Ultimate California Wine Blog

Cooper-Garrod is a small winery and riding stables located in the Santa Cruz mountains. But it is also actually two family names; George Cooper being the winemaker and manager and Jan Garrod as vineyard manager with members of both family  working many aspects of both businesses.

The neighboring valley, before it was "Silicon Valley," was actually known for apricot and prune orchards. The tasting room is a Historic Fruit House where apricots and prunes
were dried. Scattered around the room are many historical documents and
family photos from George’s days as a WWII figher pilot. Immediately adjacent to the building are the numerous stables and horses.

The day of my visit saw Barbara Cooper manning the tasting room who is  diminutive in stature, but hardly in character, cracking jokes and making everyone feel as though they are very much at home. There is a free tasting of three wines and an additional Proprietor’s Flight of an additional four wines for $5.00

2002 Viognier – Enticing sandalwood aromas. Mouth feel of stone fruit with even acidity and citrus peel in the finish. $24.00

2001 Chardonnay – 100% malo. Spicy, tropical buttery bouquet with a hint of minerality. Honey-like entry is smooth with a continuation of the mineral notes. Some light vanilla tones on the finish. $20.00

2000 Cabernet Franc – Pale red in color, very spicey with brown sugar that barely hides bright raspberry bouquet. The velvety entry shows the faintest hint of medicine. Balanced in tannins and medium bodied. Excellent for the price. $24.00

1999 Lone Oak Cabernet Sauvignon – Some bright plum and red berry aromas with a hint of green bell pepper. Thin, mineral entry that is a bit pale and wanting. $28.00

1999 George’s Cabernet Sauvignon – Jammy blackberry in nose belies a bit of green bell pepper on the mouth entry. Leather in the mid-palate does provide a long finish. $35.00

1999 R.V.’s Fine Claret – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc. Explosive black cherry that is perfumey and inviting. Cherry enters the mouth, accompanied with some raspberry and cassis and subsides to produce a balanced, cedary mid-palate. Some green on the finish. $32.00

2001 Syrah – From the Maridon vineyards (where Kathryn Kennedy gets her Syrah), this is Cooper-Garrod’s first attempt at a Syrah and quite exceptional at that. Deceptive aromas of exotic perfumey incense and violets does not anticipate the dark cherry and cedar tastes. Quite fun. $24.00

Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards ~ 22645 Garrod Road ~ Saratoga ~ CA ~ 95070 ~ 408-867-7116

Ridge is one of those names in the wine business that immediately evoke a response – usually one of awe. I have been fortunately to taste some very old Ridge wines and my regard is long-standing based on those older offerings of Cabernet and Zinfandel. Ridge single-handedly convinced me that quality-made Zinfandels can age, and age well, as I have tasted 20-year old Ridge Zinfandels that continue to show depth and structure.

Ridge is also unusual for another reason – for while there are many wineries that utilize multiple vineyards, very few build winery tasting rooms in separate counties; the two counties from which their grapes are gleaned. My visit to Ridge occurred at their Santa Cruz location and if you can at all handle twisty, windy roads, I highly recommend the jaunt.

The tasting room is austere and elegant with natural wood that reflects the beauty of the surroundings. The staff are knowledgeable and extremely friendly. They know their product and are readily able to answer the most arcane of questions.

2003 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz – Utilizing both American and French oak, no malo was utilized. Mineral tones produce a crisp entry which blossoms into apricot flavors. $30.00

2002 Geyserville – 84% Zinfandel, 12% Carignane, and 4% Petite Syrah. At 14.6% alcohol, port-like cherry fruit pervades with a bright, engaging entry. Teases at elegance with balanced oak and fruit. Punctuated dark fruit finishes. $30.00

2001 Lytton Estate Syrah/Grenache –  50/50 blend. Young and rather green with medicinal qualities on the nose and a touch of tar. Fruitier on the nose than in the mouth with a dry mid-palate. $28.00

2002 Santa Cruz Mountains – 50% Cabernet, 48% Merlot, and 2% Petite Verdot. Lovely, complex bouquet of cocoa, cherry, and spice. Same spicy entry that heightens with red fruit in the mid-palate and cedar on the back-palate. A slightly mineral finish. $33.00

