Ultimate California Wine Blog

Chateau Julien is the first and undoubtedly the largest winery open to the public at the beginning of the Carmel Valley wine trail in Monterey. It was also the very first winery I had ever visited in Monterey. Inasmuch, I know practically nothing about the area’s various appellations or wine styles. Having a Napa-trained palate, I am confident it will require me visiting the area and conducting extensive tastings to learn and educate myself in Monterey styles.

Upon arriving to Chateau Julien, one must be made very aware of the grandeur due to the size of the grounds and buildings. I was interested in the fact that although they indicate they are family owned, their website provides no information about them which is sadly surprising. The tasting room is expansive and chock full of *things* to look at and purchase; t-shirts, cigars, books, decorative glasses, etc… The folks that pour are pleasant and receptive to questions. I liked that they didn’t have a formal bar that is the norm, but set up their pourings on a table in the center of the room. I guess better for you to peruse the merchandise…

2002 Pinot Grigio – Crisp and citrusy, a tad acidic but I imagine a light wine of this style would be fabulous on a hot, shummer afternoon, instead of a cold, January day. $18.00

2003 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay – A bit green around the edges — in the mouth, not the actual color. Definite tropical fruits and extensive oak. $12.00

2000 Barrel Aged Merlot – Again, even though this is an older Merlot, I found it green with youth. There were some lovely aromas of plum and toffee but the mouth paled a bit with vegetation. $12.00

1999 Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – A lighter red tone in color than I expencted for an estate Cab. Chewy with smoke and chocolate but I was looking for fruit. $22.00

NV Julien Port – Unfiltered. A huge chunk of cork (at least I was hoping it was cork!) floating in the glass. Cloudy and syrupy. $28.00

Cardinale is a large, imposing-looking structure which sits atop a hill on Highway 29 in the Oakville district. While they are located within an appellation that is considered ‘valley floor’ fruit, the vineyards from which the grapes are pulled from their wine include Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain and Veeder Peak Vineyard on Mt. Veeder.

Entering the establishment is awe-inspiring as the view of the building is in sight during the entire ascent. It is a stunning edifice which somehwat peers down upon the whole valley. The reception area and tasting room are expansive, inviting, and very well lit.

I especially admired the modern art-like sculpture opposite the tasting bar — core dirt samples of their various vineyards. It was not only representational and educational, but a unique and stylistic way to add minimal art to the room. Immediately adjacent to the tasting area is a private banquet room which can be used for small party tastings for formal dinner parties. Immediately beyond that room lies the balcony from which a stunning view of the vineyards and the buildings which make up the wine-making facilities.

Like many high-end wineries, Cardinale is one that does not over extend themselves with multitudes of varietals — cabernets are the primary focus but there was a lovely merlot available the day of my visit as well:

2001 Keyes Howell Mountain Merlot – Dark, inky purple in color. Rich chocolate and full herbal aromas. More chocolate and dark, elegant fruit with a thick, long finish. Opulent and jammy. This is a wine I would love to lay down for five to eight years.

2001 Cardinale Cabernet – A rather complicated line-up: 28% Mt. Veeder (Napa), 20% Oakville (Napa), 18% Howell Mountain (Napa), 14% Knights Valley (Sonoma), 13% Alexander Valley (Sonoma), and 7% Atlas Peek (Napa); 75% Cabernet and 25% Merlot. Again, a bit of herb on the nose with a hint of oak. Vanilla and dark berry in the middle palate with some chewy tannins. Quite nice.

Cardinale Estate ~ 7600 St. Helena Highway (Highway 29) ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 707-948-2643

Phelps lies just off the Silverado Trail, up a small, hidden road, and around a few winding, ascending roads. Upon approach, one is greeted with a large welcoming gate through which meanders an inviting road. Technically, it is considered  "Spring Valley" which is not a formal appellation, but lies near enough to St. Helena that I have categorized it there. Established in 1972, Joseph Phelps had Walter Schug at his side and it was in 1973 that Phelps created his first Pinot Noir. (Of note, Schug would later go on to be instrumental in the development of the Carneros appellation and establish his own Pinot-based winery at a later date). 

