Sunday, April 29, 2012

Favorite Wines from Napa Valley Wineries

Favorite Wines from Napa Valley Wineries (From the 85 wineries we have visited so far.)
An update to this list has been added here: Napa Favs

These wines listed below are some of our favorites from the wineries we visited over the past year or so in the Napa Valley. There are still many great wineries we have not visited.  There were many wines we tasted that we would love to have purchased to more carefully evaluate. And there were certain wines that were not offered for tasting at some wineries.  Although we did put our favorites in bold type,  the quality of the wines was usually so high, especially with Cabs, that picking favorites was difficult to do and involved a fair amount of subjectivity and individual preference.

For me tasting wines at a winery is somewhat similar to listening to audio speakers in stores.  It is brief and very limited. I get some idea of what I like, but not until I take them home, hear them in my own listening room, spend extended periods of time with them and "pair" them with different types of recordings, do I really develop an understanding and appreciation of them.  Sometimes a bottle of wine I take home does not taste quite as good as I remember it at the winery.  More often, however, it is even better than I had initially thought.  At home I am able to find that right combination of temperature, air, pairing, etc. in a setting where I can really pay close attention.  It is a much different experience than tasting wines blind or tasting numerous wines at one setting. Different types of tastings provide different kinds of information.  There is really no substitute for blind tasting when rating wines or comparing one wine to another, but visiting a winery, meeting the winemaker, sampling the wines and then slowly and attentively drinking the wine later are, for me, the best way to understand and truly appreciate a wine.  This is why some winemakers do not submit their wines to blind tastings. They want their wines to be understood and appreciated, not just compared and rated.  I understand this attitude.  A really exceptional wine stands on its own.  There is no need to compare a Renoir to a Monet.

Not surprisingly, we were especially impressed with the very high quality Cabs in Napa Valley.  There were so many good ones, it was difficult to pick favorites.  I think they hold there own to the best of red Bordeauxs but then I have not been able to afford many 1st Cru red Bordeauxs since the 1970s.  There were also some excellent Merlots, Zins and Petite Syrahs. With white wines there were two outstanding Sauvignon Blancs and an incredible Riesling but no knockouts with Chardonnays. (But then my bias is toward white Burgundies.)  On a positive note with Chardonnays, though, is that many wineries seem to have moved away from the intensely oaked Chards with excessive malolatic conversion.  I find a little oak or MLF to be okay with some Chards but dislike butter bombs or those that no longer retain the varietal characteristics of a Chardonnay.  We found Napa Pinot Noirs to be less than sensational, but then Napa is not known for this varietal and has only part of Carneros where the varietal does well.  Some Napa Valley wineries do source grapes from Russian River and other areas outside Napa Valley, however.

We were also delighted to discover so many fantastic wineries up on Spring Mountain in St. Helena.  Despite having visited Napa Valley wineries since 1973 and both of us being long time Napa residents, neither of us had previously explored these Spring Mountain gems.  Mountain wines can be very different from Valley wines.  It would be interesting to write a book about Spring Mountain Wineries--such great wine, a wonderful shared community philosophy and interesting characters reminiscent of the old Napa.


Much thanks to the Napa Neighbor Program of Napa Valley Vintners for making these tastings feasible and to the many warm, friendly and knowledgeable people who assisted us. Napa Neighbor Program

