Ultimate California Wine Blog

Madonna Estate is one of those that I have driven by dozens of time, located at the edge of the Napa and Sonoma county lines in the Carneros appellation. It was a pleasant surprise to learn of a history that dates back to the 1920s. I have to claim some surprise however — the story goes that Andrea "Andy" Bartolucci purchased his first vineyard in Oakville in 1922 where "he began crafting wines with his son Louis." This was during Prohibition so one can only assume he was making sacramental wine for the church. But when I asked about this of the winery staff, no one seemed to have a definitive answer.

In 1970 the original Madonna Winery in Oakville was sold and seven years later, the current facilities were constructed by Louis’ son, Andrea. They began organic, European-style dry farming techniques and became certified organic in 1990.

There are some lovely things about Madonna; a private picnic area and some more obscure wine offerings like Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Dolcetto (none of which were offered to me). The biggest downside that I can see from a driver’s standpoint is that the winery seems to be a main stopping point for tour busses. During my visit, I was in between bus tours. It seems that the tours might be afforded some additional barrel tastes or personalized tour that is not available if you just arrive on your own. I would call and check on this — it may have simply been a happenstance of the timing of my visit.

2003 Estate Chardonnay, Carneros – Light and lemony which darkens to show lemon peel in the nose. Warm, creamy mouthfeel of mostly yellow fruit with a mineral finish. $24.50

2002 Pinot Noir, Carneros – Thin, mineral, herbal aroma. The vegetal entry blossoms to show ripe raspberry, but fails to go anywhere after that. $28.50

2001 Merlot – Overwhelmingly green; nose and mouth is filled with vegetal green onion, green olive, and fresh, leafy tobacco. I think there was some berry flavors in there somewhere. $32.00

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon – Encouraging that they purchase their Cabernet grapes from a grower in the Rutherford appellation. I have yet to taste a Carneros Cabernet worthy of drinking. This Rutherford Cab showed some of the classic Rutherford dust characteristics but with an initial bouquet of green bell pepper and then some faint cherry. Warm spice embraced the tongue finishing with a dark cassis and woodsy twig flavor. $34.00

Madona Estate ~ 5400 Old Sonoma Road ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94559 ~ 866-RAGAZZE

When it comes to historical pedigree, there is a little bit of hair-splitting as to who is the oldest winery in America. It is often touted that Agoston Haraszthy is father of modern viticulture and in 1857 purchased a hunk of property in Sonoma to start Buena Vista Winery. Jacob Gundlach also bought some property in 1857 to open Gundlach Bundschu but apparently it was technically a few months after Agostin started his winery.

To make all this that much more confusing, the original property that Agoston purchased is now home to Bartholomew Park Winery (still the site of Agoston’s home) and the current Buena Vista site was a secondary wine-making facility that was constructed in the 1870s. The modern grounds are stunning and well worth the visit. Guided tours and picnic grounds are available, allowing visitors to sit amidst stately old trees.

The tasting room is a stately affair; two stories with the second floor full of historical displays showing some fabulous pictures of Haraszthy’s family, some stunning scenes of the early Chinese workforce. The room is beautifully bedecked in dark wood, hearkening to the stately gradeur of its legacy. The pouring staff are friendly and extremely helpful. While I had a bit of wait before being noticed, the nice man who assisted me insisted on delaying his break to make sure seamless service was proffered.

2004 Pinot Gris – Light and fruity, a sweet nose of honey suckle and white flowers. Clean entry with more sweetness than I usual care for. Crisp acidity comes after the sugar in the medium-bodied wine. $19.00

2003 Carneros Reserve Pinot Noir – Some initial green aromas; leaves or underripe fruit. Light body, red fruit and green olive display in the sharp entry. Young. $25.00

2003 Estate Carneros Pinot Noir, Clone 4 Pommard – Rich, terroir-driven wine. Supple nose shows a whisper of green olive with a core of red cherry. Soft mouth entry showing red fruit and floral qualities. $38.00

2002 Tres – 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese, 6% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot, 2% Syrah. Aromas of green tobacco and herbs. Medium-bodied red fruit is fuller than the nose implies. Textured, but young. $29.00

2003 Syrah – Rich, smoky nose showing youth. Blackberry liqueur flavors in the initial taste. Thin on the intial entry which expands to a chewier middle, showing richer brambleberry on the finish. Medium bodied and even texture. $38.00

