Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Vincent Arroyo Winery

Vincent Arroyo Winery is located north of Calistoga.  The land was purchased in 1974 by Vincent Arroyo who was a mechanical engineer in Silicon Valley who decided to become a farmer and winemaker after seeing an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle for 23 acres of farmland for sale in Calistoga.  There were mostly prunes back then, with just a few patches of grape vines. After replacing the prunes with grapes, Vince began selling his grapes to the Napa Valley Cooperative Winery.  In 1984 he was able to offer his first release.  In addition to wine, they also produce their own olive oil.


Garden patio


All wines are sold directly from their winery and are frequently sold prior to the wine even being released.  This is one of the few wineries that has no distribution of their wines.  They even have an order form for ordering wine "futures."  Along with their famous Petite Sirah, they offer one white wine, a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, a Sangiovese, a Gamay based Melange, usually a Zinfandel and some red blends made from a total of eleven varietals.  In 1992 they began making a Petite Sirah port. They have about 83 acres now, all dry farmed,  and produce 8,000 to 10,000 cases a year.  Their two winery dogs each have a wine named after them but this does not seem to have spoiled either one of them.  Tastings are by appointment and there is no charge unless the party is five or more.  Much thanks to TJ for hosting us and being so friendly and down to earth.

Tasting room


When you visit Vincent Arroyo Winery, you will feel really welcome.  It is a small, rural, unpretentious, friendly family winery just off the beaten track where you will not find large buses of tourists or have to wait in line for a tasting, although it is a popular destination for many savvy visitors.  You will also be able to taste wines that you cannot purchase elsewhere and this will probably include some barrel tastings.  They did have some library and current release wines for sale when we were there, but we were told that within a month or so the library wines would be mostly sold out as would some of the current release wines.

Olive orchard


Our first pour was the Vincent Arroyo 2011 Chardonnay at $24.  Whole cluster pressed, a quarter of it sees new French oak, but no malolatic conversion was allowed.  This should mean that the Chard is not overly oaky or excessively buttery.  Too many Napa Valley Chards are ruined by excessive oak or too much MLF.  Both can be useful tools for a winemaker, but some wineries seem to think that more is better regardless of the characteristics of the grapes they are working with.  Often the varietal characteristics of the Chardonnay grape are totally overpowered by heavy handed treatment.  No wonder the term ABC came into use, meaning "anything but Chardonnay."  This Chard is pale straw in color with a light nose.  On the palate it is dry and crisp, with pineapple, melon and pear, well balanced, with a very clean finish.  Although I did not get a lot of complexity, this is still a darn good Chardonnay at only $24 and is a pleasure to drink.  I purchased a bottle and shared it with my wife, who spontaneously commented on how good it was.


Garden patio

Our second pour was the Vincent Arroyo 2008 Sangiovese at $22.  A light ruby in color with a good nose, this was dry with some tart red cherry on the palate.  Some Sangioveses tend to be too light bodied.  This one had more character and substance to it. Finish was medium length but very pleasant.  It is not just the length of the finish but the quality and pleasantness of the finish that matters.  Frankly I've had some wines with an unpleasant finish and wish it had been shorter.  Others have long finishes but are not that interesting in the finish.  In general, though, a medium to long finish is one of the signs of a better wine.  This is a good Sangiovese for the price.  Give it some air.

Vineyard

Third up was the Vincent Arroyo 2006 Zinfandel ($24). Rather pale in color for a Zin, it had a light nose followed by mostly red plum and raspberry, fairly dry, definitely not overly extracted nor with too much octane (alcohol).  Finish was rather short. A decent Zin for the price.

Fourth in line was the Vincent Arroyo 2010 Bodega, named after their chocolate Lab and  priced at $40.  This is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec and 105 Petite Verdot and it saw one year on 100% French oak.  It was a medium purple in color with a pleasant nose of cherry, vanilla and oak. I got mostly cherry and plum on the palate with some toastiness.  This is still a young wine and will need time to come into its own.

Winery building


The fifth pour was the Vincent Arroyo 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) from a barrel tasting.  100% Cabernet with 36 months on French oak.  Deep purple in color, it had mostly cherry and oak on the nose with cherry, toast and earth notes on the palate, along with fairly soft tannins.  This is a very nice Cab although still young.  It is very drinkable now but will improve over in the next three to five years (or more.)