Cabernet Franc
Girard Winery 2009 $40
Titus Vineyards 2009 $36

Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Blends
Alpha Omega Winery 2008 $85
Alpha Omega Winery 2007 Proprietary Red, Bordeaux blend, $86
B Cellars 2008 Syngergy Cabernet Sauvignon $55
Bennett Lane Winery 2006 Maximus $35, Bordeaux blend
Beringer 2007 Private Reserve $89
Chateau Montelena 2007 Montelena Estate $135
Cosentino 2006 Winemaster, Cabernet Sauvignon, $60
Elizabeth Spencer 2007 The Guardian $60
Erna Schein (Behrens) 2006 Fat Boy $75, Bordeaux blend
Girard Winery 2009 Artistry, Bordeaux blend, $40
Heitz 2006 Martha's Vineyard Rutherford $150
Hendry 2007 $55
Hill Family Estate 2007 Double Barrel $150
Hill Family Estate 2007 $55, purchased
Hill Family Estate 2008 $48, purchased
Ideology 2007 Reserve Block $68
Inglenook 2006 Captain’s Reserve $48
Inglenook Estate 2007 CASK $65
Inglenook Estate 2008 CASK $65
Joseph Phelps Vineyard 2006 Insignia $200
Joseph Phelps Vineyard 2007 $54
Juslyn 2007 Spring Mountain $110
Kelly Fleming 2005, $120, best paired with food
Kelly Fleming 2007 $120
Kelly Fleming 2008 $90
Louis Martini 2007 Monte Rosso $85
Marston Family Vineyard 2006 $120
Marston Family Vineyard 2008 $100
Regusci Winery 2008 Angelo’s Hillside $125
Regusci Winery 2008 Patriarch Proprietary Blend, Bordeaux blend, $80
Rutherford Hill 2007 TFV Cardinal’s Peak $48
Rutherford Hill 2007 TFV Rutherford $62
Sawyer Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $49
Schweiger Vineyards 2007 $58
Schweiger Vineyards 2007 Dedication $85
Smith-Madrone 2005 $45, air it or pair it with food
Somerston Wine Co. 2007 Somerston Estate $120
Spring Mountain Vineyard 2005 Estate $75, air it or pair with food
St. Supery Estate 2006 Rutherford $80
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 2007 SLV $125
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 2008 FAY $95
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars CASK 23 $195
Summers Estate, 2007 Diamond Mountain $70
Terra Valentine 2007 Marriage, Bordeaux blend, $75
White Rock Vineyards 2003 Cave Hill Reserve $85, Loved it!
White Rock Vineyards 2005 Laureate Cave Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $100 Sensational!!!
White Rock Vineyards 2004 Laureate $45
White Rock Vineyards 2005 Laureate $45
White Rock Vineyards 2006 Claret, Bordeaux blend, $36, Great bargain

Charbono
Summers Estate Wines 2008 $28

Chardonnay
Cuvaison 2010 Carneros Chardonnay $23
Smith-Madrone 2008 $30
Stony Hill 2010 $42
White Rock Vineyards 2008 $30
ZD 2009 California Chardonnay $34

Gewürztraminer
Stony Hill 2010 $24

Merlot
Darioush Winery 2007 Merlot $46
Duckhorn Vineyard 2007 Merlot $52
Paloma 2008 $54, Outstanding wine and a bargain at this price!
Pride Mountain 2008 $58
Rutherford Peak 2007 Reserve, $59

Petite Sirah
Behrens Family Kick Ranch $50
Esoterica (Kent Rasmussen) 2007 $40, Wonderful!
Gustavo Thrace 2006 $40

Pinot Noir
Clos Pegase Winery 2008 Mitsuko’s Vineyard $35, purchased

Port type
Beringer 1987 Port of Cabernet Sauvignon $60
Heitz Ink Grade Port $30 half bottle

Red blends
B Cellars 2008 Blend 24 Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangioves/Petite Siray/Syrah, Super Tuscan $55
Benessere Vineyard 2006 Phenomenon $50, Super Tuscan

Riesling
Smith-Madrone 2010 $36, Incredible!  A great Riesling!
Stony Hill 2010 “White Riesling” $27

Roussanne
Truchard 2010 $22

Sangiovese
Benessere Vineyard 2008 $28

Sauvignon Blanc
Hill Family Estate 2010 Tiara $35
Joseph Phelps 2009 ‘St. Helena’ $32
Kelly Fleming Wines 2010 $30
Marston Family Vineyard 2010 Albion $50
Robert Mondavi 2010 Stag’s Leap District $32
Robert Mondavi 2009 Fume Blanc $20 (on sale for $13 at Safeway)

Syrah
Cuvaison Estate Wines 2009 Diablo $35
Darioush Winery 2008 “Shiraz” $68

Zinfandel
Hendry 2007 Block 28 $35
Highlands Winery 2006 Howell Mountain $29
Robert Biale 2009 Monte Rosso $50

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Budget Wine Review 8: New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs

I usually prefer French Sauvignon Blancs to American but have discovered some outstanding California Sauvignon Blancs by Peirson Meyer, Kelly Fleming, and Marston Family.  New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are quite different from either French or American, with their emphasis on tropical fruit.  They almost seem like a different varietal than the French Sauvignon Blancs that tend to be dry and flinty with brisk acid and subtlety.  But New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs with bursting fruit can be very pleasant when properly balanced.

