Tensely Colson Canyon with Burgers

Tensely Colson Canyon with Burgers

Labor Day holiday weekend, grilling burgers on the grill, I opened one of our absolute favorite wines and it did not disappoint. 

This was the last bottle of this vintage release of this label, but we have several follow on vintage releases. 

I wrote about this producer and this label in an earlier holiday grilling dinner last year. We love this wine and discussed the peril of writing about it, raising awareness about it and creating competition to acquire it.   

Here is my last blogpost about this label, excerpted here, Tensley Colson Canyon Syrah 2020 with BBQ ribs.

One of my favorite days of the year, watching the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, and then the Indianapolis 500, and then over again, we had BBQ ribs. For pairing with BBQ, I pulled from the cellar this big full fruit Syrah - perfect for such an occasion.

We love this full throttle Syrah. We’ve been acquiring it as part of our wine club allocation since discovering it at the producer’s tasting room, and we pick up whatever few bottles are in stock at the Total Wine big box beverage store in Indy and in Pensacola. And, then, I picked up some more at Winebid auction last winter, which just arrived this week in weather appropriate season shipment from storage.

I wrote about our discovery of this producer and this label in detail in these pages last year, reiterated and excerpted here …Tensley Colson Canyon Santa Ynez Mountains Syrah 2020.

It was just about two years (now) ago that we discovered and acquired this and several other Tensley Santa Barbara County Wines, that I wrote about here, and replay below, during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience. This was the standout of that tasting and best represents the style that we love.

We discovered Tensley Santa Barbara County Wines during that Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria ValleyWine Experience while driving the Foxen Canyon wine trail. One of the producer's we visited recommended we check out Tensley Wines, which was near that estate we were visiting. 

We drove by the Tensley vineyards on Alisos Canyon Road, (shown left) which was closed, so we stopped in the Tensley tasting room in downtown Los Olivos.

I was not aware of this brand prior to this trip. It was a top discovery and revelation and may certainly be one of our go-to boutique labels going forward. We joined their wine club to obtain a supply of their labels from those tasted and going forward.

Colson Canyon Vineyard | Santa Ynez Mountains

Since joining their wineclub, we have acquired a half dozen labels from this producer, but this single vineyard designated label remains our favorite. Sourced from Colson Canyon Vineyard, high up in the Santa Ynez Mountains north of Los Olivos, it has been providing exceptional Syrah fruit to Joey Tensley since 2000. It is this fruit that helped Tensley become the one of most sought after Syrah's on the coast with consistent high ratings, one vintage flirting with Robert Parker perfection at 99 points.

Tensley released his first vineyard-designate Syrah from Colson Canyon in 2001 and the wine press took notice. That year Matt Kramer of the Wine Spectator named two of Tensley’s 2001 Syrah’s to his list of the Top Ten Wines in the World. Robert Parker, Jr. scored all the ‘01’s in the high 90’s, calling them “serious, hand-crafted efforts.”

By 2008, Food and Wine Magazine named the Colson Canyon Syrah “Top Syrah in America Over $20.” Two years later, Robert Parker gave the 2008 Anniversary Series Colson Canyon Syrah 99 points, and Wine Spectator Magazine named the 2008 Colson Canyon Syrah "#17 of its Top 100 Wines in the World". The 2007 Colson Canyon Syrah was ranked #22 the year before. Since then, the string of high scores has been consistent.
Tensley and his wife Jennifer, purchased the Colson Canyon property about five years ago, ensuring that they would always be able to tap the most distinctive site.

Perched high up at an elevation of 1,400 feet, the combination of warm days and cool nights produces dense, fruit-forward wines with opulent jamminess. The site covers 115 acres but has only 16 acres of grapes because the elevation and rugged terrain make so much of the site untamable. Tensley believes that only three more acres have the potential to be planted.

Tensley Colson Canyon Vineyard Santa Ynez Mountains Santa Barbara County Syrah 2020

Winemaker Notes: "Everything we farm in house is something very special to us. This site is one of the most unique and special places in the world of wine. High (1400 elevation) in the hills north of the Santa Maria Valley with some of the most iron-laced soils I have seen in Santa Barbara County.'

