Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Storybook Mountain Vineyards


Storybook Mountain Vineyards (Seps Estate) is famous for its premium Zinfandels. Located north of Calistoga in Napa County just a few miles south of Sonoma County, it is the northern most winery in Napa Valley and is on an eastern slope of the Mayacamas Range that separates Napa from Sonoma Valley, giving the hillside vineyard an eastern exposure which allows for plenty of sun for ripening but helps to prevent direct exposure to hot summer afternoon sunlight.  Ocean breezes come in from Russian River, cooling the summer heat and making the temperature about ten degrees cooler than in the valley below.  They also have about twice the rainfall that is received in the south end of Napa Valley, but are less apt to receive rain during the fall harvest.  Andre Tchelistcheff advised them to plant Zinfandel, saying that the red clay soils above Calistoga were ideal for that varietal.
 
Storybook Mountain entry gate
The winery's  history dates back to the 1883 when it was founded by the Grim Brothers who came from a German family that has been producing wine in German continuously since 1540.  It was called Grimm Vineyards and Wine Vaults back then, and the Grimm brothers were responsible in 1889 for digging the first two of three wine caves on the property.  The tasting room is located in the wine caves where the humid temperature remains between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit year long where there are also about 400 French, American and Hungarian oak barrels.  Current production is about 5,000 cases a year.  The vineyard is organically farmed.
 
Entry to wine caves

During Prohibition, the winery produced "sacramental and medicinal" wines, after which it was abandoned until 1976 when Jerry and Sigrid Sepps purchased the ghost winery and ninety acres (now 120) which they replanted primarily with Zinfandel.  By 1983 Storybook Mountain Vineyards produced its first Zinfandels and began winning awards.  In 1989 their 1984 Zinfandel became the highest rated Zinfandel in history and in 1990 Jerry Seps, along with some friends, founded Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) and Jerry served five years as its president.  Storybook Mountain continues to receive stellar reviews and awards, some of which are listed here:  Awards

Wine cave

Our first sample was the Storybook Mountain Vineyards 2009 Napa Estate, Mayacamas Range Zinfandel at $36.  This had a soft cherry nose with hints of minerality and cedar.  On the palate it was very fresh, balanced, soft, smooth, relatively dry and fairly straight forward, with very good varietal characteristics.  After mostly cherry with some minerality or crushed rock, I got a rather short but pleasant finish. It is the antithesis of the big, jammy, high alcohol, overly ripe, raison oriented Zinfandels and was much more like the Chase Zins we tasted last week, Zins that are more subtle and have more varietal qualities.  There was some oak, but again it was subtle.  (It was given 30% new oak.) 
 
Cask from Germany

Next was the Storybook Mountain Vineyards 2009 Napa Estate, Antaeus (Zinfandel blend) at $40.  Antaeus was the son of Water and Earth in Greek mythology and the symbol of strength derived from the earth.  This is 51% Zinfandel, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot.  It had more aroma than the previous Zin and had lots of black cherry on the palate with some cassis, coco, oak, pepper and smoke with a medium length, but fairly complex and interesting, finish of chocolate, spice and cherry.  This came across somewhat like a Bordeaux blend with less of the Zin varietal than the Mayacamas.  I preferred it, though, because I found it had better structure and more complexity.  If you like more fresh fruit and Zin varietal characteristics, you might prefer the Mayacamas.

Old vines

Third up was the Seps Estate 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon at $65.  After a light nose, I got cherry with soft tannins, a medium body and a medium length finish.  It was a good Cab that avoided some of the excesses that often accompany other Napa Valley Cabs.
 
Tasting room

Our final tasting was the Storybook Mountain Vineyards 2011 Napa Valley Viognier at $35.  This had a great nose, although it was more of fresh fruit (pears) and minerals than the usual Viognier floral aroma.  On the palate it was dry and crisp for a Viognier, with more minerality than floral notes, mostly Japanese pear and white peach with a touch of vanilla and cream. It was also more intense than most Viogniers. Nothing insipid or pale here, but very well balanced.  It had a good, fairly long finish.  I really liked it.  It was great alone but has the structure to stand up to pairing with poultry or other food.  Along with the Antaeus, it was my favorite wine of the day.  (Storybook is especially noted for its reserve Zinfandels, but we did not taste any.)
 
