Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Robert Keenan Winery

Robert Keenan Winery is simply awesome!  Laura, our host, was great and provided a wonderful, informative experience.  We really liked every one of their wines. They were all interesting, nuanced, complex and unique, with incredible terroir and trueness to the varietal that speaks to the soul.  These are not tourist oriented, point drive wines, although Keenan wines (rightfully) score among the highest.  Their wines are not geared to the latest trend in popular taste but to a vision of presenting the complexity of the varietals without gimmicks or tricks.  You get the real thing here.  You get wines with all of the primal complexity that comes only from the very finest quality grapes and the most authentic and talented winemakers.  Robert Keenan wines are intense wines that have incredible varietal integrity and terroir.



Front of building. Tastings around back.

Robert Conradi started the first winery on this land in the late 1800s but went out of business during prohibition.  In 1974, Robert Keenan purchased the 180 acres and cultivated 48 acres of it for grapes.  (Our friend, who accompanied us to Keenan, almost purchased this vineyard before Robert Keenan did but ended up buying Pickle Canyon Vineyard (Kitty Hawk Vineyard)  up on Mt. Veeder instead.)  132 acres of land has been left forested even though it could be made into more vineyards.  The first wines were produced by Keenan in 1977 so they are one of the oldest existing wineries up on Spring Mountain.  They recently completed a solar power system on the property so estate wines will carry the “Solare Powered and Sustainably Farmed” phrase on the wine labels. 

Renate, Laura and Bill

As with other Spring Mountain wineries, the attitude at Keenan is one of loving the land and being close to nature rather than being committed to profit at any cost. They seem to have an intimate connection to the land and this reveals itself in the wine they make.  These wines have something unique to communicate, expressing not only the varietal characteristics, but also the terroir and subtleties that are preserved only by the careful handling of the finest quality grapes.

In the last eight vintages Robert Parker has given 47 Keenan wines ratings between 90 and 97.  I have never been much of fan of Robert Parker’s ratings or the ratings by most other famous wine critics, but I certainly agree with his high ratings of Keenan wines. (I do love the writings of Steve Heimoff, Matt Kramer and some other famous writers, but that is another story.)

View from front of building.

Keenan is up on Spring Mountain Road in St. Helena about half way up the road.  A side road marked by a sign veers off to the right and takes you another mile and a half in to the winery.  As with most Spring Mountain wineries, the view is spectacular; staff is very knowledgeable but earthy and unpretentious; and appointments are necessary.  You will have a good hour of tasting and touring with Laura whose enthusiasm and devotion is infectious and makes the visit an exciting adventure.



Now to the wines.  They have one white, a Chardonnay.  We tasted the Robert Keenan 2010 Chardonay ($30).  It had a very pleasant and pronounced aroma that I started picking it up when my nose was still about a foot away from the glass.  Mostly apple but perhaps some pear.  Exceptionally pleasant.  On the palate I got crisp fruit of mostly apple with minerality and all sorts of subtle sub flavors that delighted the senses. They do not use malolactic conversion or MLF but do use oak and sur-lie aging.  The oak added to the Chardonnay and did not detract from the varietal characteristics.  I hate Chardonnays that are ruined with excessive MLF and oak; where is the heart and soul of the Chardonnay varietal?  This Chard tastes like a Chard and not some laboratory experiment.


Walk from front of building to back.


Our red wine tasting began with the Robert Keenan 2008 Napa Valley Zinfandel at $34.  About 65% of the fruit is from Spring Mountain.  It is a very nice Zin with some cherry on the nose and more red berry and spice on the palate.  This is not one of your thin zins, nor an overpowering high-octane one that will clear your sinuses.  It is a big, interesting, complex and spicy zin with plenty of fruit.  It should pair well with food.  Next was the Robert Keenan 2008 Merlot ($36) with about 80% estate grapes and 20% from Carneros.  The mountain fruit gives it tannin, structure and balance that many tepid, one-dimensional Merlots do not have unless blended with Cabs.  This one is excellent and easily stands on its own as one of the better Napa Valley Merlots.  This was followed by the Robert Keenan 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) that is 76% estate fruit with the rest coming form Pope Valley.  Robert Parker gave it a 94 and I think it is well deserved.  This is a much more complex Cab than I associate with the super ripe fruity Cabs that Parker often seems to praise.  I got some cherry on the nose with a big, rich, complex, structured palate that delighted the senses and was followed by a long finish. This wine probably was not so drinkable a year ago but is just now coming into its own.  Even though it is quite drinkable now, it would be a great one to lay away for a number of years.  The next wine to dazzle us was the Robert Keenan 2008 Napa Valley Syrah ($38) which comes mostly from Coombsville.  Tons of fruit with good integrated tannins, pleasant chewiness and great structure, this one is not a fruit bomb like some Syrahs.  If you are tired of one-dimensional, fruit forward Syrahs, that have little going on, then try this one.  Our final tasting was of the Robert Keenan 2006 Tribute Cabernet Sauvignon ($96).  I got some incredible fruit on the nose, mostly blackberry, with a powerful but delightful palate of black fruits and some floral notes.  It clearly needs plenty of air.  As Laura said, we could come back to it in a day or two after opening it and catch it after it fully opened up.  I liked it a lot but I think it is one to lay away for a few years even though it is already six years old.  If you drink it now give it plenty of air in a decanter first.

