Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Round Pond Estate

Round Pond Estate is a wonderful winery to visit and offers a number of very tempting options for tours and tastings, including one called "A Day in the Life" which is perhaps the ultimate in winery experiences where you "will be participating in a morning of harvesting Round Pond Estate grapes and helping the winemaker to craft a fine wine.  For the second half of the day you will enjoy Round Pond Estate wines and foods with an educational tasting experience and gourmet luncheon."  Round Pond does an amazing job of combining  excellent wines, with a beautiful scenic setting, lovely upstairs tasting areas with views, exemplary service and gourmet farm fresh cuisine from their olive orchards and vegetable garden.  It is no wonder we have heard so many people mentioned Round Pond as being one of their favorite wineries to visit. The name "Round Pond" refers to a serene retreat in New York where Bob MacDonnell use to spend many summers camping and relaxing.
 

Imagine sitting here tasting great wine and food.

Founded in Rutherford in 1983 by Bob and Jan MacDonnell, Round Pond continues to be a family owned winery that is now run by their two children Miles and Ryan.  Round Pond started solely as vineyard farmers, selling all of their grapes to other premium wineries within the Napa Valley.  They began producing their own wine in 2002, and opened to the public for tastings in 2007. Even today they use only about a third of their best grapes for production of their own wines, while selling the remaining two thirds.  The estate has 362 acres of vineyards, 5 acres of biodynamic gardens, 12 acres of Olive Orchards (2200 total trees) and an olive mill.



Outside the tasting building

They are one of only two olive mills in Napa Valley and separate tasting appointments can be made at the olive mill which is across the street from the winery.  They compare their fresh, award winning olive oil to freshly squeezed orange juice as contrasted to orange juice in a carton, and that is a very fair comparison.  Fresh olive oil is so much better than oil that has been stored for many months or years on grocery shelves. They also have a 200' by 50' biodynamically farmed vegetable garden that provides for food pairings and lunches, plus they produce their own red wine vinegars.

 

Demonstration olive grove.

When you first arrive at Round Pond you will enter at the reception desk and then be escorted upstairs to the second floor tasting room and patio where you will be offered bottled mineral water to start.  Tastings are at private tables where you will be pampered with one of the ultimate tasting experiences while you settle down, relax and unwind.  What a contrast to busy, stand up, wait-in-line tasting rooms where you can sometimes feel rushed or overwhelmed.  Our tasting was a sit down tasting at our own table, on the beautiful outdoor patio where each wine we tasted (each in separate glasses, of course) was paired with specially prepared gourmet delicacies, including food from their garden.  Our host, Kenn, almost made us feel as though we were dining at the French Laundry, he was so courteous and attentive, while allowing us ample time and privacy to taste, talk and just enjoy the setting.  We extend our thanks to Kenn, Carrie and the others who contributed to providing us with such a pleasant experience.

Inside the tasting room

Our first tasting was the Round Pond 2012 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc that sells for only $24.  5,197 cases were produced. Aged sur lees in stainless steel with no exposure to oak, this Sauvignon Blanc is very true to the varietal.  A lovely pale gold in color with a decent nose.  On the palate I got fresh, bright grapefruit, melon and lemon along with some minerality.  It was well balanced, crisp and dry with a pleasant medium length finish.  It paired beautifully with the Japanese cucumber, zucchini and purslane salad with green goddess dressing that was offered with it.  It is a good value at this price point.  It should pair very well with seafood or spicier Asian foods.  Very nice for the price.

View north from the patio

Our second pour was the Round Pond 2010 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon at $60.  This is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec.  70% of it was aged for 19 months in French oak. 4,628 cases were produced. Deep cherry/purple in color with black cherry, lovely fresh tobacco and forest floor on the nose.  On the palate it was deep black cherry with some blackberry, black currant and cedar and great tannins, all very well balanced, with good structure and a full body, followed by a medium to long finish.  This is an exceptional Cab at this price.  (In my tasting notes I rated it 93 points.)  The fried castelveltrano olives with garlic and thyme was a wonderful pairing.  This classic Rutherford Cab is very highly recommended!


