Archive for the ‘Napa’ Category

Prager Winery and Port Works – 198

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

There is a special place in my heart for Prager. Years before I moved to the Napa Valley, Prager Port Works was one of the very first wineries my sister brought me to visit. Barely detectable along Highway 29, Prager is tucked behind the large bushes between the infamous Sutter Home winery and the opulent Harvest Inn. There is a very small sign on the side of the road and the euphemism that Prager is one of Napa’s hidden gems does not fall short here.

While Prager does produce two still (non-sweet) wines, that is not what draws people to their tasting room or their products. The tasting room is nestled among a little garden area. You enter their building through a dark, barrel storage area to a comfy room with walls that are completely bedecked money. Visitors over the years have inscribed their good wishes and the money — both foreign and domestic — has completely plastered every square inch. But don’t get too distracted and keep your eye out for the small window covered with cobwebs and is a very impressive sign of the history of Prager as these things can’t be faked.

Besides the quirkiness of the room, it is the wines which bring the crowds and will always bring me back.

2006 Aria – A white port made from Chardonnay, this offering shows deep, concentrated flavors of roasted pear with a light nutty finish.

2006 Tomas – Showing bright caramelized cherries with a core of  orange, this unctuous wine made in the Portuguese style provides hints of caramel and a plummy finish.

Sweet Claire – A favorite of mine, a late-harvest Riesling has a slight mineral entry which complements the rich peach and dried apricot notes with a clean, engaging finish.

2004 Royal Escort – One that I brought home to be opened for a special occasion (or not!), the Royal Escort is one of their richest offerings with dark cherry, heady plums and a hint leather on the finish.

Prager Winery & Port Works
1281 Lewelling Ln.
St Helena, CA 94574
707-963-7678

Rios Wine Company – 194

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Rios Wine Company, LLC is a bit of a hard find; located on a side alley off the main drag in Calistoga, you have to know where it is (or be willing to do a lot of stumbling around) to find it. The names from the three brothers, Manuel, Rafael, and Albert Rios, and their cousin, Jesus Hernandez. These are serious wine guys, with all four of them having started in the fields and working to the point where they could learn viticulture and start their own label.

It is still a small winery, producing only a handful of wines, two whites (a Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay) and two reds (a blend and Cabernet Sauvignon), under the name Solovino.

During my visit, I only tasted the Sauvignon Blanc and the blend. I found the SauvBlanc a bit thin on the entry but with detectable tropical fruit and grassiness. The sharpness of the entry rounded a bit but the wine was more tart than I care for, although the finish of green apple helped.

The blend, known as Mixto, is an equal blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. This was a very easy-drinking wine with well-integrated red stone fruit and mild spice on the entry which blossoms to a darker cherry and hints of floral notes. This would be a great BBQ wine.

1334 Lincoln Avenue, Ste. B
Calistoga, CA 94515
707.942.1376

Paraduxx – 184

Tuesday, October 18th, 2005

001_signIt isn’t often I get to document the opening of a new winery. I have been watching the construction of Paraduxx for almost a year with so many questions raging through my brain. Mostly, what would possess a well-known winery such as Duckhorn, to put an astonishing amount of money into a facility for a second label — a second label, no less, that is a BLEND???

03_entrance_1It is odd, yes, but all will be revealed… The grand opening was a masterful affair of grace, good wine, and perfection in catering. Valet parking attendants took the car upon arrival and a small crowd was already gathered around a reception table in front of the newly-constructed guest building. Brightly yellow-colored with darker apricot trim, the smell of freshly-applied paint lingered in the air.

06_reception_roomThe tasting room, with its vaulted, wood-beamed ceiling, and oversized windows, has been filled with comfortable Barcelona chairs sitting scattered around an inviting, expansive view.  From there, we see the decagon fermentation cellar, a large, elegantly-designed building that Dan Duckhorn has been dreaming about for years.  He bought these 40 acres back in 1996 and plans were made then to eventually build a winery on this property when — and only when — the Paraduxx blend was accepted as a wine in its own standing and not just as an offshoot second label from the Duckhorn name.

09_outdoorGlancing through the window, there is not only the decagon building, but on the day of my visit, the catered celebration; hors d’oeuvre stations, cocktail tables, and multiple pouring tables where earlier vintages of Paraduxx were being offered.

10_fermentation_roomThe ten-sided building is magical, with the brand new, large stainless steel fermentation tanks surrounding the Porsche of grape presses. This is a basket press that uses higher pressure, getting better extraction out of the grapes.

16_bill_on_pressHow do I know all this? For the opening, Bill Nancarrow, the winemaker, gave a guided tour, gleeful and gloating like a kid on Christmas morning with a brand new fire truck. The winery grand opening party was not exactly Christmas morning, however. September 1st was the official day they were open for business, with their first load of grapes arriving for crushing on the 2nd. Bill has been the winemaker for three years and also explained that the 40 acres only provides about 50% of the grapes needed for the Paraduxx wine. The remainder is purchased, which is a standard practice in the industry.

