Ultimate California Wine Blog

Neal Vineyards and Winery is another neighbor on Howell Mountain. In fact, if you could drive through our vineyard manager’s house, you would drive right into the back of  Neal’s vineyards. Mark Neal has been in the agriculture business since he was a little boy, as it was actually his father, Jack Neal, who started Jack Neal and Sons as a vineyard management company back in 1968. He now farms to organic standards, while working towards certification.

It is somewhat surprising that it took Mark Neal so many years to have the wine-making bug to bite him. With Gove Celio as his winemaker, Mark completed construction on his state-of-the-art facility in 2001. While they were making wine as early as 1998, the facility is just now becoming finalized with the installation of a bottling unit.

Being in the agriculture business, I was not surprised at the beauty of the landscaping and the architecture. A tour of Neal includes a walk in the caves and the surrounding facilities. Take note of the hand-wrought door handles, chandelier, and bar step. Indeed, this is a facility that has a reputation for quality and even before you taste the wine, you know it to be true.

I know there is a huge demand for many of Neal’s vineyard specific wines as he not only produces a Howell Mountain Cabernet, but those on his mailing list are first in line for Cabernets from Chafen, Wykoff, and Second Chance vineyards. On the day of my visit, all I was able to taste was the 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet, a blend of nine different vineyards. It was exceptionally purple in color with dark cherry, black fruit liqueur, and anise notes. Smooth, easy, and complex, the dark fruit showed even, layered flavors in the mid-palate with a rich, menthol finish that demonstrated longevity. $45.00 While not tasted, I purchased a Rutherford Zinfandel for future tasting.

Neal Family Vineyards ~ 716 Liparita Road ~ Angwin ~ CA ~ 94508 ~ 707-965-2888

I feel a tad embarrassed about my visit to Turnbull. It was a hot afternoon and I sort of just dashed in and dashed out. I glanced at the walls, but not long enough to realize they are another in the line of wineries with art exhibits, in this case, photographs of famous 20th century icons.

The tasting room was a relatively standard offering; bar, tables with goodies to buy, and photographs on the walls. It took some time to muscle in to taste, but once there the staff were friendly and informative. Apparently there are a number of functions that occur on Saturdays, including some several cooking classes like pizza-making or grilling. I wish I had known about that before my visit…

I did admire an adjacent arbor where several folks could wander and relax while tasting their wine. Many tasting rooms work as a factory, trying to get their guests in and out as quickly as possible. The mere existence of such a spot of serenity sounds volumes of goodwill in an otherwise hurried industry.

2003 Sauvignon Blanc – 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Viogner that never saw oak. Slightly effervescent, lemony entry that was almost sweet. Crisp and tangy in the mid-palate, a sweetish ending seemed simple. $15.00

2003 Old Bull Red – A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 9% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Tempranillo, 2% Petite Sirah, 2% Sangiovese, and 2% Petit Verdot. Clear, bright garnet in color, this showed dark berry aromas layered with hints of anise and mint. The entry was just as fruity with cocoa and coffee in the mid-palate and dustier on the finish. $20.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 2% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Aromas of dried herbs and smoky cedar predominate the nose. Some fruit flavors on the entry which is dry in the mid-palate but fills out and warms on the finish. $40.00

2002 Red Wine "Black Label" – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot. Dark, inky purple shows full aromas of black plum, blackberry, and dried herbs. Integrated and smooth, the flavors mirror the aromas with a balanced, even finish. $75.00

Turnbull ~ 8210 St. Helena Highway ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-963-5839

Peju Province has an impressive reputation for quality wines. Theirs was a winery I was looking forward to visiting and my visit was far from a disappointment. They have received much in the way of accolades for their product and the visit itself was great fun; but it didn’t start out that way…

When I initially arrived at Peju, I was obviously taken with the landscaping and architecture. The grounds are meticulously kept and one cannot help but be drawn to the tower as a building which benchmarks the property. I was drawn to the number of stunning flowers that grace the entrance way and only discovered later that Anthony Peju was in the nursery business before he was in the wine business. The flowers, however, are only a small part of the grand visual scheme..

The gardens are also the home for a number of sculptures by Welton Ritz. I never cease to be impressed with wineries who incorporate art and the grace of Ritz’s figurative work adds sublimity and intrigue to the space.

When I walked into the tasting area, I admired the vaulted ceilings and light that was brought into an otherwise narrow and crowded space. I was not astonished at the crowd that was gathered at the small tasting bar at the end of the room. I was, however, slightly put off by a music stand being used as a sign-holder. In a Disneyland-like sensibility of crowd control, it politely asked guests to wait there for the next available host. An occasional passing worker would acknowledge our patience by telling us it was only a few minutes more. "How could that be?" I pondered… the folks I could easily see at the bar seemed quite settled in for the duration. I seriously thought about leaving, but am glad I did not.

For just at the point when my patience was wearing thin, I and the line that had formed behind me was beckoned to a side door that I had not seen. Like Charlie walking into the majestic Chocolate Factory for the first time, we were lead into what I now realize was the belly of the tower. Two majestic dark wood tasting bars flank the room centered with a stunning leaded-glass window, bestowing shafts of color on the guests. Now I understood the reason for the wait and felt very sorry for the poor blokes who were relegated to that outside, otherwise cramped tasting bar.

