Ultimate California Wine Blog

I’ve had a lot of folks asking when I was going to blog Darioush. The brainchild and love child of Persian-born Khaledi Darioush, this is truly a landmark in the Napa Valley for it is not a Tuscan villa, a French château, or any form of modern temple.

What Khaledi did was reach back into his heritage and create what is known affectionately in the valley as the "Persian Palace." Referencing the historical Persepolis, which was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire founded by Darius the First in 518 BC. The Napa version is huge, ostentatious, and decidedly exhilarating.

The walkway towards the building is lined with sixteen columns, which I believe area almost twenty-feet high. Each column is topped with a bull figure, derived from the Babylonian bull, an important mythological creature from the story of Gilgamesh. The grounds surrounding the building include long, cool fountains with lotus flowers, historic wine vessels (amphoras) scattered amidst flowers, and a number of sculptures which are oddly modern in this ode to ancient history. During the summer, there has been some tents set up to invite guests to stay and linger, out of the bright sunlight.

The tasting room is a delight in light and air. The columns theme continues, with a tremendously huge centerpiece of flowers drawing one’s eye to the tasting area. The surrounding area includes a fireplace, some lovely items for sale, mostly of an historic theme including recreation ceramics, Persian pistachios, and Middle Eastern cookbooks. There are also a scattering of Eames chairs around shattered glass tables (the glass is shattered but contained, giving it a crackled look).

2001 Red Table Wine – 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Medium red in color, dark earthy aromas of spice, hints of green bell pepper, with an undercore of oak. Black fruit on the mouth entry that is very fruit forward. Anise shows in the mid-palate with dusty cocoa and espresso on the finish. $38.00

2004 Signature Viognier – 100% Viognier. Sweet nose with honeydew, white peach, and floral qualities. Tangy entry that blossoms to show bright acidity. Creamy finish that has a bit of a bite. $34.00

2003 Signature Chardonnay – Classic California Chardonnay with creamy butterscotch up front. Layers of white fig and melon in the mouth feel with a core of apple. Rich and creamy finish. $41.00

2002 Signature Merlot – 100% Merlot. Dark, concentrated purple color. In the nose, blueberry and brambleberry. Hot, alcoholic entry of dark currant with layers of spicy oak. There is some cocoa in the finish, but is a bit too hot to detect. $44.00

2002 Signature Shiraz – Distinct blackberry liqueur in a rich bouquet that subsides to show some soy sauce and barbecue meat. Stunning aroma that anticipates the mouth entry but gets a bit hotter, showing licorice and cocoa. $64.00

2002 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon – 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Petite Verdot, and 1.5% Malbec. At 14.8% alcohol, I thought this wine intensely hot. I could sense dark berry but underneath and in the flavor was espresso and oak with hints of cedar. $68.00

Darioush ~

I have been wanting to visit Spring Mountain for some time as there are quite a few famous names producing wines out of this illusive appellation. But I have wanted to visit the winery of Smith-Madrone far longer than I even knew what an appellation was. It was at a dinner party known as an "offline" — a small gathering of fellow wine geeks who meet over the internet ("online") and want to meet and share over good food. It was an elegant restaurant in Long Beach and Kriss Reed brought a Smith-Madrone wines which knocked my proverbial socks off. Now, all these years later, numerous failed attempts, and several months into my blogging, I finally made it up the mountain, to a sort of Mecca as it were…

Finding Smith-Madrone’s facility is not that easy. There are considerably more wineries on Spring Mountain than I anticipated and when you look at the map, it is hard to discern exactly how far up the mountain you must drive. There are obviously new wineries with bright, shiny new signs, and then there is Smith-Madrone’s signs; a little worn from age, showing both longevity and perseverance. A turn down an un-paved road makes one wonder if the right path has being taken. There is no electronic gate and no landscaped entranceway. Then you see the building. This is not an architectural landmark showcasing a winery’s ostentatious wealth. It is the work building of the Smith brothers, Stu and Charles.