1998 Pagani Ranch, Northern Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County – 88% Zinfandel, 9% Alicante Bouschet, and 3% Petite Sirah. Hedonistic, showing up front fruit of blackberry, boysenberry, and dark raspberry. Some hints of brett. Amazingly deep and textured with a bright entry that darkens and expands, falling off a bit on the end. $33.00

2002 Buchignani Carignane – Opulent black raspberry and strawberry aromas layered with complex cinnamon and clove spices. Deceiving mineral entry explodes to light, enticing fruit. Great, great fun. $24.00

2000 Lytton Springs Zinfandel – A bit spritzy upon pouring. Mostly mineral tones with some raspberry that blossoms on the finish. $33.00

Ridge ~ Monte Bello ~ 17100 Monte Bello Road ~ Cupertino ~ CA ~ 95014 ~ 408-867-3233
Ridge ~ Lytton Springs ~ 650 Lytton Springs Road ~ Healdsburg ~ CA ~ 95448 ~ 707-433-7721

Clos du Val is among those in Napa which has an amazing reputation and long-established reputation. In 1972, John Goelet and Bernard Portet, an American business and French winemaker respectively, joined forces in establishing one of the more famous wineries in the Napa Valley. Their reputation grew and by 1976, was one of the very few California wineries represented in the now-famous Paris competition.

The truly stunning building complex can be seen from the roadway, vine-covered, warm, and inviting.

The tasting room is always crowded and the staff extremely amiable. I have brought a lot of friends to Clos du Val because of their reputation for quality wines and excellent service. I’m just having difficulty getting beyond the overtly green Stags Leap qualities in the premium offerings.

2002 Ariadne – 73% Semillon and 27% Sauvignon Blanc demonstrated crisp grassy notes layered with kiwi fruit. A surprisingly creamy entry finished with a punctuated tanginess. $21.00

2003 Carneros Chardonnay – A light, non-malo prepared Chardonnay shows tropical fruits with a touch of apricot in aromas. Nine months in French oak have given the mouth feel some darker vanilla notes. $21.00

2001 Carneros Pinot Noir – Immediate earthy, bretty tones with a mineral mid-palate failed to impress. $38.00

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – Fresh strawberry and raspberry scents present themselves immediately which follows in taste, accented with layered tones of black cherry, an earthy mid-palate, and a lively, spicy finish. $24.00

2002 Napa Valley Merlot – Intense aromas of green bell pepper predominate, with secondary dense brambleberry in nose and mouth. 6% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc give this wine a bit more earth but it still seems muddled. $25.00

2000 Stags Leap District Cabernet – Intense, burning green bell pepper which was tight and acidic. Maybe it will even out with age. $62.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Barnyard and hospital aromas belie the fruity entry with a dry, mid-palate and pale, earthy finish. $28.00

2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – Overwhelming green bell pepper beyond which I perceived very little. $28.00

2001 Reserve Zinfandel, Stags Leap District – Classic SLD green bell pepper with a spicy entry that fails to go anywhere. $40.00

Clos du Val ~ 5330 Silverado Trail ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 707-261-5225

Flora Springs winery is located on Highway 29 and is almost easy to miss for while most winery tasting rooms on the main drag have large, stand-alone facilities, Flora Springs sits nestled amongst a cluster of buildings that shares a parking lot with Calistoga Roastery (a coffee house) and Dean & Deluca. A vine-covered building might almost be lost, but is well worth looking for!

This is another one of those wineries that I have placed in a number of categories for while the physical tasting room lies in St. Helena appellation, the vineyards for the wines are located in St. Helena, Rutherford, and Oakville appellations.

The tasting room itself is large and inviting with an center-staged tasting bar-in-the-round placed dead center in the room. This makes for lots of comfortable space as well as a generally warm and inviting atmosphere. There are also a number of literary and cinematic allusions which I greatly admire; the Lavender Hill Vineyards for their Pinot was named after the Alec Guinness movie The Lavender Hill Mob, a one-sheet is located on an adjacent wall, and the Toad Hall Cellars Club references the Wind in the Willows, the owner’s wife’s favorite book (there are a number of toad references around the tasting room as well).

