Through the Eyes of the Winemaker: Rosemary Cakebread
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Rosemary Cakebread, winemaker and owner of Gallica Wine. This was a chance to gain insights into the “drivers,” the perspective and spirit, of a great winemaker. Rosemary holds a degree in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California at Davis and has put her education to work for over 30 vintages in Napa Valley. Her background is rich and varied, from a harvest in Bordeaux to working with sparkling wine at Mumm Napa Valley. She was the winemaker at Spottswoode, one of the iconic wineries of Napa Valley. Rosemary led the winemaking effort at Spottswoode from 1997 until 2007 and consulted through the 2012 vintage.
In 2007, Rosemary launched her own label. Gallica 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon was introduced to the wine buying public in 2010, and it was a stunner. The very first vintage of her wine was well-received, to say the least. Robert Parker gave it 99 points, truly a great beginning. While Cabernet is a varietal Rosemary is very familiar with, in more recent vintages, she has explored other wines. I have enjoyed her Grenache blend called Suzuri; and, with the 2012 vintage, she released a Syrah.
A Tasting to Be Remembered
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a tasting that was pricey but well worth the time and money. It was in St. Helena at the wine store located in Dean & DeLuca’s. Being in the heart of the Napa Valley, there are many gems that are worthy of note. This tasting opportunity arrived, and I jumped at it.
Here is the line-up of wines that I was given the chance to taste:
Mi Sueño — My Dream
While Napa Valley has grown, there is still an interesting fact that remains true: 95% of Napa Valley wineries are family-owned. This is an amazing fact when considering that the number of wineries in the valley is over 400. In an even smaller number of wineries, the owner and winemaker are one and the same. Such is true for Mi Sueño: Rolando Herrera is both proprietor and winemaker.
I first drank Rolando’s wine when visiting Vintner’s Collective – a small boutique tasting room in the heart of the city of Napa. It is here where I was impressed with the richness, lushness, and balance of his big cabernets. The cabernet, though, is only one of the excellent wines that Rolando crafts. The line-up of Mi Sueño includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. All are well-structured and a pleasure to drink.
Chappellet Winery on Pritchard Hill: Come for the Wine and Stay for the View
Just recently, I visited Chappellet Winery. Chappellet is located high on Pritchard Hill and was the second winery to make its home there. This winery is truly a family affair, as the Chappellets have resided and grown vines here since 1967. They are most known for their cabernets, which have great depth and concentration.
Pritchard Hill is situated in the Vaca Mountains, which are on the eastern side of Napa Valley and have elevations of 700-2,000 feet. This height allows the vines early morning sun with more moderate temperatures. For the grapes, it provides a wonderful environment to develop deep flavors. For us – it is a setting that provides great views.
Biale’s Black Chicken: This Bird Can Party!
Zinfandel can be many things; yet, for me, it was once a little known varietal. I did not appreciate its multitude of expressions. Well, that was before Biale’s Black Chicken. I remember the bottle and that vintage where I first met this party animal, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
It was the 2004 Biale Black Chicken. Previously, I had dismissed Zinfandel as a big fruity wine with a single note. It all changed when I met this bird. It was amazingly fresh; there was depth of flavor and a degree of complexity and richness I had not discovered before in this varietal. I kept buying it vintage after vintage and sharing the gem with my friends. Trust me, I sold a lot of this wine – no commission – just the pleasure of knowing my friends were enjoying a great wine with a modest price.
Buccella: Industrial on the Outside, Luxurious on the Inside
The Buccella tasting room can be found in the southern tip of Napa Valley, located in an industrial setting. It was only recently that the tasting room has been open to visit. This is an appointment-only tasting and well worth the effort and time. Do not go looking for vineyard or mountain views — this is a stop to experience the wine, learn about Buccella’s wine making philosophy, and taste through some beautiful wines hosted by Gwen who leads their hospitality team. She is knowledgeable about the winery and will walk you through the richness of the experience. The tasting room itself is lovely and well appointed. Check out the pictures for an up close and personal view.
Go with “Pride”
This past Sunday, we enjoyed a ride up the mountain to tour and taste at Pride Mountain Vineyards. This famous winery is located atop Spring Mountain and provides glorious views of Mount St. Helena and the Mayacamas Range. The expanse of vines provides picture perfect scenery for the photographer in you. Many times I have visited and never tire of the beauty of the setting.
While I am doing my best to explore the 500 wineries in Napa County and almost 450 in Sonoma County (yes, that is a lot), there is one winery I always seem to come back to — and that is Pride Mountain Vineyards. It is the winery I have the longest history with and always enjoy visiting. The people are gracious, the views are lovely and the wine – oh, yes, the wine is quite pleasurable to drink.
Napa: Press On!
I am a native Californian and have grown up with earthquakes. I learned how to seek shelter under a table or stand in the doorway, because doorways are the last to fall. I am sure this sounds strange to many of my friends across the states. We have learned, as natives of the state, to take it in stride – no different than folks who live in areas of other natural disasters. Even so, it is a tragedy to see cracks in roadways, fallen bricks, and damage to homes and businesses as a measure of the magnitude of force that exists in nature.
Many people were injured this past Sunday when the 6.1 earthquake hit in American Canyon, which is the city just south of the city of Napa. I am sure that all saw the pictures of fallen buildings, damaged facades of old structures, and some fires as a result of gas leaks. The pictures of broken bottles and fallen barrels filled the TV screens. What we are fortunate for is that, for all the energy that was unleashed with the movement of earth, there were no fatalities. I know that is not the only measure of the extent of damage from an event, yet it is very lucky. Sympathies are extended to those who were hurt, and we all know that if the quake had hit in the daytime, the loss of life and the number of injured would have been much greater. That it did take place in the middle of the night is a blessing. Still many people have been injured and suffered. The loss of a home is a horrible experience. Again, sympathies to each for your loss and the challenges you must bear on the road back.
Hot Summer — Cool, Refreshing White Wine!
The forecast for the West Coast is hotter than usual. By now, that is no surprise for many who live here. The thermometer has been over 100 degrees in Sacramento several days this summer, and it is only July. Hot daytime temperatures make us all a little thirsty. A great, refreshing white to “pound on down on the patio” is Pinot Grigio, as the Italians call it. It is also known as Pinot Gris in other parts of the world. In fact, this little grape is produced all around the world and has many different titles depending on whether you are in France, Germany, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or Australia. This is a lovely white wine that hails from around the world.
The Pinot Grigio I’d like to tell you about today is grown in Napa. It’s lightly honeyed, with a hint of spice and minerality. It’s darn good and refreshing! It is the perfect apéritif to start the evening and set up the palate for dinner or simply to enjoy in the afternoon with no food at all. I unfortunately have drunk all that we bought and must go back for more.
“100 Barrels of Wine…”
The barrel tasting at Auction Napa Valley, hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners, is a special opportunity to taste many remarkable wines, all while supporting many great charitable organizations. Last week, I wrote about the auction and promised to follow-up with a post about some of the specific wines. Here we go…
Each of the participating wineries donates 10 cases of wine — one for each of the 10 highest bidders on this day, for delivery in the future. There are 100 barrels to taste from and make a bid on for a case (12 bottles). The proceeds from the barrel auction go to charities in Napa Valley.