So for something different, I decided to try some Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs at the lower end of the price range, namely under $20. All of these Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs were drinkable, with none being too fruit forward, overly sweet, unbalanced or having too much grassiness or off flavors.  In a SB, I’m usually looking for some aroma (Some have a very pronounced nose that can be picked up from several feet away from the glass.) but mainly for some lively citrus or tropical fruit flavors, with good acid, possibly some minerality, all well integrated with a decent finish, even if it is short.  A flabby or insipid SB is a real turnoff for me. Some Sauvignon Blancs lack balance.  More often, though, California SBs simply do not come together very well.  They lack integration, with the various components going off in different directions.  It is not so much a balance problem as one of harmony.

Most Sauvignon Blancs are given little or no oak (usually aged in stainless steel) and are often do not undergo malolactic conversion.  I prefer no oak with Sauvignon Blancs, unless it is very subtle.  Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs are different from Californian, French, South African, Chilean, etc. Their fruit is often described as gooseberry like. They also have more tropical fruit (passion fruit, guava, etc.) than lemon or grapefruit.  (Some years back I went to great effort to obtain some gooseberries so I could understand the reference.)

Some Sauvignon Blancs are said to smell or taste like cat pee or "pee pee le chat", as the French call it.  I've had cats most of my life and really do know what cat pee smells like and have never smelled a wine that was similar to cat pee.  At worst I have smelled and tasted SBs that were rather vegetal, maybe broccoli or green pepper like and certainly some that are too grassy.  I don't care much for this.  Some fresh grassiness is sometimes okay. I'm sure pee pee la chat would be undesirable for me, although, unlike "wet dog" which is always a fault, there are some wine drinkers who actually like pee pee le chat and seem to think of it in a positive way, such as the desirable petrol like taste that is in some aged Rieselings.  Others disagree and think pee pee le chat is a fault.  For a discussion of this please see Steve Heimoff's article, "Who Let the Cat Out?"   Heimoff's Article

In New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, I do often taste more tropical fruits like lychee, guava and passion fruit rather than the grapefruit, lime or lemon that is encountered in many other Sauvignon Blancs.  California SBs often have a distinct grapefruit nose and palate. French seem less fruit oriented and more subtle.  Perceived fruit aromas or flavors are not always due to overactive imaginations.  The gooseberry-like flavor comes from methoxypyrazines and the passion fruit and riper fruit flavors from thiol concentration.  Perhaps some day you will be able to dial in whatever flavor compounds you like and have a wine tailored to your individual preferences.  This will be especially helpful for those who prefer pee pee le chat.  For now, you have to depend on the winemaker to do this for you. 

These are listed in order of increasing regular price.  Be sure to note that some are occasionally offered at sales prices so that my favorite, the Villa Maria, was on sale for only $11.99.  That is only $5 more than the least expensive Kiwi SB reviewed here but a major step up in quality.

Sauvignon Republic 2011 Sauvignon Blanc-$6.99 Trader Joes.  Grapefruit aroma. Distinct herbaceousness with grapefruit on the palate. Balanced with short finish.  It is okay, but I’d recommend spending more.

Picton Bay 2011 Sauvignon Blanc-$7.99 Trader Joes.  Seems to sell for $12.99 on the Internet. The Sauvignon Blanc varietal comes through and it definitely tastes like a SB from New Zealand.  That is certainly a plus in this price range. Pale yellow in color with a bit of lemon and lime on the nose, it has fairly decent fruit (lemon/lime rather than grapefruit), and good acidity.  The finish is short and tart. It could be more complex and better balanced but that is asking a lot at this price level. This is the second bottle of this wine I have tried.  It is fairly good at this price, but I’d rather pay more for something better.