It is more than obvious that the guys pouring Peju wines enjoy themselves (I saw nary a woman working there the day I visited, but there may be some). While my host was perfectly pleasant and informative, I felt as though I were missing out on a great party as the pourer at the station behind us frequently belted out in song and fanfare. This is obviously a destination winery; while 2,000 of their 30,000 cases appear in restaurants, Peju is otherwise not distributed.

2003 Sauvignon Blanc – Pale, clear straw color. Some hints of clean grass aromas. A bright, citrus entry shows some kiwi and mango with a tangy, pleasing finish. $16.00

2004 Carnival – Unusual French Lombard grape which is not often seen in the Na pa Valley. At 1.25% residual sugar, it was a tad more sweet than I normally care for; honey-like citrus aromas show a sweet entry that was not too cloyingly syrupy with more citrus on the mid-palate. $12.50

2004 Provence, California Table Wine – This wine is just plain bizarre and there’s no way around it; a blend of white and red grapes in a way not normally seen: Merlot (red), Cabernet Franc (red), Sarah (red), Colombard (white), and Sauvignon Blanc (white). This actually is a great wine to introduce people to who are moving up from White Zinfandel and want something with a bit more heft to it. There is heightened fruit flavors benefits from being well-chilled. $18.50

2001 Syrah, Napa Valley – Medium weight Syrah with jammy aromas of dark plum and black raspberry. Smooth, buttery sensation on the tongue upon entry. Dry in the mid-palate which ends spicier than anticipated. $32.00

2002 Merlot, Napa Valley – Syrah-like jamminess in the nose with a hint of menthol. Dark berry and chocolate silkiness fills the mouth and blossoms to plump, round flavors. $35.00

2002 Zinfandel, Napa Valley – Surprisingly thin on the nose, mostly cranberry in its redness. Apparently their first attempt at a Zinfandel, so while the base flavors were there, its shows a dry finish and wavering spice qualities. $25.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – 90% Pope Valley and 10% Rutherford. Hints of green bell pepper subside to show warm cherry and cranberry tones. Fruity entry is round and in its display of vanilla and herbs in the mid-palate, dries a bit on the finish, demonstrating a touch of mocha. $38.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford – Classic Rutherford dust is seen in this elegant wine. Black cherry and anise appear in the nose and the dark spice continues in the mouth entry, filling out with chocolate and vanilla qualities that shows a long finish and dried herbs. $85.00

Peju ~ 8466 St. Helena Highway ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 800-446-7358

Trefethen has a lot going for it. It is one of the very first wineries that tourists see when they start their drive up Highway 29 as they enter the Napa Valley. Trefethen is also very tongue-in-cheek with their Sideways back-handed Merlot comment above their sign. Thank goodness for their sign, as their winery is nestled among the vines, hidden far back off the main street.

The building complex is located in the Oak Knoll Appellation which is one of the newest appellations established in the Napa Valley. One could say it is the love child of Janet Trefethen who spearheaded it into existence. Her winery building was part of the 1886 boom year of construction of gravity fed wineries and much of its original splendor is still evident in its grace and charm.

The tasting room is cozy with two tasting bars on opposite ends of the room and a private Library Tasting Room in a separate part of the building. The Library Tasting Room is by appointment while the adjacent, public room is open standard hours. There are some of the standard retail items, but of special note in a place of honor is an original piece of artwork by the renown Gerard Puvis who creates ‘sculptures’ out of the wine foils from the necks of bottles.

2004 Dry Riesling, Oak Knoll – Dry means low in sugar; .76% RS to be exact. This produces a clean, floral nose that hints of exotic flowers and some citrus. Those same flavors appear in the mouth entry and produce an easy-drinking, balanced offering that I would easily pair with some spicy Thai food on a hot afternoon. $18.00

2003 Estate Chardonnay, Oak Knoll – With only 26% malo, I found this wine to have balanced qualities of ripe tropical melon and creamy vanilla in both aromas and flavors. Some hints of mineral on the finish don’t diminish this easy-drinking wine. $28.00

2003 Pinot Noir, Oak Knoll – Warm, blossomy raspberry and cherry just barely hide an earthy base. Hints of dried flowers show in the nose and expand in the mouth to a long finish of dried cranberry and a touch of spice. $30.00

2001 Merlot, Oak Knoll – With 12% Cabernet, there was an initial hint of green bell pepper which gave way to black cherry and black plum. A dark fruit mouth entry gave way to a dried floral and herb mid-palate. The dry finish was spicy with clove and nutmeg. $30.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oak Knoll – Warm, opulent berry showed in the nose and in the initial taste. Some hints of tobacco provides integration and complexity. $42.00

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Oak Knoll – Dark purple in color, dark berry liqueur showed immediately but a touch of jalapeño showed through. Blackberry teased the tongue and the dry finish demonstrated eucalyptus and cedar. $75.00

