Ultimate California Wine Blog

There is always a pang of guilt when I am introduced to a Napa-based winery that I had never heard of before. At the Copia Cognoscente tasting, I was wracked with guilt seeing a roomful of unfamiliar names. So I was extremely grateful to a few folks who stuck around during the lunch break to chat with me, first and foremost, Greg and Marilyn Nitz, proprietors of Carrefour Vineyards, along with their winemaker, Kelly De’Ianni (she’s the one on the far left).

With fifteen acres of grapes that they had previously been selling to Rombauer and still sell to Duckhorn, the 2004 their Sauvignon Blanc is now their first release. Additional grapes planted include most of the Bordeaux varietals with Pinot Noir coming from purchased grapes in Carneros. Great people and great wines — and something new worth looking out for!

2004 Oak Knoll Sauvignon Blanc – Intense green fig and floral bouquet. Grapefruit entry is balanced and vibrant without being astringent. The lemony finish shows depth and elegance. Only 340 cases produced. $16.00

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – 1,200 cases produced of this new entry on the Pinot market. Bright spicy cherry in the nose mirrors the mouth entry. Tons going on in layers of complex fruit and integrated spice. The overall structure is medium bodied and the finish keeps going. $28.00

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet – 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot. Dark, rich purple wine. Still unreleased, the flavors are admittedly young with depth of herb and mineral. Fruit is still tight and I would love to taste this wine in five or ten years. Not yet priced.

Carrefour ~ No address yet available ~ 707-252-9167

Diamond Oaks is a relative new-comer to the Napa Valley wine scene. Located on the edge of a mountain up the Oakville Grade, the building facilities was once better known as Vichon (a Mondavi project) – and, for a short while, La Famiglia (another Mondavi project).

Indian-born Dinesh Maniar is the current proprietor. Having already acquired numerous Napa and Sonoma vineyards, the acquisition of this property from the Mondavis was a jewel in his wine-bedecked crown. By all accounts from those who work with him, Maniar is an introspective, unassuming gentleman who has made some very impressive improvements to the property.

The tasting room, when it was La Famiglia, was known for the hand-painted wall-sized mural. That was the only aspect of the original hospitality area that Maniar retained. The building was slightly retrofitted to accommodate much-needed windows for light, new marble floors, and elegant lighting fixtures (selected by Dinesh himself).

Of special note is the picturesque picture area. Undoubtedly one of the most stunning views of the valley, for a mere $30.00, the winery will reserve a table, provide a bottle of wine and glasses, and place a checkered tablecloth to await your culinary delight. Corkpulls are strategically dangled from the trees, just in case you forget…

2001 Chalk Hill Chardonnay – Maniar owns 95 acres of Chalk Hill vineyards. This 100% malo chard is fruit forward, with intense lemon and tropical fruit aromas. Initial flavors are fruit forward with lemon and a hint of cream. The finish shows nuts, oak, and a touch of butter. $29.00

2001 Reserve Carneros Chardonnay - Another 100% malo, but this one has seen 100% French oak. Rich, full, layered offering with a tropical bouquet surrounding a core of butterscotch. Flavors dance between lemon meringue and clean pear. $39.00

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – Simple aromas of cherry, licorice, and earth in the nose. Bigger fruit flavors explodes in the mouth, counter to the thinner bouquet. Tight and young, earth and licorice dominate. $19.00

2002 Silver Carneros Merlot – Deep tones of green olive, rich earth, and some cherry. Richer fruit flavors of solid dark fruit, a mid-palate of toast, finishes with a tease of eucalyptus. $17.00

2002 Hira Ranch Merlot, Carneros – 70% French oak, 20% of that is new – the other 30% is American oak. Dark chocolate and tobacco qualities in the nose. Initially soft and supple upon entry, dark berry and earthy qualities become rich and complex on the finish. $29.00

2003 Cabernet, Alexander Valley – (Wine Club only). A pre-release tasting is still a bit green with tons of rustic herbs and cherry. Gobs of chocolate mint on the nice, lingering finish. No price.

Diamond Oaks ~ 1595 Oakville Grade ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-948-3000

I was very surprised when I drove up to Clos Pegase. I was surprised that I had not made a more concerted effort to seek it out, considering the astonishing artwork and beauty of facilities.

