Posts Tagged ‘licorice’

Rocca Family Vineyards – 188

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2005

Rocca_bldgDowntown Napa is becoming quite the place to hang a shingle. New restaurants are popping up and re-vitalization is happening to the credit of the city. On Main Street, where some of the best restaurants in the valley can be found, a new tasting room has opened, Rocca Family Vineyards.

Mary_roccaMary Rocca, proprietress, has a beautiful smile. She should too… she used to be a dentist! She sold her practice to run a gourmet grocery store in Pt. Reyes (and still owns it), but has zeroed her attention to her wine. Having Celia Welch Masyczek has her winemaker certainly doesn’t hurt either. While Mary’s Rocca name is on the bottle and the building, her husband, Eric Grigsby, is definitely an influence. For starters, they had established a second label, H. Gray, which was in honor of Eric’s father and grandfather. Also, take a close look at the Bad Boy Red label; a studly black and white image of a cowboy graces the bottle. And who do you think that studly cowboy is? Eric, of course.

Rocca_tasting_roomUnlike most other tasting rooms in the valley, Mary’s is geared more towards providing a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. Yes, there is a tasting bar, but the cozy leather chairs and living room-like feel is warm and  comfortable atmosphere. Chatting with Mary, they are already considering buying some vineyard property in the Lodi area for the cultivation of some white grapes. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a Viognier or Roussanne, and look forward to the additional fabulous wines coming from this relatively new producer!

2002 H. Gray, Amador County Zinfandel
– Fruit forward on the nose, this medium-bodied entry has a spicy entry with a sweet core of fresh herbs and clean fruit. This is the one wine that Mary produces from purchased grapes; all else she harvests from her own vineyards. Fabulous bargain for a great drinking wine! $20.00

2003 Bad Boy Red, Yountville – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Syrah, 13% Petite Sirah. Intense, dark spicy wine with a core of peppery, blackberry and boysenberry. Rich entry that is clean and dark. Amazing liqueur flavors with chocolate, tobacco, cocoa, and coffee. Easy and smooth, but with a delightful piquant kick at the end. $29.00

2001 Rocca Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville – Big, massive Cab showing cherry, tobacco, and integrated herbs. The mouth feel has some classic dusty cocoa of the Yountville appellation, but is well balanced with vanilla and a touch of anise and dark cherry. Lovely, lingering finish. $34.00

2001 Rocca Syrah – Big blackberry wine with sweet licorice and elegant, exotic perfumey notes. Massive entry that has layers of spicy and sweet tones of black plum and blackberry, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and licorice. $38.00

Rocca Family Vineyards ~ 1130 Main Street ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94559 ~ 707-257-8467
3 current offerings: $7.00
3 current offerings with 1 library wine: $10.00
All open bottles also sold by the glass

Selby – 186

Wednesday, October 26th, 2005

Selby_bldgDowntown Healdsburg is a lovely place to visit; full of quaint shops, delightful art galleries, enticing restaurants, and a handful of tasting rooms. However, if you limit your jaunting to only the square, you will undoubtedly miss one of the best selections of wines — not only in the neighborhood — but in California. Selby Winery has their tasting room a few blocks off the main shopping drag and is definitely worth looking for; almost hidden by overgrown trees just a few doors down from the fire station.

Selby_tasting_roomI was there on a week day and the tasting room was bustling! Full to the brim, Amanda was aptly handling the large crowd. I was patient and waited for it to quiet down. I was fortunate to taste through the entire line-up of Selby wines for a related article I’ve been working on, as well as having the opportunity of meeting Susie Selby in person.

SusieShe is diminutive in stature and has a personal warmth that immediately exudes charm and grace. She initially came to Northern California to help her father out in a small custom-crush winery (those are the kind where serious amateurs make wine for fun). Susie got so enamored with her father’s obsession, that it encouraged her to get a job in a local tasting room. When the bug really hit her, she began serious studies while working as a cellar rat, eventually becoming an assistant winemaker. Now with her her own label, she is entirely self-taught, learning the entire wine industry from the ground up, literally.

Selby_artSince her first vintage in 1993, she has built a reputation that includes having her wine served at the White House on multiple occasions. Robert Redford is so impressed with her winemaking style that she has been contracted to produce the Chardonnay for Redford’s Sundance resort. She has a tasting room (decorated with fabulous art by Clay Vajgrt), and a thriving winery producing 15,000 cases. What impressed me more than anything is the overall quality and integrity of the wine and the fact that Susie is not afraid to take chances as is depicted in experiments along the likes of a Malbec and a Syrah rosé, wines that are just plain fun to drink.

