Ultimate California Wine Blog

Beaulieu Vineyard is one of the few remaining Napa Vallery wineries with history that dates back before Prohibition. In 1900, George de Latour purchased a small estate for his wife, Fernande. George was contracted to produce wine for the church during prohibition and as production amounts grew, so did George’s fortune.

An octagonal building sits behind the original estate is the now the tasting room. It is two levels with the tasting bar on the upper floor and more gift items and rare library wines on the lower level. Finding quality library wines is a rarity so walking downstairs just to peruse is highly advisable.

It is slightly surprising that the amazing history of the estate is not more highly promoted; or perhaps it is in a separate building and I just missed seeing it. The upper level of the tasting room does include a few pictures and set above one of the doorways are some lovely antique wine amphoras. 

2002 Gewurztraminer – .8% residual sugar. Classic grapefruit with clean, crisp citrus. Perfumey but surprisingly sweet with a strident, mineral ending. $13.00

2004 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc – Bright and classically easy to drink with citrus and apple flavors. Simple mouthfeel. $13.00

2003 Carneros Chardonnay – Greenish in color, tropical fruit and butter dominate the aromas but give way to some pear. Vanilla couples with the bright fruit on the entry and brightens on the mid-palate. $18.00

2002 Pinot Noir Vin Gris – Salmon in color with .25% residual sugar. Had a difficult time getting past the overt acidity and harshness. $13.00

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – Medium in color and intensity, mostly raspberry notes with some chewy earthy qualities finished pale. $18.00

2002 Beauzeau – 66% Zinfandel, 13% Charbono, 6% Sangiovese, 6% Tempranillo, 4% Valeguie, 2% Petite Sirah, and 3% "Other." I adored this wine — Syrah-like in its inkiness, dark spice and dark fruit with hints of berry and aromas that teased with bacon and BBQ. Supple and easy-to-drink with tons of overt fruit. $24.00

2002 Signet Ensemble Red – 71% Syrah, 15% Grenache, and 14% Mourvedre. Another success with inky garnet colors showing dark berry, chocolate, and dried floral qualities. Thick, rich mouthfeel that shows balance and integrity. $25.00

2002 Rutherford Cabernet – Deep garnet tones in color. Aromas of green bell pepper and earthy olive somewhat dismayed. Classic Rutherford appellation qualities of layered mineral, earth, and cassis produced big tannins and that need time to mellow. $25.00

Beaulieu Vineyard ~ 1960 St. Helena Highway ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 800-264-6918

My blogging was erratic the past few weeks as I was busy with the Intermediate coursework of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust being taught through Copia. I met some amazing people, both professionals in the industry and wine-devoted amateurs. One special classmate in particular, David Meyer, works at Niebaum-Coppola and invited us all over for a private tasting after we completed our exam last Saturday. I readily accepted the invitation by sheer force of needing to delve further into the mystery of Coppola. Of course I had heard of it and the grandeur that exists, but was it all a movie director’s ability to smokescreen?

I had long known that Francis Ford Coppola purchased what could arguably be one of the most historically important pieces of land in the Napa Valley. After all, it was once home to the famed Inglenook Winery which, before being relegated to the auspices of cheap jug wine, was known for exceptional wines that could rival the French.

Francis Ford has done a fabulous thing in restoring the property in that he has gone above and beyond in creating a true palace and museum. For the non-wine drinker, there is not only history of the property and the wine industry, but also an amazing history of the cinema with antique zoetropes, and an accounting of Coppola’s own film success with movie memorabilia including one of the original Tucker automobiles. Entering the historic chateau, it is impossible to not be impressed with the grand staircase which greats you and I was told that it is known as the "million-dollar staircase" constructed entirely from joinery (no nails) and was finished with 16 grades of sandpaper and tung oil (no varnish).

The gift area is a tad deceptive as there seems to be three or four — or was that five? — of them. I couldn’t help but be reminded of Disneyland with the over-the-top, opulent displays mixed with both expensive, hand-crafted items and the silliest of tschotskes. Fortunately for me, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Disnelyland so I was having fun, buying miniature absinthe glasses…

But before all this glamor and glitz, I came to taste wine and also put aside some misconceptions. I thought I had previously tasted one — maybe two — early Coppola bottlings that I found less than stellar, but now I am not so sure and will willingly eat crow.

2003 Director’s Reserve Chardonnay – 60% malo which spends 60 months in French oak as well as stainless. Unfortunately, the wine had been set-up before our arrival and was overchilled to be able to discern anything notable. $27.00

2004 Director’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – 100% stainless steel shows hints of grass and citrus. The mouth-entry produced rich grapefruit which warmed and heightened on the finish. $19.00

Pinot – I didn’t write down the exact label, assuming I would get the information on their website, but it apparently does not exist online. I do know it is a Carneros vineyard grown from clone 667 and 777. It shows a clear, ruby color with an intense fruit, berry bouquet. The mouthfeel is soft and balanced with a decisive, mineral finish. $34.00

2002 Estate Zinfandel – David poured this wine a special favor, indicating it is no longer for sale. Named after Francis Ford’s maternal grandfather, Edizione Pennino, the label was designed after Edizione’s music label. The grapes come from 45-year-old head-pruned vines and shows a wine that is almost purple in color with spicy fruit in the nose. The dark, spicy fruit continued in its flavors with the faintest hints of red bell pepper on the finish. $35.00

2002 Estate Merlot - Hearkening back to their history, David told us that Inglenook was the first to grow Merlot in the valley and the second winery to bottle it. This offering is elegant with blackberries, black raspberries, and black plums mixing with spice to create an enticing apprehension. The flavors mix this dark fruit with hints of dry twigs in an aplomb of elegance. $44.00