Jan and Mitsuko Shrem’s story of their relative humble beginnings is very impressive – and what they subsequently built here in the Napa valley is even more impressive. Jan traveled to Japan in the mid-1950s on vacation. Falling in love with the country and a woman, Mitsuko, he stayed and began a modest publishing in Japan. That modest publishing house grew into a small fortune, enabling Jan to travel to Bordeaux in 1980 to study winemaking.

Within three years, he had purchased fifty acres of prime Calistoga real estate and an invocation of a Bacchic spirit. The facilities were built in the mid-1980s with the intent of housing the impressive art collection that the Shrems had amassed. With a reverent  bow to the Greek temples, the edifice hearkens to the bleached white ancient temples but with a minimal cornice, negative space insets alluding to columns a single pillar in front which invites the visitor to a courtyard of additional pillars, and a color scheme slightly resembling orange and strawberry sherbet.

The grounds are filled with the Shrem’s collection of art. As you enter the facilities, a number of large sculptures greet the visit — from the whimsical giant thumb, set alongside working vineyards, to kinetic and a more classically Greek-oriented Herm. Also available within the grounds are picnic tables. While cheese and other picnic items are available within the tasting room for purchase, it is nice to know there is a spot amongst some engaging artwork where visitors can bring their own picnics.

The tasting room itself is also bedecked with a variety of modern and historical works. Behind the tasting bar is a tremendous scene of a Sybaritic bacchanal but several lighting units are decidedly modern with loops of folded glass cascading down from the ceiling. The room is large and inviting and also contains a two-story glass entryway, adequately showing off the impressive barrels in which wine is aging.

2004 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Chardonnay- Golden yellow in color, dark pineapple dominates the nose. Rich fig and floral qualities coat the mouth in a creamy offering. The finish shows some mineral qualities but the ending is long and luscious. $21.00

2003 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Pegase Circle Reserve Chardonnay – From Carneros, this lighter, lemony colored wine immediately displays lemon meringue qualities in the nose, subsiding to some depth of kiwi and faint pineapple. Soft entry blossoms with yellow floral tones and bright fruit. $24.50

2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest being a proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec. Mostly green nose of bell pepper and chili pepper. Tight, chewy entry was a tad hot. Needs time. $32.50

2002 Pegaso – 44% Petite Sirah, 44% Zinfandel, and 12% Syrah. Opulent bouquet of blueberry, bacon, and dark spiced berry. Tight, hot mouth entry slightly disappoints considering the amazing nose. Perhaps it just needs more time as well. Unknown price.

2000 Graveyard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon – From Carneros. Erratic aromas of spice, green bell pepper, and minerals. Very bright, tight entry showing youth and green chili peppers. Apparently it is considered a good selling point as the pourer was encouraging in his description of the inclusion of pepper flavors. Very, very odd. $60.00

To their credit, I have heard very good things about their wine. I believe the weather may have been far too hot on the day of my visit to give the wine its justice and plan on going back when the ambient temperature is more comfortable.

Clos Pegase ~ 1060 Dunaweal Lane ~ Calistoga ~ CA ~ 94515 ~ 800-366-8583

Cuvaison is a well-known name around the Napa valley but I didn’t realize the winery had such longevity; Thomas Cotrell and Thomas Parkhill purchased 27 acres  on the Silverado Trail, about half way between St. Helena and Calistoga. The past 35 years have seen a number of different captains the Cuvaison ship, with additional property acquired on Mt. Veeder and a substantial hunk of land in Carneros.

Now, with substantial business growth, one of Cuvaison’s major claims to fame is that 20% of their 60,000 cases is sold internationally. This makes them often more well known outside the United States than within it. Also, of these 60,000 some-odd cases, over 65% of that is purely Chardonnay. Occasionally there are arguments that too much Cabernet Sauvignon is being made, but I believe many forget that it is really Chardonnay that leads the pack in grape growth.

