Ultimate California Wine Blog

Bremer Family Winery sits about halfway up Howell Mountain in the Napa Valley, but is just on the line of where the Howell Mountain appellation begins so technically, is still in the Napa Valley appellation. The Bremer family purchased an 1891 historic winery that at one point was owned by the Ballentine family.

The historic building is still in use and a black-and-white kitty was spied eyeing the visiting guests from one of the windows on the top floor. They are open to the public in a neighborhood of appointment-only wineries which is nice. On the day of my visit, they were surprisingly busy and having to accommodate guests both outside on tables by the historic building, plus in their indoor, sit-down tasting room.

Refreshingly intimate, there is no large retail-based tasting bar that one has to saddle-up to. Instead, as a desk setting, the pourer sits behind the large table that seats six comfortably and eight rather tightly. In a sense, he holds court while pouring and explaining family history, valley history, vineyard designations, and related local lore.  A number of bottles were open on my visit, and one point of especial interest is that while they are not part of Howell Mountain now, apparently the family is looking into buying some Howell Mountain fruit which is definitely something I will look forward to!

2001 Bremer Family Chardonnay – From a Carneros vineyard. Clear, bright yellow in tone, overt butter on nose with some warm tropical fruit and pear aromas. 100% malo produces a creamy entry with hints of coconut on the finish. $28.75

2002 Bremer Family Zinfandel – 65% Napa fruit and 35% Sonoma fruit. Intense dark berries almost hides a hint of green in the nose. Big, chewy entry shows white pepper and raspberry but thins a bit on the finish. $35.00

2001 Bremer Family Cabernet Franc - I’m always happy when I get to experience a hundred percent Cabernet Franc. This offering is from Rutherford fruit and was surprisingly jammy on the nose . Classic Rutherford dustiness in the mid-palate with black pepper. Even and balanced, the bright tannins demonstrated some elegant mineral qualities on the finish. $40.00

2001 Bremer Family Cabernet Sauvignon – Strong dark berry and black plummy bouquet also shows oaky vanilla. A bit of green shows in the mouth beneath the bright fruit. Would like to try again in ten years as I think time will smooth out the brightness. $50.00

2001 Bremer Family Claret – While the exact blend is a secret, this is roughly 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Petite Verdot. A classic Bordeaux blend immediately produces opulent dark fruit including cassis, blackberry, and black raspberry subsides to demonstrate hints of green olive and mineral qualities. The mouthfeel parallels but shows considerably more pronounced tannins with tobacco and cedar qualities. The smooth, even entry gets a bit hot. $60.00

2001 Bremer Family Merlot – Fresh, ripe dark purple color with appropriate dark fruit and some spice on the nose with shades of vanilla. Dark fruit segues into the mouth and shows leather and minerals. Long finish of vanilla and fruit. $40.00

Bremer Family Winery ~ 975 Deer Park Road ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-963-5411

Long Meadow Ranch could very well be one of the most impressive establishments I have visited. As an appointment-only winery, the long, single-lane, twisty road up the hillside of the Mayacamas Mountains, brings one to an unassuming white gate with a non-ornate, handmade sign indicating you have arrived. That incline up to elevation 1,100 keeps them from the Rutherford appellation (which ends at elevation 600 or so).

Continuing up the road, the building which awaits you is almost cathedral-like in its architecture. Stark and elegant, with geometric angles rising up to greet the sky, it is not ostentatious or garish. It is not painted a bright color or decorated with unnecessary ornamentation. Dare I say, it is a Howard Roark-like structure. It seems that when Ted and Laddie Hall started the winery, they dug the caves first (a pretty smart move, considering the number of wineries whose caves are built after the fact). With all the dirt excavated from that cave construction, an ingenious architect decided to construct the building with rammed earth. Rammed earth buildings is a process of sustainable architecture which is earth-friendly reducing the drain on dependence of non-renewable energy sources.

Besides the stunning building as a fabulous winery, the Halls’ 650+ acres are used to raise 250 head of Highland cattle, an organic vegetable garden, and olive tress. As I mentioned back in the B.R. Cohn post, a number of wineries also produce olive oil. What I didn’t realize is that while Long Meadow Ranch is one of those who grows olives for oil, they may be one of the very few to have an authentic frantoio — the stone grinders used to crush the olives for oil.