"This wine always delivers juicy round seamless edges. This is the only wine we add some new French oak, as its weight and power integrates with the oak, adding a bit of toasty buttery complexity. Colson Canyon is such a beautiful example of fruit forward juicy California Syrah. Open it anytime and enjoy its blueberry, cassis and chocolate nuances or leave it 20 years and enjoy its leathery, almondy notes. It does not really matter when you open it, it will deliver."

1925 cases were produced.

This was awarded 94-96 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 96 points by Wine Advocate, 95-97 points by Vinous, and 95 points by Wine Spectator.

Might I consider this the Tensley 'flagship'? This reminded me of a couple other memorable highly rated Syrahs that has been standouts - Kongsgaard Carneros Hudson Vineyard and Penfolds Grange. Both are flawless, seamless, and notable for their smooth, polished, balanced profile. While not to that level of perfection perhaps, this is close and evokes the same experience. This bottle was from the Wine Club allocation we received from that visit. We're anxiously awaiting our fall release shipment that we're told was shipped this week.

We love this full throttle jammy rich fruit forward style of the 2020 Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah. Notably it has been recognized with four scores of 95 points or more.We wrote about this wine in January and before that late last fall. Each time I gave it 94 Points. Tonight, I raised my rating of this label to 95 points, perhaps reflecting the effects of an additional year of bottle aging. 

Consistent with earlier notes - even better with BBQ ! Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, thick concentrated unctuous juicy black and blue fruits with layers of cassis and chocolate nuances with notes of oak, leather and tobacco on a tongue coating lingering finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/01/family-celebration-dinner-smoked-ribs.html

Earlier, last fall I wrote: "Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, thick concentrated unctuous juicy black and blue fruits with layers of cassis and chocolate nuances with notes of oak, leather and tobacco on a tongue coating lingering finish."

RM 95 Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4090797

https://tensleywines.com/product/2020-colson-canyon-syrah/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/10/tensley-colson-canyon-vineyard-syrah.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2024/05/tensley-colson-canyon-syrah-2020-with.html

https://twitter.com/tensleywine

@tensleywine

Friday night Favorites at Entourage DG

Friday night Favorites at Entourage DG

Friday evening we dined at Entourage Restaurant in DG (Downers Grove, IL) and enjoyed some of our favorite selections, taking advantage of their Early Bird Specials available up to Five PM. 

As with our most recent Friday night visit, Downers Grove community featured live music on the Metra Railway Station fountain courtyard, immediately across the street from Entourage. Ideally, we might’ve waited for an outside table for dining and to enjoy the music, but Entourage was slammed, completely full, so we opted for the first available table. 

Ironically, our second encounter this week with community sponsored live music on the city square, in the western Chicago suburbs, like Wednesday night’s Music in the Park in Bensenville. 

As starters, we ordered our usual favorite starters the Focacio Bread plate and their delicious Deviled Eggs. 

We then ordered the Entourage Roasted Beets and Whipped Goat Cheese Salad - Arugula, Baby Gem with Spicy Pecans, Fennel, Hot Honey and Grapefruit Citrus Vinaigrette. As always, this was delicious - a wonderful pairing of flavors.

Linda ordered the Entourage Shrimp and Grits - what has become one of her favorite go-to dishes - Spicy Shrimp & Jalapeno Grits - Blackened Wild Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Charred Jalapeno, Charred Corn, Baby Peppers and Creole Cream.

I selected the Daily Special, Herb Crusted Alaskan Halibut with Roasted Peppers, Corn and Regianno Parmagiana Risoto and Brocolini in a lemon butter sauce. 

Thinking I was going to order one of my usual favorite selections, their Waygu Beef Meatloaf or Waygu Beef Sliders, I took BYOB from our home cellar a Red Blend.

However, in the end, I ordered their Daily Special Fresh Seafood preparation, hence we ordered from their somewhat limited wine list, one of our regular selections, a Sonoma Russian River Valley Chardonnay. 

Often I take a Red and a White to open based on our entree choices. Tonight I took only a red, hence we ordered a white wine from the winelist to accompany our entree selections.

