Clark Claudon Napa Cabernet 2004

Clark Claudon Napa/Pope Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

For a quiet evening at home, watching our latest binge-worthy series, Condor on MGM+, we opened an old favorite wine from our extensive collection from this favorite producer, with homemade chicken tortilla soup. 

After our recent anniversary, I am currently opening twenty year old 2004 vintage wines as a mini celebration, and a calibration of how that vintage is aging and holding up in our cellar. 

Here following is an updated re-post of earlier posting about this wine and this producer from October 12, 2023.

Clark-Claudon Estate Grown Napa/Pope Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

The producer, Clark-Claudon estate is situated on the ‘backside’ of Howell Mountain in an area known as Pope Valley. We have fun with this label as fellow Pour Boy Bill and Beth C's maiden name is Pope. Clark-Claudon's 17 acres of vineyards are carved out of a 117 acre property located on the north east side of Howell Mountain between Ink Grade and Howell Mountain Road, from 800 ft to 1,200 ft elevation. It’s shallow, mountain soils, cool evening breezes and excellent sun exposure are ideal for a low yield of small, intense Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grapes. The 17 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted with clone 7 which grows well in hillside rocky soil and produces small berries with concentrated flavors. A small vineyard block is planted to Petite Verdot. After completing their initial vineyard planting, Clark decided to leave the  remaining 100 acres of forests, creeks, meadows and ponds in their natural state which serves as a preserve for native birds and wildlife.

Interesting, following my discussions in recent blogpost about the terroir and appellation specificity line of demarcation being at the 1200 foot elevation level to differentiate between Howell Mountain and Napa Valley designation, we have another such-situated Napa/Howell Mountain Cabernet. Similar to the Viader Napa Valley Cabernet Red Blend from earlier tastings, and the Blue Hall Vineyard Camiana Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that we drank the other night, this Clark Claudon Napa Cab vineyard is at 1000 foot elevation on the lower reaches of Howell Mountain. That terroir distinction doesn't apply here as the Clark Claudon property is on the backside of Howell Mountain which never sees the fog that is experienced on the Napa Valley side of the hill. 

We have been collecting this label since its introduction back in 1993 and hold two decades of vintages since. 

We first met Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon-Clark during our Napa Wine Experience 1999 when we hosted them at one of our wine producer dinners. That night, held at what was then Pinot Blanc Restaurant in St Helena (see picture above/left), we tasted Clark Claudon 1995-96 against ten year old 1989 Bordeaux. 

During our Napa Wine Experience visits of 1997 through 2000 we hosted gala tasting dinners with the "'Undisccovered Dozen', emerging new wine producers to watch", featured in an article in Wine Spectator Magazine. Many of these producers released their inaugural vintage releases in or about the 1994 vintage. Those producers and winery visits included Plumpjack, David Arthur, Clark-Claudon, Robert Craig, Del Dotto, Elan, Paradigm, Pride Vineyards, Snowden, Nils Venge and White Cottage and are featured variously on my winesite http://www.unwindwine.com. An complete index of my tasting notes of these wines over the years is on the site at this link to California Producers Index. These producers make up a foundation of our wine cellar collection even today. In many of these wines, we still have vertical selections, several dating back to those early release vintages.   

We love the distinctive unique Clark-Claudon packaging with the tall slender bottles. An interesting and trivial wine-geek's observation about the Clark-Claudon branding and packaging; as mentioned, we hold close to a score of vintages of this label. 

All our vintage holdings but this one, the 2004 release, are packaged with the wax cap inside the rim of the bottle, topping the cork, as shown left. This one, 2004, has a 'traditional' foil top of the bottle (shown below). Not sure why?

This release was awarded 93 points from Wine Enthusiast who wrote, " ... it really needs time. Give it until after 2008, if you can keep your hands off, and will come into its own after 2010."

A decade later, going on seventeen years, this release is holding its own very nicely and showing no signs of diminution whatsoever. The fill level, label and most importantly the cork were in perfect condition.

Wine Enthusiast wrote, "The 2004 Clark-Claudon Napa Cabernet Sauvignon blends fruit from all over the winery's estate, combining multiple expressions of the fruit. The higher portions of the estate yielded fruit that was rich, deeply colored with intense tannins. The lower portions of the estate produced softer, more perfumed wine." 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with previous tastings in 2015, 2016 and most recently in the Spring of 2021. In 2016 I wrote it was more expressive than earlier tastings. I sense this is at its peak, not likely to improve further, but grand and capable of aging several more years none-the-less.

At twenty years, the fill level, label, foil and most importantly the cork were all still in pristine condition.  