2002 Late Harvest Riesling – Perfumey honeysuckle and jasmine floral notes play in the nose. A velvety entry that is bright with a touch of citrus and just a bit spicy with a long-finishing sweetness. $50.00/375ml

Trefethen Vineyards ~ 1160 Oak Knoll Avenue ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 707-255-7700

By all accounts, Gundlach Bundschu, or "Gun Bun," as it is affectionately known, should have been my very first blog entry. For I can credit Gundlach Bundschu wines for opening my eyes to the world of wine which ultimately caused me to move from Southern California to the wine country. Back around the time of my 30th birthday, at Bristol Farms (an upscale grocery store) in Manhattan Beach, there was a Zinfandel and Game dinner. It is funny to me that almost a dozen years later, I remember the menu; Wild Boar with Black Voodoo Sauce, Lamb Sausages with Spinach, Raisins and an Onion Confit, and Roast Quail with Spiced Raspberry Compote. And it was there I discovered GunBun’s Zinfandel. Of course this was an age of Merlot and, being so impressed with their Zin, I promptly walked in the store and bought the current release of Merlot. The next three-day weekend we had, Shawn and I drove up to the winery, joined the wine club and bought a t-shirt. I’m glad I still have the t-shirt as that label design was retired several years ago…

Upon our arrival in wine country, jobs were a bit difficult to come by and after several months of unemployment, I had to call and cancel our membership in the wine club due to poverty. "Heck, you know the wines! Why don’t you come and pour in the tasting room?" I was asked. I hardly needed prodding. I still moonlight in the tasting room on occasional weekends, wanting to keep my fingers in the GunBun pie. And now it is that much more enjoyable due to a newly redecorated tasting room.

Historically, Gundlach Bundschu is the oldest family-owned winery in North America. Jacob Gundlach arrived in America from Bavaria after a year-long boat journey around Cape Horn (there was a ship-wreck en route and he almost stayed in Africa!).  Jacob hired Charles Bundschu as his accountant and with Charles marrying Jacob’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Francisca, the Gundlach Bundschu name was born. It was the Bundschu line that continued and there are still four generations of Bundschus living on the property. With a little over 350 farmed acres and five different micro-climates, the winery excels in growing over a dozen varietals. The estate, known as "Rhinefarm," makes up the bulk of winery’s production, however there is a modicum of grapes that are purchased. This year, for example, there are three Zinfandels; a Rhinefarm (estate grown), a Sonoma Valley, and a Morse Zin (Bob Morse being a local history professor who just happens to live on ten acres of zinfandel property).

The business was started with a German varietal, Riesling, and while it saddens me that those vines were recently pulled out due to disease, the family has maintained their German roots with the continual production of a very lovely Gewürtztraminer, made in the Alsatian style with low residual sugar.

2004 Gewürtztraminer, Rhinefarm Vineyard – Bright, effusive grapefruit and citrus aromas. Clean citrus entry with a hint of spice on the finish. $22.00

2003 Tempranillo Rosé, Rhinefarm Vineyard – A pale red with pink tints on the edges, luscious red fruit with hints of strawberry balanced with cherry tones. Easy and best served well-chilled. $18.00

2003 Pinot Noir, Rhinefarm Vineyard – Dusty, dried floral aromas subside to show wild strawberry and earthy, musky qualities. Deep, complex layers show dark red fruit and dried heather. $32.00

2002 Pinot Noir, Russian River – Cranberry and dark spice start but are soon coupled with dark strawberry and vanilla. A clear, pronounced entry shows hints of earth and oak with a structured, herbal finish. $28.00

2002 Tempranillo, Rhinefarm Vineyard – Tobacco and spice and brambleberry play together in this balanced, even wine. Some coffee in the mid-palate and dark, mineral qualities on the finish. $28.00

2002 Mountain Cuvée, Rhinefarm Vinyeard – An interesting blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% each Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Dark cherry in the nose gives way to hints of dark herbs. Still young, an easy-drinking wine that will mellow to accompany any food. $20.00

2002 Merlot, Rhinefarm Vineyard – Dried herbs and dried cherry predominate the nose. Still a bit young, dark cherry with hints of dark chocolate and coffee promise a smooth, easy drinker in a year or two. $32.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhinefarm Vineyard – Cassis and black boysenberry aromas anticipate the dark fruit entry. A hint of dusty cocoa shows in the mid-palate and the easy finish predicts another dozen years of lovely drinking. $32.00

2003 Zinfandel, Morse – Chocolate-covered blackberry easily makes this a wine to accompany dark, bittersweet chocolate with dessert. Mineral and herbal tannins in the mid-palate shows a supple, smooth quality. $24.00

2002 Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley – Black licorice and minerals just barely hide dark, black cherry. Heightened acids are a tad astringent but I wouldn’t hesitate to try this again in two or three years (only because I know how well these age). $18.00

2003 Zinfandel, Rhinefarm Vineyard – A massive, jammy fruit bomb knocks your socks off with lots of dark bramble fruit, spice, and a mocha finish. My favorite of the three. $32.00

Gundlach Bundschu ~ 2000 Denmark Street ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 707-938-5277