California Dreaming Winery Tour: Part Two, Selected Wineries in Napa and Sonoma
3rd Stop: Napa Valley
Beaulieu Vineyard Winery – Reserve tasting room
2005 Reserve Tapestry $60 Bordeaux mix of Cab S, Merlot, Cab F, Petit Verdot, and Malbec
Garnet red. Rich cassis nose with oak undertones and dark brambly fruit. Nicely balanced midpalate of dark fruit (esp. cassis) smooth tannins and nice refreshing acidity. Medium-long finish of juicy blackberries.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Ranch 1 Cab S and Merlot $65
Deep garnet red. Acidic nose of cassis, oak, and dark fruit. Bright midpalate of silky tannins dark fruit and acidity. Long finish of dark fruit finish with tingly and grippy tannins. Big finish.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Ranch 2 100% Cab S $65
Deep garnet red. Nose of rich dark fruit with some cassis. Midpalate of rich dark fruit (better than Ranch 1) smooth tannins and balancing acidity. Medium-long finish with a nice spicy tingle at the end.
2005 BV Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $115
Deep Garnet – darkest of the BV cabs. Oaky nose with dark fruit and some leather. Blackberries and black raspberries on the midpalate balanced by powerful but silky tannins and refreshing acidity. Nice finish of dark fruit and acidity that was medium-long.
1997 BV Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $175 (Library wine)
Garnet red with slight fade to orange at edge. Still looks youthful. Gorgeous earthy nose of dark fruit, cassis and a hint of leather. Delicious sweet dark fruit on the midpalate with luxurious but powerful tannins, and juicy acidity for wonderful mouth feel. Medium-long finish of dark fruit slowly transforming to grippy tannins at the end. Really fine wine.
2006 Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir $45
Earthy cherry nose with a hint of strawberries. A midpalate of red fruit, refreshing acidity, and slick tannins. A medium-long finish of sparkling tart cherries with tingly little bursts at the back of the tongue.
Final decision: Purchased 1 reserve Pinot Noir. What can I say? I am a pinotphile.
St. Supery Winery
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
Light straw. Grassy lemon fruit nose with a touch of cat pee. Sweet grapefruit, kiwis, and lemon grass on the midpalate, very light tannins, and cleansing acidity. Great balance and long finish of fruit and acidity. Nice Sauvignon blanc.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Garnet red with no fade. Rich nose of earthy cassis and a touch tobacco. Midpalate of dark fruit, acidity and tingly tannins. Medium long finish of acidic dark fruit. Good sipper.
2005 Dollar Hide Limited edition. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deep garnet red with no fade. Cassis with some black raspberry on the nose. Big midpalate with generous fruit, grippy tannins with balancing acidity. Medium long finish of dark fruit of acidity. Medium to full bodied wine that should be good with food.
2005 Elu’ Bordeaux blend
Garnet red with no fade. Cassis nose with some leather notes. Round and silky midpalate with nice tannins and enough refreshing acidity to balance out the wine. Medium long fruity finish changing into some nice tannins grabbing the back of the tongue.
2004 Elu’ Bordeaux blend 66% Cab S, 23% Merlot, 8% Cab F, 1% Petit verdot
Garnet red with little fade. Dark fruit predominates on the nose with some whiffs of cassis and leather. Bright dark fruit on the midpalate with round tannins and juicy acidity. Finish is long acidic fruit with good sipping quality.
2007 Moscato
Pale yellow. Rich nose of peaches and apricots with undertones of passion fruit. Rich apricots on the midpalate that seamlessly melds into a long fruity finish of sweet fruit. Clean, fresh and refreshing dessert wine that would be great with apricot squares. I thought this was the best of the St. Supery wines I tasted.
Final Decision: I purchased 3 bottles of moscato as it is an unusually clean and pure fruit dessert wine.
Patz and Hall Winery tasting, reservation required
This was a tutored tasting with food. Food plate consisted of two fruit compotes one dark raisin based and one golden raisin based, Alta, an Italian cow’s milk cheese, mushrooms, wo types of almonds, one smoked and one with herbs, and a chocolate truffle.
2006 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay, Mendocino $60
Light Straw. Light nose of oak and light peach. Peachy midpalate with nice balancing acidity. Medium finish of acidic fruit. Nice sipper.
With food:
Golden raisin compote overpowers wine as does the cheese.
2006 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay $55
Light straw. Light fruity nose of apricots. More fruity than the Alder springs. Nice apricoty midpalate with a medium-long finish. Great sipper.
With food: Nice with the smoked almonds. Golden raisin compote overpowers wine. Earthiness of cheese is enhanced by the wine.
2006 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay $60
Pure straw color. Oaky nose with peaches and apricots. A more structured midpalate than the other chardonnays with nice peachy fruit with a bit of earthiness and a medium long fruit finish. Strikes me as a good food wine.