I was extremely fortunate to find both Stu and Charles available on the day of my visit. Rugged and bearded both, they are effusively exuberant about their winery, their wine, and their history in the valley. Having established their winery in 1971, there are not many that can lay claim to what these brothers have done; for there are many Johnnie-come-latelys entering the valley and building wineries, but few do it with their own two hands, literally. Stu, in his 25th anniversary reminiscence recalls, "Charlie and I not only drove all of the stakes that you see around the winery but all of the stakes in the vineyard—a total of 19,000."

As a working man’s winery, tasting the wine is done in the building which holds the barrels as well as the work table. No frills, no tchotchkes, no high-pressure sell. This is not a winery one goes to for a logo t-shirt. You stand around a barrel, occasionally walking over to the sink if you want to rinse or spit. Making only 3,500 cases, they have limited themselves to just three varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Riesling.

As you look around, you see some cobwebs, some older bottles, and then comes Oreo, the winery cat. Oreo himself is worth the price of admission (free, by the way). He is entirely black save for a some nominal white spots; nose, tail tip, and paw tips. While one thinks that Stu or Charles runs the winery, it is more than evident that Oreo the cat is the real boss, showing his perturbance at not being loved and petted when demanded. Yes, there is no hesitance to indicate that an immense amount of love exists at Smith Madrone; love of the land’s inhabitants and love of the land itself. It is this type of tie to the land that shows in the wine. Of course there is good wine to be had at the large, corporate-owned wineries, but somehow Stu and Charlie’s wines taste different; they taste special.

2003 Chardonnay – Astonishingly exotic aromas of lemon and herbs with dark, elegant floral tones. The entry is tangy and tantalizing, but subdues to show lemon meringue in the mid-palate and long, creamy finish. There is a hint of malo, but it does not become an over-wrought butter bomb, instead taming the fruit into distinct integration. $25.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aromas of dark pepper and earthy root vegetables shows with cassis and dark fruit. Chewy upon entry, black currant and black pepper teased the mouth with a long, spicy finish. $35.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Dark, purple core with red edges, this concentrated, inky demonstrated jammy blackberry aromas with a hint of purple bell pepper and dark spice. The swarthy, exotic aromas continued with brambleberry and Moroccan incense. Having just been bottled, it was a tad tight, but promises to be a wine for long-term aging. $40.00

2004 Riesling – Made in the Alsatian style, with less than one percent residual sugar, this astonishing mountain wine at first provides floral aromas akin to Edelweiss and daisies, but deepens to display hints of key lime and white melon. With a core of minerality, the wine is at first bright and engaging, but finishes with a spicy elegance surprising in a California Riesling. $20.00

1999 Riesling – This was pretty special for the boys had re-released this well-aged wine, selling out almost immediately. They just happened to have one or two lying around to taste… Golden straw in color, the aromas were at once dark honeysuckle and white peach, but then brandy-like with complexity. The mouth entry was rich and creamy with a lingering sweetness, alluding to its 1.2% residual sugar. Who knew that a California Riesling had the potential for aging? It certainly had evolved, showing development in character. Herein lies a crusade of the Smith Brothers: "Drink Chardonnay and age Riesling."

Smith-Madrone ~ 4022 Spring Mountain Road ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~  94574 ~ 707- 963-2283

William Hill Winery is one of those belonging to the large conglomerate of Allied Domecq. But I, for one, see nothing wrong with the continuing globalization of wineries — in many ways, it adds to consistency and stability; something that many smaller, family-owned wineries are unable to obtain.

Considering its physical size, William Hill is also one of those off-the-beat-and-track, compared to many sitting directly on Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail. It is on a backroad, off Atlas Peak Drive, in what is considered the Silverado Bench. I have classified this winery under three different appellations; the Atlas Peak Appellation, where their Chardonnay and some premium Cabernet Sauvignon is grown, Carneros, where they have 80-some acres of additional Chardonnay, and the Napa Appellation, for much of their remaining grape supply.  I understand that there are powers at work to make the Silverado Bench a new appellation within the Napa Valley and I hope to come back to this listing in the future to update it.