Like before, the room filled with dark berry fruit aromatics as soon the cork was pulled. This was dark garnet colored, rich, full, concentrated, but nicely integrated and elegant black berry and black currant fruits with accents of cassis, mocha, floral and notes of spicy oak and hints of black cherry on a lingering fine-grained silky tannin finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=229261

In seeking to replenish this bottle with a more recent vintage of this wine, I looked in distribution and found none in Chicagoland, but got this response when searching national beverage superstore Total Wine - "We could not find this item at Pensacola, FL (our select store), But we found it at Denver, CO." We'll be reaching back to the producer directly, as well as looking in the secondary market. 

https://www.clarkclaudon.com

@ClarkClaudon 

Earlier tasting posts ...   

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/01/clark-claudon-howell-mountain-napa.html

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/12/festive-holiday-dinner-showcases.html

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/05/clark-claudon-napa-valley-cabernet.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/03/clark-claudon-napa-cabernet-2004.html

The James Geneva alfresco Sunday Brunch

The James Geneva alfresco Sunday Brunch 

With fellow Pour Boy from our wine group, Bill and Beth in from Charleston for the weekend, we had a delightful Sunday afternoon alfresco dinner on the patio at The James Restaurant in Geneva, IL. This followed our gala Pour Boys Wine Group Citiscape dinner the night before in the City (Chicago). 

We enjoyed a producer wine dinner at The James last fall in the patio room as featured in these pages on this blogpost - James Restaurant "Cab is King" Wine Dinner w/ Bell Wine Cellars Wines.

Todays perfect early autumn afternoon provided an ideal setting for dining outside on the patio.

We enjoyed a perfect pairing of Mendocino Chardonnay with with our brunch Benedicts and apple pear walnut salads. 

We ordered from the wine list this limited release special label from the Meyer Family Vineyards. This is from the descendants of Justin Meyer, founder of iconic Silver Oak. Justin passed away recently and the Meyer stake in Silver Oak was sold to the rest of the investor owners. Matt and Karen Meyer have elected to partner with artisan growers to produce vineyard-designate bottlings under the Meyer Family label. 

The Meyer family continue to produce several labels under the Meyer Family Cellars brand with production divided evenly between site-specific wines from both Mendocino County, where the winery is located, and their remaining holding from the original Oakville estate in Napa Valley.

Up in Mendocino, they source fruit from their estate and growers in two sub-appellations: the Yorkville Highlands and Anderson Valley American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). 

They produce Cabernets from the original iconic Silver Oak Bonny’s Vineyard as well as labels from up north, Le Bon Bon, Spitfire, Fluffy Billows, The Gravels, and a Cab Franc.

Their broad portfolio also includes Elke Vineyard Creek Chardonnay, Monument Tree Vineyard Pinot Noir, Peterson Vineyard Pinot Noir (Comptche-Mendocino County), Wightman House Vineyard Pinot Noir. 

This Meyer Family Chardonnay is vineyard label designated sourced from the Donnelly Creek Vineyard in the Mendocino County Anderson Valley.

Matt Meyer grew up in the wine business under the tutelage of his winegrower father Justin. He spent much of his time in the vineyard and cellar at Silver Oak after school and working various jobs during the summer. Matt spent a couple years gaining experience at internships in Oregon, Australia and New Zealand. He also did one semester abroad at Adelaide University enrolled in this wine studies program. he went on to the University of California, Davis, where he was awarded a Masters in Viticulture. After this he moved to the Anderson Valley and started making wine with his father at the family’s new property.

Karen Meyer was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. After doing a harvest in Margaret River to learn more about the process, she completed a degree in enology at Charles Stuart University, then spent the next few years working harvests around the world. Karen worked in the four distinct regions of Australia, did one harvest in France and spent three years in New Zealand. In 1999 Matt and Karen met in Oregon while working the crush in the Willamette Valley. In 2004 they would work together again in New Zealand after which point Karen moved to the Anderson Valley.

Today they live with their three children in Healdsburg California halfway between their vineyards in the Napa and Anderson Valleys.

Meyer Family Cellars Anderson Valley Donnelly Creek Chardonnay 2018

From the legendary Meyer Family, descendants of the founders of Silver Oak Cellars, this is a vineyard designated label from the Anderson Valley up in Mendocino County. 

This was an ideal pairing with our Brunch Benedicts and apple, pear walnut salad. 

Winemaker notes for this release: “The evenly paced 2018 harvest shows itself in our beautiful bottling from Donnelly Creek Vineyard, a Chardonnay that is all about balance. As usual, the wine is enticing right out of the bottle, displaying aromas of citrus, fresh peach, honeysuckle, and toasted brioche. In the glass, the fruit flavors are ripe and forward, with summer stone fruit and melon balanced by dependable Anderson Valley acidity. Barrel-fermentation and nine months of aging in French oak have added a tasty richness to this elegant Chardonnay”.

