Ultimate California Wine Blog

In the Napa valley, between Highway 29 and the Silverardo Trail, there are just a few access roads that connect to two main arteries which keep the life blood of America’s most famous wine area flowing. For visitors to the Napa valley, it is exactly those wineries on the 29 and the Silverado Trail which see the majority of the business. But it is those little-travelled access roads which often house worthwhile investigation. Raymond Winery is just such a find.

Zinfandel Lane is one of the connecting roads and lies just south of the town of St. Helena. There are actually only two or three public wineries on this road, the rest being appointment-only. The surprise is that I had driven past Raymond dozens of times without realizing it was there, being so well hidden by shrubbery and plant life. Driving through a maze of vines from the entrance, the winery complex comes into view, reflecting a 1950s ranch house in its epoch, lying low to the ground. Despite the sense of entering fifty-year old time warp, the landscaping is open, vast, and inviting due to the predominance of colorful flowers.

The tasting room is similarly austere with a touch of non-tangible nostaligia. There is nothing specific in alluding to the age; perhaps it is merely the architecture. The tasting room is not overwhelmed with retail items and the pouring staff is extremely gracious and helpful. The big draw? The wines — truly excellent quality juice at moderately affordable prices. At a production level of 300,000 cases, it is an impressive facility that is producing a LOT of wine worth tasting:

2003 Napa Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – Golden bouquet of melon and tropical fruit. Very smooth, easy mouth feel with a touch of cream and no stridency. Crisp finish that keeps going, finishing with a heightened green apple flavor. $12.50

2003 Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay – At a caseload production of almost 25,000 cases, this is a  pretty substantial amount of wine. Fresh fruit of pear, mango, and papaya aromas. The smooth, soft entry seems a bit flabby to me, but finishes with a bit more richness than anticipated. $18.00

1995 Merlot Reserve – Port-like dusty floral bouquet. Dark, integrated, toasty flavors of twigs and a faint finish of mint. Reasonable deal if drunk immediately. (On a special sell-off; $90 a case)

2001 Rutherford Reserve Merlot – Relatively small production of only 500 cases. 99% Merlot, 1% Cabernet. Classic Rutherford dust aromas that were slightly sweet with a touch of green pepper. Intense nose that continued into the mouth entry with dark red fruit and a long, balanced finish. $30.00

2001 St. Helena Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot. Almost 1,000 cases. Rich dark red wine displaying dark spice and plum in the nose. Easy, smooth mouth entry of rich blackberry and refined spices in the complex finish. 13.8% alcohol! $45.00

2001 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Merlot. Almost 1,000 cases. Hugh, spicy aromas that were surprisingly Syrah-like in blackness; dark fruit, blackberry liqueuer, and dark florals. Sweet entry exudes some dusty floral qualities. The wine smelled older and more developed than it tasted. Easy to drink now, but with a developed integration and supple mouthfeel that will only improve with age. $45.00

2000 Generations Cabernet Sauvignon – Dark spicy pepper and Moroccan spices with a touch of earth in its bouquet. Rich, dark flavors with some green bell pepper and mostly complex, dark currant, berry, and tobacco flavors. $65.00

Raymond Vineyard & Cellar ~ 849 Zinfandel Lane ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 800-525-2659

I’ve had a lot of friends asking me to head to Frank Family Vineyards for some time. One reason is that I am especially drawn to historical locations. In this case, while the Frank family themselves have only been in the wine industry since the early 1990s, the location and some of the remaining buildings date back to the early 1880s.

It is the front building that has been ‘plaqued’ as an historic landmark, having once been the Larkmead Winery (which now has me on an investigative journey to go and visit the new home of Larkmead as it seems the patriarch sold this estate in the 1950s).

During my visit, the historical building in the front was closed down. I was there on a weekend so I can only assume the building is used for winemaking in some fashion, but I did not get to peer inside and who knows – maybe it is just there for storage these days… There is a smaller, house-like structure behind the stone edifice which now acts as the hospitality suite and tasting room.