There is a long, grand twisting driveway that leads to where the buildings lie. The grounds are certainly worth a stroll because the facilities sit just a bit higher on the property, providing a sweeping view of the south end of Napa that is quite incomparable. Granted, there are mountain wineries which offer a different perspective, but this one is quite special.

The tasting room itself is bright and open with a touch of modern art in its austerity. Adjacent to the tasting bar, is a large, full-length open window which shows the cellaring of barrels; hundreds and hundreds of barrels. There are two tastings; the Napa Valley Tasting includes three wines for $5.00, or the Estate Tasting which is four wines for $10.00. I opted for both, wanting to taste across the spectrum, with the exception of the Chardonnay (as I had been tasting nothing but red all day, I wasn’t ready to go back):

2001 Malbec – 88% Malbec, 8% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. A tease of soy sauce and barbecue in its Syrah-like aromas, under which explodes dark berry fruit and a hint of strawberry. Subtle oak tendencies show in the initial taste, heightened by up-front acidity, a decidedly blueberry mid-palate, and an integrated, woody finish. $30.00

2001 Merlot – 88% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petite Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Opulent bouquet of boysenberries, dark plum, and hints of rustic herbs. Even, balanced entry brightens a bit showing smooth fruit. Not a fruit bomb by any stretch, with a slightly tinny finish. $20.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, and 2% Petite Verdot. Immediate aroma of vanilla and then fruit which is pretty strong and forward. A second swirl shows oak, cassis, blueberry, and black cherry. The mouth entry is bright but layers into depths that include all the fruit plus some leather. Slightly dry finish but opulent and smooth. $22.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Verdot, and 1% Merlot. Dark berry liqueur with a hint of soy sauce. Sweet entry with a chew mid-palate. Heightened acidity shows touches of sweet cherry in the finish. $35.00

2002 Petite Sirah – 80% Petite Sirah, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Merlot. Dark, inky purple color with ripe plum liqueur tones. Behind the sweetness of the liqueur are darker barbecued meat and sweet soy sauce. Full, rich aromas don’t provide the ‘pow’ factor in the first sip and the wine smells fruitier than it tastes. The smooth, easy-drinking wine displays a ‘pop’ in the mid-palate and a nice, lingering finish. $30.00

William Hill Winery ~ 1761 Atlas Peak Road ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 707.224.5424

Freemark Abbey is another winery that holds special memories for me. During those early years of driving up to Napa from Southern California, this was one of the standard stops for their much-loved dessert wine and I bought a beloved grape-festooned necklace that I still pull out on special occasions — but I get ahead of myself.

I have categorized the Abbey under two appellations; St. Helena, because their physical location is within the St. Helena appellation, lying just north of the town in almost the last stretch of public wineries before the town of Calistoga, and Rutherford, for they are renown for their single-vineyard Rutherford Dust Cabernet Sauvignon. The other tremendously special aspect of Freemark Abbey is historical — it was the first winery in California to be built and operated by a woman, Josephine Marlin Tychson (then known as Tychson Cellars).

Contrary to popular belief, the "Abbey" was never a religious order.  it is often misconstrued as such because of the nearby CIA, which was a Franciscan monastery. No, "Abbey" was the nickname Albert Ahern, one of the three business who purchased the estate in 1939. Today, the historic building area is under some renovation. Adjacent to the offices and tasting room is a lovely, newly-landscaped oak-shaded courtyard which is available to rent for private functions. It is also well worth a stroll through, just to admire its beauty.

The tasting room is large and warmly decorated with a seating area by a large fireplace. This form of hospitality is unusual as many tasting rooms purposefully keep guests from staying; seats promote lengthy stays and voluminous drinking. By having such a prominent display of welcome shows trust and comfort with guests that is refreshing. Oh yeah, and the folks working behind the bar are pretty nice, too.