As with our earlier visits, we ordered from the limited Chardonnay selections, a bottle of the Kokomo “Peter’s Vineyard” Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast California Chardonnay.

((We continue, regretably, our unfortunate protest against Plumpjack (Chardonnay) wines, the Entourage winelist premiere Chardonnay feature, due their dubious associations and outlandish politics - Plumpjack Reserve Napa Chardonnay at Entourage Restaurant Naperville)).

As featured in earlier blogposts, revisited here ….

Family owned and operated Kokomo Winery was started by Owner and Winemaker Erik Miller in 2004, a fellow Hoosier who named it after his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana, which is near Linda’s hometown and family farm in North Central Carroll County, Indiana. (Funny, they showcase their “Boilermaker” collection of wines, honoring the Purdue Boilermakers’, mascot of the Big Ten University not far from Linda’s family homestead, arch rival to our beloved Indiana University “Hoosiers”, but the one she grew up supporting.)

The Winery sits on the East side of Dry Creek Valley, twenty miles north of Santa Rosa, off the main route 101, midway between the towns of Healdsburg and Geyserville. The winery and tasting room is located at Timber Crest Farms, sitting amid 120 acres of vineyards, overlooking the valley.

Kokomo produces over a dozen different varietal wines and several single vineyard designated labels which are farmed by his partner in the winery, grower Randy Peters. Kokomo Wines strive to showcase the terroir of the their vineyard sources in the three distinctive appellations of Sonoma County - Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. They also offer some wines sourced from the Sonoma Valley Moon Mountain District.

This Peter’s Vineyard Designated label is 100% Chardonnay sourced from a site in the Russian River Valley, west Sebastopol, next to Luther Burbank's Farm where the soil is rich with Goldridge sandy loam. There the vines are exposed to consistent coastal fog, which calls for extended hang time and more development for the fruit.

Our visit tasting of this wine, I was a bit hesitant to order this bottle, especially to be paired with such a magnificent dinner, since our awareness of Kokomo is more modest entry level wines, less discriminating than the premium and ultra-premium labels we tend to enjoy.

We see their entry level labels widely distributed but have never had any of their more premium labels. Note they show two dozen different offerings on their website. Never-the-less I gave it a shot and found it to be an over-achiever to my perception of the brand, meeting our hopeful expectations for suitably pairing with our dinner.

Kokomo “Peter’s Vineyard” Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast California Chardonnay 2023

Winemaker notes for this release - “Planted in West Sebastopol, this is a premier location for Chardonnay. The vineyard is next to Luther Burbank’s Farm and the soil composition is rich Goldridge Sandy Loam. With the consistent coastal fog extending hang time well into October, this fruit is fully developed and loaded with complexity. The Chardonnay is comprised of Clones 4 and 76.’

Continuing, Winemaker notes for this release remain the same as with the previous vintage: “Reminiscent of a classic white Burgundy but with a California twist, this Chardonnay displays vibrant minerality accompanied by the mouth-watering natural acidity typically found in Peters Vineyard. Stirring the lees (Sur Lie) was performed to this lot consistently once per week through malolactic fermentation. We feel like this gives the wine body, texture and depth while maintaining its graceful acidity and restraint. This Chardonnay is elegant enough to pair with delicate foods and delicious enough to drink by itself after a long day.”

This is 100% Chardonnay, Sourced from Russian River Valley Appellation, and was aged 11 months in 100% French Oak, 30% New..

While I gave it the same rating, this release had a slightly different profile.

Straw colored, light to medium bodied, tangy crisp acidity highlights a predominant layer of vanilla that overshadowed the subtle pear, spice and peach tones of the earlier release, accented by light sprites of oak on a pleasurable moderate finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5165863

https://www.kokomowines.com/store/?view=product&slug=23ch

https://www.kokomowines.com/

https://entouragerestaurant.com/downers-grove/ 

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL

We drove through Bensenville (IL) on the southwest corner of Chicago O’hare Airport last summer and happened upon Ciao Isabella Cucina Italiano Restaurant. We made a point to dine there and had a spontaneous occasion to do so this week after attending grand-daughter Lucy’s HS sporting event in the area. 