There are a number of impressive buildings which greet you from the walk way. You can hear the bottling line in the distance and it is obvious this is a working winery on a large scale. The impressions of grandeur and magnitude are greatly emphasized upon entering the tasting room. It is elegant but also very functional as one spies working wine books, flip charts, and a projection television for instruction as part of the complicated set of tastings they offer.

When you call Phelps for a tasting, they offer a variety of levels; from a simple sit-down tasting to a more complicated, blend-your-own varietal tasting. Having little need to blend my own, I opted for a simple sit-down, wanting to cut to the chase on what Phelps has to offer. However, before I offer my notes, it is fabulous to know that the staff is extremely accomodating in showing you around the facilities. From their location on the ledge of a valley, outside seats offer a stunning view. There is an adjacent meeting room (also for informal tastings if the rain is falling) which is completely surrounded by a ledge near the ceiling with thousands of bottles from all over the world, most dating back several decades. One can only glance at a single bottle and immediately be drawn back to what may it have contained at some point in its life.

Because of the history of this winery, there is a heritage of "firsts" that cannot be denied. From their website: "The 1974 Insignia — released in the spring of 1978 — was the first
Bordeaux-style blend produced in California under a proprietary label.
The release of the 1974 Syrah in 1977 sparked industry-wide interest in
a remarkable French varietal whose plantings in California had
disappeared and been virtually forgotten for over half a century. And
in 1990, after years of research, a whole new family of Rhone-style
wines was introduced under the Vin du Mistral label and included Syrah,
Viognier, Grenache Rosé, and a delicious red wine blend called Le
Mistral."

As you can see, a multitude of varietals to consider. In whites, a Viogner, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and a white Pastiche. The reds include Syrahs, Rhones, blends, a red Pastiche, Merlot, and (of course), Cabernets. Being in that Cabernet mood, I limited my tastings as such:

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – Rich, opulent nose with dark berry and plum aromas. Initially a bit thin on the tongue but warms and fills a bit. Very dark purple color and tight, compressed tannins that I can only imagine will blossom over time.

2001 Insignia Cabernet – Earth on the nose (Stag’s Leap District!). Very opulent, purple jeweled tones. After a swirl, more vegetal aromas develop. Rich and full on the tongue with a long, smooth finish and even tannins. Full, consistent plummy extraction.

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon; Backus Vineyards (Oakville) – This bottle was opened in front of me and was obviously very, very tight. Extensive swirling produced some initial herbal aromas which gave way to a bit of spice. In the mouth, the tannins were already smooth and accessible as the finish gave way to brambles. I enjoyed all these wines immensely.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards ~
200 Taplin Road ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-963-2745

Silver Oak has had a well-established reputation for phenomenal Cabernet. Several years ago, I was fortunate to taste the 1974 Silver Oak Mountain Coast (I’ll go ahead and add those tasting notes at the bottom, just because I can). With that reputation, I was greatly looking forward to my visit to Silver Oak, but which one to go to? As you can see, I have categorized this listing under both Napa, Oakville (where one tasting room and location lies) and Sonoma, Alexander Valley, where a separate set of buildings exist. It was to the Oakville establishment that I arrived for my sojourn. The distinction is important as they produce Cabernets from both appellations.

Known for their logo Water Tower, a building which one will see scattered all over the valley, I was not too surprised to see the actual model sitting close by the working structures of the winery. The entrance of the tasting room is impressive and elegant. I especially like the stained glass window which lies above the large doorways. I didn’t get a full tour of the production facilities and can only attest to that which I witnessed from the outside.

Also, immediately to the left of the building is a great bronze sculpture of a man pushing a wheelbarrow. Contained within the wheelbarrow is a planting of fresh flowers and I imagine the foliage changes with the seasons. This is a relatively low-production winery, like Quintessa, where Cabernet is king and there is not much reason to bother with multiple varietals. So on to my tasting:

From 1974 Silver Oak Mountain Coast – Light ruby with bridge-red edges. Nose of hazelnuts, cherries, chocolate, and dill. Good body, long finish with return of red fruit character. A truly splendid wine.

And from today; 2000 Silver Oak Napa Cabernet – Surprisingly, from a blend of twelve different vineyards, 79% Cabernet, 11% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. While I got a little cassis and vanilla on the nose, the wine paled a bit in my mouth in an almost Pinot-like concentration. Slightly thin.

