Monday, March 29, 2010

Rombauer Vineyards

Please see our update 2013 review: Rombauer Vineyards Revisited  Some of their Cabs are outstanding.

Rombauer Vineyards has a very lovely garden and the service is friendly. It is a winery that every serious wine lover should visit at least once.  An appointment is not necessary and they are in the Napa Neighbor program although I did not know this at the time of our visit.

They are famous for their very buttery Chardonnay. If you like a buttery Chardonnay, with lots of malolactic conversion and plenty of oak, you might like their 2008 Carneros Chardonnay ($32).  It is very popular in restaurants and with many people.  I do not like that style of chardonnay and much prefer Chardonnays with little or no MLF and minimal oak, but then I love Chablis with minerality, flinty dryness and complexity. Rombauer is famous for this wine.  Be sure to try it if you like really buttery Chardonnays.

Of the red wines, we liked the 2006 Carneros Merlot ($32) better than the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($42) even though both of us love Cabs.  The 2007 Fiddletown Zinfandel  ($43) is from Amador County, home of the big Zins.  It was too fruit forward for us but some might like it. They also have a port that is easy to drink, although it will not erase memories of a good or great vintage port from Portugal. Rombauer makes decent wines, and it is a matter of whether or not you like the style of their wines.
3522 Silverado Trail North
St Helena, CA 94574
(800) 622-2206
Visited 3/31/2010 

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