
Cabernet Sauvignon
(Barrel) Sonoma Valley
A-
n/a
1995
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dynamite / Sonoma Valley
B+
$16.50
1990
Cabernet Sauvignon
Moon Mtn Estate / Sonoma Valley
B+
$25
1993
Cabernet Sauvignon
Moon Mtn Estate / Sonoma Valley
A-
$30
1995
Zinfandel Port
Copa de Morado - Contra Costa County - 375ml
A
$15
Arrived at Acacia at 12:29. We had a 12:30 appointment for a tour and tasting. But, since we were facing a 6+ hour drive home, we were perfectly willing to forgo the tour and just do the tasting. And as it turned out, they seemed to forget that we were here for a tour anyway, so it all worked out fine. (Actually, it looked as though the tasting room mgr would've probably led us on the tour, but he seemed to be hooked up with some Chalone stockholders.) Friendly fellow pouring 8 wines N/C. We chatted a bit, and once free of his customers, the tasting room mgr even suggested we try a different route home -- one that would potentially avoid a lot of Bay Area traffic. Fine by us. Nice people. Out at 1:35. Ambiance rating: B. Tasting room staff rating: B+.
Tasted at Acacia:
1996
Viognier
Carneros
A-
$25
1996
Chardonnay
Caviste - California
B+
$13
1996
Chardonnay
Carneros
A-
$19
1995
Chardonnay
Reserve - Carneros
A
$30
1995
Pinot Noir
Carneros
A-
$18
1995
Pinot Noir
Reserve - Carneros
A
$30
1995
Zinfandel
Caviste - Napa Valley
B+
$12
1995
Zinfandel
Old Vines - Napa Valley
A-
$17
Heading back home, we stopped mid-way at Harris Ranch about 5:00 for dinner, and made it back to Orange County by 9:30. Totals for the day: 2 wineries, 16 tastes, and one very nice tour. Totals for the trip: 5 days, 1260 miles, 31 wineries, 133 tastes, 5 tours, 1 semi-tour, and a cave in a pear tree. Had a great time!
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