Tasting room

If you love premium Zinfandels that maintain great varietal characteristics and are not excessive or over the top, or if you want to try a different but delicious Viognier, and you would like to visit some wine caves in a beautiful area while being hosted by friendly, informative staff, then you will want to visit Storybook Mountain Vineyards.  It is a very quiet and off the tourist trail.  An appointment is required but may easily be made.  We really enjoyed our visit and think you will too.


3835 California 128  
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-5282
Date of visit: March 27, 2013

Close up of German cask
Vineyard

Entry gate

Entry sign

Storage containers

Parking lot

Black mold on wine cave ceiling

Camelia on grounds

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Chase Family Cellars

Home of great Zinfandels, Chase Family Cellars is a small family run winery on Sulphur Springs Road off Highway 29 just South of St. Helena.  They do not even have a winery sign, merely an address sign.  It is an informal, down to earth winery where a visit requires an appointment, which can easily be made.  It is owned by Katie Simpson and Mike Simpson who are great great grandchildren of the vineyard founder, Sarah Esther Chase Bourn, who purchased the property in 1872 and whose son built the Greystone building in 1888 where the Culinary Institute is housed.  Chase has only two employees, the winemaker, Joel Aiken, and the hospitality/sales representative, Rebecca Martin.  We were able to meet one of the owners, Katie, briefly and extend our thanks to Rebecca for a very courteous and well informed hosting.  Staff

Rebecca at the tasting bar


Hayne Vineyard (now Chase Family Cellars) grapes were purchased by Charles Krug for many years.  In 1998 the first of S.E. Chase Family Cellars Zinfandel was produced from the Hayne vineyard. These Zinfandel vines, now over a hundred years old, are all head pruned and dry farmed.  It is a lovely site, these ancient black trunks standing in the field with no wires or trellises to mar the view.  It would be a picture postcard scene if there was yellow mustard planted to contrast with the dark old vines.  There are very few old, head pruned vineyards left in Napa Valley. Chase has a total of 45 acres, all planted with Zinfandel, but they also sources grapes for other varietals so they can produce a Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.  The new release of the Sauvignon Blanc had not yet been released and the Petite Sirah was nearly sold out, so neither were available for tasting, although I was able to purchase a bottle of Petite Sirah.  Total production for Chase is a mere 1800 cases.

Chase entry way

We opted to skip the white Zinfandel and started out with the Chase Cellars Hayne Vineyard 2008 Zinfandel ($45).  It was light ruby in color with a nice nose.  I got some pronounced raspberry on the palate with good tannins and a medium length finish.  This is a fairly dry Zinfandel with good structure, not at all fruit forward or lacking in acid.  It is easy to ruin a Zin with not enough acid (flabby), too much ripe fruit (fruit bomb with too much sweetness), too much alcohol (Lodi) or too much oak.  A Zin cannot handle the oak that a Cab or Petite Sirah can.  The first thing I look for in a Zin is balance.  Then I look at the quality of the fruit, the spice, the tannins, the nose and finish, etc.  What I like about this, and the other Chase Zins, is that it is honest to the varietal, very well balanced and, although it has good fruit, it is still fairly dry.  They have more finesse than rusticity.

Chase tasting room


Next up was the Chase Cellars Hayne Vineyard 2009 Zinfandel ($49).  I liked this somewhat better than the 2008.  I got some raspberry and forest floor on the nose and more raspberry with red plum and soft tannins on the palate.  The finish was longer than the 2008.  Although this is a lighter style Zin and fruitier than the 2008, it still has good structure and some complexity.

Hayne Vineyard Zinfandels

My favorite of the wines we tasted, however, was the Chase Cellars Hayne Vineyard 2009 Reserve Zinfandel ($75) which comes from the finest grapes from the old vines.  It had a better nose than the other two Zins, with a smooth, lush body of cherry and chocolate on the palate, along with pleasantly integrated tannins.  The finish was especially long and satisfying.  An excellent Zinfandel!



Chase patio



Our last offering was the Chase Cellars 2009 Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon ($65).  This was made from grapes sourced from Sam Brannan Vineyard Calistoga, using three different clones.  After a light nose, I got a medium to full bodied Cab with blackberries, black currants, and cedar along with good tannins and acid, all well balanced with a medium length finish.  This is more of a soft and graceful Cab than one of overwhelming power. It was a pleasant Cab but did not displace the Zin Reserve as my favorite of the wines we sampled.