This was barrel aged for 9 months in 75% Neutral Oak, 25% New French Oak.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=39600263

https://mfcellars.com/

While the ladies shopped the Fifth Avenue shops and galleries, Bill and I enjoyed a delightful relaxing afternoon on the patio. We selected an after lunch dessert wine from the wine list for sensational casual sipping.

Inniskillin Niagara Peninsula Estate Vidal 2019

We love desert wines and serve them with salads, artisan cheeses and of course with deserts ranging cake to petit fours to dark chocolates or for casual sipping such as this.

Readers of this blog know we have a fairly extensive cellar, with numerous desert wines from the world's finest producers from the finest wine regions - late harvest rieslings from California, Sauternes from Bordeaux, Trockenberenauleses (TBA's) from Germany and Austria, and of course ice wines from the Niagara escarpment peninsula between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, between Buffalo, NY and Toronto.

This is from the iconic producer Inniskillin, the crown jewel of producers who take advantage of the unique terroir in the Niagara Appellation to craft true ice wine dessert wines.

Desert wine is nectar in a glass - essence of honey, apricot, violets - there is nothing like it under the sun. Among the absolute finest desert wines in the world are ice wines - wines from grapes allowed to lie on the vine beyond ripening, then past the winter freeze such that as much as eighty percent of the juice in the grape is frozen leaving behind but all the sugars in the remaining twenty percent of the juice. 

Such is ice wine which in North America comes from a small area in the Pacific Northwest where Inniskillin Okanagan operates in Oliver, British Columbia, and from Niagara-on-the-Lake, a small strip of land between the western tip of Lake Ontario to the north and the eastern tip of Lake Erie on the south. The small land mass adjacent to the Niagara escarpment there traps the air to protect the grape vines.

When the temperature reaches 8 degrees fahrenheit the conditions are right to harvest the grapes and collect the extracted sugar rich grapes suited for ice wine. Inniskillin Wines in the Niagara on the Lake appellation, licensed in 1974, the first winery to be licensed since 1929, has been producing and specializing in perfecting ice wines since 1984. Their Vidal Ice Wine from the 1989 vintage received the prestigious Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vinexpo in France. Inniskillin produces ice wine from several varieties of grapes including Vidal, Riesling, Chardonnay and even Cabernet Franc. They even produce a sparkling ice wine, which in other realms might be considered an oxymoron. Their 2006 Vidal Sparkling Ice Wine and 2007 Riesling Ice Wine won the Premio Speciale Gran Vinitaly "World Cup of Wine" in 2007.
. 

We visited the Inniskillin estate during our visit to the region back in 2012 and featured it in these pages in a more extensive blogpost at the time - Inniskillin Niagara on the Lake Wine Experience.

Inniskillin, named for the Irish village from where GI's hailed who were stationed in the area during the great WWII, has 120 acres of vines, and purchases grapes from local producers from another 250 acres to source the grapes for their wines. Their specialty and flagship wines are ice wines.

This popular Inniskillin Icewine boasts a variety of tropical fruit including orange, mango, and lemons. Flavors of peach and apricot are balanced by a fresh, crisp and lively acidity. Pairs beautifully with aged cheddar, peach tart, and baked cheesecake with a peach compote.

This release was awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate – They wrote that this was the richest of the Vidal ice wines this issue. 

Pale golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, intensely flavored, unctuous, syrupy peach and apricot fruits accented by notes of sugary honey nuances with a tongue coating lingering finish, 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4047660

https://www.inniskillin.com/

https://thejamesgeneva.com/

@PassionatePour1

Pour Boys - Winers and Diners Fall Cityscape Dinner 2024

 Pour Boys - Winers and Diners Fall Cityscape Dinner 2024

The Winers and Diners contingent of our Pour Boys wine group met for another CityScape dinner hosted by Terry and Lyle F.  This is the group traditionally hosted by Lyle and Terry at their West Loop Chicago pede-a-tere turned luxury flat. 

We had the extended group of regulars for the wonderful evening of dinner and fine wines.

The gala dinner main course dry rub ribs cooked on the grill, fingerling potatoes, cole slaw, corn bread, and a southwest bean combo.

Prior to dinner the appetizer course included gezpacho, an extensive selection of artisan cheeses, shrimp, and deviled eggs, charcuterie, pickles and olives.

For the appetizer course there was a broad selection of sparkling and still white wines. 

