Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate: A Class Act
There are over 500 wineries in the Napa Valley. You can walk in and taste the wine of almost 90 of those wineries; another 270 plus will welcome you by appointment. There is wide variability in what you can experience with each and every one of those tasting visits. This is a very good thing, as it begs us to explore.
This past week, that journey took us to a new and emerging winery in St. Helena named Bulgheroni Estate, and each aspect of the visit was executed with class. From the very beginning to end, it was gracious and relaxed, informative and interesting; and the wines – well they matched all aspects of the endeavor. They were well structured and balanced with expressive fruit and a long finish.
As we approached the winery to park, our host, Anthony, greeted us. He awaited our arrival with wine in hand to introduce us to the property, show us the vineyard and share the history of the setting. There were gorgeous rows of manicured vines spread out in a bucolic setting. This set the tone for our visit.
We walked through the winery to see many different types and sizes of fermentation tanks, and then we walked into the barrel room. All along the way, Anthony shared the history and the commitment of the owner, which is to produce world-class wine. Alejandro Bulgheroni is not new to the wine business, as he owns wineries across the globe. One thing is clear in his new venture in Napa – it is a commitment to quality. Every step of the way, it is done with class with the intent to produce extraordinary wines.
The wines we tasted were their cabernets from 2014. Anthony shared these with us in a relaxed, comfortable setting, allowing us to have our own experience of the wine. He is a certified sommelier, and that added to our appreciation of the tasting. These cabernets were rich and lush on the palate with great body and depth. The fruit from this vintage was purchased from top vineyards in the valley and is very approachable now. The 2015s will be from the property and available soon.
It is my reading from the Wine Advocate and Vinous that led me to this winery, and it was well worth the time. This is an ambitious enterprise that will only get better with each vintage as the top-flight team brings their energy to the property and the wine.
Enjoy!