One of the indoor tasting tables

The third pour was the Round Pond 2011 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon at $50.  This was 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Merlot. It saw 70% new French oak for 19 months. 4,628 cases were produced.  When you taste this along side the 2010 Cab you will notice how different the two vintages are.  Although there are no really bad vintage years in Napa Valley (as their sometimes are in Bordeaux), Napa Valley vintages are certainly different from each other.  In this case we both had a definite preference for the 2010, but the 2011 is still young, and both will improve with age.  With the 2011 I got red cherry and black pepper on the nose.  On the palate I got black cherry, blackberry and vanilla with a medium length finish.  It was lighter in body and brighter than the 2010, but was still medium plus bodied for a Cab.  It is a nice Cab, but we both preferred the 2010.

Old Round Pond truck at entry way

For our last pour we were offered a special tasting of the Round Pond 2011 Proprietary Red Wine at $80. This is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  I got black cherry, black currants and forest floor on the nose.  On the palate I got black cherry, black currants with baking spices and pepper, all silky smooth, lush and perfectly integrated.  I loved the great fresh fruit, perfect balance, long sensuous finish and immediate accessibility of this blend.  Very pleasant and well worth the asking price.  I felt rather self indulgent, even hedonistic tasting this seductive wine, which we very highly recommend!

Succulent garden & palm trees

We really enjoyed our visit to Round Pond.  It was so relaxing and beautiful, the wines and food so appealing and the service so...well, perfect.  You are not hurried at this winery.  Yes, they do require an advance reservation but the reward in intimacy, service and pure enjoyment makes it well worthwhile.  Round Pond is not just a winery to visit; it is an experience to savor.  A wonderful experience!

Grape vines just prior to harvesting
 

Round Pond Estate
875 Rutherford Road
Rutherford, CA 94573
Phone Toll-Free: 888-302-2575
Phone Local: 707-302-2575
Date of visit: September 25, 2013

Round Pond Estate requires an appointment for any wine tasting or tour and offers a wide range of interesting options including the Zinc Bar Tasting, Estate Tasting, Barrel Tour and Tasting, Il Pranzo Lunch, "A Day in the Life,"  Terrace Lounge (sunset tasting), and Private Dinners and Events.  Options Additional options are available for visiting their Olive Mill. A Garden to Table brunch is offered Sunday mornings. Please check their web page for current information.



Organic vegetable garden
 


 
Patio view toward Mayacamas Mountains

Patio view south

Patio view north toward entry drive

Vineyard

Patio view west

Window in tasting room facing entryway








Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Caymus Vineyards

Caymus is one of Napa Valleys older, classic, wineries, and you should visit them at least once in your lifetime if you love wine.  They are famous for their great Cabernet Sauvignon, but all of their wines are very good and well worth trying.  They also have a very lovely garden.  We recommend an appointment and sit down tasting unless you want to drop in without an appointment and don't mind dealing with crowds.  (This is applicable to any famous Napa Valley winery, especially during the summer, the Fall crush or on weekends,  but not all wineries offer an alternative.)  It is nice that Caymus offers the option of making an appointment for a more intimate and personal experience.  They should be on any serious wine lovers list of "must visit" Napa Valley wineries.

Caymus grounds


Caymus Vineyards is a classic Napa Valley winery and one with which I was familiar back in the early 1970s when I first began visiting wineries.  It is owned by the Wagner family who have been  involved with wine since 1906 when the they moved to Napa Valley and planted vineyards in the Rutherford area, eventually selling grapes to bulk wine makers.  In 1941 the Wagner family purchased 73 prime acres of vineyard in the Rutherford AVA and eventually began to focus on more premium wines.  Until 1972 they sold their grapes to other wineries, but in 1972 they founded Caymus Vineyards.  Their first release was 240 cases of 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 1975 they produced their first Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, that remains the only wine to have twice been named Wine Spectator's "Wine of the Year" (1984 and 1990 vintages).  In 2013 they purchased an additional 178 acres of California vineyards outside Napa Valley, including Dairyman in Russian River, Las Alturas in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey and Clark and Telephone in Santa Barbara County. The word "Caymus" refers to the Mexican land grant called Rancho Caymus that George Yount obtained in 1936.

Entry to tasting room


Caymus offers a drop in Tasting Flight for $25 that consists of four samples from the "Wagner Family of Wine" which includes Caymus, Mer Soleil, and Belle Glos.  They offer a special sit down tasting that requires advance reservations by phone or over the Internet.  See below for details.  They also recently began participating in the Napa Neighbor Program.  We opted for the drop in tasting this time but will partake of the special tasting on our next visit. Caymus can be very busy so the private tasting is recommended. The least busy times to visit without an appointment are on weekdays before noon. Much thanks to Jeff, our host, for his very friendly and courteous assistance.