Driveway


Our sixth sample, the second of our barrel tastings, was the Vincent Arroyo 2011 Petite Sirah ($32).  A winning wine in every way, this one starts out pleasing the eye with its intense dark purple color.  Hold it up to the sunlight and over some white background.  The nose was light but appealing.  On the palate it was full bodied, dry, with some nice PS black pepper, well balanced with a medium length finish.  The tannins were not over powering as they can sometimes be in a PS.  We both agreed that this was our favorite of the tastings.  Highly recommended.

Large format bottles


If you like small, friendly, down to earth wineries with very good wines, including some less common varietals, you will certainly want to visit Vincent Arroyo Winery. They do not have a wine club but you may purchase wine futures at a discount or any current release or library wines they still have.  The fact that many of their wines are sold prior to even being released should tell you a lot about this winery.  BTW they have a Tempranillo coming out.  It was not ready even for a barrel tasting, although I did ask.  I suspect they will a great job with this lovely Spanish varietal.  I'd like to make a return visit just to try this one wine. 

Entry sign

2361 Greenwood Ave.
Calistoga, CA 94515
Phone: 707-942-6995
Date of Visit: May 29, 2013

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Neal Family Vineyards

Neal Family Vineyards is located just outside the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain.  The Neal family has been engaged in vineyard management since 1968 and began producing wines under their own label in 1997.  The current winery and estate was built in 2001 and includes a house where  Mark Neal and his family currently live. They continue to farm over 1,000 acres of vineyards and are the third oldest vineyard management company in Napa County


Wine cave entrance



They have been using organic gardening practices since 1984 and were certified in 2009 by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF.) Only natural yeasts are used in fermentation.  All of their wines are produced using free run juices, with the remaining pressed juice sold on the market.  They are so committed to quality wine that in 2000 when the grapes were determined not to be of sufficient quality, they decided to produce no vintage for that year.  During most years their production is less than 1,000 cases.

Koi pond

Tastings and tours are by appointment only and, although, there is no charge for this, they do ask for a $25 refundable deposit for each person.  Your credit card is not charged if you appear for your appointment.  This only makes sense when you consider that they are such a small winery and that Gove Celio, the Director of Winemaking, or Mark Neal, the owner, are the two who usually conduct the tours and tastings.  Because it was a weekday and not the weekend, Gove assisted us although we were introduced to Mark.




Tasting bar with Bill and Cove
We recently had a bottle of  Neal Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon during dinner at the restaurant called Press after it was recommended by the waiter.  The wine was excellent, lush and smooth, with black currants, blackberries and toast. Very reasonably priced, even with the restaurant mark up.  We decided that evening that we would visit the winery.


Grounds

Our fist wine to taste was the Neal Family Vineyards 2012 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc at only $18 a bottle. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Pope Valley and saw no oak or malolatic conversion. 992 cases were produced.  It was Sur Lie aged for four or months in stainless steel.  It had a pale straw color with light lemon and melon on the nose.  On the palate I got rich white peach and distinct pineapple with a medium length, smooth, very pleasant finish.  It is very well balanced and leaned more toward the New Zealand style, emphasizing refreshing fruit over herbaceousness or bright acid.  Unlike some New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, this one was not overly fruity, but remained dry and very refreshing with good but very well balanced acid.  The presentation was somewhat simple but very pleasant, making this is a real bargain at the price.  If you often do not like California Sauvignon Blancs, you might want to try this one.  No bell pepper or tartness here.  It is very enjoyable to drink by itself although it would pair well with seafood.  After tasting this, I regretted that Neal Family doesn't make a Chardonnay.  Highly recommended, especially at this price.  We purchased a bottle.