The only down side to visiting Keenan is deciding what to purchase.  We decided on two Chardonnays, two Merlots, one Cab and two Cab Francs and will certainly return soon for some more. Oh yes, the 2008 Cabernet Franc.  It was not available for tasting but, given how great all of the Keenan wines were, we opted to buy some anyhow and will open one at our July 4th picnic.  As usual, I’ll add addendums as we try the wines we purchased.  The Keenan line up of wines is incredible, and there are still a number of their wines we have not tried.  If you join their club, btw, you will receive 20% off the already very reasonable prices.  Keenan should be very high on your list of wineries to visit if you love serious wines.

Addendum: We had the Robert Keenan 2008 Cabernet Franc ($60) yesterday 7/4/12.  It had not been available for tasting and was almost completely sold out. It was a deep purple color with a good aroma.  On the palate it was intense but balanced, richly textured with lots of ripe fruit.  (Robert Parker rated it a 95. ) I would love to try it side by side with the Chappellet, Titus and Gerard. 

Addendum: We drank the Robert Keenan 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) 7/15/12.  This was the one that Robert Parker rated at a 94.  It was even better than I remember at the winery.  We already planned to put this on our updated favorite list, but it is a standout even among our favorites and could easily sell for twice the price. This is another incredible Spring Mountain cab.  If you give it some air it improves, becoming more integrated and subtle.  It is a bit more fruit oriented than most other Spring Mountain Cabs but that is neither praise nor criticism.  It tips somewhat toward ripe fruit but still has a lot of terroir and is very much a mountain wine.  It is among my very favorite Napa Valley Cabs, which is to say, among the finest wines I have ever tasted.  If you can find this wine anywhere, buy it. It really is exceptional.

Robert Keenan Winery
3660 Spring Mountain Rd
Saint Helena, CA 94574
(707) 963-9177
Date of visit: June 27, 2012

Markham Vineyards

Markham Vineyards is on Highway 29 just north of St. Helena.  It was originally founded as Laurent Winery in 1874.  After being owned by a succession of owners, Bruce Markham purchased it in 1978 and founded Markham Vineyards.  The winery focused mostly on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  In 1988, it was sold to the Mercian Corporation and was extensively renovated.  They now have 350 acres of vineyard in Calistoga, Yountville and Oak Knoll.  Markham offers two tastings, the Rock and Roll Tasting of five varietals for $15 or the Estate Tasting of four varietals for $25.  We had the R and R Tasting but also tried the Cabernet Franc from the Estate Tasting because we both love Cab Francs.









Our host was very pleasant and friendly, making us feel welcome.  The tasting began with the Markham 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($15) that had a light nose and some pleasant lemon on the palate.  It was not as dry or crisp as many SBs.  At only $15, it is a softer, easy to drink SB that some people might prefer to Sauvignon Blancs with livelier acid.  The Markham 2010 Chardonnay was only $18 a bottle.  It had 30% malolactic conversion or MLF and is not as dry as many Chardonnays.  Their signature wine is their Merlot, and we had the 2008 which was $23.  It was a fruity, lighter bodied Merlot that was easy to drink.  The Markham 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($36) had some cherry and perhaps pomegranate on the nose with a rather light, fruity entry but some soft integrated tannins.  It was pleasant and could stand on its own or be paired with steak or other food.  We opted not to taste the Muscat Blanc. These were all decent enough wines that are easy to drink and reasonably priced.  But our favorite was the Markham 2009 Cabernet Franc ($42) from the Estate Tasting.  It had a nice aroma, with some vanilla, plum and soft tannins on the palate.  We were informed that it is blended with 13% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was a good wine, and we immediately purchased some to taste at home.  It made me want to taste the other three wines on the Estate Tasting, the Petit Verdot and two Cabernet Sauvignons called the Altruist and the Philanthropist but we will have to save that for another visit. They also have a Petite Sirah, which I would love to have purchased, but which was sold out. Addendum 9/18/2012: After drinking a bottle of the Markham 2009 Cabernet  Franc I am less enthusiastic than I was a the winery.  It is very tight, and needs lots of air.  It is decent enough but not as complex or interesting as I prefer, although it is certainly worth trying. 