2003 Napa Valley Viognier – Sweet tangerine and honeysuckle on the nose. Diving crisp entry that expands to show white stone fruit with a bright mid-palate and a finish that is partly tangy and partly creamy. $25.00

2003 Napa Valley Chardonnay – Rich, full-bodied aromas of elegant apple and pear with a hint of caramel. Vibrant mouthfeel that invokes both green apple and citrus. Shockingly rich considering this wine saw no malo. Lovely. $19.00

2001 Napa Valley Cabernet – 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Expansive aromas of black cherry, nutmeg, and clove. Fruit-forward entry showing black cassis. A bit bright, showing youth, but depth that anticipates age-ability. $35.00

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sycamore Vineyards – From the Bell Oaks
Rutherford area. 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet
Franc. Slightly murky, dark red in color. Hints of green bell pepper
subside to show dark cocoa and hints of earth. Chocolate covered cherry
and vanilla fill the mouth that shows balance and a clean, distinct
finish. $55.00

2002 Napa Valley Syrah – 82% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Merlot. Clear, garnet color. Dark plum and black pepper bouquet. Smooth, medium-bodied wine that shows well-integrated dark fruit and layered vanilla. Long, medium spiced finish shows an easy-drinking, not too over-the-top Syrah. $28.00

2000 Edelwein Gold – This is the dessert wine I am so rapturous about. It is one of the few naturally-produced Botrytis-affected wines produced in California. It is a late-harvest Riesling that does not get made every year. In fact, Freemark Abbey has only made this wine ten times in its history. The wine is a stunning golden yellow color which produces a bouquet of sweet honeysuckle with a tease towards ripe citrus. The mouth entry is silky that shows peach and honey and a lingering finish that is sweet but not saccharine

Freemark Abbey ~ Highway 29 at Lodi Lane ~ P.O. Box 410 ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 800-963-9698

Pinot Noir has been in the news a lot lately – I guess we can thank the movie, Sideways, for the new-found attention. But for those of us that have known and loved the wine before the Sideways-effect (as it is now known in the industry), Pinot is a lovely wine that can cause an otherwise rational human being into committing seemingly irrational acts (like quitting your job to learn to make wine). Delightfully, these affects were witnessed by a large group of people at the commencement event of the Pinot Days event.

Steven and Lisa Rigisich were the brainchildren behind the event, through their Bay Area Wine Project organization, which has coordinated a number of tastings, but nothing quite on this grand scale. Now that they have established such an amazing following, more will undoubtedly be expected and I have no doubt they will live up to the expectation.

It took me far too long to document this event as it happened almost
ten days ago… I was unable to attend the Saturday mass tasting but
enjoyed the Friday evening kick-off event, a tasting that showcased the
Pisoni, Garys’, and Rosella’s vineyards. It was well-attended by almost
eighty devout Pinotphiliacs who enjoyed not only exceptionalPinots, but
were witness to the affects that this chimerical grape has had on the
likes of Gary Pisoni, Brian Loring, Jamie Kutch, and more who were all
in attendance, like priests worshipping at the grand altar.

The difficulty in transcribing the evening is less the quality of the wines tasted than the characters that filled the room. It felt more like we were the supplicants, drinking from the Cup of Truth and paying homage to the High Priest, Gary Pisoni and his anointed ones, Adam Lee from Siduri, Brian Loring, James Hall from Patz & Hall. Young initiates Andrew Vingiello of AP Vin and new-to-the-order novitiate, Jamie Kutch, just to name a few.

The evenings’ tastings were done in four different flights; two different flights from the Rosella’s vineyards and one each from the Gary’s and Pisoni vineyards. To explain much of his own history and expand on the differences in the vineyards, was Gary Pisoni himself. Contrary to popular belief, the vineyards were not named after Gary’s first name and his last name, but his partner, Gary Franscioni being the Gary’s Vineyard. I’ve often wondered why it wasn’t Pisoni Vineyards and Franscioni Vineyard…

Mac McDonald of Vision Cellars brought the most levity to the evening – with his trademark straw hat, he told of stories of being invited to Spectator tastings, but showing up in his denim overalls and never being invited back… It is an obvious impressive background and history – not to mention wine!