Wine cave

Second was the Neal Family 2011 Rutherford Dust Vineyards Zinfandel at $24.  This has 4% Petite Syrah added for color and depth, and these two varietals were co-fermented.  40% of it saw 13 months on Hungarian oak.  About 1400 cases were produced.  It is a lovely medium purple in color with an even lovelier red cherry aroma. I got mostly cherry and strawberry on the palate with great pepper and spice.  Tannins are finely laced. The finish was long with  some spiciness and soft chewy tannins that gave it a dusty quality.  This Zin was not too high in alcohol or too jammy as are many Zins these days and it had layers of interesting complex flavors to it.  I later opened a bottle of this and shared it with three others. Two of them drink mostly Pinot Noir and rarely like Zins but loved this one.  I knew it was an excellent Zin when I tasted it at the winery, but it really blossomed at home.  Excellent balance and structure was evident at the winery but only later was I able to appreciate the complexity of this wine.  I can hardly believe that a Zinfandel this well balanced, interesting and complex is only $24.  I tasted about 80 premium Zins at ZAP this year and this one would have been among my top picks if it had been there. I'm rating it 92 points.  An outstanding Zinfandel.  I wish I had purchased more than I did.


Vineyard


Our third tasting was the Neal Family Vineyards 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet at $48.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and 81% saw 23 months on new French oak.  It is wonderfully appealing to the eye with its deep, intense, dark purple color.  You will certainly want to hold this one up to the light and over a white background to admire it.  The aroma was fantastic, mostly black cherry with sweet oak.  I got rich, lush black cherry, black currants and some black plum with sweet oak on the palate along with well integrated tannins, great structure and a good finish with some spice.  This is very drinkable now but should age well.  Very reasonably priced for the quality, this is easy to recommend and we do so highly.  We purchased several bottles.


Wine cave troll


Next was the Neal Family Vineyards 2005 Second Chance Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at $75.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and all of it saw 26 months in new French oak. Only 227 cases were produced. I thought the previous Cab was appealing to the eye, but this 2005 was even more  amazing with its deep black, inky purple color.  This is one of the darkest Cabernets I've ever encountered.  After a pleasant black cherry nose, I got intense, ripe, sumptuous black cherry, with some oak and mocha, followed by a medium length dusty mocha and cherry finish and soft tannins that coated the mouth.  This leans toward the ripe, extracted, wines that certain wine critics seem to like, but it has not been overdone so that you get interesting layers of flavor.  We liked it even better than the previous Cab but then it sells for $75 instead of $48.  I'd love to open both bottles side by side and spend some time getting to know these two Cabs.  Highly recommended.


Vineyard

Last but not least was the Neal Family Vineyards 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($65)  100% Cabernet.  80% of it aged in new French oak.  Good nose of mocha, chocolate and cherry with a dark intense black cherry, black currant and mocha on the palate.  Smooth with softly integrated tannins and a medium length finish.  Another winning Cab.  We purchased several bottles.


Antique wine tools

Although Neal Family Vineyards is well known for making excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, they also produce an outstanding Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc, both of which are extremely reasonably priced for the quality.  You will feel right at home when you visit this small, friendly family winery, something we highly recommend that you do.

Entry sign


Neal Family Vineyards
716 Liparita Rd.
Angwin, CA 94508
Phone: 707-965-2800
Date of visit: May 22, 2013


Entrance
Poppy garden
Bottling room



Window view from tasting room
Antique bottle corker







Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Cornerstone Cellars and Stepping Stone

Cornerstone Cellars is on the main street (Washington) in downtown Yountville, a very convenient location for a pre or post dinner wine tasting to accompany a great dinner at any of Yountville's wonderful restaurants.  If you are staying in Yountville you don't even need a designated driver.  Cornerstone Cellars offered their first commercial release in 1991.  It was founded by two Memphis physicians, Michael Dragutsky and David Sloas  after David during a visit to Napa Valley was offered some high quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes by Randy Dunn who had a surplus that year.  So the winery began with the purchase of five tons of Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  Their first release was so well received, they decided to continue releasing wines and now have some long term contracts for sourcing grapes.

 
Tasting bar
Their winemaker is Jeff Keene with Craig Camp as the managing partner.  The tasting room in Yountville opened in 2009 and is across the street from the Post Office. It is open to the public and has a $15 tasting fee.  In addition to Cornerstone wines, they also offer a line of more affordable wines under the Stepping Stone label.  They do not refer to this as a second label and after tasting some of these, I understand why.  Although Stepping Stone offers less expensive wines, they are clearly premium wines.  Much thanks to our friendly and courteous host, Ben.