Flower garden


Our tasting began with the Mer Soleil 2010 Chardonnay at $32.  From Monterey with about 20,000 to 25,000 cases produced each year. A very pleasant aroma of lemon, green apple and a hint of oak was followed by a soft, round, rich, intensely fruity presentation of pineapple and tropical fruits, fairly well balanced with a medium length finish.  It is a smooth Chardonnay but not overly buttery, showing some oak but rather reserved on the malolactic conversion which was 30%.  Pleasant and easy to drink.

Patio outside tasting room


The second pour was the Belle Glos 2012 Dairyman Pinot Noir at $44.  A Russian River Pinot with about 3,000 cases produced.  A lovely purple in color followed by a light red cherry nose, this Pinot opens up on the palate with rich, lush, raspberry, red cherry, vanilla and spices complemented with good acid and tannin to make a substantial statement followed by a long finish. We both really liked this one even though it will improve in time, becoming even better integrated and layered.  Very nice.

Patio tasting area


Next up was the Caymus 2010 Zinfandel at $38. About 3,000 cases were produced with the grapes coming from St. Helena and Calistoga.  It has 15% Petit Sirah added. A deep purple color, the aroma was light blackberry with some forest floor. On the palate it was fairly fruit forward but relatively dry for a wine this intense in fruit.  It is certainly not a fruit bomb.  I got mostly black cherry and blackberry with great spiciness.  The finish was fairly long and fruity with some mushroom notes.  The fruit on this is very well balanced with the spice, bright acid and pleasant tannins.  Although pleasant and easy to drink, it is more layered and complex than many Zins.  Caymus might be famous for their Cabs, but they also make a very nice Zin and this one is very good.  Solidly recommended.

Walking area


Our fourth pour was the Caymus 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $72.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is made from grapes from 8 Napa Valley appellations, with about 75% from the valley floor and the rest from the mountains.  It was a lovely deep purple in color.  The aroma was primarily black currant.  On the palate it was a rich, lush, Cabernet with ripe black cherry, black currant, vanilla, mocha and silky tannins, with a good pleasantly chalky finish that hinted of blueberries and baking spices.  For such a full bodied, lush, ripe, concentrated Cab, this is very drinkable now.  A classic and very good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.


Picnic tables


Our host took us back for a taste of the Caymus 2010 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon at $130.  9,600 cases were produced. This a voluptuous, very classy premium Cabernet.  It had a great aroma of black cherry, mushrooms and forest floor.  On the palate it was smooth, silky, lush, very well balanced and decadently delicious with ripe black cherry, vanilla and blueberry followed by a very long finish.  An exceptional Napa Valley Cab and very highly recommended.


Lovely grounds


I did not read any reviews of the Caymus 2010 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon until several days after visiting Caymus but was curious to see what others had to say about this wonderful Cab. The Wine Spectator scored the 2010 Special Selection at 96 points and commented, "A seductive style that’s openly fruity, showing supple plum and black cherry notes, with floral scents and spices, turning creamy and gaining a mocha-espresso-vanilla scent that’s enticing. Finishes with a smooth texture, fine-grained tannins and then another burst of fruit. Drink now through 2025."  Robert Parker rated it 93 stating, "The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is, big, rich, voluptuous and totally sexy. Mocha, chocolate, plums, sweet spices and black cherries jump from the glass in this full-bodied, intense wine." 


Flower garden



8700 Conn Creek Rd
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 967-3010
Date of visit: September 4, 2013

Retail Sales: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. In addition to drop in tastings, Caymus offers a more personal tasting experience that is described on their website: "Caymus Vineyards offers an intimate sit-down tasting in a private setting hosted by our wine educator – maximum 10 people. This tasting lasts approximately 45 minutes, and features four Caymus Vineyards wines, including the current release of Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. Fee is $30 per person and includes a complimentary signature wine glass." Please see their website for more up to date information.

Directions per the Caymus website: "From Napa, proceed north on HWY 29 to HWY 128/Rutherford Road and turn right. Go east on Rutherford Road for 1-1/2 miles. At T-intersection (Conn Creek Road), turn right. The tasting room is on your left."

Grounds