The spring 2007 Newsletter
It’s a spectacular, sunny morning in Downtown Napa.
You and I are about to embark on a wine tasting extravaganza.
We will explore all the nooks and crannies of Napa and Sonoma.
The Z4 practically sparkles in the spring sun.
The top is down. It’s warm today.
Hop in. I’m taking you to some very special vineyards and wineries.
The trip is magic.
We will taste and taste and still keep our wits about us.
Your senses have never been so acute.
New tastes, discoveries and sensations await.
Enjoy your virtual Napa & Sonoma wine tasting tour.
Day One
With bottles of water and a simple picnic lunch in the cooler, we’re off. Day one of our three day Napa & Sonoma wine trip is underway.
From Back Room Wines, we head north to visit my new, favorite Napa Valley vineyards and wineries.
In the northwest corner of Napa, at the base of Mt. Veeder, is Hendry Vineyard, renowned for growing and making delicious, honest Zinfandel. I call the climate at Hendry perfectly average: not hot, not cool. The Zin from here is always bright, exotic and fresh. Let’s whet our palates with
HENDRY ZINFANDEL “Block 7” Napa Valley 2004 ($30). We smell and taste bing cherries, raspberry liqueur, allspice and violets. It’s a lovely, classic representation of Zinfandel.
From Napa we drive northeast toward Stag’s Leap District but stop just short. We climb up toward Atlas Peak then stop in a little pocket of Napa Valley where we find Beau Vigne. This rocky vineyard produces tiny grapes and wonderfully rich wine. BEAU VIGNE CABERNET SAUVIGNON “Reserve” Napa Valley 2004 ($85 net) is as lush, rich and dense as any Napa Cab we will
try on our trip. Never tried a mulberry? Try one, but be careful as they tend to stain the fingers. It’s sweet, seductive and thick. Try the wine now. Taste the mulberry? Also get the mocha, cassis and cedar. And what a finish! I counted 40 Mississippis of flavor. Impressive. 470 cases made.
We’re jazzed. The sun is high in the sky and we’re on to our next stop. We travel mid-Valley, along the diminutive Napa River, where the sandy soils and warm summer days make stellar Sauvignon Blanc. These are my favorite Napa white wines. BLOCKHEADIA RINGNOSII SAUVIGNON BLANC “All Tank” Napa Valley 2005 ($17) comes from both Yountville and St. Helena vineyards near the river. The wine is briefly aged in “All Tank,” i.e. there’s no oak influence here.
We pucker on first sip, then quickly get used to the sensation, like a swim in a cool lake. Green apples, lemon zinger candy and tangerine flavors come to mind. We grab the goat cheese from the cooler
and try it with the wine. At this moment, nothing could be better. 1400 cases made.
We don’t go far for our next stop...we could have walked.
We’re just south of St. Helena on the “Crocker Estate Vineyard” and this is the source for VOCES CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley 2003 ($36). As expected from Valley Floor Cab, the Voces is fruit forward, juicy and simply yummy. A minty, peppery nose leads to flavors of sweet summer cherries and cocoa. A wave of tannins on the end give the wine length and structure. Here, have a sip along with this rare beef tenderloin mini-sandwich. Pretty good, huh?
You want to taste more great Napa Cabernet? You got it. We head to the eastern hills again. Pope Valley is part of Napa Valley, but you’d hardly guess by appearances. It’s remote and sparsely populated. Howell Mountain stretches above us to the south. Many wineries get good Napa fruit here. Here for you is the best Pope Valley wine I’ve ever had, CRAUFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON “Tattoo - Maroon Vineyard” Napa Valley 2003 ($38). I’m tasting black currant, dark chocolate, woodsmoke, cola and vanilla. How about you? Besides big flavor, this Cab has impact...a kerpow of flavors and textures. I really dig this Cab, especially for the price.
Down the hill we go, and towards Calistoga. This is northern Napa Valley, as far as we can get from the bay. It gets hot here, as much as ten degrees hotter than south Napa. Jammy, super-fruity wines the norm in North Napa. Welcome to “Frediani Vineyard,” where T-Vine Cellars gets most of its fruit. Three reds to taste, all Napa Valley 2004’s: T-VINE MERLOT ($33), T-VINE ZINFANDEL ($33) and T-VINE SYRAH ($36). So much dark, rich fruit and succulence to enjoy. And velvety...in other words, smooooothe. I’ve turned more folks onto T-Vine wines than any other. Welcome to the club. Day One isn’t done...two more Napa Cabs to try...