Hayne Vineyard 100 plus year old Zinfandel vines

I was able to purchase and taste a bottle of the Chase Cellars 2009 Petite Sirah ($50) which was sourced from Barberis Vineyard in Calistoga.  Intensely dark black-purple in color, it had a light to medium nose with an intense, balanced, concentrated blackberry with some dark cherry, cedar and toast on the palate.  Tannins were firm, somewhat chalky and delightfully integrated.  I did not get much black pepper but the balance was perfect.  It had a moderate length smoky cherry finish. Definitely a superior Petite Sirah and highly recommended!

Storage tanks

What I especially like about Chase, in addition to the small, friendly, welcoming atmosphere, is that their wines are very true to the varietal and that they do not taste like everyone else's wine.  My two favorites, the Reserve Zin and PS, both are unique and different than what others are producing.  Balance is impeccable.  The winemaker has brought out the best in these high quality grapes.  If you like high quality Zinfandels and want something different from the wonderful Turley and Biale Zins, try some Chase Zins.  And don't forget their Petite Sirah.  Better yet, visit them and try them all.

Winery dog


Chase Family Cellars
2252 Sulphur Springs Avenue
St. Helena, CA 94574
707-963-1284
Date of visit: March 20, 2013

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Corison Winery


Corison Winery makes some of the most complex and incredibly well balanced Cabs that I've encountered over the past 40+ years. The owner and winemaker, Cathy Corison, has been making wine since the late 1970's, was the first woman winemaker and proprietor in Napa Valley, and has been producing wine under the Corison label since 1987.  In 1995 she purchased the vineyard where Corison Winery is now located, and in 2000 the winery was opened. 


Hardy Wallace, our host, at the tasting bar

The eight acre estate vineyard at Corison Winery is called Kronos Vineyard and was planted in the early 1970's with Cabernet Sauvignon on St. George rootstock, this rootstock making it resistant to Phylloxera.  While other wineries had to pull out their rootstock and replant when Phylloxera struck Napa Valley, Corison did not. Because of this, Corison has Cabernet Sauvignon growing on some of the oldest rootstock in Napa Valley.  These organically grown, old vines are very deeply rooted, require no watering and produce a smaller crop of more intensely flavored  grapes.  These grapes are used for the premier Corison Cabernet Sauvignon issued as Kronos Vineyard.  Other Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sourced from the classic benchland between Rutherford and St. Helena and, when produced, are issued under the  Corison Napa Valley designation.  Total production for the winery is under 1500 cases.


Entry sign

Cathy Corison has an MS in enology from U.C. Davis, with over thirty years of experience making wines for other wineries, including Chappellet Vineyard, Staglin and Long Meadow Ranch.  She crafts Cabernets that are especially expressive of their terroir and avoids over oaking, over extraction and other tricks, to produce a Cabernet of exceptional balance, complexity and integrity.  All of her Cabs are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and the winery has a large collection of library wines.  Only the Cabernets have the name Cathy Corison on them, the others being called Corazon or Helios. 

Entry way

Our tasting began with the Corison 2009 Gewürztraminer ($30).  This is from grapes sourced from outside Napa Valley, Anderson Valley if I recall.  It is a dry, Alsatian style, 100% Gewurtztraminer that has a fantastic aroma of flowers, spices, white peach and lychees.  On the palate it is dry and spicy with white peach, tropical notes and minerality along with a long finish.  This is one of the finest American Gewürztraminers I've had, although it is not as complex as some of the great (and much more expensive) Alsatian Gewürztraminers that I've tasted over the years.  It is, however,  highly recommended and the only Gewürztraminer from a Napa Valley winery I can recommend other than the wonderful Stony Hill.

Barn with tasting room and barrels

Our next sample was the Helios 2006 Syrah ($38).  If you are tired of Syrahs or Shiraz being fruit bombs or excessively fruit forward, you might just love this Syrah.  Light on the nose, this is a dry, spicy style Syrah with a lovely red raspberry palate, medium body and a medium length finish.  I found it to be very enjoyable.

Original house

Cabernets followed, beginning with the Corison 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at $75.  This saw 50% neutral oak and 50% new French oak.  After a restrained nose I got dusty blackberries with hints of cedar, floral notes and spice.  It is very dry but impeccably balanced, with great structure, good mouthfeel and fascinating complexity plus a long finish.  Although this 2009 is still young, I found it to be quite drinkable now.