• Haykin Family Cidery Ela Family Farms Cuvee’ Methode Ancestrale Sparkling Cider - Dan picked this up at Duck Inn (Chicago) Pour Boys Wine Group Dinner where we dined last month.
• Greywacke New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2019
• Roland Tissier Sancerre 2019
• https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4208644
• Veuve Cliquot Brut NV Champagne
• Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Les Parcelles 2017 
• https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3726313

Dan assisted Lyle in set-up and the dinner preparation including grilling of the ribs. 

Moving to the dinner course we had an extensive selection of red wines to complement the extensive dinner courses. 

The wine flight included several memorable labels from visits to the producer estate by members or combinations of members of the group. 

The red flight, in serving/tasting order:

• Domaine Grand Veneur “Les Origines” Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2006
• Chateau de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016
• Peter Michael Les Pavots 2008
• Joseph Phelps Backus Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
• Rubissow Reserve Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
• Hall Winery Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
• Clarendon Hills Clarendon Moritz Shiraz 2011
• Lagier-Meredith “Tribidrag” Mt Veeder Red Wine 2019
• Seghezio Rockpile Zinfandel 2016
• Honig Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Highlights - 

Peter Michael "Les Pavots" Knights Valley Bordeaux Blend 2008

It would be easy to say this was my WOTN - WINE OF THE NIGHT with its sophisticated Bordeaux Blend although when taking into account the food and wine pairing, this might be best suited for a grilled beef tenderloin, and some of the other bolder wines better suited to the grilled ribs. In any event, this is a spectacular wine. 

This is Peter Michael’s flagship with every attention to detail such as single berry selection, Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 11% Merlot. 

The 2008 Peter Michael "Les Pavots" was awarded a near perfect 98 points, “Top 100 of 2011, Collectible” by WS, 97 by James Suckling, 95 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and 94 by ST of Int'l Wine Cellar.

Dark ruby colored, full bodied, smooth, elegant, polished, seamlessly integrated and balanced black currant blackberry and plum fruits with notes of tobacco, mocha chocolate, licorice and hint of cedar and truffles with silky smooth firm tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?1087438

http://www.petermichaelwinery.com/

Hall Winery Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

My WOTN - Wine of the Night candidate would be this Stag’s Leap District Napa Cab, a label we know well. 

Bill brought this from his home cellar in Charleston. We’ve Visited the Hall Napa Valley Rutherford Estate Winery and Cellars several times including back in 2013 and then again in 2017 as posted again in these pages - Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting. 

During our many tastings and visits to the magnificent Hall Cellars together over the years, we’ve tasted this amongst the broad portfolio of highly rated ultra-premium Hall wines. Bill acquired this as part of his wine club allocation.

Records show we tasted and acquired this wine during our visits there and as part of our Club allocations. Bill beat me to the draw and brought one first to one of our (joint) tastings, while I still hold this label in our cellar. 

 

This was rated 97+ points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 95-97 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 93 by Vinous.

Bill’s notes on this wine as posted in CellarTracker -  WConnolly Likes This Wine and gave it 94 points - “Needs two hour decant for the heat to blow off but this is spectacular. Dark black and blue fruit with cinnamon and pepper on the palate. Very full bodied and brooding. Grippy tannins and plenty of backbone. After a couple of hours of air, some subtle herbal notes emerge but this is very fruit forward. Lingering finish. This was one of my offerings for a barbecue dinner and this was spicy enough to stand up to the grilled ribs, beans and cornbread.

Dark inky blue-purple-black colored, full bodied, firmly structured but elegant, smooth and polished, concentrated, rich layers of ripe blackberry, black raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of lavender, earth, cinnamon spice, crème de cassis hints of cigar box, with ripe, firm, grainy tannins on a long deep finish.

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?2639918

http://www.hallwines.com/

Joseph Phelps Backus 2003

This other ultra-premium Napa Cabernet likely would’ve been a candidate for WOTN if only I hadn’t missed it in the tasting as it was depleted before I had a chance to sample it. 

This is from another favorite producer. We all visited the Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Winery for a Private Tasting during that same trip to Napa. Ernie brought this special bottle as well, both he and Dan hold a vertical collection in their cellars that they acquire as part of their wine club allocations. 

Rubissow Special Reserve Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Several of us also visited the Rubissow Mt Veeder estate and vineyards during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Wine Experience back in 2011. We featured that visit in these pages in this post - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2011/03/mt-veeder-appellation-trail-rubissow-mt.html.

While several of us, Eric, Bill and I, all placed orders for wine during that trip, and opted-in on joining their wine club, only Eric got their newsletter and solicitations and offers on new wine releases. He acquired this limited release special bottling as part of those offerings. 

While this was the best Rubissow I’ve ever tasted, it lacked the power, opulence, elegance and finess of the aforementioned bottles. It was very good none-the-less. 