Buena Vista ~ 18000 Old Winery Road ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 95476 ~ 800-926-1266

Nils Venge has quite a reputation in both the Napa valley and in the wine world in general. Besides being a consulting winemaker for Robert Keenan and Plumpjack Winery. Nils was also instrumental in the establishment Saddleback Cellars, but it was with his son, Kirk, that the family name finally ended up on a label of its own, Venge Vineyards. His renown came while working at Groth where he became the first American winemaker to receive an illusive 100 points from noted wine critic Robert Parker for his 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Venge’s namesake wine is made at what is historically known as the Rossini Ranch. Built by Swiss Italian immigrant Carlo Rossini in 1891, like many other wineries of its age, it suffered the Prohibition shut-down syndrome. It is located on the base of Howell Mountain, several miles back a long and twisty road that one may believe goes no where. Keep going…

Nils and family have completely renovated the building. The top floor is the home of the tasting room. Bright with natural light from vaulted ceilings, it has yet to see an abundance of decorations or knick-knacks. The tasting is not confined to this room, but includes a tour of the entire facilities. The first wine or two is tasted at the bar. From there, guests are led down into the belly of the building.

A table has been set up in the cellar area where most of the red wines are tasted. It is gratifying to see a working winery from the inside and be able to enjoy its bounty. While the tasting is appointment-only, I stumbled in one weekday afternoon and was still granted courteous hospitality and a tasting.

2004 Bianco Spettro – 55% Chardonnay, 38% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Marsanne. White floral nose that is rich with a hint of sweetness. Smooth mouth entry that has a nice oily sensation. Clean feeling with yellow peach tones. $25.00

2002 Sangiovese – The
first impression faked me out a bit with a Cabernet-like blackberry
nose. A swirl opened it to warm, sweet cinnamon and cherry aromas. Sweet entry expands to display ripe red fruit. There was an underlying minerality which fills out, produces
intense balanced flavors, and culminates in a spicy finish. $30.00.

2003 Scout’s Honor – 70% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 15% Charbono. The story behind the name of this wine is a remembrance to Kirk’s beloved yellow lab, Scout. I must admit this is a hard wine to describe because there is so much going on; a core of smoke, layers of sweetness and spice, and effusive brambleberry. $35.00

2001 Merlot – Redolent with valley terroir. Rich with earthy tones, tobacco, leather, and dark berry. The flavors are rich and complex that finishes with some dusty herbal notes. $40.00

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon – Overwhelming nose of green bell pepper, jalapeño, and eucalyptus. Smooth entry that blossoms to show red cherry and a dark black anise. $95.00

Venge Vineyards ~ 424 Crystal Springs Road ~ St. Helena ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 707-967-1008

As a special surprise birthday present, Doug Wolf bought for his wife, Jane, a *small* house quietly nestled on the edge of the Mayacamas Mountain foothills in St. Helena. Living in San Francisco, this was not going to be a permanent residence, but a weekend getaway that is often inhabited by the family moreso during the summer months. The elegant and stately old house was built in the mid-1800s and happened to be in the middle of roughly 29 acres of vineyard grapes.

This was in 1997 and at the time, the grapes (mostly merlot!) were owned and managed by the Jaeger family. The Wolfs did not buy the estate for the purpose to make wine, but when you have quality acreage in St. Helena, you can either sell off your bounty to other winemakers, or make the wine yourself. Wolf Family Vineyards was born! The merlot was pulled out and replaced with cabernet sauvignon and Karen Culler was hired as the consulting winemaker. She has been responsible for producing Wolf’s namesake wine from the very first vintage.

I was extremely fortunate to have Karen show me around the property on a very warm afternoon. A small building was constructed to produce the wine along with a tiny cave that Karen calls a doll’s cave due to its diminutive size. The cave is so small, it can only hold one vintage’s worth of barrels and on the day of our visit, she had just had the 2004 vintage removed, readying the cave for the incoming 2005 grapes. The production level of Wolf’s wine varies each year, but the cave itself cannot hold more than 1,000 cases and they have never produced much more than that with their three total offerings.

The beauty of the surrounding property is astounding. The reservoir has a spouting fountain which can be admired from a water-front gazebo or the adjacent expansive vistas. Surrounding gardens include the decorative from dahlias and roses, to the pratical tomatoes and strawberries. Entirely envious of the family, it must be emphasized that this is not a winery open to the public — or even by appointment — and I have refrained from showing the gorgeous house to respect their privacy.