Kono Marlborough 2011 Sauvignon Blanc-$7.99 Trader Joes.  Light nose with an very smooth palate but little body.  I think some people will like this wine because it is so simple and easy to drink.  For me it lacks the citrus or tropical fruit that I associate with a Sauvignon Blanc and is simply too one-dimensional. It is unlikely to offend anybody, and I know others like it, but for me it is uninteresting. Even my wife, who likes lighter Sauvignon Blancs, found the Kono to be too light bodied for her taste and preferred the Picton Bay. I tried two bottles of each. Either one is decent for the money. but you can do much better for a little more expense.

Seismic Marlborough 2010 Sauvignon Blanc-$7.99 Trader Joes.  More balanced than the Picton Bay with more fruit and acid than the Kono. On the flip side, it is not as balanced as the Kono and does not have the fruit or acid of the Picton Bay. Yet I prefer both of the others because this one lacks interest.  This is not bad for the money but, as with the Republic, Kono and Picton Bay, I just don’t enjoy drinking them. On a hot day, if the wine was chilled enough, it would be fine.  But for a few dollars more, you get much more in a Kiwi SB.

Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011-$9.99 Safeway-Decent nose with citrus and tropical fruits on the palate, possibly passion fruit and guava.  Clean and refreshing yet softer than some.  Nicely balanced and easy to like.  Mildly recommended at this price.

Clifford Bay 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough-$10.99 Safeway-This is lighter bodied than the Villa Maria with more herbaceousness but certainly not lacking in fruit.  Light aroma with mostly grapefruit and lemon on the palate.  Some minerality.  Very well balanced and easy to drink.  Mildly recommended at this price.

Marlborough Sun 2010 Sauvignon Blanc-$11.99/10.79 sale Cost Plus.  Light Granny Smith apple on the nose with lemon and lime on the palate.  It seemed slightly spritzig or bubbly, which was a pleasant touch.  Acid and fruit were both fairly good, with a little more sweetness than most SB.  Easy to drink but not one-dimensional.  Mildly recommended at this price level.

Nobilo Regional Collection Marlborough 2011 Sauvignon Blanc-$13.59/$9.99 sale Safeway.  Light lime nose.  Smooth and well balance with white grapefruit and lemon on the palate and a hint of guava.  Good acid.  Long lemon finish.  Moderately recommended at this price.

Oyster Bay 3011 Sauvignon Blanc-$14.99/$9.99 sale Safeway. Pleasant nose.  Grapefruit on palate with great balance.  Long finish.  I tried two bottles of this.  One of the more readily available Kiwi SBs. Moderately recommended at this price.

Kim Crawford 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough-$14.99 Trader Joes.  This is very easy to drink.  Some nose with decent acid and fruit, mostly grapefruit with some herbaceousness.  A bit light on the fruit but very well balanced.  This is as easy to drink as the Kono but much more interesting.  I think it is a very nice SB for the price. Moderately recommended at this price level.
Addendum 5/13/13:  I've had some of the Kim Crawford 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough which was $12.98 from Safeway and liked it even better than the 2011.
Highly recommended at this price level.

Villa Maria 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin Marlborough- $17.99 to $11.99 when on sale at Safeway.  Aroma of lemon with a hint of grass.  Bursting with fruits, apple, grapefruit, and lemon with exotic fruit undertones.  Some herbaceousness and minerality. Really well balanced, with a very slight hint of sweetness and good acid. Good crisp finish.  Very easy to drink but interesting and complex. Classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Really delightful!  Enthusiastically recommended!  This is a great bargain and a really good wine for the regular price.  At the sales price of $12 it is an unbelievable bargain.  My favorite of the lot.  This seems to be the price point at which you get the most for your dollar.  I have not found any SB from any other country that is this good in this price range. I tried several bottles of this.  Very highly recommended at this price. 
Addendum: (I later tried the Villa Maria 2011 Sauvignon Blanc which was on sale for only $9.99 at Safeway. It, too was very good, but not as bursting with tropical fruit as the 2010 which remains my favorite New Zealand SB for under $20.)

Whitehaven 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough-$21.99/$15.99 sale Safeway.  Aromatic. Slightly herbaceous with a hint of minerality.  Good tropical fruit but not fruit forward.  Fairly dry and well balanced.  A lighter style but certainly not insipid, more like the Kim Crawford than the Villa Maria. Clean finish. I like this a lot although the bursting fruit in the Villa Maria wins me over in the end. Highly recommended at this price.

