Carrefour – 167
Saturday, September 24th, 2005
There is always a pang of guilt when I am introduced to a Napa-based winery that I had never heard of before. At the Copia Cognoscente tasting, I was wracked with guilt seeing a roomful of unfamiliar names. So I was extremely grateful to a few folks who stuck around during the lunch break to chat with me, first and foremost, Greg and Marilyn Nitz, proprietors of Carrefour Vineyards, along with their winemaker, Kelly De’Ianni (she’s the one on the far left).
With fifteen acres of grapes that they had previously been selling to Rombauer and still sell to Duckhorn, the 2004 their Sauvignon Blanc is now their first release. Additional grapes planted include most of the Bordeaux varietals with Pinot Noir coming from purchased grapes in Carneros. Great people and great wines — and something new worth looking out for!
2004 Oak Knoll Sauvignon Blanc – Intense green fig and floral bouquet. Grapefruit entry is balanced and vibrant without being astringent. The lemony finish shows depth and elegance. Only 340 cases produced. $16.00
2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – 1,200 cases produced of this new entry on the Pinot market. Bright spicy cherry in the nose mirrors the mouth entry. Tons going on in layers of complex fruit and integrated spice. The overall structure is medium bodied and the finish keeps going. $28.00
2003 Napa Valley Cabernet – 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot. Dark, rich purple wine. Still unreleased, the flavors are admittedly young with depth of herb and mineral. Fruit is still tight and I would love to taste this wine in five or ten years. Not yet priced.
Carrefour ~ No address yet available ~ 707-252-9167