Ultimate California Wine Blog

Salvestrin Winery is yet another I discovered at the St. Helena Viticultural Society’s Ultimate Open House. The Salvestrins are part of the long lineage of Napa pioneers who began farming in the 1930s. Up until 1994, the Salvestrins farmed and sold their grapes to the likes of Freemark Abbey, Rombauer, and others.

When I met Rich and Shannon Salvestrin, I learned that although their family has been growing grapes for over seventy years, it was in 1994 that they broke ground to construct their own winery and began producing wine with their very own grapes. With 26 acres owned and farmed, they are not producing huge amounts of wine, but what is being made shows great promise in a future I will enjoy following.

2001 Salvestrin Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Clean, bright aromas of cherry and cedar. The dry mid-palate shows heightened tannins that blossom with integrated mineral tones and a green bell pepper finish. $45.00

2003 Salvestrin Estate Sangiovese – Only 100 cases were produced. Intense, classic cherry opening with heady cherry bouquet. Clean, tight acids tantalize and tease. Pity to have found out it was already sold out.

Salvestrin Winery ~ 397 Main Street ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-963-5105

Bisou means "kiss" in French. It is also home to the only wine produced by James Johnson Vineyards, a Cabernet Sauvignon of exceptional quality which was introduced to me at the St. Helena Open House promoting the St. Helena Viticultural Society. The open house was a lovely afternoon, held the day after the Napa Valley Auction. The whole event proved great insight for me in learning about small producers like the Johnsons.

James himself was there, pouring his three vintages. He delights in talking about his three children, Paige, Ryan, and Ashely. He has three acres of Cabernet grapes and has named an acre each after his children. Those three acres, located in St. Helena, along with 5 1/2 acres in Lodi comprise their entire business; producing a total of 400 cases of each of the lovely wines I tasted:

2000 Bisou Home Cabernet Sauvignon – (Their first offering!) Purple tones with a fabulous integration in oak and fruit. Elegant at 14.2% alcohol. Opulent dark nose of fruit with an elegant entry including cassis and vanilla. $55.00

2001 Bisou Home Cabernet Sauvignon – Intense aromas of black plum and juicy berry. Smooth and complex with a balanced entry showing cedar, cherry, and a velvety, bright finish. $60.00

2002 Bisou Cabernet Sauvignon – From an as-yet, unreleased sample, this wine showed dark, jammy liqueur in a concentrated form. Still presenting rich fruit and heightened vanilla and oak, time will tame this fruit bomb. I am looking forward to it!

James Johnson Vineyards ~ 1030 Main Street #216 ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-967-0656

I waited a long time to blog Ladera. Why? Well, for starters, this is where I work. Also, I wanted it to be #93 for entirely personal reasons as the number 93 is very special to me. The estate is between 1,500 and 1,800 elevation on Howell Mountain. Historically, it was started by two Frenchmen, Jean Brun and Jean Chaix in the 1880s, when they planted Zinfandel on Howell Mountain. Several years into hauling the grapes down into the valley for processing, they built their three-story, gravity method winery.

The winery stayed in business up until Prohibition when, like so many others, it shut down. The business passed through a number of hands in the 1950s and 1960s, but was ultimately acquired by Frederique and Francoise DeWavrin in 1970s. They re-named the estate Chateau Woltner and, for some reason which no one has yet been able to explain, planted Chardonnay in an appellation known for big, opulent red wines. For the twenty-five-some-odd years that Chateau Woltner was in business, the DeWavrins produced five vineyard-specific Chardonnays in the Burgundian style. However, at this point in the building’s life, it had fallen into such disrepair that it had long since ceased to be used as a wine-making facility.

In 2000, the estate was purchased by Patrick and Anne Stotesbery who not only restored the building to its intended use, but also replanted the now phylloxera-diseased Chardonnay with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. They had started Ladera (which means hillside in Spanish), in 1998 with the purchase of the Lone Canyon vineyard which is on the flanks of Mt. Veeder at elevation 1,100.

The Stotesberys hired Karen Culler as their winemaker. She is well known for her own label, namely producing Syrah wines. Just last year, Tres Goetting, who also is developing his own label named Tom Cat, joined the family and I think the wines are only getting better. But for me, what’s not to love?