Addition 5/13/12:
Cupcake 2011 Sauvignon Blanc: $12.49/$8.99 sale Safeway.  From New Zealand grapes. I have seen this wine frequently in stores but did not want to try a wine named cupcake so never bothered, thinking it couldn’t possibly be a serious wine.  One of the wine staff at a store told me it was popular wine so I grabbed a bottle on sale.  Light straw in color.  Light nose.  Lots of Meyers lemon and good acid on the palate.  (We recently compared the aromas of different lemons and Meyers is different than others.  We often practice smelling different fruits, herbs, etc. so we can better identify and describe aromas.)  Well balanced.  Short finish.  I don’t get much of the usual Kiwi tropical fruit but I do get plenty of crisp lemon and lime.  This is not one of your overly thin or unbalanced inexpensive SBs.  I think this one would pair well with food such as oysters, lobster, or other seafood.  Mildly recommended at this price level despite its name.
Babich 2011 Sauvignon Blanc: $14.99/$10.99 sale Safeway. Very pale straw color.  I found the aroma to be light but my wife (who has a much better sniffer than I do) thought it had a pronounced aroma.  Medium body.  Good but not intense tropical fruit with a touch of lemon on the palate.  Well balanced.  No herbaceousness.  Medium finish.   Moderately recommended at this price.

Budget Wine Review 7: Pinot Noirs

Please see January’s Budget Review 3 for previous Pinot Noir reviews.  Previous Budget Pinot Noir Reviews It is very difficult to find a decent Pinot for under $20, but there are a few bargains out there.  You can pay a lot and still get something you don't like, but you can almost never get a really good one in lower price ranges. Pinot Noirs can be great wines but they are usually poor buys in the lower price ranges.  There are some pleasant budget PNs, but none of them will enthrall you with subtlety or complexity. If you love red wines and want to stay on a budget, stick with other reds such as Zins, Sirahs, Merlots, etc. 

Buena Vista 2008 Pinot Noir Carneros-$9.99 at Trader Joe's.  Lighter style Pinot Noir, bright with lively acids.  Fairly well balanced.  Good for the price if you like this style Pinot Noir.  Buy it if you like a lighter style PN. Mildly recommended.
 
Castle Rock 2009 California Cuvée Pinot Noir California -$7.99 at Trader Joe's.  Some of the Castle Rock Pinots are good for the money.  This one is rather thin and simple but does not have any off tastes.  Inexpensive Pinots are difficult to find but you can do much better for $2 more (or even less when it is on sale.)  Get the 2009 Castle Rock PN from Mendocino that is $9.99.  Only the 2009 vintage and only the one from Mendocino.  Castle Rock makes Pinots from many different AVAs, including Monterey, Sonoma, Central Coast, Carneros, etc.  The 2009 Mendocino one sells for $10, is as good or better than most at twice that price, has been on sale for as little as $5.99, and seems widely distributed.  Not recommended.

Castle Rock 2009 Central Coast Pinot Noir Central Coast-$5.99 at Cost Plus.  This is better than the 2009 Castle Rock Cuvee but not as good as the 2009 Castle Rock Mendocino.  I met people at the store who were buying it up because it was given 95 points at the California State Fair in 2011.  Much closer to the mark was the score of 84 given by the Wine Enthusiast or the 88 given by Tastings.com.  If you buy wine by scores, be sure you know the source of the score.  I usually find Wine Enthusiast to be fairly reliable.  This is a decent, inexpensive PN, a good buy at $10 and a real bargain at $6.  But the 2009 Castle Rock PN Mendocino retails at the same price, has also been on sale at $5.99 at Cost Plus and is one of the best  Pinot Noirs in the under $20 range. (See Budget Report 3.) This Central Coast one is medium bodied with some cherry on the palate, smooth with just a hint of tannin.  Try it side by side with the Mendocino and you will notice a difference immediately. The Castle Rock Mendocino and Castle Rock Monterey, both at the same price, are better.  Mildly recommended at this price