The entrance to the tasting is somewhat of an anteroom that acts as the location of the cash register as well as where some bubbly is tasted first. After a bit of sparkling, you wander through a hallway of some several thousand photographs of friends and family. The second tasting room lies in the back of the house and not only contains memorabilia of Rich Frank’s former life as chairman of Walt Disney’s musical division (this means there are gold records on the wall). The grounds are lovely to walk around and some picnic tables sitting behind the back building seem inviting as they were already half full.

2000 Champagne Reserve – Yep, they call it Champagne and not "sparkling wine." Four months on French oak and five years on yeast, finished with Remi cognac (that would actually be Carneros-based RMS Alembic that went out of business several years ago and sold off barrels of their product). Very smooth and nice with flavors of apple and hazelnut. Decent combination of sweetness and yeast. $55.00

NV Rouge – 100% Pinot Noir. Light almondine garnet colored. Slightly fishy aroma with bright cranberry flavors and a metallic finish. $27.75

2004 Chardonnay – They call it liquid creme brulee in a glass. At a 100% malo having spent two months in French oak, this wine has pretty thick banana aromas with some caramel and toffee. Viscous and vanilla-flavored, the wine was still tight and possibly suffering from bottle shock. $32.50

2003 Zinfandel – From Browns Valley. They call this the Velvet Hammer. (Seems they name all their wine). At 16% alcohol, this is a pretty heady wine showing strong black plum and blackberry aromas with a back-nose of chocolate. The mouth entry was relatively soft but explodes with black licorice. Spice and chocolate present themselves before the dark plummy finish. $34.95

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – An initial tease of green bell pepper subsided with a swirl and produced more pronounced mushroom and dark fruit. Distinct cedar taste on first taste which evolved to produce dusty cocoa and a hint of eucalyptus. The tannins were balanced and even and the core finish was meaty blackberry. $39.75

2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – From Rutherford. Dark, inky purple wine that seemed mostly comprised of chocolate. Huge, brawny tannins brightened to chewy cranberry flavors. Needs time. $65.00

Frank Family Vineyards ~ 1091 Larkmead Lane ~ Calistoga ~ CA ~ 94515 ~ 800-574-9463

Visiting William Harrison winery proved to be another one of those "Duh!" moments. Several months ago, in discussing the rarity of 100% Cabernet Francs of quality, a mere stranger offered me a well-cellared 1997 William Harrison Cabernet Franc. I was astounded at its depth of fruit and flavor (okay, I was also astounded that someone had I had met in passing would just give away a bottle of wine, too!)

The two-story building sits innocuously behind some of the winery’s vineyards, just off the Silverado Trail. Seemingly low-slung and unassuming compared to the palaces just up trail, the interior boasts considerable history in both a re-Prohibition bottle collection as well as a rather large, figuratively staged taxidermied bear.

Antonio Perelli-Minetti was the progenitor and during its heyday in 1970s, under the moniker of A. Perelli-Minetti & Sons, produced over a million cases of wine. Antonio’s daughter Conchita had a son named William Harrison, whose name is now emblazened upon sign and label.

The bear, by the way, was caught by Harrison on a hunting trip several years ago. I’m not sure what I am more enamored by; the stuffed bear or this historical photographs throughout the tasting room… Then again, the bottle collection is pretty amazing and surprised me by sitting out in the open (thinking of Coppola’s winery where they were carefully set behind glass). There is astonishing history to be found here and a laid-back, easy-going style in telling the stories and welcoming the guests.