We stay in the flat part of the Valley, for LARKMEAD CABERNET SAUVIGNON “Estate” Napa Valley 2004 ($55). This is unique, isn’t it? More Bordeaux style than the rest, I think. Lots of dark, yummy fruit for sure, but do you get some tobacco, black olive and even a little sauteed wild mushrooms? Sounds like a pretty good roast beef wine to me!
Now just a little ways up Diamond Mountain, to the west of the Valley Floor and just south of Calistoga. DIAMOND TERRACE CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley 2003 ($54) has been a favorite of mine since their stellar 1999. See what I mean when I say “Mountain Cab?” The flavor is more wild cherry than black cherry. The smell of truffle, earth and dry spice is strong. Most noticeable is the texture: the Diamond Terrace leaves your mouth a little more dry than our other Cabs today.
What a day. Rest up, for we have another doozy tomorrow.
Thoughts? E-Mail Us.
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Or call Back room wines. Toll Free: 877-322-2576
Day two
Gas tank is full and the windshield is spotless. Looks to be another postcard day for Wine Country. We head south, into the Carneros region. You’re looking at “Sangiacomo Vineyard.”
It’s pretty big. This section, just two miles from the town of Sonoma is the source for SOJOURN PINOT NOIR “Sangiacomo” 2005 (SOLD OUT). I’m a fan of this up-and-coming winery, and you can taste why. This Pinot Noir is voluptuous, palate-coating and rich. Would you say the berry flavors are red or black colored berries? I think more black. This will hold up to most any food I bet.
We’re heading north, away from the Bay. It warms up pretty fast (just like Napa Valley!). We’re back in Cab land, and this is the spot for SOJOURN CABERNET SAUVIGNON Sonoma Valley 2004 ($42). I just love the rich, seductive style of Sonoma Valley Cab. Big fruit for sure then layers of black olive, sweet earth and lite smoke. Delicious, and so easy to like. Bring a bottle to your next party and I betcha it’ll be sucked down fast.
Sonoma Valley runs parallel to Napa Valley with the Mayacamas Range dividing the two. Highway 12 runs up Sonoma Valley a la 29 in Napa. We take 12 from Sonoma to Glen Ellen, halfway up this valley, and wind our way up Sonoma Mountain. Our destination is “Farina Vineyard,” the source of SCHOLIUM PROJECT “CENA TRIMALCHIONIS” 2005 ($60 net). This is botrytis-affected, dry Sauvignon Blanc. It is the most special, unique, dazzling wine we have had, or will have, on our journey. I stretch my abilities to do this wine justice with descriptors, but I must try. The smell is of lemon oil, Reggiano Parmesan and fresh kumquat. Flavors are everywhere. Just for starters, notice the candied grapefruit, brine and pear liqueur. Funny, you think sweet yet it’s so dry. The finish is nutty and creamy like dry Oloroso Sherry. It is excessive, yet you want to drink the whole bottle. You taste so you know, and you want. You can appreciate the challenge to convince others that they will want more like you do now. Speaking of desire, I want white truffles to be in season now. The match is sublime. 175 cases made.
Let’s call it a day and grab an early dinner.
I have a couple of wines “from other parts” that I’d like you to try.
It sure got chilly once the sun set. Let’s go right to the reds, shall we?
SOTER PINOT NOIR “North Valley” Oregon 2005 ($36) is first in our Burgundy glass. Tony Soter, the founder of Etude Winery, is the mind behind. He just moved to Willamette Valley, and is making
top notch Oregon Pinot. Judging by this, he’s on the right track. Isn’t this wine pretty? Bright flavors, oodles of wild cherries, a whiff of vanilla-toast, silky...it’s perfect with my duck rillette appetizer.
Howz it goin’ with your tempura shrimp?
Yes, I’m a sucker for a good ‘n’ spicy Rhone. Robust and intense, but not too big nor overwhelming, so 
the food matches are many. My favorite (for the money) right now is this DOMAINE LA MILLIÈRE CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE “Cuvée Unique”
2004 ($25). The strawberry, tobacco, olive, plum...and so good with the food. Yum. I hope you’re a Rhone lover. If not, I’m drinking this whole bottle.