I am infinitely grateful to Ms. Culler for taking quality time during harvest to show me around and allow me to taste the wines. There is no website from which to order the wine. If you want it, I would suggest contacting some of the more prestigious wine stores around the United States. A quick glance through Wine-Searcher shows Wolf Family wines available, mostly in California but some also in New York.

2004 Sauvignon Blanc – 40 cases produced. Rich, classic cat piss with layers of grass. Soft, smooth entry that is textured and luxurious expanding to display hay, a bit of lemon, and a creamy meringue finish. No price – unlikely to be purchasable.

2002 Cabernet Franc – 120 cases produced. 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. I believe in previous vintages, this wine is occasionally sold as a Meritage. Karen explained that the blend does change every year, depending on the quality of the grapes, but that she tries to keep it CabFranc-heavy. If memory serves, it might have been the ’00 or ’01 vintage that was CabSauv-heavy. This offering is a dark, inky blackish red in color with layers of aromas including dark cherry, herbal, and noted terroir. The taste shows spice and well-balanced minerals with a tease of intense violet. The silky texture entices with a slightly minty finish. Internet searches show this wine between $50 and $65.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – 700 cases produced. 100% Cabernet, this wine is dark with earthy currant and blackberry notes. The entry is initially a little sweet and then blossoms to a rich middle palate of dark spice, developed oak and black fruit, and a finish showing depth and elegance. $60

Wolf Family Vineyards (Office information) ~ 3701 Sacramento Street, #366 ~ San Francisco ~ CA ~ 94118 ~ 707-963-6042

I can thank the guys at Foppiano for directing me towards Christopher Creek. As they are located on a side road near Healdsburg, it is not a main drag of wineries that would normally see tourist traffic. However, some recent Wall Street Journal press provided accolades so that when I arrived, I was surprised to see a bounty of guests already camped in around the tasting bar.

Entrance to the winery is up a dusty dirt road that leads to a cluster of rustic, dark brown wood buildings. One is a home which I can only guess houses the owners of the winery. However, the other building is a large complex which contains the tasting room and the wine-making facilities.

Christopher Creek is known for Rhone varietals and even though Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines were available for tasting, I wanted to jump right into their specialty wines. It was not a mistake — the Syrah and Petite Sirah were excellent examples of the local terroir and showed great deft and skill of the winemaker.

2004 Viognier – No malo and no oak, this wine showed a sweet nose of fresh apricot and a pale hint of spice. The mouth feel is rich with a reflection of the spice expanding to show white flowers and white fruit (peach and pear) in complex layers. $27.00

2002 Dry Creek Zinfandel – Medium body, showing a bouquet of strawberry, dark earth, and a bit of white pepper. A bit of funk of dusty twigs in the initial taste which was a tad on the hot side. On the young side. $26.00

2001 Russian River Zinfandel – Made from 30% Old Vines, this interesting wine contains a field blend of Zinfandel along with some Carignane and Alicante Bouchet. It is a medium-bodied Zin was extremely bright and young. Sweet jammy berry notes toyed in the nose, teasing with red candy apple aromas. Flavors of simple cherry that are easy and smooth. $26.00

2003 Estate Syrah – The nose fills with smoky black fruit; plum and blackberry. Flavors of black licorice and earthy dark fruit dominate. The earthy flavors combine some cocoa and and minerals, making an easy-drinking, medium-bodied Syrah of nice quality. $23.00

2003 Russian River Reserve Syrah – Intense dark spicy nose that continues into the mouth showing rich, rustic flavors of dusty floral and smooth, complex black fruit. $30.00

2003 Russian River Estate Petite Sirah – Rich, sweet aromas of smoky blueberry and cassis liqueur. Concentrated flavors of sweet blueberry with layers of tobacco and terroir. $30.00

2002 Russian River Estate Petite Sirah – Intense, dark purple color with magenta tones. Smoky aromas are complex and intense. Dark blueberry core of flavors easily displays how well this wine will age when tasted next to the ’03. Similar flavors, but incredibly more defined and sculpted. Sold out.

Christopher Creek Winery ~ 641 Limerick Lane ~ Healdsburg ~ CA ~ 95448 ~ 707-433-2001