Steltzner – 126
Friday, July 29th, 2005
Dick Steltzner was born and raised in in Northern California and was inspired early on to enter the wine industry with Ernst Wente as his mentor. After college and some savvy real estate dealings which got him a small piece of property in the Stag’s Leap District, Dick found himself in the business of vineyard management. This was the 1970s.
By 1980 he started making his own wine in a building that had been constructed in 1915 as a prune dehydrating shed. Converting that building into a winery, his production grew from 3,000 cases to 5,000 by 1990. Now there is a Mediterranean-style complex in place of the prune building, and the business is up to 15,000 cases a year.
Now Dick has daughter Allison at his side, learning the ropes and ready to continue her father’s legacy. The wines are classic Bordeaux varietals, expected for the Stag’s Leap appellation, but a few additional surprises await. The tasting room is intimate, with a living room ensemble and a baby grand piano in the corner.
The staff is helpful, offering tasting comments as the wine is being poured. I actually prefer to make my own determinations before having flavors indicated, but I can certainly see the benefit to newbie wine tasters who are still learning about flavors that are in wine. I still took my own notes, not relying on what I was being told…
2004 Chardonnay, Oak Knoll Estate – No malo in the wine which was 100% fermented in stainless stell. Overt tropical fruits of pineapple and kiwi presented on the nose. Rich floral tones and easy entry. Complex white peach finish. $18.00
2004 Rosé of Shiraz – Fascinating offering. Meaty raspberry and a hint of strawberry on the nose that is not sweet, but deep. Medium to thin entry that shows some peach a minerals on the mid-palate. A bit more mineral finish that desired. Curious that they are growing Shiraz, but making a rosé with it. $18.00
2002 Merlot, Stags Leap District – Dusty twig and floral tones that subside to show some cherry and dark berry. Juicy entry with muted tannins. $26.00
2001 Sangiovese – Possibly opened the day before as oxidized notes predominate. I did detect raspberry under the dusty twig with a faint whiff of licorice. $38.00
2002 Claret – 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot. Jammy blackberry with integrated sweet black licorice in its core. A faint hint of green bell pepper just hides behind, classic Stags Leap District. The rich, oppulent nose follows into the initial mouthfeel, showing spice and dark fruit but finishes a bit chalky and dry. $16.00
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District – Bricky red in color with obvious age. Smoky twigs and soft berries show in the nose. Medium bodied in the mouth feel displaying muted flavors despite the spicy nose. A bit of sen-sen burn in the back of the throat. $36.00
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District – Purplish in color, very bright and very fresh in tone. Cinnamon spice and hints of green olive are coupled with the fresh fruit. Juicy and long finish. $36.00
NV Terraces Merlot Port – Berry jam and black licorice couple with integrated dusty twig bouquet. The initial taste is decidedly sweet with the lovely spices being slightly toned down. $34.00/375ml
Steltzner Vineyards ~ 5998 Silverado Trail ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94558 ~ 707-252-7272