Entry

First up was the Stepping Stone 2010 Napa Valley Riesling at only $20.  Only 435 cases were produced. It is one of the better Napa Valley Rieslings I've tasted and the only really good one I've encountered for under $30.  Pale straw in color, it had a very nice nose with mostly melon and floral notes of lemon blossom and honeysuckle.  On the palate I got dry melon, grapefruit and lemon with refreshing crispness and good, but balanced, acid. The finish was medium length but very clean and somewhat soft for a Riesling that has such crisp acid on the mid palate. It is probably the driest California Riesling I have tasted (residual sugar is less than .02%) and is more in the Alsatian tradition with its dry, flinty minerality.  As much as I would like to imagine drinking this alone on a hot summer day, I think it would pair splendidly with seafood, foul or Asian dishes.  Many people seem to underestimate how well a really good, dry Riesling will pair with food. If you like dry Rieslings, you should give this a try.  If you think you don't like Rieslings because many seem too sweet, this is definitely the one to try. It is very nice, especially at this price and I highly recommend it.


Lounge


Our second taste was the Cornerstone Cellars 2010 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc at $25.  968 cases were produced. Very pale straw in color with greenish hues, and a light lemon nose, this wine bursts into action upon entry with lemon and crisp, balanced acid, some slight, pleasant herbaceousness and good minerality.  The finish is rather short but very clean.  Quite nice and easy to recommend.

For the third taste, I opted to sample some Cornerstone Cellars 2010 Oregon Willamette Valley Chardonnay ($35).  I rarely drink Oregon Chards and this was an opportunity to do so.  It saw 16 months on French oak, with 24% of that new oak, and had 50% Malolactic Conversion but was not at all fat or buttery.  After a light aroma of lemon and oak, I got lots of dry, tart, crisp, green apple and lemon with some oak.  Finish was medium length.  This is a different style Chard that some people might really like, but I did not find it that interesting.  (Perhaps I'm too fond of white Burgundies and Chablis.)  Something worth trying if you are looking for a different style Chard.

Other side of lounge


The Cornerstone Cellars 2010 Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at $50 was next.  62 % on new French oak for 15 months. Bright ruby color. This had a great nose, far better than most Pinots, of red cherry, plum and sweet cedar.  I got more red plum and red cherry on the palate but with the addition of some raspberry and baking spices. Smooth tannins.  Medium bodied for a Pinot. Long, smooth finish.  Some might prefer less oak, but I thought it was very nice.

The Stepping Stone 2009 Napa Valley Syrah at $25 followed.  Grapes come from Lake County and it has 10% Grenache.  Check the gorgeous color on this, a lovely rose purple.  Very pretty.  Good nose of black cherry and spice.  I love Syrah spices.  More black cherry on the palate and not at all jammy with good tannins and spice.  Tired of fruit bomb Sirahs and Shiraz?  Try this one.  It is actually fairly dry for a Syrah.  Different than most Syrahs. We both really liked it. 

Next we tried the Stepping Stone 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. ($35)  This has 8% Merlot.  Bright ruby in color, I got some red fruit, tobacco leaf and graphite on the nose with black currant, blackberry, vanilla, oak, bell pepper, tobacco notes on the palate.  It was full bodied but well balanced, and the Merlot softened it out in a very pleasant manner.  Some Cab Francs lean toward being rather green and overly herbaceous.  Others can be too jammy.  Many are simply too simple.  This one is very well done and highly recommended.


Art work and lounge area


This was followed by the Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $65.  This is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. Dark violet in color. After a decent nose I got black cherry, black currant, cigar box, toasted oak, good structure and well integrated tannins.  Finish was medium length.  Drinkable now but will improve with age.  Very nice for the price. 