With food: Good match with golden raisin compote as it has enough fruit to stand up to the compote. Nice with mushrooms that bring out the earthiness of the wine. Great with smoked almonds.
2006 Hyde Pinot Noir 14.8% abv $60
Ruby red. Nice earthy/forest floor nose. Smooth tannins flow into earth, cherries, and a hint of red raspberries on the nicely acidic midpalate. Medium finish of red fruit. Tasty sipper.
With food: Really nice with dark raisin compote that brings out earthiness of the wine. Also great with the spiced almonds with the wine bringing out the cinnamon and nutmeg spices.
2006 Chenoweith Ranch Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 14.6% abv $55
Dark ruby. Oaky nose with dark red fruit notes. Nice midpalate with dark sweet fruits and bit of mocha chocolate. Medium long finish of dark fruit with a bit of chocolate at the end.
With food: Great with a chocolate truffle. Some spiciness in the wine is brought out by the spicy almonds. Cheese match just OK as it overpowers the wine a bit. With mushrooms the fruitiness of the wine is enhanced. Good with the dark raisin compote but it is like with like.
2006 Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir 14.6% abv $80
Dark ruby red. Rich fruity nose with oak overtones. Rich red cherries on the midpalate with overtones of white pepper. Nice finish refreshing red fruit acidity.
With food: OK with dark raisin compote but overpowers the wine a bit. Cheese match also OK but cheese is a bit strong for the wine. Really delicious match with the mushrooms as this produces a nice earthy fruit taste. Spicy nuts are the best match as this gives a sweet fruit and bit of spice taste to the wine. Nice with the chocolate truffle but not as good as with the Chenoweith. Overall I like this pinot the best of the Patz and Hall pinots.
No wines purchased because I thought they were overpriced.
Sterling Winery
This winery is a good one to visit as a tourist because of the scenic ride up the hill in the tram and the great views of the Napa valley and surrounding hills from the winery at the top of the hill. However, I did not like the rather industrial strength tasting room that seemed geared more toward moving people through than giving you an enjoyable tasting experience.
2007 Cellar Club Pinot Gris 14.5% abv
Pale yellow. Pineapples and pine resin on the nose. Luscious midpalate with spicy pineapple and refreshing acidity. Medium finish of spicy fruit and tingly acidity at the end. Very good pinot gris even though I am not a big fan of this grape.
2006 Cellar Club Sangiovese 14.2% abv
Garnet red. Oaky nose with a hint of redfruit mostly red raspberry. A bit oaky on the midpalate with fruit and tangy tannins showing up as the oak dissipates. Medium finish of red fruit. A bit too oaky for my tastes.
2005 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 14.5% abv
Dark ruby red. Cassis and rhubarb on the nose. Nice smooth, round midpalate with balance between the black cherry fruit, smooth tannins, and balancing acidity. Medium long finish of spicy plums and clean acidity with a bit of tannin tang at the end.
2004 Reserve Cabernet 14.5% abv
Deep garnet red. Oaky nose with cassis underlaid with dark fruit. Rich midpalae with dark bramble fruit, big grippy tannins, and juicy acidity. Medium long finish with juicy acidity, dark bramble fruit and a bit of spiciness. Really nice sipper.
2007 Cellar Club Malvasia Blanc 3% residual sugar
Pale yellow. Rich peachy nose with undercurrents of spices especially rosemary and savory. Great midpalate of apricots, nice acidity and minimal tannins. Medium length finish of peaches and cream. Quite nice but a bit short on structure. More front and back palate than anything else.
No wines purchased from Sterling. Nothing really struck me as that great.
Overnight we stayed at the Geyserville Inn in Northern Sonoma, a nice affordable place. Thanks for the recco, Hoke. We ate at the Santi Restaurant in Geyserville, and we had a delicious meal.
Stop 4: Sonoma
Ferrari-Carano Winery
2006 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley 14.4% abv $38
Ruby red with slight fade at the edge. Cherries with earth on the expressive nose. Nice light pinot with tingly acidity, tart cherries and smooth tannins on the midpalate.Medium finish of acidic fruit. This tasting was conducted by a sommelier (Elizabeth) who said the 2006 season was short due to spring rains and bud burst was delayed until late April.
2005 Sangiovese, Alexander Valley 14.3% abv $26.00
Garnet red with just a slight fade to the edge. Earthy mushrooms, barnyard and dark fruit on the nose. Earthy dark fruit on the midpalate with substantial tannins and refreshing acidity. Medium long finish of acidic fruit ending in a tannic glow. Nice big sangiovese that is probably a good food wine. Elizabeth says the fruit for this wine came from a dry farmed vineyard and the wine is a bit rustic.
