Wayfarer Pinot Noir — The Road to Take!
I recently opened a Pinot Noir that literally stopped me in my tracks. The sweet fruit aromas wafted from the glass and the flavors sailed on through the finish. The aromas and flavors were so compelling that it truly deserved my full attention. The finish sailed on for over a minute and left me really wanting more. It was truly beautiful. This Pinot Noir was a standout.
Wayfarer Vineyards is the baby of Jayson Pahlmeyer who truly has a passion for Burgundian wines. The vineyard itself was brought to Jayson’s attention by Helen Turley and planted by David Abreu. It is located in the Sonoma Coast hills less than five miles from the ocean and bears some gorgeous fruit. The proprietor of the winery now is Cleo Pahlmeyer, Jayson’s daughter.
Rivers-Marie: First Class Wine and Service
Located in the quaint town of Calistoga, Rivers-Marie is a must visit. That is a bold statement yet the wine, the tasting room and the staff are all worthy of that. First and foremost, this is the home of Thomas Rivers Brown’s personal label. He is one of the most highly regarded winemakers in the valley. His credits are wines such as Outpost, Schrader, Maybach, Mending Wall, Pulido-Walker, Hestan, and so on. He has twenty-five 100 point scores for the Cabernets he has crafted and, simply put, that is a record in the valley. All this alone should lead you to taste his personal label wines that do not disappoint.
Secondly, the staff that support this winery are top notch. They are professional, learned and talented. The space is open and expansive as you sit in a wide open space with glass doors at both ends of the tasting room. You can see out to the back which is a private farm (in process of updates). There is a live wall which brings nature in, and all is done in very comfortable seating.
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.
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.
Smoke Taint in 2020: What Does It Mean?
The fires are out, hopefully, for the season. Rain has returned to Northern California, and yet there are scars of the fires visible – most notable in the north end of the Napa Valley. The blazes have left their mark; and, all told, 30 wineries have been impacted. Some burned completely like Chateau Boswell. Others lost buildings or vineyards. The sentiment in the valley is “Napa Strong – come back better than ever.” The question for the consumer, though, has got to be: What can be expected of the wines?
The first questions to answer are: 1) What is smoke taint, and 2) How does it impact the vines? Smoke from a fire enters through the leaves and vine stems. It also is absorbed through the grape skin itself. The grapes are most susceptible during the period post-veraison. (Veraison is the stage of the ripening process when the firm, green berries begin to soften and change color.) The closer it gets to harvest, the greater the risk to the grapes. At this time, the volatile phenolic compounds found in smoke permeate the waxy skin of the grape and become bound to sugars forming glycosides. Very little smoke gets concentrated into the pulp of the grape. Smoke does not enter through the soil or roots.
“Zoom In” on Winemaker Julien Fayard
This coming Saturday, April 25, there is an opportunity to sit at home and engage with one of my very favorite winemakers, Julien Fayard. Please read on for details and how to RSVP.
Julien has 20 years of winemaking experience starting in Provence, to Lafite Rothchild and Smith Haut Laffite prior to coming to Napa. Once here in the states, he worked along side Phillipe Melka. Many folks describe his work as bringing French finesse to making Napa wine. He has a deft touch in bringing great wine to life as a reflection of the grape and terrior.
Stunning Reds from Blankiet
Sometimes it is just appropriate to enjoy world class red wine. Such is the case at Blankiet Estate (pronounced Blănk-ē-ā) in Yountville, California. This winery does things to extract the most flavor and deliver smooth texture in each bottle of wine. It starts with the management in the vineyard and extends through each step of the harvest to cellaring.
Our visit to Blankiet was impressive as the views are simply gorgeous. The winery sits on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains that create part of the western edge of the Napa Valley. The ride up from Highway 29 was a gentle slope up a gravel road. The approach to the winery was a bit deceptive as the winery itself is contained in a cave that is well carved from the mountain, not visible from the road. From the road, all you see are vineyards.
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.
ZD Wines: A New Perspective!
Just the other day I was doing some “heavy” lifting, picking up some orders I had placed on line for wine at properties in Napa Valley. It was a tough day, yes; but someone has to do it! I drove up Spring Mountain to Pride and to Spottswoode in St. Helena. With all that work, I knew I needed a tasting. It was that time of the day!
ZD Wines came into sight as I came northbound on the Silverado Trail. As my memory served me, it was a winery that did not require an appointment; so I pulled right on in. Upon walking into the tasting room, it was clear a lot had changed since my last visit. The front tasting area was now expansive with an open glass wall to the barrel room. The entire area was modern with a bar to the side. Real renovation had taken hold.
Through the Eyes of the Winemaker: Featuring Bob Bolan
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Bob Bolan, the winemaker for Bremer Family Winery. These are unique opportunities to learn and see wine through the lens of the winemaker. What do they see? What do they consider in making wine that is a joy to drink, share, and remember? It also allows for an appreciation and understanding of what brought them to this passion. It is a real moment to capture new insights and understandings.
Bremer is one of the fine wineries on Howell Mountain near Saint Helena within the Napa Valley. Rich, textured, deep flavored Cabernets are the hallmark of this AVA (American Viticultural Area). The Howell Mountain AVA is unique in that one of its defining characteristics is altitude. To be included in this AVA, your vineyards must be above 1400 feet. Most vines in this AVA are planted between 1400 and 2200 feet. This is real mountain fruit that provides great depth of flavor.