Keever Vineyards: A Nice Visit and a Great Wine in Yountville
I have heard that the single best way to distinguish a well-crafted wine is that it beckons you back for another sip. Therein lies the “problem” with discovering that caliber of wine – you want to drink it! And darn it, there goes that desire to accomplish productive tasks right out the window!
This past weekend, I enjoyed one of those wines at Keever Vineyards located in Yountville, CA in the Napa Valley. Keever is a family-owned winery that produces cabernet from six acres of vineyards right there at the estate. This is a small production winery that takes pride and care in each step of the process. The winemaker is Celia Welch who is one of my favorite winemakers in Napa Valley. She delivers quality with all that she touches.
Vintner’s Collective in Napa — A Must Visit!
One of the challenges when visiting Napa is deciding what wineries to visit for a tasting. According to the Napa Valley Vintners website, there are nearly 500 wineries in the valley. This is a massive challenge to sort through. (Trust me though, I am working on it!) Not all wineries are open to the public to visit. Based on production, demand, overhead, and winery licenses, the ability to visit is subject to restrictions. Building and hosting a tasting room adds costs that many cannot afford.
There are actually four categories that wineries fit into. Here are the first three: 1) Open to the public — these tastings are predominately at a walk-in bar with a price for a flight of wines; 2) By appointment only — these experiences range from a sit-down with a flight of wines and a host all the way to a cave tour and/or a tasting with food; 3) Not open at all to the public — these are usually highly allocated wines at wineries that have no interest in providing tastings or wineries that have too small a production or are too young to afford hosting the public.
Fortunately, there is a fourth category of tasting experience, which is a setting where wineries group together to share their wines with the public. That is where Vintner’s Collective in downtown Napa shines.
Kelly Fleming Wines: A Calistoga Gem
Just a short drive off the Silverado Trail near Calistoga, California, you will find Kelly Fleming Winery. It is a gorgeous setting, and the property itself includes almost 300 acres. Only 12 acres are planted to vines, and they are all cabernet sauvignon. The flagship wine from this winery is a deep, rich, and graceful cabernet that in 2010 alone garnered a 95-point rating from The Wine Advocate. Antonio Galloni’s review of this wine is included for you below.
On this day in winter, we drove up Pickett Road – no more than 5 minutes from the Silverado Trail – and found a beautiful setting in one of the canyons of Calistoga. The architecture of the winery is gracefully done in stone. It is beautiful elegance. The building sits back among the vines and provides a peaceful setting. Lili Shariati, our hostess for the visit, provided us with the history of the property and a perspective of the winery philosophy. She was well informed and engaging making for a very pleasurable experience.
Ovid Wine: A Class Act
We spent this past week relaxing and enjoying the Napa Valley. It was time to explore and discover new wines and tasting experiences, and one of the stops was at Ovid Napa Valley. This is an absolutely beautiful property and a wonderful wine, which are well worth the time and money to experience. The setting is magnificent on top of Pritchard Hill, and you’ll pass by several other well known wineries on your way to Ovid. The expanse of the valley is in full view from the patio and is simply gorgeous. We were told that on a clear day, you can see all the way to downtown San Francisco. I frankly prefer to see vineyards over buildings, but this gives you a sense of the expanse of the view. (Check this out in the pictures below.) The structure itself is state of the art – set up to move the wine from crush to barrel via gravity flow. This is an innovative property that has been set up to honor the setting and the land.
If you get the sense I am going on about the setting – well, I am. It was exquisite, and the tasting itself was classy with great attention to detail. As we walked into the tasting room, our names were on the chalkboard welcoming us to our visit. We were given a tour of the property including the crush pad, the lab, and the barrel room. Our host was very gracious and knowledgeable.
“Erna Schein” Petite Sirah — a Real Wow!
Just the other night, I opened a bottle of Petite Sirah. It was an Erna Schein 2005. Now, I realize that neither Petite Sirah nor Erna Schein are household names for many, so let me just say that both are well worth the time and journey. This bottle was well aged and well stored in the cellar. Upon opening, it provided a deep rich nose and, in the glass, an inky, almost purple hue. With richness and depth, this wine was a sheer pleasure.