2005 Tresor, Sonoma County, 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 8% Cab Franc, 6% Petit Verdot 14.5% abv $58.00
Deep garnet red. Enjoyable earthy cassis nose with blackberry notes. midpalate of cassis, black raspberry, smooth well-integrated tannins and nice juicy acidity. Long finish of dark fruit to a slightly bitter tannic fade. Medium to full bodied. Strikes me as a good food wine.
2004 Prevail West Face, Alexander Valley 70% Cabernet sauvignon, 30% syrah. 14.9% abv. $55
Deep garnet red. Rich cassis nose with some earthy and oaky notes. Beautiful midpalate feel of velvety but powerful tannins, cassis and dark fruit, and balancing acidity. A medium long finish of black fruit and tannic tingle. Well balanced wine that is drinking very nicely, thank you. Great sipper that would also go well with a marinated rib steak hot off the grill.
Final verdict: I bought 3 Tresors and 3 Prevails (pleasure for the palate, bad for budget).
Segeshio Winery
Arneis 2008
Pale yellow. Expressive nose of pineapple and ripe honeydew melon. Bright ripe paw-paw fruit (sort of banana-pineapple for those who have never tasted the native paw-paws) with nice refreshing acidity. A medium finish of fresh apricots. Really nice expression of an Italian wine variety that I had never tried before. I was tempted to buy it had I not just broken the budget at Ferrari-Carano.
2007 Costiera Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Ruby red. Oaky nose with red fruit notes. Cherry cola on the midpalate with smooth tannins and good acidity. Medium finish of red fruit and bit of lingering oak.
2006 Cortina 100% Zinfandel 15.2% abv
Garnet red with a slight fade to the edge. Bramble fruit on the nose, especially black raspberry. Gorgeous midpalate of juicy dark fruit nicely balanced with acidity and tannins. Medium long finish of dark fruit and spice.
2006 Block 8 Zinfandel with 5% petit sirah15.7% abv
Dark garnet red. Deep nose of sweet dark fruit (especially blackberry) with a touch of earthiness. Great bramble fruit on the midpalate with fresh acidity and just enough tannin to balance it out. Medium long finish of dark acidic fruit that ends with a sprinkle of black pepper.
2005 Home Ranch Zinfandel (5% petite sirah) 15.3% abv
Garnet red with little fade to the edge. Dark fruit nose with jammy black raspberry coming through loud and clear. Sweet blackberry and other brambly fruit on the midpalate with good acidity and smooth tannins to balance out the wine. Medium to long finish of sweet dark fruit with a bit of acidity to tingle the back of the tongue. Probably the best Zin of the group.
2005 Home Ranch Petite Sirah
Dark garnet red, almost black with no fade! Shy nose of dark fruit and a hint of earth. Gorgeous midpalate of sweet dark fruit, big grippy tannins, and clean acidity. Medium to long finish of drying tannins and fruit. Probably the best food wine.
J Winery
2006 J Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Medium ruby red with a fade to dark orange at the edge. Oaky nose with an undercurrent of cherry. Sweet cherries on the midpalate with a nice layer of tannins and acidity. The medium long finish of cherries slowly changes to and acidic alcohol fade.
2005 J Pinot Noir, Robert Thomas Vineyard
Medium ruby red. Smoky, oaky nose. Midpalate has juicy sweet cherries with smooth tannins and bright acidity. Medium finish of cherries.
2004 J Zinfandel, Russian River Valley
Garnet red with no fade. Deep oaky nose with nutmeg and dark fruit nuances. Nutmeg and sweet dark fruit with smooth tannins and just enough acidity to balance. Medium finish of sweet brambly fruit.
2006 J Pinotage, Russian River Valley
Garnet red with slight fade to the edge. An intriguing earthy spicy nose with nice mint and an underlay of fruit. Rich barnyard midpalate with sweet dark fruit, mint and balancing tannins and acidity. A medium finish of fruit and earth.
1999 J Vintage Brut, Russian River Valley
Bright yellow. Nice nutty, yeasty nose with a layer of toasty oak. Gorgeous midpalate with layer of flavor that include bright oranges and lemons, bake apples, tingly tannins, and refreshing acidity. Medium long finish of toast and fruit and lingering acidity that adds a juicy and mouth watering finish. Nice structure and complexity for a sparkling wine. One of the best sparkling wines I have ever tasted and I am not a big sparkling wine fan.
Conclusion: I bought ($50) a bottle of the 1999 Brut, to toast my wife, Betty, on our 25th wedding anniversary because that was the reason for our trip.
Favorite CA wineries to visit and taste: Clos Pepe Estates (great tour with fine pinots and olive oil), Tablas Creek Winery (best Rhone wines), and Ferrari-Carano Winery (fine wines and a great garden).