We tried the Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon next ($80.) This is from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot and saw 22 months on French oak. Most of the Cab is from Howell Mountain Ink Grade Vineyard but some Oak Knoll District Cab was added.  The Merlot is from Carneros.  400 cases were produced and they have been producing this mountain Cab since 1991. I confess to being rather partial to mountain cabs and this is certainly one.  Deep dark ruby in color with very nice aromas of black cherry, black currant and tobacco leaf starts this Cab out.  On the palate it is black cherry, black currant, blackberry with a lot of depth, and undercurrents of complex flavors such as oak, nutmeg, mushrooms, black pepper, etc.  Finish is medium length. This is a full bodied, well structured, robust Cab that needs air and will get even better with age but, for me, is interesting, complex and delicious right now.  I'd really like to sit down and slowly savor this wine at home.  Better yet, I'd love to taste this ten years from now. Very highly recommended and my favorite of the tasting along with the next wine.


By the case


For the finale we had the Cornerstone Cellars 2009 The Cornerstone ($125).   It is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Merlot and is similar to a reserve wine, although they do not call it that.  They also do not call it a Cabernet Sauvignon because they want flexibility to change the wine from year to year.  Black cherry with hints of sweet cedar on the nose.  Ripe dark cherry with interlaced tannins.  Soft, smooth, sophisticated and impeccably balanced.  Rich in texture.  Long finish. This is very different from the gutsy Howell Mountain Cab which I also like a lot.  Again I would need to spend some time with this wine to do it justice.  It is an excellent Cab.

Meeting room

Cornerstone Cellars offers some very good and interesting wines under their own label and under the Steppingstone label.  It is one of the very few wineries in Napa Valley where you can also taste an Oregon Pinot.  Of their white wines, I found the Riesling to be especially appealing.  It is very dry and quite affordable.  All of their reds were quite good, but I especially enjoyed the Cabernet Franc, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and the more refined Cabernet "The Cornerstone".  Even if you are not staying in a Yountville motel or eating at one of their many great restaurants, this is a winery you will want to visit when you are in Napa Valley.  They offer an extensive line up of superior wines at prices that are very reasonable for the quality. We highly recommend that you give them a try!

6505 Washington St.
Yountville, CA 94599
707-945-0388
Date of visit: May 15, 2013




Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Hall Wines St. Helena

Hall Wines St. Helena  is on the St. Helena Highway (Highway 29), south of the town of St. Helena and just north of Dean and DeLuca and on the same side of the highway.  As you continue on St. Helena Highway heading north it becomes Main Street and the numbers change so it is easy to think the numbers are highway numbers when they are actually Main Street numbers or addresses.  Although Hall is in a very busy section, it is a short drive off the highway and has plenty of parking and a nice grounds with picnic tables and sculptures. Drop in tastings are welcome (10 to 5:30 daily) unless you have a group of eight or more, in which case you should call for an appointment.  Tastings are $20 a person and they are in the Napa Neighbor Program.   Tours are $40 and by appointment only.

Front entry


Hall St. Helena has a sister winery called Hall Rutherford that is open for tasting only by appointment.  The St. Helena winery was originally founded in 1885 when it was known as the Napa Valley Co-op and was one of the main winemaking facilities in Napa Valley.  Craig and Kathryn Hall who opened the St. Helena winery in 2003 in the old Bergfeld Winery.  In 2005 they opened their Rutherford winery.  Their estate totals about 500 acres and  yearly production is about 75,000 cases  and they have been certified organic since 2007.  Their winemaker is Steve Leveque. Much thanks to Todd, our host, for being so helpful and informative.

Tasting bar

Hall is well known for their excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and many of their more recent releases score in the 90 to 97 point range.  But they also make a very good Sauvignon Blanc and our first tasting was the Hall 2012 Sauvignon Blanc at a mere $22.  Pale straw in color, it had a very good nose of grapefruit with floral notes of lemon blossom.  On the palate it was crisp and very refreshing with excellent but smooth acids and a pronounced lime and melon.  Finish was medium length and quite pleasant.  Very nice.  One of the better Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs at a very reasonable price.