Thoughts? E-Mail Us.
Order? Try Here.
Or call Back room wines. Toll Free: 877-322-2576
Day three
I took it easy on you yesterday. Got you to bed early so you’d be ready for a humm-dinger tasting day. Bring your coffee and muffin along for the drive.
We’re heading to western Sonoma County. We’re maybe 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful, isn’t it? On a warm day like this, the convertible is dreamy. These rolling hills make some of the best Chards and Pinots in California, and thesenext two wines will explain through taste.
This is the OWL RIDGE CHARDONNAY Sonoma Coast 2004 ($30). Isn’t it wonderfully rich? To me, a superb California Chardonnay should be rich and creamy, AND ALSO be tangy, fresh and dry. Like the Owl Ridge here. Butter, lemon custard, cinnamon apple and peach you say? I agree. On the rare occasions I have lobster, I love a wine such as this.
OK, heres the WILLOWBROOK CELLARS PINOT NOIR “Estate” Russian River Valley 2004 ($32). (From the same vineyard as the Owl Ridge...it’s good to know that in this region, a winery may choose to put either Sonoma Coast or RRV on their label.) Intensity and delicacy in one seamless package make Russian River Pinots so wonderful. This is nice, really rich. What say you? Hard cherry candy nose, Indian spices, red roses, and super juicy? You’re on a roll. And a long, rich finish too. Lot of wine for the price, don’t you think?
Now we go inland a bit, away from the ocean and away from the river. This is still Russian River Valley, but it sure is a lot warmer. Zinfandel thrives here, especially the old vine Zin in these parts. This is gonna knock your socks off: GAMBA ZINFANDEL “Old Vine Estate” 2005 ($40 net). Teddy Roosevelt was President when these vines were planted! If you ever wondered why dudes like me say wines taste of liqueur, wonder no more. Here it is. Macerated mulberries and blueberries all mixed together. So intense, powerful and RIPE. Not very oaky. Are you OK? Is that a smile? A glow? More, you say?
Hop in, we’re going north. Not far, just twenty minutes up Highway 101 to Healdsburg. This quaint town separates two well known wine regions: Dry Creek Valley to the west and Alexander Valley to the east. And east we go.
Alexander Valley is best known for making solid, unremarkable wines. We shall enjoy two wines that buck this reputation. They are well beyond “just good.” Try this, TERISA CHARDONNAY Alexander Valley 2005 ($28). We expect rich and showy Chardonnays from here, and indeed the Terisa is all that. Now taste it again, and see if you think it’s special (like I do). The smell is particularly floral. Jasmine comes to mind. In the flavor, the pear, sweet butter, pineapple and grapefruit work together very well. At least I think so. By the look of you finishing that glass so quickly, I’m guessing you agree. For all its richness, it doesn’t finish heavy. We like that.
We’ve come to Blue Rock Vineyard, and this is the BLUE ROCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON Alexander Valley 2003 ($46). I’m a big fan of Blue Rock, every vintage. Surprised by the taste? It’s not a “typical” Alexander Valley soft, cushy Cab, is it? The blueberry, currant, pomegranate, sweet oak smell moves into flavors of BIG fruit, nice mineral notes, then a WHOP of tannins. We’re going to take this bottle with us and try it again later. As good as it is now, a few hours of air will make it even better.
The day is waning, so one last stop before I get you to the airport. Through Healdsburg and to the Dry Creek Valley, where we visit, and taste AMPHORA PETITE SIRAH “Mounts Vineyard” 2004 ($30). Felt it appopriate to leave you with a lasting impression, for better or for worse. Little shy on the nose...I mean, it doesn’t smell as strong as other wines we’ve had. I get black pepper, leather, a little soy sauce. Get ready now, cuz ohmygosh, what a taste! Lot of dark berry, very ripe flavors, sweet impressions but definitely dry. I’m glad you appreciate tannic wines since there’s a boatload of them in the Amphora. That’s “classic” Petite Sirah for you. All the fruit makes it all work, and it’s good. Very good. What have we here, a pulled pork sandwich? Thank goodness. I’m famished.
Great visit. Thanks for being my wine tasting partner.
Remember, you can buy all the wines you tasted at Back Room Wines!