2004 Sauvignon Blanc – Crisp, clear kiwi and pineapple tones without being harsh or strident. $13.00

2004 Rosé of Syrah – The color of a sparkling, almandine garnet. An enchanting rosé because of its varietal integrity, Laura makes this wine solely because she likes to drink it (god bless her!). Explosive cranberry and pomegranate flavors behind a fresh, clean berry aromas with hints of white flowers. Nothing cloying or sweet, this wine is clean, fresh, and crisp. $13.00

2004 Chardonnay, Russian River – Intense nose of kiwi and white melon with a whisper of white peach. Crisp entry and some cream on the mid-palate that is opulent and engaging. Going away from the more butter-rich Clone 4, this is a wine made from the muscat chard of Dijon and Spring Mountain. $28.00

2004 Pinot Noir, Russian River
– Heady perfumey aromas of cinnamon, clove, and cherry. The mouth fills with spicy, cinnamon-covered red hots that is teasing and playful. The spicy fruit flavors are well-defined and invigorating. $32.00

2002 Malbec, Alexander Valley – I am such a huge Malbec fan and this does not fail to impress. Chewy tobacco with layers of soy and miso in the nose. The flavors are redolent with dark fruit, tiered with a rich mineral core. $28.00

2002 Merlot, Sonoma County – With 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Redolent nose of black cherry and licorice with a whisper of dried herbs in the back of the nostrils. Black fruit and black pepper enter the mouth, teasing with a touch of plum liqueur. Big, chewy entry is smooth in the center with a perfectly balanced finish. $24.00

2002 Syrah, Sonoma County – 4% Viognier provides a hint of sweetness in this rich, sweet boysenberry wine. Jammy entry with a core of licorice and spice, medium-bodied and easy to drink. $24.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County – 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. Medium-bodied, terroir-driven aromas show herbs and cherries. Rich, sweet entry is smooth and toasty. Not overly complex or chewy, but great body and flavors. $24.00

2002 Zinfandel, Sonoma County – From 65 year old vines. Rich vanilla tones in a smooth, dark entry that displays sultry plum and spice notes. Jammy, spicy, toasty, and a hint of earth. $24.00

2002 Dry Creek Syrah, Vesenaz Vineyard – Only 150 cases made. Terroir-driven aromas with a heady liqueur of blackberry. Inky black red with an even, spicy core and supple, velvety finish. $32.00

2002 Sonoma County Zinfandel, Bobcat Vineyard – Leaving the grapes on the vines a little longer than usual, this is only the fourth vintage of this wine which has a tiny amount of residual sugar. Dark and spicy, the smooth and velvety mouthfeel is ever so slightly sweet, but not enough to coat the teeth. Smooth and intense, the flavors are defined and intense; quintessential zinfandel and after most of the tasting, a culmination in the example of the style that is Susie’s wine. $32.00

2000 Sweet Cindy – This wine is an homage to Susie’s dearly departed sister-in-law, Cindy. It is a blend of late-harvest Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc with grapes that are fully botrysized. Intense, dark gold orange color, there are hints of earthy, rustic honey with a core of pear. While the wine is sweet, there is a heightened acidity that provides perfect balance and clean flavor.  A bargain at $12.00

Selby Winery ~ 215 Center Street ~ Healdsburg ~ CA ~ 95448 ~ 707-431-1288
$5.00 for four tastes, although many additional bottles are often open and offered.

Paradise Ridge – 185

Saturday, October 22nd, 2005

Pr_sign_1Barbara Drady, who owns Affairs of the Vine and the famous Wine Boot Camp, asked me to help her out this week run a corporate training, team-building seminar which is impressive on its own right. Ms. Drady sets these events up at various wineries but this particular training seminar was being held a winery I had yet to blog, Paradise Ridge Vineyards and Winery — and what better excuse for me than to go early and check it out!

Pr_sculpture_001Getting to Paradise Ridge is a fascinating trip in that one drives around the recently-developed foothills of Santa Rosa, through industrial parks and track homes, by a large hospital and several hotels. Then there is a large, bent-metal sign with a road that suddenly manifests cows as voyeurs on your journey. Meandering and rugged, the landscape is suddenly rural, boasting large trees and native chaparral. Shockingly, set amongst the drying grass and native evergreens, sits a very bizarre sculpture — a large bottle shaped out of copper or bronze from which prodtrudes a branch of tubes, culminating in bright blue hands… How very odd, one thinks. For me, how very exciting! I love stumbling on art, especially in unexpected places. As you continue to drive towards the winery, the collection grows as a large field on your left displays two 8-foot high pieces. Then another on your right – and another!

Pr_sculpture_002_ice_creamHave I discovered a secret garden of visual delights? Apparently so, but it is hardly a secret. Paradise Ridge’s owners, Dr. Walter Byck and his wife Marijke Byck-Hoenselarrs have established this Sculpture Grove as an extension of the winery experience. From Gretchen Giles’ article in Metroactive, “Involving some 12 Sonoma County arts organizations and 17 separate events… “Spectrum” – “Sculpture Sonoma” was conceived to be by artists, for artists. Byck and his wife asked more than 120 local sculptors to name those North Bay artists who most influenced them and whose work they most admired. From that list came the slate of professionals gathered in the “Spectrum” show. “Rather than let a curator decide, I let the artists decide,” Byck says.” Now here a reason to go back yearly! These are are not permanent sculptures, but a yearly installation.