I’m sorry I didn’t commemorate the love fest between Brian Loring and Adam Lee – although Brian did offer an especially good shot for me, it was quite touching that Brian commended Adam for opening up his heart and winery to help teach Brian. That torch is being passed as Jamie Kutch is following a similar path with the help of Kosta Browne  but that’s another story, still in the writing…)

What was truly astonishing was not only the accessibility of the growers and winemakers, but the inspiration provided by those well-established in their art to those just setting out on the path. There is a false belief in the corporate world that the secrets of success are meant to be hidden and kept secretive, lest some young upstart rise above and stomp the competition. In the world of Pinot, it is exactly the opposit. The well-established craftsmen across the board are opening their doors and sharing the wealth of knowledge to those who have a passion – and it isn’t just for those who have travelled the path of the school-educated winemaker. These are just common folk who are leaving their corporate lives in pursuit of a dream; a liquid, red-colored dream, filling a glass and warming the soul.

The First Flight:
2003 Vision Cellars, Rosella’s Vineyard – Garnet and dark purple in tone. Dark fruit presents early and hangs on. Plus and round, brighter in fruit than in other dimensions.

2003 Miner Family, Rosella’s Vineyard – Brownish tint to the edges. Intensely elegant wine showing spices like cardamom, with layers of dusty herbs. Warm entry that displayed the layers of brambleberry fruit with bright acids. Almost erotic in its layered complexity.

2003 August West, Rosella’s Vineyard – Immediately astringent in the nose with candy-like aromas. Some swirling showed more intense dried cranberry qualities, layered with dried flowers and hints of cocoa. Mineral tones in the mid-palate with a slightly metallic finish.

2003 Siduri, Rosella’s Vineyard – Cloudy red with some brick on the edges. Candy shop aromas that subside to show raspberry and hints of minerality.Initial entry of dark, deep fruit. Slightly acidic in the mouth with goes away quickly but leaves a mineral finish.

Second Flight:
2003 ROAR, Rosella’s Vineyard – Bricky orange with thin, herbal entry that blossomed into somewhat harsh smokiness. Metallic and thin and not very balanced comparatively.

2003 Morgan, Rosella’s Vineyard – Bright, medium red in color. Thin, metallic entry warmed with darker berry fruit. Coffee and cocoa showed in the mid-palate and deepened to display a menthol finish.

2003 Loring Wine Company, Rosella’s Vineyard – Murky, dark red with a pink edge. First aromas show concentrated strawberry and brambleberry tones with layered smokiness. Mouth entry at first produced classic dark fruit as it opened to display eucalyptus and darker brett-like tones with a decidedly fruity mid-palate.

Third Flight:
2003 Lucia, Gary’s Vineyard – Purple. High alcohol. Nice, fruity entry. Evenly balanced with clove in the mid-palate.

2003 A.P., Gary’s Vineyard – Brett and eucalyptus. Mint mushrooms. Hits in the 3rd eye. Higher acids but even with harsh, thin, finish.

2003 Testarossa, Gary’s Vineyard – Pale red and thin looking. Eucalyptus with some cranberry. Heightened cranberry on entry. Simple. Light thin.

2003 Tantara, Gary’s Vineyard – Funk – roasted. Roasted fruit that is easy. Balanced and fruit-forward. Turns out from having tasting other tables’ offerings that our tables pour might have been heat damaged.

The Fourth, and favored flight of the evening, possibly for being a bit more fruit-forward and opulent in their presentation.

2003 Pisoni Estate, Pisoni Vineyard – Purple and inky dark in color. This is a young wine that is still hot with alcohol. Aromas include exotic incense and dark spices behind the smoky cherry. Cranberry on the entry surprises as being brighter than the aromas indicate with a floral finish that is lush.

2003 Roessler Cellars, Pisoni Vineyard – Purple in color. Eucalyptus on the forefront with a layer of candy shop and wild strawberry that showed sweetness. Thin entry was slightly acidic which expanded into a complex strawberry floral finish.

2000 Arcadian Pisoni Vineyard – Orangey red. Earthy berry showing dark fruit with some herbs. Brett that is warm and sexy. Thin up front but balanced after opening with an herbal mid-palate.

2003 Patz & Hall, Pisoni Vineyard – Purple amethyst color. Dark plum and berry fruit with layered spices in its jammy entry. A Syrah-like smokiness in its exciting finish.