Back of barn

Even better was the Corison 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon at $90.  I confess that I am very fond of 2005 Napa Valley Cabs and usually enjoy them more than the famous 2007 vintage because they often seem to have better structure and more complexity.  This one had a good nose of cherries followed by multi-layers of cherry, nutmeg, spice, and floral notes, with integrated tannins.  Again it is very dry, complex, well structured  with amazing balance.  There is so much going on with this wine!  I just loved this vintage and ended up looking it up on the Internet to see what others said about it.  Not surprisingly, Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast rated this as a 95 when he tasted it on 2/1/09.  I'm sure he would rate it even higher if he had some today, four years later.  This is an exceptional Cabernet!!!

Barrel room

My friend's favorite was the Corison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon at $90.  This was especially deep garnet in color and had an even better nose than the 2005 but a somewhat softer presentation.  Again it was extremely well balanced and complex, but I did not get quite the layered depth of the 2005.  Tannins were very supple.  I got mostly cherry with some cedar.  Highly recommended!

Barrel room

My favorite, along with the 2005 mentioned above, was the Corison 2006 Kronos Cabernet Sauvignon at $119.  Dark purple in color with a good nose of blackberry and cherry.  Lush without being big or overdone.  Complex, layered and extremely well balanced.  Black cherry with some cedar and nutmeg.  This has great fruit along with very distinct character.  It seems somewhat more intense than the other Corison Cabs but the Corison touch is unmistakable; it is so balanced and multi-dimensional, so interesting.  It is as fascinating as it is delicious.  Simply wonderful!!!

Patio


As a final treat we were offered a taste of the Corison 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon at $115.  This had a smoothness that comes with age.  Great blackberry and blueberry fruit, with superb balance.  I liked it as well as the 2004 but preferred the regular 2005 and the Kronos 2006.  At most wineries this would stand out as a great wine, but at Corison it is one among a number of great wines.

Old vine Cabernet Sauvignon

Obviously I really love these Corison Cabs.  Each vintage is different but there is a style that is fairly consistent.  None are overly ripe or extracted nor are they at all sweet, hot or overly oaked. But there is nothing shy, thin or light about them either.  These are beautiful Cabs with great mouthfeel, wonderful fruit, supple tannins and power along with nuance and charm.  I just love the complexity and balance of these wines.  They go beyond mere balance and have a coordinated integration that is as sensually pleasurable as it is intellectually interesting.

Kronos Vineyard

Back in the early 1970's some wine drinkers use to sometimes categorize Napa Valley Cabs as "masculine" or "feminine."  Masculine were the more bold, burly, tannic, Cabs and feminine were the lighter style that strove more for elegance than power.  I remember being at a tasting where the 1965 Charles Krug was tasted and cited as a masculine style Cab and the 1970 BV George de Latour Reserve Cab was tasted and referred to as a more feminine style Cab.  What I love about the Corison Cabs is that they somehow combine the best of both worlds--intensity with finesse.  Corison Cabs are able to balance the Yin and Yang. 

Flower garden




If you love Cabs, you will certainly want to try some of Corison Cabernet Sauvignon.  Corison's prices for their library wines are very reasonable compared to other Napa Valley wineries so you might even want to order a bottle with some age on it.  Better yet, really indulge yourself and visit them in person. You will be glad you did.  Much thanks to our wine host, Hardy Wallace, who helped make our visit such a wonderful experience.




Flight of Corison Cabs



987 St. Helena Hwy
Saint HelenaCA 94574
(707) 963-0826
Date of visit: March 12, 2013

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Grgich Hills Estate Revisited


Happy Birthday Miljenko "Mike" Grgich who will be 90 this April 1st.  Mike was inducted into the Vintner Hall of Fame in 2008 in honor of his many contributions to the wine industry and is one of the most well known vintners in Napa Valley.  Grgich Hills will be offering some special events throughout the year in honor of his birthday, including the Gala event on April 13th when they will release a Chardonnay in the same style as the one that won the 1976 Paris Tasting.

Entry sign


About a year ago I received a request from a woman in Brazil asking what Napa Valley wineries I recommended she visit on her upcoming trip to Napa.  She indicated that the only winery she had definitely decided upon visiting was Grgich because she especially loved Chardonnays.  Mike Grgich is forever associated with Chardonnay and the famous Paris Tasting of 1976.  Less well known is that in 1980 during a blind tasting of 221 Chardonnays at the Great Chicago Showdown, the 1977 Grgich Hills Chardonnay was the winner. But Grgich Hills makes five other excellent wines in addition to their Chardonnay, with all of their wines noted for their integrity and terroir.  They do not make wines that follows popular trends or chase after high ratings.