2001 Rubicon – Coppola’s flagship wine which came about after Francis Ford himself tasted the epiphany of the now infamous ’41 Inglenook. This vintage is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Layered aromas of dark cassis, cocoa, and the classic "Rutherford dust," displays hints of wood and the barest tease of green bell pepper before showing some brighter cherry. The soft entry was well-balanced and elegant, repeating the cocoa tones with more expressive coffee notes which played well with a continuation of the cherry and cassis. At a full 30 months in French oak, the wine could easily be cellared for another twenty years. $100.00

Niebaum-Coppola Estate Vineyards and Winery ~ 1991 St. Helena Highway ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 800-RUBICON

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

ZD is one of those places that I drive by twice a day on my way to work. I’ve always admired their gold-gilt sign which is a good thing because the building structure is slightly sunken below the roadway and driving by, most of what you see are rooftops. I had no idea that ZD was the brainchild of two aerospace engineers, Norman de Leuze and Gino Zepponi back in the late 1960s. The de Leuze family runs the show at this point and I was dutifully impressed – at the reception, the facilities, and the wine.

The tasting room is of moderate size, neither too large nor too small, and quite comfortable. Some art is seen scattered about, but not overtly so. A fireplace offers warmth and a hominess in the corner. The pouring staff are tremendously helpful and exuberant. They are obviously here because they like what they are doing and they like the wine they are pouring — something that is surprisingly rare in the industry.

2002 Chardonnay, California – I love a non-ML chard and this one definitely peaked my interest. This wine did see ten months of American oak, which is ever so slightly discernable. Pale in the glass with light aromas of apricot and a hint of floral. Engaging fruit entry that zings into a balanced, even acidic mouth feel. Hint of toast on the finish. $30.00

2002 Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley – Eighteen months in American oak, this offering definitely produced complex creamy tones. The apricot aromas seemed more ripe than the previous wine and expanded in the mouth adding to the pear and vanilla qualities. Pleasant, punctuated acidic finish. $48.00

2002 Rosa Lee Pinot Noir, Carneros – Very bright in color and in aromas. Distinctive wild strawberry bouquet complements the strawberry mouth-entry which blossoms into slightly darker, cherry tones. Very engaging with a bit of a smoky, mineral finish. $20.00

2002 Pinot Noir, Carneros – Ten months in French oak give this wine an incredibly rich, dark nose of elegant, jammy berries. Integrated fruit flavors in the mouth produce a bright mid-palate that hints at vanilla but teases only long enough to ultimately produce a mineral finish. $30.00

1998 Pinot Noir, Carneros, Library Selection – Bricky, orange in color, this lovely wine is more Burgundian in its offering with earthy strawberry aromas that give way to a hint of mint. Very balanced, bright flavors with some floral and lavendar flavors and a distinctly cinnamon finish. $40.00

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Exuberantly dark purple in color, this wine explodes with plummy cherry tones that suggest a little earthiness. Deep and balanced, the brighter entry transforms into muskier tones of tobacco and vanilla but finish with floral qualities. A full metamorphosis in one sip. $42.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Three years in American oak, this is an intensely elegant wine. The aromas of earth, berry, and tobacco just play with you before the soft, even entry explodes with fruit and dark spices that whisper of black licorice. Immensely concentrated, the long, long finish never gives up. $115.00

ZD Wines ~ 8383 Silverado Trail ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 800-487-7757

Piña has been listed in two appellations, Rutherford and Howell Mountain. This is because their physical location, right on the Silverado Trail, is located within the Rutherford appellation. However, the only wine that is currently produced is from Howell Mountain vineyards. But I should backtrack a bit…

Here in the Napa Valley, everybody knows the Piña name. Technically, there are four Piñas — all brothers: Davie, Ranndy, Larry, and John. Their great-grandfather, Blueford Stice, came from Missouri to the Napa Valley as the lead in a wagon train in 1856. Blueford’s son, Lafayette, farming and learning the local industry, became winemaker at the now historically famous Inglenook. Lafayette’s daughter Mabel, along with her husband Charles Glos, homesteaded a Howell Mountain ranch. The Piña name comes from paternal grandparents who, after emigrating from Spain via Hawaii, ultimately settled on the Rutherford property where you will now find their progeny.

With the legacy inherited, one would think the brothers would immediately set out in the wine business as producers. But that was not the case for in 1979, they started as vineyard managers, establishing a well-earned reputation for sustainable farming. It was only in 1996 that they finally purchased the "Buckeye" ranch on Howell Mountain, literally in view of the their grandparents’ original farmstead. 2000 was the first year a Howell Mountain Piña Cabernet Sauvignon was produced. Already looking to the future, vineyards in Oakville have already been planted and a section of the property in Rutherford is already in the planning stages for planting.

Piña is an appointment-only winery, but if you time it right, you might be able to stop by during one of their famous open-house paella parties. There I was able to meet all the brothers and winemaker, Ted Osborne. Davie poured from the latest release, the 2001, and Ted pulled some barrel samples from the 2002 offerings. Keep an eye on this winery — it is exceedingly rare to find a Howell Mountain Cabernet so inexpensively priced. This is indeed a bargain and I project will soon be known:

2001 Piña Howell Mountain Cabernet – Classic Howell Mountain characteristics of a soft, velvety entry. Dark, elegant spices of nutmeg and clove tease the nose and complex, concentrated roasted rig and dark berry fill the mouth. Mild acidicty smooths out for a tantalizing finish. $48.00

2002 Piña Howell Mountain Cabernet – From the barrel, already accessible with warm, bright fruit presenting on the nose. More of the dark, opulent berries and spice with an elegant, heavenly, heady finish. Not yet priced.

Piña ~ 8060 Silverado Trail ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94305 ~ 707-944-2229