Pr_bldgContinuing through the expansive art collection, the road  culminates atop a hill where the winery tasting room sits alongside a few more additional permanent sculpture installations. However, an even better surprise awaited me. I had all this great art, I thought, how could it get better?

Pr_history_wallHistory! That’s how… Paradise Ridge sits on the site that was once the historic Fountain Grove winery, noted for having been established and run by Kanaye Nagasawa, the distinguished Japanese winemaker in 1875. The champagne cellar of the current building houses archival pictures and a few artifacts and is a must-visit location for anyone fascinated with pre-Prohibition California wineries.

Pr_tasting_room The Paradise Ridge tasting room is located on the upper floor of the two-story building. Practical, it is a room that is often utilized by wedding parties (and where our corporate event took place) so the tasting room easily expands into a banquet area. It has a fabulous view of the surrounding Santa Rosa valley and offers yet another surprise — a sparkling wine!

1999 Blanc de Blanc – Only available at the winery, a slightly toasted, yeasty nose shocks with a clean, bright mouth entry of pineapple and lychee fruit. Slightly creamy finish delights. $25.95

2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Grandview Vineyard – Their first segue into the screw-top model of closures. Fruit forward with pineapple, pink citrus, and honey blossom, the dry, crisp entry is surprisingly round. The aromas hinted towards a strident harsh wine but the mouth feel is lush, round, and easy to drink. $21.95

2002 Syrah, Ladi’s Ranch – Massive wild berries sits at the core with a whisper of spice in the nose. Medium-bodied, smooth and supple tannins continue the berry flavors with tiers of mineral and sage. $25.95

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Vineyard – Young wine showing green olive and tobacco. $33.00

2002 Zinfandel, Hoenselaars Vineyard –  Dense, dark aromas of sweet black licorice and black plum. Juicy and smooth with a well-integrated structure that will easily age. $25.95

2002 Inspirations – A fabulously expressive wine of 50% Petite Verdot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Jammy and Petite Sirah-like in its dark blueberry core, but with considerably more richness. Smooth and velvety, this is a fascinating blend that is exceptionally easy to drink and appreciate. $40.00

Paradise Ridge ~ 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive ~ Santa Rosa ~ CA ~ 95403 ~ 707-528-9463
No charge for tasting.

Napa Cellars – 157

Saturday, September 10th, 2005

Cd_signI have long admired the Napa Cellars‘ logo. The clean pen-and-ink drawing of an up-turned hand, scrolled elegantly upward. It is the type of script that makes me believe it actually says something, but I’m not brilliant enough to see it. What is the orb floating above the hand? A grape? The world? Is the hand waiting to grasp what is plunging downwards towards the grasp or has the hand just flung the sphere into the air? Questions like this plague me, I’m afraid and I doubt I will ever have a definitive answer. But I like it, regardless.

Cd_bldgNapa Cellars is one of the first wineries that greets visitors entering the Napa Valley via Highway 29. The building is a Bucky-Fuller geodesic dome (albeit a slightly squashed, low-slung dome). It is one of the rare down-valley wineries boasting a public picnic facility — something of a rarity I have come to learn.

Cd_tasting_roomDespite the impression that the building is mildly squat, the interior tasting room is surprisingly open with its vaulted ceilings and sky lights. During my visit, some first time wine tasters were visiting from out-of-state and the pouring staff were extremely helpful in the instruction of Wine-Tasting 101. This is actually rather refreshing as I have witnessed far too many occasions where those just starting out were treated with more condescension instead of congeniality. Easy to drink and affordable, Napa Cellars is a great place to begin when first visiting the Napa Valley.

2004 Vin Gris – An odd rosé blend of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Pale, pink color with fresh berry aromas that is only a tad sweet on entry. Surprisingly integrated and not too tangy. Fresh finish. $14.95

2002 Napa Valley Zinfandel – From south St. Helena, this produces a rich, soft nose of dark spice including nutmeg and clove that just barely hides a hint of black pepper. Chocolate entry sweetens in the mid-palate to a long, dry finish of cocoa. $19.75

2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – Toasty nose with a touch of green bell pepper. Dry entry produces cedar and dark berry. The finish was a tad thin. $25.75

2001 Napa Valley Syrah – From a north Napa vineyard, only 500 cases were produced. Sweet licorice and blackberry liqueur show richness and complexity. Chewy mouth entry expands with dark fruit and vanilla. $32.50

2001 Late Harvest Zinfandel – Full bodied and rich, a medium amount of herbs keeps it from being overly sweet. Integrated fruit and cocoa. $29.75

Napa Cellars ~ 7481 St. Helena Highway ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-944-2565

Diamond Oaks – 155

Wednesday, September 7th, 2005

Do_signDiamond 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).

Do_entranceIndian-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.

Do_tasting_room_1Do_tasting_room_2The 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).

Do_picnic_areaOf 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