While we each acquired Rubissow wines over the years, at the winery and at auction, none of have this label in our cellars, so we won’t likely see it again for a follow on comparison tasting - especially since Rubissow discontinued production under their own label and this was their final vintage release. 

This release was crafted by Tim Milos of Opus One, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Cliff Lede fame. It was packaged in a heavy oversized bottle with painted logo on the front and label info on the rear.

True to Mt Veeder profile, this was big and powerful jammy black fruits with accents of cassis, spice and black tea notes, with fresh acidity and a long, spicy, toasty finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3071345

In the spirit of BBQ Ribs being the theme for the evening, several of the labels were targeted at, to be paired with, and ideally suited for this focus - most notably the Zinfandels and the Chateauneuf-du-Papes. In that regard, one of the more interesting and unique wines of the evening was a Zinfandel ‘cousin’ - as noted by Carol Lagier - another producer we visited together on our Mt Veeder appellation tour. 

Lagier-Meredith “Tribidrag” Mt Veeder Red Wine 2019

 

This is a classic wine to take to a blind tasting for fun and folly - a real challenge. We learned during our visit to Lagier Meredith back in 2011 that Carol was a Research Geneticist who studied the DNA of wine varietals. We were intrigued to learn of her findings determining the shared lineage of Syrah and Shiraz.  

For 23 years Carol Meredith was a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis, commenting daily between Napa and Davis with the aid of audio books and Starbucks.

In addition to teaching courses, she conducted research in grape genetics. Her research group used DNA profiling methods to discover the origins of some of the greatest old wine varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Zinfandel.

In partnership with Steve Lagier, in 1986, they bought a property back a steep, bumpy, rutted 1.5 mile dirt road high up on Mt Veeder. Steve worked at Mondavi for 14 years before leaving in 1999 to devote all his time to their own vineyard and wine. Carole Meredith left her ‘day job’ in 2003. 

Because they both had day jobs, it took several years to prepare the land for their first vines that were planted in 1994. The vineyard occupied only a small part of the 84-acre property - the rest remaining in its natural state., Their first release was in 2000. 

Lagier Meredith focused on Rhône varietals, and some other unique and interesting 'varietals such as this Tribidrag. 

In her studies at Davis, and then for a period while working at Mondavi, Carole had been in charge of the project that ultimately determined the origin of Zinfandel to be the ancient Croatian variety, Tribidrag. Though it had long been thought to be Primitivo (which it is), Carole's groundbreaking work with DNA profiling led to the discovery of its Croatian origin.

Bill discovered this unique label during that visit to the estate back in 2011 and acquired it as part of their wine club allocation in the following years. 

This Trbidrag was uniquely smooth and polished, yet full and round with vibrant fruit akin a ‘traditional’ or typical Zinfandel. 

Bill posted his tasting notes for this in CellarTracker and wrote - “WConnolly Likes This Wine” and gave it 92 Points.

“Dark, inky color in the glass. Blackberry, Raspberry, pepper and a hint of sweetness on the finish. Full bodied with plenty of tannins, this will last until 2030 at least. a nice accompaniment to our barbecue dinner.”

Steve and Carroll sold their vineyard in 2022 to winemaker Aaron Pott, with whom they had worked for many years. They sold it for the sum of $0 in an agreement in which they would continue to live on the property and work in the vines for as long as they wished. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4113622

Then, Terry served her delectable signature dessert course - Cheesecake bites and chocolate petit-fours prior to desert, her famous Mandarin Orange Cake with whipped cream and Cherry Chocolate Fudge Cake with fresh fruits and whipped cream. 

With the dessert course Lyle served a vintage port.

Grahams Vintage Port 2000

Lyle served this at our Pour Boys OTBN dinner back in 2020 when I wrote in these pages:

It is customary in these events that Lyle brings a vintage port from his collection. In recent years he has been disappointed by the showing of several labels, although the rest of us were not. Tonights selection was wonderful and met the highest expectations for the brand and the vintage. This may have been the best showing and best representation of a port in all our years of tasting together. 

At twenty years this was clearly at its prime but is perhaps only half way through its drinking window. What fun it will be to monitor this label as it ages, if you're fortunate enough to have acquired several bottles. 

This iconic release got 98 points from  James Suckling and Wine Spectator and was “Ranked #9 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2003”, 96 from Decanter, and  94 from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and International Wine Cellar,  

James Suckling of Wine Spectator said, "This is the greatest glass of Graham I have ever tasted, young or old." It was recognized in the Top 100 of 2003 at No. 9, Collectibles. 