In addition to offering easy to drink and reasonably priced wines that should have a broad appeal, Markham provides easy access with plenty of parking and currently offers an exhibit of the photos of Baron Wolman of Rolling Stone Magazine.  Markham wines should probably appeal to many tasters who visit the winery, but they also make some premium wines, a Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and two Cabernets that we would be interested in exploring during a second visit.




2812 Saint Helena Highway North
Saint Helena, CA 94574
(707) 963-5292
Date of visit: June 6, 2012

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Chappellet Winery

Chappellet Winery is a beautiful winery with some wonderful wines and we simply loved our visit there.  It places at or near the top of many lists (including ours) as an all time favorite winery that one must visit, and it is certainly a very picturesque and special place. Although Chappellet Winery has been around for many years (and I've been tasting at Napa Valley wineries since around 1973), this is the first visit I made.  They are famous for their 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was the second year they produced Cab, and have also been well known for their Chardonnay and dry Chenin Blanc.  The winery was founded in 1967 by Donn and Molly Chappellet and is located up on Pritchard Hill, east of Rutherford near Lake Hennessey and the famous cult winery Bryant Family.  An appointment is necessary as are directions ,but both are easily obtained over the Internet or by phone.


The drive up to Chappellet is lovely as you take Sage Canyon Road to Lake Hennessey and then follow a narrow drive a mile and a half up through a forested area.  A short walking path leads from the parking area up the hill to the winery.  The winery itself is beautiful, an older 1960s design that still seems contemporary.  Be sure to bring your camera. 


Our host, Jessica, was wonderful, very courteous, professional and enthusiastic.  Our tasting began with the Chappellet 2010 Signature Chenin Blanc at $30.  Yes, Chenin Blanc, that often sickly sweet and bland wine that use to be popular in the 1970s and was considered a step up from white jug wine. Many years ago, Souverain made a pleasant Chenin Blanc, but hardly anybody took the varietal seriously.  Chappellet makes a serious Chenin Blanc.  With a nice nose, not too much sweetness, and very good balance, this is a wine that almost anybody would like but that has enough complexity to appeal to serious wine drinkers.  I’m still not a convert to the varietal, but this Chenin Blanc is very good and the finest California Chenin Blanc I can recall tasting.  My friend bought a bottle.

Next, we tried the Chappellet 2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($32).  I usually prefer Chardonnays without malolactic conversion or MLF because I like to taste the varietal characteristics and complexity which are often lost from MLF or else from over oaking.  This one has 30% MLF and 30% new oak.  The lactic acid and oak were applied with restraint and did not distract from the Chardonnay varietal characteristics.  It had a very pronounced aroma of tropical fruits, with good well-balanced acid.  We both thought it was very nice, and I purchased a bottle to explore it further.



We were shown a bottle of the 1969 Cab which was for sale in very limited quantities for $3,000, but, of course, this was not available for tasting. The red wine tasting began with their flagship Chappellet 2009 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon ($49),  The 2009 was 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 9% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot and was very nice.  Mostly blackberry on the palate it  had great structure and complexity.  Although it is extremely drinkable now, it will improve with age. This is one of the best Napa Valley Cabernets, is a bargain at only $49 and was an essential purchase.

I noticed they made a Cabernet Franc and commented on how much I liked the Titus Cab Franc.  Much to my surprise, Mr. Titus is involved with making theirs so I had to try it.  The Chappellet 2009 Cabernet Franc is $65 and is one of the finest Napa Valley Cab Francs I’ve tasted.  If you like Cab Francs, you need to try the Chappellet.  Cab Francs are usually used in Bordeaux style blends but can sometimes make wonderful wines on their own.  This is one of three of my favorite Napa Cab Francs, possibly my favorite of all.

Our final tasting was of the Chappellet 2009 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, a limited production blend of their finest grapes ($135).  It is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 10% Malbec. This very ripe Cab still has complexity and is not overwhelmed by the fruit.  More along the lines of what Robert Parker seems to like, I can imagine this wine doing really well in blind tastings.  (Not to imply that Mr. Parker does blind tastings, which I believe he does not do.) But it was definitely more interesting than many very ripe Cabs, and I certainly liked it very much even though it is not a style for which I'm usually overly fond.  (My friend immediately preferred the more traditional 2009 Signature Cab.) 

Every wine we tasted was very good, although if I had to pick my favorites these would be the Cabernet Franc and the Signature Cabernet Sauvignon.  I don’t remember ever tasting a California Chenin Blanc as interesting as theirs, so this will be added to our "favorite" list when I update it.  It is worth tasting just to see what can be achieved with a Chenin Blanc when it is treated as a serious varietal. All four of the wines underlined above will be added to our all time favorite wine list when it is updated.

Addendum 9/24/12: We drank a bottle of the 2009 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon ($49).  It was extremely drinkable now and represents an excellent buy at this price.  This is a classic style Cab that just about anybody who likes Napa Valley Cabs would really enjoy.