Sculpture


Although Hall is noted for its Cabs they began offering some Pinot Noirs in 2010 under the Walt label.  These now include releases under their Walt Collection from Sonoma County, Anderson Valley and the Santa Rita Highlands.  We tried the Walt 2011 Walt La Brisa Sonoma County Pinot Noir at $40 and also the Walt 2011 Blue Jay Anderson Valley Pinot Noir at the same price.  The La Brisa was a deep ruby color with a light nose of strawberry with some floral notes.  On the palate it was a bright, fresh strawberry and raspberry with subtle spices. Finish was medium length.  The Blue Jay had more of a light red cherry aroma with more intense fruit, mostly cherry, on the palate along with a medium length finish. We both liked each of these Pinots and purchased some of each but tended to slightly prefer the Blue Jay.  Both Pinots are still young and developing but are drinkable now, although I'd give them some air.

Large patio


The Hall 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $50 was to follow.  This is something of a best seller at the winery and 20,000 to 25,000 cases are produced each year.  This is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Syrah, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec.  It was a lovely burgundy in color with a light nose.  On the palate I got lots of ripe black fruit, mostly black cherry and black currants, with some cigar box and spice.  Tannins were beautifully interlaced.  Medium length finish.  This certainly has some age potential but may be consumed now with delight.

Sculptures and patio

The Hall 2010 Darwin Proprietary Red at $45 was up next.  This was 100% Syrah this year, although in previous years it has had some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend.   As with most Syrahs, it was deep and dark in color.  I got some sweet oak and cherry on the very nice nose.  On the palate it was full bodied, delightfully spicy with black cherry, sweet oak, some cigar box and pomegranate followed by a medium length finish.  It was very appealing.

Side entry



Next was the Hall 2010 T Bar T Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon at $50.  It is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot.  Aromas of  blackberry with some black olive and sweet cedar, followed by a palate of blackberry, toast and chewy tannins with a short finish.  A bold wine, this should improve with age. If you drink it now be sure to give it plenty of air and pair it with some steak.

Old building in back


Our final sample was the grand finale of the day, the Hall 2010 Jack's Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon at $125.  Now I see why Robert Parker is giving Hall Cabs all of those mid and high 90 scores.  I enjoyed this one so much that I made squiggly tasting notes that I could barely read.  And, of course, I did not pour any out.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It had a good nose with dark fruit, some forest floor and  cedar.  What hit me immediately was the balance and complexity.  Tannins and acid are beautifully integrated. I got black currant, chocolate and coffee along with great structure and a long finish.  This is a very solid Cab rather than flashy. I do not have to look up scores and reviews to know this Cab will be a hit and will be scoring in the mid 90s.  It is one of those outstanding Napa Cabs.  You have to be a member of their wine club to purchase it.  Good reason to join.

Sculpture

If you love great Cabs, you will want to visit Hall.  I counted twenty wines on their order form, with two being sold out and four being for members only.  And I know they make some Cabs that are not listed.  There is good reason to become a wine club member.  Not only will you receive discounts but you may purchase wines that the general public may not.  If you do visit, which we strongly recommend, you might want to give their Walt Pinot Noirs a try while you are their.  And if you like Sauvignon Blanc, here is a good one to try.

Large sculpture
401 St. Helena Hwy South
St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-2626
Date of visit: May 8, 2013

Tasting room
Front entry sign during road construction

Tasting room

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Pine Ridge Vineyards

Pine Ridge Vineyards is on Silverado Trail north of Napa just south of Yountville.  It was established in 1978 and the estate now includes 225 acres in five Napa Valley AVAs, including four vineyards in Stags Leap District, three in Rutherford, three in Carneros and one each in Rutherford, Oakville, and Howell Mountain.  Production is about 24,000 cases per year.  The have a second label called ForeFront that produces about 20,000 cases a year.

Tasting bar


It has been many years, probably about fifteen, since I last visited Pine Ridge winery.  In recent years I've been hearing good things about the winery and decided to visit again.  Their new winemaker, Michael Beaulac, began in 2009 and I suspect the recent positive reports are related to his presence.  Pine Ridge has an educational demonstration vineyard with a weather station and different wine varietals plus ample parking and two large outdoor patio areas. It is open to the public without a reservation but tours do require advance notice.  Much thanks to John for hosting us.