So now there is a nifty new winery to visit on the glorious Silverado Trail. A stunning facility, gorgeous wine, and beautiful surroundings.

13_bottles1998 Paraduxx – Exact blend unavailable. Sweet and exotic in its age, this wine was being poured from magnums that were not available for sale. Spicy and erotic, the balance showed deep tobacco and cherry tones with an earthy complex mid-palate. Intense and well-aged, tones of vanilla and dark black fruit showing sweet on the end.

2000 Paraduxx – Earthy, dark rustic cherry tones. Aging smoothly with intense depth, a touch of dusty floral qualities in the mid-palate is enticing and exotic with a light, sweet vanilla finish. $

2001 Paraduxx – Developed dark spice and black fruit bouquet. Heady and rich upon entry with black cherry, black plum, and blueberry. Cedar wafts in for a mere moment and is finished with layers of coconut, vanilla, and toasty oak.

2002 Paraduxx – Fruit forward aromas of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and black currant. Jammy entry that is peppery is spicy with black pepper and hot brown spices. A whisper of vanilla behind the black plum and blackberry finish.

2003 Paraduxx – 63% Zinfandel, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. This was a preview tasting of a wine to be released in January, 2006. Aromas of dark blueberry, spicy cocoa,  chocolate, and vanilla cream. The entry is still young and fruity, dominating in blueberry flavors but with a rich inlay of vanilla liqueur and a hint of lavender. Not yet priced.

Paraduxx ~ 1000 Lodi Lane ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-963-7108
$10.00 tasting includes current release and two library wines.

Spencer Roloson – 183

Monday, October 17th, 2005

BottlesOne of the difficulties of finding and tasting the wines of very small producers is that a large percentage of them don’t have tasting rooms or visitor facilities. They rely on custom crush wineries to help them make their wine and I have to carefully monitor local pouring events to see if they are offering tastes… This was how I stumbled on yet another elusive producer from the Napa valley, Spencer Roloson Winery, at the latest Copia tasting…

I was first drawn to the Mondrian-style design on the bottles, but then by the actual varietals. No standard Chard or Cab here! Nope – unusual and intriguing grapes are the norm. It is a small operation; Sam Spencer is the winemaker and has a varied background having started in the wine industry in New Zealand. Sam is the technician in the project, crafting the wine from grapes grown in what can only be considered extremist vineyards (a Clear Lake Tempranillo?). Wendy Roloson is his partner and it is she who is responsible for the design of the bottles and the marketing of the brand. Swan Day is the third leg in the tripod and it was she whom I met and was able to learn about this impressive wine. There were three available for me to taste, but five wines are in their book and I will look forward to acquiring and tasting the rest!

2004 Viognier, Noble Vineyard, Knights Valley
– Fabulously rich nose of yellow and white stone fruit; peach, apricot, and yellow plum with layers of exotic, spicy flowers. Expressive, complex flavors that mirror the bouquet with a clean, bright acidity that heightens with a slightly mineral finish. $30.00

2003 Tempranillo, Madder Lake Vineyard, Clear Lake – What can I say? I adore Tempranillo and there are so few California wineries producing one that I am hard-pressed to not be thrilled… I find many Spanish Tempranillos medium-bodied so discovering a California version that is hefty and full-bodied is doubly more exciting. Dark and plummy, the hefty nose shows also displays vanilla, chocolate, and dark exotic earthy tones. Smooth and velvety in the mouth, black fruits dominate and show a hint of tobacco and rustic earth. $30.00

2003 Syrah, La Herrandura Vineyard, Napa Valley – These vineyards are located in Conn Valley which is just over the hill from the Meadowood resort. Inky black in color, with spicy exotic liqueur aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and clove. It is illusive and powerful showing concentrated flavors of black fruit with whispers of mineral and a defined herbal finish. $38.00

Spencer Roloson Winery ~ 1207 Randolph Street ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94559 ~ 707-257-5880
No public tasting facility.

Emilio’s Terrace – 181

Saturday, October 15th, 2005

01_bottlesEmilio’s Terrace is a very small vineyard located in Oakville between Harlan and Staglin. Pretty nice neighborhood, huh? I had the opportunity to taste the wine at the latest Copia had another one of its lovely in-house tastings which frequently gives me access to wineries with no public facilities or tasting rooms. That is the case with Emilio’s Terrace, which is owned by Phil Schlein. The wine is made by Joe Cafaro and only 400 to 700 cases are ever made each year. The certified organic vineyard are 650 feet up above Robert Mondavi’s To-Kolan vineyard. While they grow both Cabernet and Merlot, A large portion of their Merlot is reserved and blended with some purchased grapes for a second label, by-the-glass restaurant wine. The good stuff is kept for the Emilio’s Terrace.

2002 Emilio’s Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot. Dark purple in color, this intensely complex wine shows black fruit aromas of currant and black cherry. Hints of vanilla waft near the back of the nose. The mouth entry is rich and defined, showing layers of supple spice, brambleberry, and hefty tannins. Absolutely spendid. $50.00

Emilio’s Terrace ~ P.O. Box 88 ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-257-6761
No tastings available.