The 2000 vintage produced a very tiny crop, just 650 g per vine on average (they usually harvest 850 g per vine from Malvedos – their lowest yielding, most consistently cropping quinta). That said, the fruit was rich and concentrated. Wine Spectator summed it up saying, “ The 2000 growing season is known for quality over quantity.

Saturated black-ruby colored, full-bodied, superripe, powerful, huge, dense and rich black fruits,  yet balanced and smooth, opulent yet elegant, notes of mocha bitter chocolate and licorice and cassis, the finish lasts for minutes going on and on on your palate. 

This is what a vintage port is supposed to taste like and this is a benchmark standard bearer.  

RM 97 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=192

See postings of our other earlier group gatherings under OTBN - Open That Bottle Night, which traditionally occurs the last Saturday in February. 

 

Previous Pour Boys OTBN Events

Pour Boys OTBN 2019 - Open That Bottle Night

Pour Boys OTBN 2018 - Open That Bottle Night

Pour Boys OTBN 2016 - Open That Bottle Night 

Pour Boys OTBN 2015 - Open That Bottle Night -  Bordeaux Anchors OTBN 2015

Pour Boys OTBN - Open That Bottle Night 2014

Pour Boys OTBN 2013 - Open That Bottle Night 2013 

Pour Boys OTBN 2012 - Open That Bottle Night

Pour Boys OTBN 2011 - Open That Bottle Night.

Pour Boys tenderloin and big red wines dinner

Our Pour Boys wine group gathered in Chicago for the gala fall CityScape Dinner hosted by Lyle and Terry. Bill and Beth C traveled in from Charleston and stayed with us for the weekend. 

For Friday night dinner, Linda prepared a grilled beef tenderloin with peppercorn sherry sauce, haricot verts, grilled vegetables and baked potatoes. 

For a wine accompaniment with the dinner, Bill and I trolled our cellar and pulled two aged vintage Napa Cabs of which we have visited the producer estate together. 

Prior to dinner we had a cheese board with a broad selection of artisan cheeses, fresh sesame bread and assorted crackers/biscuits, and wedge salad with blue cheese. 

Cheeses - 

• Aged Cheddar
• Aged Sharp Cheddar
• Gorgonzola with chive
• Aged Blue Cheese 
• Smoked aged Gouda
• White cheese with dill 

With the cheese course, and for the ladies preference, we opened a Tensley Syrah Grenache Rhône Valley varietal blend from Santa Maria Valley.

Tensley 'All Blocks' Tensley Vineyard Santa Barbara County Red Wine (GSM) 2020

We discovered Tensley and their Santa Barbara County Wines including this label during our visit to their estate and then their tasting room during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience in 2022.

Winemaker Notes: "Exclusively from Tensley and Colson Canyon Vineyards, this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM) is very complex and full of texture.'

"The Grenache brings red fruit and finesse, Syrah imparts riper black fruits to the blend, and the Mourvedre rounds out the complexity with savory notes and tannic structure. A wine built for enjoyment, super complex but juicy and round for easy drinking."

540 Cases Produced

This was awarded 93-95 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 95 points by Wine Advocate.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4266214

https://tensleywines.com/

Arns Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

We visited the Arns estate and vineyards on the lower reached of Howell Mountain in 2013 - Visit to Arns Napa Valley Estate Vineyards.

Rick, Linda and Bill with producer John Arns

Arns Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 

We hold numerous vintages of this label in our cellar collection and have chronicled the producer and several vintages of this label in these pages. 

At twenty four years, the foil, label, and most importantly, the fill level and cork were in ideal condition. 

Starting to show its age with some slight bricking, this is starting to reach the end of its drinking window and should be consumed in the next couple of years. 

Garnet colored, medium full bodied, balanced, round full black berry and plum fruit flavors with notes of cassis, black tea, tobacco and hints of cedar with nice balance of tannin, fruit, and acidity w/ mild oak influence with a long finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3223745

https://arnswinery.com/

David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

That same Napa Valley Wine Experience, we also visited David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery, located on Pritchett Hill in the Vaca Range at the bottom of Napa Valley, overlooking the City of Napa. 

Like the Arns above, we hold several vintages and labels of David Arthur and have covered the producer and numerous vintages of this label in these pages. 

David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Like the Arns above, at twenty years, the label and foil, and most importantly the cork and fill level were ideal. But, this vintage release is still at the apex of its drinking profile, and while not likely to improve any further with aging, should age gracefully for up to another decade or more. 

I like this wine as noted that the first time I posted a tasting note of this label was on my birthday back in 2013, when I wrote:

This is as expressive as any David Arthur Cabernet I have tasted to date. It explodes with sweet ripe plum and berry fruits, accented with tones of dark chocolate and a layer of caramel turning to hints of anise, spice notes of tobacco and sweet spicy oak and moderate tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 92 points.