Tasting room building

Our tasting began with a little gem of a white wine, something that will appeal to almost everybody, especially on a hot summer day.  This is the Pine Ridge 2012 Chenin Blanc + Viognier blend at only $14.  Very pale yellow in color it has a pronounced floral nose.  On the palate it is soft and easy to drink but with decent acid and lovely floral notes.  I got fresh, juicy fruit, mostly white peach, with some honeysuckle. It has a little sweetness but is very well balanced with decent acid and not at all what you would expect from a Chenin Blanc blend.  Many wineries produce a white wine intended to have widespread appeal.  Usually they are overly sweet and completely uninteresting.  This one is actually quite nice and is the perfect white wine to sip on the patio or next to the pool.  Although it is mostly Chenin Blanc, I got more Viognier on the palate.  John informed us that the Viognier was picked when very ripe but the Chenin Blanc was harvested when at lower sugar levels.  This is a very unusual blend, but a winning combination.  At this price it is quite a bargain and is a best seller at the winery.

Patio

Next up was the Pine Ridge 2011 Dijon Clones Chardonnay at $34.  This comes from one of their Carneros vineyards.  After a fairly good nose, I got apple, pear and peach with lemon blossoms and toast.  40% of it spent six months in new French oak and this is evident in the aroma and palate.  It saw no malolatic conversion but is still pleasantly smooth and refined with balanced but crisp acids.  Very nice and one of the better Napa Valley Chardonnays.

Wine cave

The Pine Ridge 2009 Carneros Merlot at $45 followed.  This is 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It had 17 months in French oak, with 40% being new oak.  Lovely deep ruby/purple in color, it had a light nose followed by intense cherry on the palate, with well integrated tannins.  Pleasantly fruit forward, it also had nicely balanced acid that provides some crispness.  Finish was medium length. Although quite enjoyable on its own, this Merlot should pair nicely with chicken or turkey. 

Demonstration Vineyard


Fourth in line was the Pine Ridge 2009 Cave 7 Cabernet Sauvignon at $65.  It is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot.  30% of it saw new French oak.  It is very appealing to the eye with its deep, dark red with shades of purple.  After a light nose, I got red cherry, plum, baking spices and well integrated tannins followed by a medium length cherry finish.  Quite decent.

Garden

This was followed by the Pine Ridge 2009 Tessitura at $60.  Tessitura means texture in Italian.  It is 56% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Petit Verdot. 40% saw new French oak. A dark ruby and purple in color it had a very good nose of toast and cherry.  I got red cherry, raspberry and some cranberry with spices on the palate and a long finish.  It is drinkable now, especially when paired with steak or other food, but should improve over the next few years. 

Vineyard


The Pine Ridge 2009 Onyx at $60 followed.  This is a very unusual blend of 42% Merlot, 30% Tannat, 21% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Dark purple/black in color it had a moderate nose of raspberry, cherry, vanilla and spices.  On the palate it was cherry, raspberry and toast with nicely integrated tannins.  It had a long chewy finish of cherry and black currants.  This was a very unique and interesting wine and prompted me to read more about the varietal Tannat.  

Additional patio


Our final tasting was not on the regular tasting menu, but I'm certainly glad we were offered some. This was the Pine Ridge 2009 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon which sells for $85.  It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and 65% of it spent 18 months on new French oak.  It is a very lovely deep ruby/purple in color with a great nose.  Be sure to hold this one up to the light and over something white to appreciate its presentation and spend time swirling and appreciating the aroma.  There is a lot going on before the first taste.  On the palate I got black cherry, blackberry, some cedar with great, silky tannins and beautiful balance.  The finish was medium long and smooth.  This is an excellent Cabernet, complex and interesting, and our favorite of the tasting.  Robert Parker gave it 94 points and deservedly so.  (I am amazed that Steve Heimoff was less than enthralled with this wine, but perhaps it had not developed enough yet when he tasted it.)  I'll add this one to our all time list of favorite Napa Valley wines.  It is a lovely Cab, really outstanding and reasonably priced for the quality.

Vineyard

A visit to Pine Ridge is well worth your time.  It was not one of my favorite wineries in the past but has improved a great deal, possibly due to Michael Beaulac, their new winemaker.  Check them out.  And do not miss their 2009 Stags Leap Cab.

Entry sign


5901 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 253-7500
Date of visit:  May 1, 2013