Entry way

Grgich Hills Estate was founded in 1977, a year after Mike Grgich crafted the famous 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that placed first in Paris in 1976. I have a vivid memory of tasting this wine back in 1976 while living in Southern California, and it really was a wonderful wine.  I was fortunate enough to purchase a case of it, the second case of wine I had ever purchased.  Our last visit to Grgich was about two years ago on March 29, 2011 and I have been there many times over the years.  Service is always very good and the wines are always interesting.

Tasting bar

The 366 acres that constitute Grgich Hills Estate is all family owned and certified to be organically and biodynamically farmed. All five estate vineyards are farmed without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.  These include estates in American Canyon, Carneros, Yountville, Rutherford and Calistoga. Only natural wild yeasts are used in their wines. They are also a dog friendly winery and allow dogs in their tasting room.

Wine Train stops at Grgich

As always, the tasting at Grgich begins with their famous Chardonnay.  This was the Grgich hills Estate Napa Valley 2010 Chardonnay at $42.  Grapes are from their Carneros and American Canyon vineyards.  Production was 25,853 cases. It sees no malolatic conversion and is aged in French oak for 10 months, with 60% neutral and 40% new oak.  After a good aroma, I got a dry, crisp peach with some minerality and a bit of citrus.  The finish was medium length.  It is quite nice and should pair really well with food.

Entry fountain

Grgich, like Mondavi, is also known for their Fume Blanc, a Sauvignon Blanc modeled after drier Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc rather than Bordeaux.  We tried the Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley 2010 Fume Blanc ($30).  As I would expect this is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and is from certified organic grapes from their American Canyon and Carneros vineyards. It is aged 6 months on the lees in neutral oak barrels. Production was 12,791 cases.  After a light nose, I got a crisp, dry, clean grapefruit and lemon on the palate with a medium length finish.  It is one of the better Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs and should go marvelously with a wide range of food.  I really liked it but it is a very dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc that will appeal to those who like this style.

Birthday announcement

Although not on the regular tasting list, they had some Grgich Hills Estate 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Essence ($48) open and offered us a taste.  This is usually available only to club members and is made from their finest Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  It had a moderate nose of grapefruit and lemon followed by a full bodied, fairly complex, tart lemon palate with some minerality.  It had more nose and a longer finish than their Fume Blanc and seemed more concentrated and intense while still being well balanced.  This is an excellent Sauvignon Blanc.  It was my favorite of the white wines, followed by the Chardonnay.

"Bean" feeling at home

Red wines came next and our first sample was the Grgich Hills Estate 2009 Zinfandel at $35.  Production was 6,856 cases.This is a light to medium bodied Zin with great spice, some earthiness and good acid and balance.  I'm fond of spicy Zins and this one has it in spades.  It is 92% Zinfandel and 2% Petite Sirah with 6,856 cases having been made. Grapes are from Calistoga. I liked it alone, but it should pair well with Italian, Mexican, or anything tomato based or with bbq or steak.

Entry sign and fountain

Grgich Hills Estate 2008 Merlot ($42) was our next sample.  It is 100% Merlot and is aged 18 months on French oak with 30% of that being new oak. Production was 3,117 cases. It had a light aroma.  On the palate it was fairly full bodied for a Merlot with tart red fruit, mostly plum, and good tannins.  It had more complexity and structure than many Merlots and a medium length finish of puckery red fruit reminiscent of plum skins.  It should pair very well with food.

Front entrance

Our final offering was the Grgich Hills Estate 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at $60.  It is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc with 15,500 cases having been made.  It saw 21 months in French oak with 60% of that being new oak.  On the nose I got currants, coffee, smoke and oak but on the palate it was black cherry with good smooth tannins and a medium to full body.  Finish was medium long.  This was my favorite of the reds. A very nice Napa Valley Cab that is drinkable now.

Stone sign

Grgich Hills definitely belongs on your list of wineries to visit when you are in Napa Valley. They have very good white and red wines, are quite hospitable and are an iconic Napa Valley winery. Grgich Hills Cellar is on Highway 29 in Rutherford, is very easy to find and has ample parking. It is open to the public without reservations. Tours are available by appointment.  Grgich Hills is in the Napa Neighbor Program.  It is one of those wineries that everybody should visit at least once.  But once you have visited, you will want to return.

Today's tasting selections

1829 St. Helena Hwy.
Rutherford, CA 94573
707-963-2784
Date of visit: March 6, 2013

An Iconic Winery