A note about the walls – along with movie posters, they are covered with these amazing caricatures of the family set next to photographs of the person so depicted. Also of note is a wine list far more extensive than my tasting allowed; additional wines include several Pinots, a variety of vineyard-specific Cabernets, a Sangiovese.

2002 Soliloquey – I’m not sure why this wine has a special name. It is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc and maybe it is because it comes from the Sauvignon Musque clone. It shows the classic green apple/grass combination in its bouquet that is perfumey and bright which enters the mouth with a warm, creamy sensation that finishes crisp and engaging. $18.00

2003 Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay – I was surprised to be told this Chardonnay saw no malo for there is a hint of butter and vanilla on the nose. The entry is lively with tropical fruits dominated with pineapple tones that is a touch sweet with balance and body. $22.00

2001 Pinot, Lavender Hill Vineyards – Oxidized.

2000 Poggio Del Papa – 75% Sangiovese, 16% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. An interesting blend that shows the dark, plummy, jammy fruit of the Merlot with cherry aromas and some oak in the beginning. The Sangiovese brings acidity to the forefront, but in an even, pleasing fashion. $30.00

2002 Napa Valley Merlot – A lighter, softer Merlot than I have been drinking lately. Oak and fruit are balanced in the aroma, with neither overpowering the other. Some mineral tones in the mid-palate, it demonstrates a fresh, cherry finish that is easy going down. $24.00

2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – 100% Cabernet immediately shows dark, chocolate-covered cherry aromas with hints of cedar and oak. The cherry is coupled with elements of cassis in the mouth with some mineral qualities mid-way. A bit dry on the finish is a light touch. $30.00

2001 Trilogy – 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec. The faintest of green bell pepper under incredibly plummy, dark fruit aromas. Balanced tannins reveals a touch of minerality in the mid-palate but blossoms in a finish that reveals cherry. $60.00

Flora Springs ~ 677 S. St. Helena Highway ~ St. Helena ~ 800-913-1118

Chimney Rock is one of the many wineries along the Silverado Trail which lies within the famed Stags Leap District. For Chimney Rock, not only does the winery sit within the appellation, but all 112 vineyard acres which make up their wine is Stags Leap as well. Initially, this would fill me with some trepidation, knowing my tepid reaction to Stags Leap appellation wines in general. Fortunately, Chimney Rock proved me wrong.

Here is where I learn about architecture. From the street, the Chimney Rock buildings seem reminiscent of some of the California Missions and I thought the architecture a tad Spanish in that respect. It is stately and elegant and up until a few months ago, was marked by a row of Cyprus trees which have since been removed. Apparently the architecture is not remotely influenced by the California Missions, but (according to their website) inspired by the Cape Dutch. Interesting, isn’t it?
 

The cost for the tasting is $10.00 for five wines but if you want to taste only reds (and a reserve), than the fee is $15.00. Both fees offer a complimentary glass with the tasting. The room has vaulted ceilings and adds an aura of elegance and class. The pouring staff are extremely pleasant, happily describing the wines, the neighborhood, and Napa in general, with no pretense or hard sale. Great wines and a great atmosphere.

2003 Fumé Blanc – 20% French oak and 80% Aluminum. The aluminum surprised me. I am accustomed to stainless steel, but rarely aluminum. I was also told that it was 100% fermented dry. It produced a wine that is a light straw color with clear tropical and apricot notes. $20.00

2003 Rosé of Cabernet Franc – The wine sees 36 hours on its skins and is almost a fluorescent salmon color with aromas of fresh strawberries which surprised me when I perceived green bell pepper on the entry. Crisp and fun with a touch of spice on the end. $16.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – Warm, spicy berry with rich, port-like aromas with some hint of earth through the mostly dark fruit. Smooth entry with a mineral mid-palate and an even, silky finish. $56.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – Dark berries behind the warm, almost hot, bouquet. Soft, velvety entry blossoms and expands but then dries a bit in the middle with a tinny finish. Just needs time, that’s all. $52.00

2001 Elevage – A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, with 18% Petite Verdot. Plummy and rich with tones of chocolate and blackberry that don’t deceive the mouth entry. Very bright in tannins with oak and cedar on the finish. $72.00

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – Dark, dark berry  Great opulent aromas that match the flavors, enhanced by a spicy plumminess. I would still give this wine another dozen-plus years. $100.00