2003 Estate Chardonnay – Complex layers of fresh fig, Limoncello, and sweet cream show immediately. The fig is detectable in the initial taste but subsides to demonstrate stone fruit with a light floral finish. I’m not a Chardonnay fan, but I would drink this. $32.00

2001 Estate Cabernet Franc – A wine I would be happy smelling for hours… Layers of dark cherry and ripe cassis toy with integrated spice and a hint of black pepper. The mouthfeel is silky and developed with even tannins. Mocha shows a bit in the mid-palate and blossoms to display touches of blueberry. Hands-down my favorite CabFranc in the industry. $35.00

2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Hugely opulent offering that rivals Cabs at twice the price. Rich dark berry and cherry with hints of tobacco and leather aromas. The mouthfeel is clean and precise, showing dark, roasted red berries combined with a hint of sweet black licorice and a tease of vanilla. Long finish displays craftsmanship and quality. $39.00

2001 Estate Rutherford Red - A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc. Odd that the single varietals prove to be more engaging than their blend. The dark, rustic fruit found in the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are treated to a bit too much earth and show mineral qualities that are out of balance. Considering the quality in the previous offerings, this may have simply been an off bottle. $45.00

William Harrison ~ 1443 Silverado Trail ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 707-963-8310

Freemark Abbey is another winery that holds special memories for me. During those early years of driving up to Napa from Southern California, this was one of the standard stops for their much-loved dessert wine and I bought a beloved grape-festooned necklace that I still pull out on special occasions — but I get ahead of myself.

I have categorized the Abbey under two appellations; St. Helena, because their physical location is within the St. Helena appellation, lying just north of the town in almost the last stretch of public wineries before the town of Calistoga, and Rutherford, for they are renown for their single-vineyard Rutherford Dust Cabernet Sauvignon. The other tremendously special aspect of Freemark Abbey is historical — it was the first winery in California to be built and operated by a woman, Josephine Marlin Tychson (then known as Tychson Cellars).

Contrary to popular belief, the "Abbey" was never a religious order.  it is often misconstrued as such because of the nearby CIA, which was a Franciscan monastery. No, "Abbey" was the nickname Albert Ahern, one of the three business who purchased the estate in 1939. Today, the historic building area is under some renovation. Adjacent to the offices and tasting room is a lovely, newly-landscaped oak-shaded courtyard which is available to rent for private functions. It is also well worth a stroll through, just to admire its beauty.

The tasting room is large and warmly decorated with a seating area by a large fireplace. This form of hospitality is unusual as many tasting rooms purposefully keep guests from staying; seats promote lengthy stays and voluminous drinking. By having such a prominent display of welcome shows trust and comfort with guests that is refreshing. Oh yeah, and the folks working behind the bar are pretty nice, too.

2003 Napa Valley Viognier – Sweet tangerine and honeysuckle on the nose. Diving crisp entry that expands to show white stone fruit with a bright mid-palate and a finish that is partly tangy and partly creamy. $25.00

2003 Napa Valley Chardonnay – Rich, full-bodied aromas of elegant apple and pear with a hint of caramel. Vibrant mouthfeel that invokes both green apple and citrus. Shockingly rich considering this wine saw no malo. Lovely. $19.00

2001 Napa Valley Cabernet – 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Expansive aromas of black cherry, nutmeg, and clove. Fruit-forward entry showing black cassis. A bit bright, showing youth, but depth that anticipates age-ability. $35.00

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sycamore Vineyards – From the Bell Oaks
Rutherford area. 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet
Franc. Slightly murky, dark red in color. Hints of green bell pepper
subside to show dark cocoa and hints of earth. Chocolate covered cherry
and vanilla fill the mouth that shows balance and a clean, distinct
finish. $55.00

2002 Napa Valley Syrah – 82% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Merlot. Clear, garnet color. Dark plum and black pepper bouquet. Smooth, medium-bodied wine that shows well-integrated dark fruit and layered vanilla. Long, medium spiced finish shows an easy-drinking, not too over-the-top Syrah. $28.00

2000 Edelwein Gold – This is the dessert wine I am so rapturous about. It is one of the few naturally-produced Botrytis-affected wines produced in California. It is a late-harvest Riesling that does not get made every year. In fact, Freemark Abbey has only made this wine ten times in its history. The wine is a stunning golden yellow color which produces a bouquet of sweet honeysuckle with a tease towards ripe citrus. The mouth entry is silky that shows peach and honey and a lingering finish that is sweet but not saccharine

Freemark Abbey ~ Highway 29 at Lodi Lane ~ P.O. Box 410 ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94574 ~ 800-963-9698

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