I was extremely fortunate to taste a vertical of their entire production as well as some as-yet-unreleased wines. Nothing but Cabernet Sauvignon is produced and it was halfway through the tasting that I realized why I was so impressed with the wine: Not only is it produced from mountain vineyards, but every single wine tasted is below 14% alcohol. This is almost unheard of and when I queried about how this was accomplished, Ted explained that because of the vineyards’ placement, it sees 45 minutes more southerly sun than most other wineries. It is all part of the computations of hang-time and brix levels and it made for amazingly accessible wines which were a joy to taste:

1994 – Perfectly aged. 100% Cabernet. Aromas of sweet oak and subtle cedar with a hint of eucalyptus and blueberry. Slightly bricky color. Smooth and even and robust. Long, elegant finish. (No price)

1995 – 100% Cabernet. Dark garnet color. Opulent dark fruit with a whisper of oak and then mint. Blackberry entry on mouth with ultra soft tannins. Long silky tones  with a cocoa finish. $75

1996 – 100% Cabernet. HUGE, rich and complex with dates and dark fruit. More cocoa and clove on a second whiff. Balanced with long spicy notes throughout. $85

1997 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Purple color. Such supple and elegant aromas of nutmeg and spicey clove with a hint of cinnamon. Wild raspberry still heightens the tannins with an even, layered eucalyptus finish. $85

1998 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Very bright fruit of raspberry with citrus peel after it. Very dark and supple on entry which brightens in the mouth. Bit of spice and engaging. A bit of tang with a fennel and warm fruit finish. (No price)

1999 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Blackberry, Chocolate/Cherry on the nose. Balanced but a tad tart, not unpleasantly so. Massive plummy entry. $60

2000 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Rich red plum, cherry, and dried fruit. Then some dried floral aromas. Viscous an rich with more dried fruit concentration in the mid-palate. Long, long, nice. $55

2001 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Candy shop opulence. Plum and berry nose which don’t quit. Layered spices tantalize the mouth. $55

2002 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Bit of bell pepper give way to complex Oriental spice aromas. Already even and balanced in the mouth with a long, plummy finish. (Not priced yet)

2003 – 3% Cabernet Franc. Over the top fruit of berry, plum, and cocoa. Mouth entry of chocolate-covered cherries and more spice. Very bright with a long finish. Already very accessible. (Not priced yet).

Long Meadow Ranch ~ P.O. Box 477 ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 707-963-4555

Reynolds Famly Winery is one of the first wineries on the Silverado Trail. I had to categorize it within the generic "Napa appellation" as it lies within a corridor of what local winery owners hope will eventually be known as the "Silverado Bench" appellation. Behind the stone walls lie the tasting room, wine-making facilities, and also the family home of the Reynolds themselves. Except for the clearly marked signs towards the tasting room at the back of the estate, one would be hard pressed to realize you were entering a retail establishment. Back before 2002, when most of the current buildings were constructed, the estate was a chicken farm.

The tasting room is nestled near the back of the estate, immediately to the right of part of the storage area for barrels. The winery’s reservoir is also just off this back building and is very nicely integrated in that there is a working fountain in the center. Most wineries have reservoirs somewhere on the estate, but here at Reynolds, the sound and design incorporates the need for water while adding beauty and serenity. The tasting room itself is cozy and homey-like with a fireplace centered in the middle and a beautiful selection of turn-of-the-century antiques set up as scattered sitting area.

There are actually two labels presented within the tasting room, the RFW label and Gneiss Winery. The Gneiss label is considered a sister winery to the Reynolds Family. On my visit, I tasted a bit of both:

2002 RFW Carneros Pinot – 12 months barrell aged, 250 cases produced. I
was recently referred to a Pinophiliac. I just love the grape and
varying differences, but Carneros Pinots reign supreme. This is from
the Corotto vineyard and is incredibly full bodied. I did detect a
slight hint of green bell pepper aromas but an underlying aroma of
cinnamon prevailed. There was a sensation of an old candy store that I
couldn’t shake (but in a good way). The fruit was concentrated and
complex with a full plum-with-skin feel. Rather thin finish.

2001 Gneiss Winery Cabernet Sauvignon – 90% French Oak and 10% American Oak, 1400 cases produced. Rich, deep purple tones. Anise, vanilla, and oak aromas with a mouth full of green asparagus. Finishes with tannic plum.

2001 RFW Estate Select Cabernet – 18 months barrel aged in 50% new oak, 1300 cases produced. Very rich, full fruity nose fades to herbal qualities. The initial taste is that of sharp tannins which give way to cassis and cocoa. Nicely complex mid-palate and a lingering finish of coffee.

2001 RFW Persistence – This is comprised of six clones of Sauvignon Blanc, three clones of Merlot, two clones of Syrah, and one of Petit Verdot. It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 5% Syrah, and 2% Petit Verdot.  750 cases produced. The immediate aroma of this wine was that of a perfume and a bit of green earth. It tasted very young and a bit bright, but excessive swirling produced complex herbal notes and a more darkened bell pepper finish.

2002 Thirteen – 650 cases produced. Meritage blend, mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon, from all thirteen of Napa sub-appellations. It is a beautifully-designed package, a great bottle shape, and a pretty fabulous wine. Apparently you have to be put on a list to be able to buy this wine. A very dark, purple wine with scents of oak and elegant cinnamon. The nose kept going and I would have been most happy just sitting, swirling, and smelling this wine for hours. Huge, complex spice from what I guess is the Syrah. A bit chewy mid-palate but a long, supple finish.

Reynolds Family Winery ~ 3266 Silverado Trail ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 707-258-2558