Tonight’s tasting was consistent with that earlier review. 

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2065630

https://www.davidarthur.com/

Stolpman Roussanne Rhône Varietal w/ vodka cream pasta

Stolpman Roussanne Rhône Varietal w/ vodka cream pasta

We were invited to son Alec’s and D-in-law Vivianna’s for dinner with them and the grandkids. Alec prepared a delicious rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage and broccoli in a vodka cream sauce. 

Linda prepared a tomato caprese salad with a delicious chocolate raspberry balsamic purchased at last week’s Farmers’ Market at Naperville 5th Avenue Station. 

I took from our cellar a Southern Rhône Rousanne varietal wine from Santa Barbara County. This proved to be not only a perfect pairing, which thereby amplified the enjoyment of both the food and the wine, but commemorated our trip together to the region during our Southern Rhône Provence tour in 2019 as chronicled in these posts - 

Four days in Provence - Aix - Meyrargues

A visit to Château La Nerthe - 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-chateau-la-nerthe.html

We also visited the estate of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe as the other highlight of our visit to the appellations Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

This is from Ballard Canyon which sits in the greater Santa Ynez Valley AVA which covers a thirty mile east-west corridor, running east from the town of Lompoc to Los Olivos and Santa Ynez on the east. It covers 77,000 acres of winegrapes with more than 60 different wine varieties. 

We visited the Santa Ynez Valley during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience back in 2022 and discovered the plethora of Rhone varietal based wines including many Syrah, one of our regular favorites.

Over the years the sub-appellations evolved and were granted AVA (American Viticultural Area) status with Santa Rita Hills to the west and Happy Canyon to the east. In the center is Ballard Canyon which was recognized as a unique winegrowing area and granted its own AVA in 2013.

Ballard Canyon became Santa Barbara County’s fifth official American viticultural area (AVA) joiningthe existing AVAs of the region including Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley and the broader Santa Barbara County.

Ballard Canyon, covers just 7,700 acres, or only 10% of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, and has a unique north-south orientation of the canyon provides a unique weather pattern of wind, fog, and maritime influence, giving it its own sense of a specific place or with its soil and elevation, terroir.

Ballard Canyon has a history of viticulture back to the earlier 1970’s but grew and gained recognition in an expansion of planting boom in the 90’s, with new grower producers such as Stolpman and Beckmen, Harrison, Larner, and Saarloos families planted vineyards, followed by Jonata and Tierra Alta.

While land to the west became increasingly devoted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with the publication of the STA Rita Hills AVA, Ballard Canyon vineyards focused on Rhône varietals and primarily Syrah. 

Ballard Canyon became Santa Barbara County’s fifth official American viticultural area (AVA) joiningthe existing AVAs of the region including Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley and the broader Santa Barbara County.

Ballard Canyon, encompassing 7,800, is the second AVA in the Santa Ynez Valley along with Sta. Rita Hills. The region is an integral part of the diversity within the Central Coast and Santa Barbara County designations. After experimenting with many different varietals, the growers and producers of Ballard Canyon settled on Syrah as the best-suited varietal throughout Ballard Canyon. Over half of the AVA’s planted acreage is Syrah and an additional 30% of acres are planted to other Rhone varietals including Grenache, Viognier, and Roussanne.

Of the total 458 acres planted to red wine grapes. Rhone Varietals predominate with 76%, followed by Bordeaux: 14%, Italian: 8%, and other California ‘Heritage’ 2%. 

Syrah is the predominant red varietal with 274 Acres followed by another Rhône varietals mostly Grenache. Other plants include smaller amounts of Bordeaux grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, as well as small amounts of Italian varietals Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. 

Of the white wine grapes planted Rhone Varietals such as Roussanne predominate with 57%, followed by Bordeaux  (40%), primarily Sauvignon Blanc, and others lead by Viognier.

Stolpman Santa Barbara County Ballard Canyon Estate Bottled Roussanne 2019

This unique California Rhône white is produced and marketing directly as an estate wine sourced from their own vineyard under their own branding. Grapes from the vineyard are also produced separately under branding of a personal project of winemaker Jeremy Weintraub, whose day job is  since 2013 is overseeing Adelaida Cellars, a prominent estate in Paso Robles.  

Jeremy’s winemaking education includes earning a Master’s in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis, and, interning throughout the world’s best wine regions. Before his work with Adelaida, Jeremy was the winemaker at Seavey, a somewhat under-rated Cabernet producer in Napa Valley. Previously, Jeremy traveled the world, working harvests in Tuscany, Central Otago, Martinborough, and Long Island. 