Castle Rock 2009 Russian River Reserve Pinot Noir -$19.99 at Whole Foods.  I got some raspberry and slight floral notes on the nose with a very smooth, full mouthfeel of cherry and red fruit and a nice finish. It does not have much complexity, however, not that one should expect very much in a PN for under $20.  The 2009 Castle Rock Mendocino sells for about $10 and has been on sale for $5.99 at Cost Plus.  This reserve is perhaps a point or two higher.  But then it is two to three times the price.  This Russian River Reserve is one of the better PNs for under $20 but not the great bargain of the Mendocino.  The reserve is good for the but do not expect it to be as good as some of the premium Russian River Pinots.  It just doesn't work that way with Pinots.  I’d stick with the Mendocino at half the price and especially when it goes on sale for $6.  Except for the least expensive California Cuvee, all of the Castle Rock Pinots I’ve tasted have been quite good for the price.  I’m not sure how much year-to-year variation there is in them, though.  My understanding is that Castle Rock does not have its own vineyards and the wines are made at a number of leased facilities, making them more along the lines of the French negotiant.  Moderately recommended at the price.

Mark West 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir. $21.99 sale $15.39 Safeway. I really like Russian River Pinots. This is a very pleasant, well-balanced Pinot. It is not as thin as most from Carneros, although I would be guessing to say it was from Russian River since it does not have any layers of complexity that I associate with Russian River Pinots. This has decent body but is very simple, even one-dimensional. It certainly tastes like a California Pinot and is easy to drink. At $10, I think it would be competitive, although Trader Joes (see above) and Castle Rock both have better Pinots in this price range. At $20 this wine is simply too simplistic. I paid $15.39 which is a fair price, although not a bargain. Those who don’t like usually like red wines might enjoy this very soft wine. It has Pinot character but no terroir and no exceptional fruit or layers of complexity. It is pleasant and easy to drink. But then there are $5 Italian red wines that meet that criteria. If you want a pleasant, soft, not too thin Pinot that is very simple, this might be an okay wine for you if it is on sale. Pinots can be great wines, though, and this does not have even a hint of greatness. Why not simply drink a Zinfandel at half the price of this one? At least it would have good fruit, a touch of soft tannin and some spice. This is certainly not a bad wine, but it is excessively simple and one- dimensional to sell for the regular price of $22. I really cannot recommend it in its price range.

Rodney Strong Russian River Estate 2010 Pinot Noir-$14.99 sale at Safeway.  An easy to like PN.  Light nose.  Medium body. Nice red fruit on the palate with smooth tannins.  Decent enough finish with a touch of spice.  Not very complex, but one simply cannot expect that in a PN at this price.  If you want a really good PN, you will have to pay for it.  This is certainly one of the better Pinot Noirs for under $20.  No problem recommending this one.  It is one of the better under $20 PN I've tried so far.  Moderately recommended at the price.

Trader Joe’s Russian River 2010 Pinot Noir-$12.99 at Trader Joe's. Light red cherry nose with cherry and a touch of cinnamon on the palate. Very smooth, well structured, with good balance and some depth. In addition to a great mouthfeel, it has a very long finish. I really like this PN for the price and recommend it. This is a good buy in a Pinot Noir. Moderately recommended for the price. (Note January 2013. This is no longer available.)
 
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2010 Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir-$15.99 sale at Safeway. Wine Spectator gave this an 86 and called it, "Very Beaujolais-like, and still showing a bit of spritz in the mouthfeel, this offers pretty cherry fruit in a fun, forward, clean and simple style. Note the low alcohol."  The color was very pale. When I tasted it, there was some definite spritzig, but it was thin, uninteresting and lacking any sort of complexity, structure or terroir, a Beaujolais Nouveau style Pinot Noir without the fresh fruit of the Beaujolais Nouveau.  This is one of the least interesting PNs I've ever had and was certainly not "fun" to drink. Not recommended.




Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Girard Winery

Girard Winery offers premium wines at very reasonable prices.  It was founded in 1975 and has been under the ownership of Pat Roney since 2000. Girard Winery has a tasting room in Yountville on the main street (Washington St.) toward the north end. Girard is easy to find and parking was a breeze. The tasting room is open without an appointment and tastings begin at 11 AM. They offer two tasting choices, one for $10 and the other for $20.  They also have a two for one tasting coupon on their web page.  We opted for the Current Release Flight at $10 but plan to return to try the other tasting which includes mostly Cabs.  Our wine host, Kevin, was very friendly and helpful.  He informed us that about 86% of Girard’s fruit comes from Morgan Ranch near Mt. Vaca, with a fair amount also coming from Crocker Vineyard in Calistoga.


Our tasting began with the Girard 2010 Sauvignon Blanc at $16.  It had some grapefruit on the nose with some crisp, dry grapefruit and lemon on the palate.  This was followed by the 2010 Russian River Chardonnay at $24 and the Girard Dutton Ranch Reserve 2009 Chardonnay at $30.  Both were well worth the price.  I really liked the Girard 2009 Petite Sirah at $28.  It had some PS spice on the nose with good but well integrated tannins.  It has character while being smooth and drinkable.  It is very traditional in style but does not have harsh or overwhelming tannins.  We were informed that it comes from 110-year-old vines in Calistoga and that they add 2% Zinfandel.  We also liked the 2010 Old Vine Zinfandel which was only $28 and thought the Girard 2009 Cabernet Franc at $40 was exceptionally good.  Perhaps our favorite of all was the Girard 2009 Artistry, a Left Bank Bordeaux style red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec) that sells for $40.  I especially liked the layered cherry and blackberry like mid palate on this wine, with its solid mouthfeel and smooth tannins.  There is some very nice fruit in this wine, although it is not fruit forward or at all one-dimensional.  Given how good this last wine was, I’m really looking forward to a return visit to try more of their Cabs.  They also have a wine club and members may purchase the Artistry for only $32, which is quite a bargain for a high quality Napa Valley Cab blend.



We hope to return to Girard soon to try more of their wines, especially the Cabs.  We highly recommend visiting them when you are in Yountville.

6795 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 968-9297
Date of visit: April 4, 2012 

Sawyer Cellars


(Note: Sawyer Cellars is now known as Foley Johnson Winery.) With very good wine and friendly staff, Sawyer Cellars is a family winery that produces small amounts of premium wine. It is located along Highway 29 in Rutherford and is part of the land where George Yount planted grapes over 160 years ago.  The property was replanted in 1984 and purchased by the Sawyer family in 1994. The vineyard extends back to the Napa River and is planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, although they also grow some Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc.  Total production is only 6,400 cases, and all of their wines are estate grown and bottled.  They sell off about 40% of the grapes they grow.  A tasting is $10.  The tour and tasting is $25.  Reservations are required but easily made.  Our host, Candace, was very friendly and informative.






Our tasting began with the 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($32).  It had a pleasant aroma with a dry, well-balanced, refreshing presentation and a nice finish.  This was followed by the 2007 Estate Merlot ($39) that began with a very pronounced and pleasant cherry nose with bright cherry on the palate.  This is bigger and more interesting than mamu Merlots.  Only 625 cases were produced.  Next was the 2007 Bradford Meritage ($46).  This is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.  It is aged for 24 months on French oak.  I got a light nose with mostly blackberry on the palate and a little spice on the finish.  It was quite nice. 



Our favorite of the current release wines was the Sawyer 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) that is 100% Cab and spent 24 months in French oak.  It had a nice nose of black cherry with a touch of cinnamon followed by a smooth, layered, cherry-like palate that was well balanced, somewhat chewy,  with good, integrated tannins.  The Wine Enthusiast gave this 92 points.  It was very good and extremely drinkable, although it was even better with some air. We purchased several bottles.  We also sampled some Sawyer 2004 Estate Library Reserve that sells for $110.  This was a big wine with a lot of complexity and bold but balanced tannins.  I liked it better than my friend did, but it probably would have opened up better with more air.  We enjoyed all the wines that we sampled and enthusiastically recommend a visit to Sawyer Cellars.

Addendum 9/19/2012: I have since tasted two bottles of the 07 Cab.  It does need some air, but is a very solid Cab and well worth trying.
8350 Saint Helena Hwy
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-1980
Date of visit: April 4, 2012