2000 Silver Oak Alexander Valley – I perceived quite a bit of brett on the nose. It was very oaky and a second whiff produced considerable minerals in the aroma. Again, much more pale in the mouth than I had expected this wine to be. I think it might actually ripen in the bottle and I wouldn’t mind trying one in eight or ten years.

There was also a Meyer NV Port. It was a tad cloudy and a bit overly sweet and syrupy for my tastes.

Silver Oak ~ 915 Oakville Crossroad ~ Oakville, CA 94562 ~ 800-273-8809

Driving to work on the Silverado Trail, I had driven by Quintessa‘s beguiling piece of architecture every day to the point of driving me mad. I HAD to see what was going on inside. From the road, there lies this large, crescendo of a stone edifice on which sits some blackened-glass structures. It is truly one of the more unique buildings in the entire valley. After visiting it, I can attest that it is also one of the most functional in design, being entirely a gravity method wine-making facility. When you arrive (and are buzzed in), you drive a road to over to the top of the slopping, stone structure and walk to the black buildings. There, a warm and cozy reception awaits you.

But you quickly leave the warmth of the cozy fire (it WAS January, after all), back to the top of the building, which overlooks the vineyards. Being cold and rainy the day of my visit, we decided to forgo the usual tour of the vineyards. I will make a concerted effort to get back, as a perusal of the website shows them to be expansive and impressive (either 280 or 208 acres, I couldn’t quite figure it out). In any event, here we are, standing on top of the building and scattered throughout the concrete area, are access chutes through which the freshly-harvested grapes are processed. This is the beginning of their gravity system; bringing the grapes to the roof, de-stemming them there, and sending them down into the next level which we get to through an elevator.

On the top level of being INSIDE the building are some major pieces of processing equipment – both stainless steel and oak. These massive oak barrels are so large, they have to bring the staves in and construct them in situ. We wandered around the catwalk up above these massive containers before heading downstairs to the lower level.

Here is where their presses are. Now when I was at Nickel & Nickel, I was pretty impressed that they had one of these presses (considered the Porsche of presses in the wine industry). Quintessa has two, sitting lovingly side by side. They are very gentle and state-of-the-art. A quick meander into the caves proves enlightening in that the center of the cave contains a moderne fountain, both artistically stunning and functional to keep humidity up. I am in the belly of that long-admired building and the admiration only continues. The facilities are not only functional and pristinely clean, they are extremely well laid out and artistically impressive.

But how about the wine… Finally being brought back up to their tasting area (which lies just behind the fireplace in the reception room), large Reidel are already in place, waiting for us. Interestingly enough, Quintessa only produces one wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon. I am a bit shocked. With so much land, one would think that their book would be filled with varietals. Nope – the free run juice (and perhaps a bit of first press) goes into the Quintessa. The rest is bulked out to other wineries. As Quintessa is ‘operated’ by Franciscan, I imagine they a portion of it.

For the tasting, I give them a great deal of credit. Because they only really have one wine to serve, there is much ceremony in that serving. The glasses and decanter are extremely high quality and the setting is opulent and warm. Only after the initial taste are you asked if you might like a few bites of cheese to see how the taste of wine changes. I was served a slice of aged Vella Jack and Humboldt Fog which a small scoop of membrillo along with crackers. This was a very nice touch as you are left to your own accord in some manner of privacy to experience the wine without a salesman trying to make the sale or hammer a wine club down your throat. Relaxing and it definitely helped make for a superb wine-tasting experience.

I was very fortunate the day of my visit to be able to taste three years of Quintessa Cabs…

1998 Quintessa had admittedly been opened the day before. There was still huge amounts of maple on the nose but I felt the wine was a bit bretty. I am getting a lot of that from 98’s and many admit it was a difficult year. There was a full mouth feel, but it finished a bit green. This was a blend of 75% Cabernet, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc and was grown in the Rutherford district.

2000 Quintessa was lush and full of blackberry on the nose. This wine was 71% Cabernet, 25% Merlot, and 4% Franc with a beautiful, lush bouquet and round, supple mouthfeel with a long finish that ended a bit woody – but a nice woody.

2001 Quintessa – This wine could certainly stand to lay down a while. It was hugely perfumey on the nose but a tad hot with alcohol. A bit too hot, I thought. There was a hint of toffee on the finish and I’d like to go back to this bottle in five or six years.