Weintraub produces a small portfolio of limited production wines with fruit sourced from some of California's most renowned sites including a 100% Roussanne varietal is from the Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon in Santa Barbara County. 

This is the Stolpman branding crafted by family owned and operated Stolpman Vineyards sourced from their estate of 220-acres planted to 152 acres of south-facing grapes, an organic vegetable garden, and 5 acres of olives. This Roussanne Rhône varietal comprises 15.3 acres of the total plantings.

The Stolpman estate was established 20 years ago by Founding Partner, Tom Stolpman, when he discovered what we believe to be one of the greatest viticultural sites on earth, hidden in the hills of California’s Central Coast, on a rare Limestone outcropping & unobstructed from the Pacific Ocean wind, this unique land is naturally suited to grow Syrah and Roussanne grapes. 

The Stolpman family say they are blessed to farm wine grapes from their Ballard Canyon estate due to what they cite are five distinguishing characteristics that set their vineyard apart, even from other Ballard Canyon sites: 

“White Rock - Active, youthful 2 million year-old Limestone provides balancing acidity to all of our wines while the thin layer of dense clay topsoil above allows retention of moisture. Because of this one-two combo, we can withhold irrigation from the roots, forcing them to dig deep into the white rock and absorb all that terroir!’ The limestone that runs deep and lends acidity to the berries with clay-rich topsoil that retains moisture efficiently. 

“Tunnel of Love - Daily mistrals originate from the cold Arctic flow of Pacific Ocean pushing through our fully-exposed hillsides. The Mojave far to our east sucks up the cold air as its desert heat rises – the vacuum creates a perennial wind tunnel through Ballard Canyon rivaling the Northern Rhone in force and relentlessness. Our hearty vines continue to photosynthesize in the wind but the fluttering leaves don’t suck for water. Without dilution, flavor concentration intensifies. The wind also knocks down fungal pressure, giving the winery team pristinely clean fruit.’

“Nightly Chill - Unsheltered from the Pacific, as soon as night falls, temperatures drop an average of 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the growing season. Not only does the cold nightly rejuvenation help hold acidity through our long growing season, but we also nocturnally harvest to lock in the taut freshness from the crisp conditions. The diurnal shift pendulum swings vastly, with drops of up to 40 degrees between daytime and nighttime. Chilly temperatures at night allow the grapes to maintain the hard-earned acidity imparted by the limestone soils.’

“Rain - For better or worse, it seldom rains during the growing season. Combined with our dedication to dry farming - concentrated, undiluted grapes result. We only pray for healthy winter rains during dormancy so the vines wake up sensing enough moisture to get through the summer. The vines can be dry-farmed due to the clay, which during the dry summer season, results in vines that struggle to dig deep for the water table and produce concentrated fruit.”

They say the largest impact of the annual dry stretch is the continuation of legacy native root-stock that has thus far survived the scourge of  the root-louse Phyllloxera, which doesn’t like to be parched. They have managed so far to maintain their own-rooting vulnerable Vinifera rather than grafting onto root-stock. Today, 60% of the vines at Stolpman are own-rooted.

Finally, “Tropical Tan - Located at 34.6 degrees latitude, our equatorial solar rays help to ripen the grapes through the long, cool growing season. The sunlight stays strong, seeing us through our Autumn harvest, good ‘ol California sunshine ripens the grapes to their “fullest potential” We rely on it to paint our Roussanne a “Rouss” shade of gold.”

Roussanne can get a bad rap as a varietal for producing singular waxy and weighted wines, hence its traditional use as a blending grape in France’s Rhône Valley. 

Stolpman use new oak only to ‘frame Roussanne’s viscosity’ while all their other wines see only used wood.  

Winemaker notes - “The 2019 Roussanne offers a nose of white peach, baked apple, and toasted spice mix. The mouth is medium-bodied with plenty of acid to keep the wine fresh and structured well through the finish.”

Jen Dunnuck awarded Jeremy’s label release 95 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 points, and Wine Enthusiast 91 points. 

This was big enough to stand up to flavorful pasta and sausage with vodka cream sauce, which one might typically pair with a Red Barolo or Montepulciano.  This was a perfect pairing whic as I often write in these pages, amplifies the enjoyment of the wine and the food. 

An extraordinary, unique wine, bold bordering on obtuse, that bursts with expressive vibrant flavor from the beginning - golden colored, medium to full bodied, a firm edge structured stone fruit, peach and apple accented by spice, floral citrus, almond nut, and mineral with bright acidity on the expressive vibrant long finish. 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3896315

https://www.stolpmanvineyards.com/