Robert Biale Vineyards: History in a Bottle
Recently I needed to work with a physical therapist after a knee surgery. (Getting older isn’t easy on a body.) At that time, I had a great therapist in Calistoga, CA; and we started talking about wine (imagine that). She stated that her preference was Zinfandel. I got excited to share and asked. “Have you ever tried Biale?” She looked at me calmly and said, “Yes, that is my last name. My father is Robert Biale.” Embarrassed, I realized I had never looked at her last name. I quickly recovered and shared about my wine blog, my love of Black Chicken, and how I had written about it on the blog. More importantly, though, I told her how I had shared the wine with many, many friends over the years and bought more.
This “small world” experience encouraged me to put a return visit to Biale on my to-do list.
Pride Mountain Vineyards: A Gem on Spring Mountain
Pride Mountain Vineyards is a beautiful winery that delivers on great flavor and texture in your glass. Pride is located at 2000 feet high in the Mayacamas Mountains which separate Napa from Sonoma. Uniquely, the winery and the vineyards are located in both counties – in fact the county line runs through the vines and the caves.
This is a gorgeous place to visit. The winery was established in 1991 and the property has evolved since then. Originally, it was solely the vineyards; and today you can enjoy a beautifully situated tasting room and patio with a wide expanse of vines in sight. The wine caves have been an integral part of the hospitality tours and have yet to reopen since COVID. Visits, of course, are by appointment and there are various options to choose from before you get there. Today, you may still even set up a virtual visit after purchasing some wine through the winery.
Leviathan: Find It at a Great Price — $34!
Leviathan is a red blend made by Andy Erickson. He is a wonderful winemaker whose résumé includes Staglin, Screaming Eagle, Alpha Omega, and his current personal label Favia. He is one of the most sought after consultants in Napa Valley. Search his name, and you will be impressed with the wineries where he has had a hand in making the wine.
Leviathan 2018 is a red blend that consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Franc. It is accessible when you open the bottle yet shows more robustly with decanting. You will get aromas and flavors of boysenberry, black cherry, and plum. The grapes are harvested from various vineyards in the area and come together in a rich harmony.
Chenin Blanc: A Great Find in Napa Valley!
In my studies, I had read about the beauty of this varietal. It is very versatile as it is used in still wines, sparkling wines, dry wines, and sweet wines. It is diverse in its growing areas from Europe to South Africa. It is in fact the most grown white grape in South Africa where it is sometimes called Steen. The home of this grape is thought to be the Loire Valley of France, and it has been called the “most cerebral wine” when crafted in the appellation of Savennieres located in the Loire. I did not expect to find it as a dry white wine from Napa Valley!
The wine I’m talking about is a beauty crafted by Sean Capiaux and made into 100% Chenin Blanc under the label of TBD Wine (more to come about the label). He found the vineyard of 60-year old Chenin Blanc in Pope Valley. The wine was hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed. He fermented it in concrete and one French barrel. The wine saw no malolactic fermentation which allowed the wine to retain its natural acidity. This is a wonderful wine that is sleek and smooth on the palate with green apple, citrus, and hints of honey.
Bedrock Wine Company: Tasting on the Sonoma Square
Bedrock Wine Company is a relatively new winery (2007) yet with very deep roots in the business. Morgan Twain-Peterson is the owner/winemaker and began his journey being exposed to wine and wine tasting as a young boy. When he was five, he crafted his own Pinot Noir! He grew up with the wine business as his father is the founder of Ravenswood Winery. Morgan is distinct among winemakers in that he is a Master of Wine. This is an intense training program that requires several years of study. He is one of 45 MWs in the U.S. and is one of only two winemakers in California to carry that designation.
Bedrock is dedicated to preserving and rehabilitating old vineyards around California. This mission and vision contributes to the quality of the wine. Quality is what you will enjoy when you visit the tasting room located on the Sonoma Square. It is a peaceful, relaxing space to experience the well-made wines.
Leviathan: A $40 Red Blend Worth Twice as Much!
This evening I opened and decanted a young red blend named Leviathan. This is a 2016 wine that is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. This wine is made from grapes from some of the most coveted vineyards in Napa Valley by winemaker Andy Erickson. His is a name you should know and trust, as he is the winemaker behind some outstanding wines from Napa Valley. He and his wife, Annie, are the vintners for Favia; and he crafts Dalla Valle, Mayacamas, and Marciano — and I’m sure I’m missing others. He formerly made Screaming Eagle if you want more references. He is a masterful winemaker, and this bottle is wonderful.
Arista: A Gem in Healdsburg
Arista is a winery built from the ground up. Prior to 2002, the property was a private residence without vines, and the McWilliams family has turned it into an outstanding producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a family owned winery that has grown to be a contender for luscious Chardonnay and earthy, fresh Pinot Noir with thirty-six acres on property; only 10 are planted to vines. Nine acres are Pinot Noir and one is Chardonnay. In addition, they have several contracts with vineyards such as Ritchie and Ferrington, which put them in a great position to attain their goal of world-class wine production.
The grounds have an Asian flair and are well manicured and relaxing. The previous property owner loved his time in Japan, so he brought that home with him. The McWilliams chose to keep the touch, and it provides a beautiful setting for visitors to relax, picnic, and enjoy the sweeping landscape of vines and mountains. The property now is by appointment only, and visitors have many options to choose from including a 2-½ hour tasting that includes a five-course lunch prepared on site by their full time chef.
Amici Cellars: A New Find!
A few friends who loved Napa Valley wine decided to make their own — and started Amici Cellars in 1991. With that quiet beginning, they named the winery Amici, which means “friend” in Italian. The winery itself is located in Calistoga just a couple of miles past the center of town on Old Lalley/Toll Road. It is a rural setting with gorgeous views of the Palisades Mountain Range and sitting directly under Mount St. Helena. Easy to get to, it’s only a five minute drive from town and a delightful wine experience.
The tasting we experienced was set up outside in front of the guesthouse on a pleasantly warm Sunday afternoon. With the mountains in the background, our host Shawn took us through seven wines.
Washington Wines: A Real Value
A few years ago, I tasted a red blend from Washington State called Ursa. It was produced by a small winery named Baer Winery in Woodinville, WA. Interestingly, Ursa is Latin for the animal bear. The wine itself was a blend and a pure pleasure to drink. In fact, that year this wine was Wine Spectator’s #6 wine of the year. The price, at that time, was a mere $35 a bottle for an outstanding wine.
More recently, I purchased their 2010 Ursa for about the same price, and it scored 91 points. When Wine Spectator released their top 100 list again this year, Baer’s 2012 Ursa ranked at the #28 spot. I suspect there is a trend here. This is a consistently well-crafted wine that delivers year after year. Here is the best part – it is still available from the winery for shipment to most states. (Sorry, to my friends in PA!) I just searched their website to confirm, and they still have wine to sell and ship. Now is a great time as the weather is cool, and there is no concern regarding temperature.
Seghesio: A Bright and Fruity Wine at a Nice Price
The primary flavors of Zinfandel are jam, blackberry, black pepper, cherry and plum. You can even find boysenberry, cranberry and licorice in bottles as well. Sounds to me like a great party wine, and that season is just around the corner.
Seghesio is a great buy with a huge production that should not be missed. I have drunk many bottles of this wine. Seghesio has a tasting room in Healdsburg; and, if you ever get to that city, stop in and enjoy the tasting. If you can’t get to Healdsburg, you should you should be able to find this wine in several outlets. For the price, it is quite a delicious bottle.