The Cuvaison guest center is surprisingly small considering the volume production of the winery. It is small, yet charming. The interior of the building houses the tasting room and sales area. The staff working the room are pleasant and helpful. Another advantage of note is that this is one of the many wineries north of Deer Park Road on the Trail that has a picnic area. I continue to be astonished at the number of wineries that allow this located in this vicinity.

2004 Sauvignon Blanc – Green grass and lemon peel on the nose. Classically tangy entry with a full mouth of grapefruit. Spicy finish. $19.00

2003 Chardonnay, Carneros – 75% malo – Luscious stone fruit with well-integrated oak. Creamy sense of meringue on the entry, deepening to flavors of nutmeg. Tangy, lime finish. $35.00

2004 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir – Very, very pale pink color. Surprisingly creamy nose with a tease of berry. Tangy entry but no discernible flavors. $16.00

2003 Estate Pinot – Dripping wet with cherry, raspberry, and strawberry up front surrounding a core of vanilla oak. Dense and chewy with a harsh entry despite the great nose. Mineral finish thins and surprises from the big start. $48.00

2002 Syrah – Some moldy funk behind dark berry and black fruit. White pepper whispers in the back of the nostrils. Hot, tight entry softens a bit, showing surprisingly red, bright fruit. $28.00

2003 Espiritu Port – An odd combination of Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, fortified with brandy. Petrol nose – behind the alcohol, mostly green olive aromas. Biting entry burns a bit. $35.00/375 ml

Cuvaison ~ 4550 Silverado Trail ~ Calistoga ~ CA ~ 94515 ~ 707-942-6266

I had been waiting to blog Gloria Ferrer. I was waiting because every year the sparkling wine producer holds a large Catalan Festival around the third weekend of July every year. So this is not just a blog of a Spanish-heritage winery, but also of a pretty spectacular event that sells out early every year.

Upon arrival, two large figures loomed above the crowd. There were people inside them that could lift them up and walk around with them, despite the heat of the day. Very, very impressive. A demonstration tent was set-up outside the building where music performances and cooking demos occurred throughout the festival. I saw Flamenco dancers, heard lovely Spanish guitar, and

But it is upstairs, in the main room of the winery where most of the action takes place – the food! A number of fabulous vendors participate in the event; restaurants, bakeries, and stores. Upon your arrival and check-in, each guest is given a handful of color-coded tickets, red for food and yellow for drinks. The various food purveyors have pre-established how much ‘their’ dish is worth (usually two red tickets, although some dishes cost only one ticket to consume).

The food sampled was of exceptional quality, as the restaurants serving and promoting themselves included B-44, Wild Thyme, Destino, and Avance (to name only a few). Some of the food we sampled included cod cakes, roast pork loin with dried figs, classically-prepared sardines, Spanish cheeses, a fascinating and savory version of cassoulet, stuffed peppers, and bacalao.

Of course, one can’t forget Paella, which along with the sparkling and still wine served, was a fabulous offering. The rice had the perfect level of spice from the saffron and delicacy of smoke from the paprika. The seafood was fresh and chicken tender. Those ‘tending bar’ certainly had their hands full as the hundred-plus degree heat certainly warranted the flowing of well-chilled bubbly. However, I was pleased that numerous still red wines were also being served as their Syrah was an especially nice accompaniment to the paella. Overall, a delightful experience:

NV Sonoma Brut – A hint of pear and a touch of toast makes this bubbly clean and easy to drink with both tacos and quail. $20.00

NV Blanc de Blancs – 100% Chardonnay. Slightly yeasty nose which shows a whisper of clean, white fruit. A hint of floral provides a crisp, even mouthfeel. $24.00

NV Blanc de Noir – 92% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay. My personal favorite, a bit more complex with a tease of strawberry and brambleberry. Ever so slightly peachy in color, a creamy entry that blossoms with integrated spice. $18.00

2002 Pinot Noir – Liqueur-like berry in the nose and dark, ebullient berry in the initial taste. Sweeter than anticipated, silky and smooth. $26.00

2002 Syrah – Inky dark red, rich and complex in nose. Very full-bodied mouth feel showing dark blackberry and black plum with a hint of herb and exotic spice. Price unknown.

Gloria Ferrer ~ 23555 Carneros Highway (121) ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 707-996-7256