Two questions may arise: Who is Erna Schein and what is Petite Sirah? Let me answer the second first. Petite Sirah is not the same as Syrah, yet it is related. At one time, it was thought to be unrelated. Thanks to the work of Dr. Carole Meredith (who makes a great Syrah under the label of Lagier-Meredith) at the University of California–Davis, the mystery was put to rest through the use of DNA research. Dr. Meredith determined that 90 percent of the Petite Sirah found in California is really Durif, a grape developed in France in the 1880s. While the grape never caught on in France, it made its way to and was planted in California early in the 20th century and referred to by most growers as Petite Sirah. It is known for its dark hue and firm tannins and is used often in blending wine to give color and structure. On its own it can make a hearty, age-worthy wine.
Update on B Cellars — 92 Point Score from Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator just released its score for B Cellars’ 2010 “Blend 24 Napa Valley,” and it scored 92 points!
Since I just posted about B Cellars last week, I wanted to share this news with you. The 2010 “Blend 24 Napa Valley” costs about $51, and 1600 cases were made.
B Cellars: Blending for Excellence in Calistoga
High up on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley, just before you get to Calistoga, there is a small winery named B Cellars. It is a young enterprise (started in 2003) yet is quickly garnering a reputation. I was curious. I had never had their wines, but it piqued my interest based on a rating that I had read on one of the wines. The obvious path was to set an appointment.
That day, I was very surprised to step into a clean and modern, yet cabin-like tasting room. Check out the pictures of the interior. It was very nice. There was a porch area where guests can do their tastings. As we stood at the bar to start our tasting, we enjoyed a white blend. To my knowledge, there are not a lot of white blends, yet that is the signature of B Cellars — to produce great wines with depth of flavor by blending varietals and wine lots to achieve quality wines during each vintage. I was impressed by the blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier, with each varietal imparting different flavors and delivering balance. It was very nice; and, of course, I had to purchase some for home.
Turley Wine Cellars: A $22 Zinfandel and Now Open in Amador County!
My first experience with Zinfandel left me wanting a cabernet. Many I tried were very single dimension, high alcohol with little depth. I never had much appreciation for prunes, and many were reminiscent of that flavor profile. That is until I met Turley. Smooth, rich and easy drinking with more complex flavors – my Zin relationship changed for good, and I wanted to have more.
Larry Turley founded Turley Wine Cellars in 1993. Turley produces terroir-driven single vineyard Zinfandels & Petite Syrahs from some of the oldest and most historic vineyards in California. Each terroir lends its own character to the wines, and they are given separate labels according to the location of each vineyard. With the purchase of Karly in Plymouth, CA, the vineyards are now located in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, Howell Mountain, Contra Costa, and Amador. In fact, at last count, there were 26 vineyard-specific Zinfandels to enjoy.
Seavey Vineyard: Tucked Away and Worth the Drive
Picturesque views, mountainsides and vines, Seavey Vineyard is tucked out of the way and well worth the time to journey to Conn Valley to visit. The wines are the main event with great structure and a minerality that runs through the line-up. This is red territory, so there is not a white to be found — just be prepared for well-crafted wine that will age very gracefully. I opened their 2007 Cabernet a while ago; and, quite frankly, it knocked my socks off. Smooth, rich and complex, it was a delight to drink. I had to go back again to explore more.
“Went to a Garden Party” — No Ricky Nelson, but Great Wine at Spottswoode!
The story behind Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery tells the story of a remarkable journey, to say the least. It’s a world-class winery as the result of dedication, drive, and hard work. Mary Novak is worthy of anyone’s respect given the challenges she faced to bring this vineyard and winery to fruition, making it one of the most notable names in the Valley. Having moved to Napa in the early ‘70s with her husband, just five years later, she found herself facing the future alone with five children to raise. Shortly after the start of their journey together in the valley, her husband Jack suddenly passed. Her decision was to stay, raise her family in St. Helena, and build the winery. And we are all glad she did.
Last year, Mary and her family celebrated their 30/40 anniversary — forty years since they arrived to restore the property and thirty years since their first wine, a cabernet sauvignon, was produced. This winery has developed a fine history of accomplishment.