I noticed that Chappellet had library and large format wines plus other varietals including: Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Malbec and a red blend called Las Piedras.  Next time we visit, I’d like to try the Petite Sirah and Malbec.  Oh yes, Chappellet is a winery we would love to revisit soon.  It is a lovely building in a great setting, with fantastic service and exceptional wines.  I wish I had begun visiting Chappellet 40 years ago when I first began tasting at Napa wineries.  Who knows, I might have picked up a case of the 1969 Cab back then and still have a few bottles left.  This is a winery you will certainly want to visit if you like exceptional wines and beautiful settings.  A friend asked me about the tour, but we did not take it so I cannot comment on it. Perhaps they will offer us one next time we visit.  For now we recommend that you visit for the great wine, service and view; you won't regret it.

Addendum 6/23/2012:  I found a few interesting articles about the famous 1969 Chappellet Signature Cab that you might find interesting:
 
"1969 Chappellet – The Greatest Cabernet Ever Made in America?"
Best American Cab Ever?

"Their 1969 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon--their first vintage--held the record for the highest price ever paid for a single bottle of American wine, a jeroboam that sold for $6,000."
Forbes article

"He (Tongi) dates his best wines from those years: the 1969 cabernet sauvignon from Chappellet"
New York Times article

1581 Sage Canyon Rd
Rutherford, CA 94573
(800) 494-6379
Date of Visit: June 13, 2012 

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Dog Days at Hendry Winery

We took a break from the blog while my friend and designated driver (who also does most of the purchasing) spent two months in Europe, but are now back in action beginning with our visit Sunday, June 10th to the second annual Dog Days at Hendry Winery.  In addition to receiving an invitation by email there was a poster announcing the event at Alston Park, the adjacent dog park in Napa.  This was an open house where you could bring your dog, enjoy complimentary tastings and receive 20% off wine purchases.  The Napa Humane Society had representatives, and freshly barbequed food was available for purchase from Barger’s Q.  This was set up with picnic tables under an awning.  All of the dogs were very well behaved and friendly.  Some were off leash and got along splendidly.  Mike and Molly Hendry poured the wines which included all of the Hendry wines plus a Zinfandel by Mike and Molly.  We had met Mike and Molly earlier this year at the big Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco where they had their own booth for tastings.  Their Zin and Hendry's were among the standouts of the many Zins we tasted there.  You can check out Mike and Molly here: Mike and Molly Zinfandel

The even lasted from 11AM to 4 PM and we were there from noon until after 2.  Everyone was very friendly so there was much social interaction.  It was more like tasting wine at home because of the informal atmosphere and available food for pairing.  It made it very easy, for example, to try all the Zins side by side or to go back and forth between the oaked and unoaked Chardonnay.  We were also able to purchase a bottle of wine (unoaked Chardonnay) to have with our meal and it paired well with barbequed chicken.  The wines were all very good as was the food.  The weather was perfect.  My wife and our dog, both had a great time.  I'd love to find some more dog friendly wine events, especially complementary ones, so I can bring my wife and dog with me on my wine tasting ventures.

My friend, Bill,  and I had visited Hendry Winery a few months ago, so we focused on tasting wines that we had liked most. The more I try Hendry wines, the more I like them.  They are very honest wines that have not been overly manipulated by the winemaker, which means having to start with really good grapes.  Their "Unoaked Chardonnay", for example, has neither oak nor malolactic conversion so you can taste the Chardonnay varietal and all of the subtle complexities that are often either not there or are overpowered with oak and MLF. But it is best when paired with food.  Their Cab is not the super ripe Parker like Cab that has become so popular but is much more in the older Napa tradition as exemplified by smaller wineries like Smith-Madrone and White Rock.  These are wines that might not jump out in a blind tasting but that require more careful exploration to appreciate the subtleties, complexity and terroir.  It makes the wines interesting and unique and was especially noticeable in the unoaked Chardonnay (on sale for $15.20) and the Cabernet Sauvignon (on sale for $44).  My appreciation of their Zinfandels has also increased, and I was glad to be able to purchase a bottle of the Mike and Molly Zin that we had sampled at the Zin Fest but had not been able to purchase previously.  Each Zin was quite good had its own personality,

Even if you attended this event, I would still recommend that you not miss the extensive three-hour tour and tasting conducted by George Hendry himself.  With really good wines, your appreciation of them can be enhanced significantly by learning about the winery and what the winemaker is attempting to do.  We hope to attend Hendry’s Dog Days event again next year and are grateful Hendry Winery for hosting this unusual event.

Unfortunately I forgot my camera.  If you were at the event and have some photos we could post on the blog, please contact me. Here is the link about our March visit to Hendry Winery:

If you would like to sign up on Hendry's mailing lest to learn about the annual Dog Days or other events, you may reach them at:   Hendry Mailing List