Kale Wines: The Next Chapter
I first met winemaker Kale Anderson at a wonderful wine experience hosted by Pahlmeyer Winery, where each participant was charged with crafting their own red blends out of Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It was challenging; yet Kale, who was the Director of Winemaking for Pahlmeyer, was there as a resource and guide. His knowledge was very apparent, and his willingness to share with us was a gift. Pahlmeyer was the next step in his journey and expression of the vine.
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.
Gallica: A Gem To Discover
Gallica is a small winery located in St. Helena, California (part of the Napa Valley). It is a gem worth revealing to your palate. The owner and winemaker is Rosemary Cakebread, who has produced beautiful wines that are truly worth discovering.
Just recently I had the pleasure to visit for a tasting and be hosted by Rosemary herself – quite the honor given my appreciation for her artistry in developing remarkable flavors in the bottle. Historically she was the winemaker for Spottswoode from 1997 to 2005. Her craftsmanship brought 100 point scores to the winery for their luscious Cabernet. To gain a greater appreciation for her journey, you can find my interview with her on this blog, published in 2015. Rosemary established the Gallica label with her first vintage being in 2007. The name Gallica is inspired by a variety of rose native to southern Europe, and it fits beautifully given the refined Cabernet Rosemary crafts with wonderful aromatics. I am certain she has never looked back given the success that she has had.
Hourglass Winery: Time Well Spent
Just recently I caught an article about the best caves in Napa Valley. The very first picture was of the cave at Hourglass Winery. “I’ve been there and have the same picture!” (That picture is below.) Yet that was not the purpose of the visit, it was for the wine. While the beauty of the valley is breathtaking, the wine, in my opinion, is a good part of the heart and soul of it. The winemaker of Hourglass is Tony Biagi, who continues to produce lovely, svelte wine of all varieties.
Access and arrival to the tasting is a bit scarred. The Glass Fire in 2020 had an impact on the production site, so the great beauty lies underground. Met by Marie outside, we had the pleasure to enter the cave and were seated in what you see below. It was a serene and quiet space where the wine itself spoke volumes. Our hostess took us through the wines, starting with the Sauvignon Blanc and progressing through the lovely reds. The standouts were the plush and velvety reds that make a bold statement of “Drink me!” Yes, each sip of the Cabernet called out for more; and this is a label I would highly recommend. The tasting included Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet as single varietal wines. Each was done with finesse and smoothness that is a calling card of the winemaker.
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.