2001 Ladera Lone Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon – Known as "The Cowboy" Cab, this wine is chewy and complex with bright cherry, tobacco, and leather notes both in nose and mouthfeel. $65.00

2002 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon – Known as "The Gentleman" for its softer tannin structure and velvety mouthfeel. Complex layers of roasted fig and blueberry with concentrated spices like cinnamon, clove, and allspice. $65.00

2002 Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – A blend of the two vineyards, once you know the characteristics of the two, it is easy to discern qualities from each; cherry from the Lone Canyon, elegant spice from Howell Mountain… Easy to drink with depth and balance. $35.00

2002 Ladera Malbec – Somewhat of a fluke. This was grown as a blending grape for our Cabs, but the 2002 vintage was so exceptional that the Malbec was not needed. It was also so exceptional as a stand-alone varietal, that it was bottled with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in to round out. Intense dark berry of black raspberry, cherry, and black plum dance with hints of barbecue and soy sauce in a wine that is meaty, like a Syrah, yet velvety and soft in its complexity. My current favorite wine. $38.00

Ladera Vineyards ~ 150 White Cottage Road South ~ Angwin ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 866-523-3728

Matanzas Creek has quite a reputation, but their reputation is for much more than their wine. Over 25 years ago, when founder Sandra MacIver was building her estate, she recalled the love of her grandmother’s gardens. Years later, when building their tasting room, Sandra and husband, Bill, met a landscape architect who planted six different gardens with over 4,500 lavender plants.

As the lavender is harvested in late June or early July, that is the most beautiful time of year to partake in the vast purpleness of Matanzas Creek. When you enter the estate, you not only drive past the vast acreage of lavender bushes, but alongside an amazing fountain which looks as though a single standing stone is balancing a precariously-placed stone lintel.

The tasting room is nestled and barely visible among some large, overgrown trees. There are benches available outside and as this is one of the few wineries on a long stretch through Bennett Valley, makes for a great bicycle stop and rest area.

The tasting room is appropriately bedecked with lavender items for sale, but also the entire aesthetic is in an Arts & Crafts sensibility to surroundings. The only downside of the surroundings in wine tasting, is that the bouquet of lavender permeates the area and makes for smelling wine a tad difficult.

2002 Sauvignon Blanc – Some soft touches of lemon tease at first but crisp, overt citrus presents itself in a full, blossomy mouthfeel. Ever so slightly creamy finish suggests this wine saw a bit of oak $20.00

2002 Chardonnay – Lemon peel and grapefruit with a luxury of cream surprise the nose. Clear pear and melon show in the mid-palate and a touch of fig on the finish exhilarates. $30.00

2002 Merlot – Red garnet in color, dried floral and dried twigs show immediately and then are tempered with a bit of dark plum. Berry and cocoa dance in the mouth with a dusty finish. $30.00

2001 Bennett Valley Merlot – Fruit-concentrated aromas show immediate dark cherry and blackberry with hints of spice. The flavors continue the dark fruit but balances with smoke and a finish of twigs and dried flowers. $60.00

2002 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – Dried flowers and rich plum blossom in the nose. Dark, complex berry tones provide a concentrated mouthfeel with a hint of dusty, dried floral on the finish. $35.00

2002 Sonoma Valley Syrah – Extremely vibrant offering. Inky in color with hints of purple on the edge, dark barbecue meat and jammy fruit shows immediately in the nose. Soy sauce, orange peel, and blackberry liqueur variably displays in the flavors, and an accomplished, menthol finish does not disappoint. $25.00

Matanzas Creek ~ 6097 Bennett Valley Road ~ Santa Rosa ~ CA ~ 95404 ~ 800-590-6464

When you enter the door at Louis.M.Martini, you are greeted warmly with an immediate offering of a glass of white wine, sometimes a Semillon and sometimes a Folle Blanche. The elegance is evident by the choice of decorating colors; black and red. This is a corporate-owned winery, having been purchased by Gallo several years ago and the entire establishment getting a face lift.

One of the older wineries in the Napa Valley, it is gratifying to know that even now as part of a larger, corporate entity, there are still members of the Martini family involved in the operation of the business. Started by Louis M. Martini in the 1930’s, Michael Martini, his grandson, is the winemaker and helps brand the family’s love into the establishment.

2002 Semillon – Crisp and lively with a clean note of melon in the balanced mouthfeel. A mineral finish that is bright and engaging. $18.00

2000 Barbera, Sun Lake Vineyard – Slightly cloudy in its garnet color. A warm, musky nose shows dark cherries and licorice. The acidic entry continues the cherry qualities with touches of aromatic wood. Smooth and engaging, a thin finish does not diminish. $24.00

2001 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon – With 3% Merlot. Meaty, earthy tones dominate the aromas with a classically vegetal offering on the back of the nose. Warm up front in its initial taste, dried floral and twigs show in the back. $60.00

2000 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon – With 5% Petit Verdot. Complex aromas of cassis and dark herbs that dance with dark berry tones. The cassis appears again in the mouth and explodes with opulent, spicy endings. $65.00

1998 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon – Spicy berry predominates the aromas, but gives way to a hint of green bell pepper. Flavors interchange between black berries and tobacco with a hint of dried herbs on the finish. $75.00

2000 Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso Gnarly Old Vine Zinfandel – From vines that are reputed to be upwards of 120+ years old. Sweet spices present at first and shows a petulance of earthy spice and a lush, warm finish. $35.00

Louis.M.Martini ~ 254 St. Helena Highway ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-968-3361