Ciao Isabello is in a new freestanding modern building with convenient on-site parking, a modern dining room with white table cloth tables and fashionable chandeliers opposite the bar, an outdoor patio for alfresco dining, and high-top tables in the street-side courtyard out front for casual sipping and dining.  

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL 

The restaurant is in the heart of the picturesque charming downtown Bensenville, immediately opposite the Metra Communter Rail Station and Parking lot, and adjacent City Park. What fun to enjoy the quaint cozy neighborhood trattoria, and on a night they happened to have ‘Music in the Park’, a community concert, car show and food vendor event. 

Tonight, there was a car show, vendor stalls, and a concert in the park bandstand - part of the summer Municipal sponsored Music in the Park Series.  The park was filling when we arrived and by the time we finished dining, it was full as the music program started. Amazingly, the front street side seating and patio courtyard dining were only partially filled with the music concert going on just across the street. The front window main dining tables were all filled with their front row views of the activities, but unlikely able to hear the live music. 

It will be fun to dine on the patio again during a Music on the Park outing - upcoming are Country Music night followed by Yacht Rock! 

Tonight’s show featured “Simply Elton”, a Tribute to Elton John Band. 

For our impromptu dinner, we ordered from the menu two staple signature pasta dishes, benchmark selections to compare with other restaurants - Fetuccini Alfredo and Eggplant Parmagiana. Both were delicious with ample portions, thoughtfully prepared and presented. 

I ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo - Fettuccini Pasta with Chicken, Peas, Spinach and Alfredo Sauce

Linda had the Eggplant Parmigiana - Baked Eggplant, Spaghetti Vodka Sauce

We each ordered from the limited but basically sufficient carefully selected Italian based wine list a WBTG - Wine By The Glass for an appropriate pairing accompaniment. 

With the Fettuccini - Poggio Morino, Tuscany DOC Chianti 2022

Poggio Morino is the name for a hill, or knoll, and the place where Chianti wine was born. The 90 acre estate is located near the medieval town of Grosetto in the Maremma area of Tuscany in the Chianti DOCG zone. They are known for producing rich, ripe velvety wines that reflect the terroir of their select vineyards.

Winemaker’s Notes - This 100% Sangiovese is dry with hints of raspberries, cherries and violets. Ruby-red in color, well-balanced acidity and tannins.

This provides great QPR - Quality Price Ratio for affordable, pleasant casual sipping with dinner.

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of leather and tar with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin finish.  

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5494487

With the Eggplant Parmagiana Linda had the Super Tuscan - Greppicante, Super Tuscan

Azienda I Greppi Bolgheri Greppicante 2023 

This is from I Greppi Estate in Bolgheri, the small but extraordinary wine region, situated on the Tuscan coast, 100 km southwest of Florence, 70 km south of Pisa. The estate spans the central and northern sections of the DOC area between the historic hilltop villages of Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci.

I Greppi was founded in Bolgheri in 2001 by Alessandro Landini who already had a winery in Chianti Classico called Fattoria Viticcio. 

In 2017, the estate was acquired by Dr. Neil McMahon, an Irish geologist, geophysicist, and entrepreneur, who was looking for land in Bolgheri to set up a winery. Joining McMahon was Dale Heathley, a Welshman who works as Director of the company.

The vineyards cover 37 hectares, with 26 planted under vine. The distinctive Bolgheri terroir consists primarily of sandy soils, offering excellent drainage, and clay-rich soils that contribute to greater complexity and balance in the wines.

Just 5 km from the sea, the vineyards are framed by the Colline Metallifere to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the landscape forming a natural amphitheater that captures the coastal Mediterranean climate providing ideal conditions for cultivating international varieties that are cultivated to produce the renowned “Super-Tuscan” style of red wines. 

The I Greppi winemaker is Elisa Rosetti who joined in March 2023 after 17 years as the Assistant Winemaker at Tenuta di Biserno. Prior, she studied viticulture and enology at the University of Pisa. She is aided by consulting Winemaker Emiliano Falsini.

I Greppi are involved in a partnership with the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, helping to facilitate research projects between the Bolgheri Consortium and UC Davis

.

This I Greppi Greppicante label is a Tuscan Blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals - 60% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the estate's diverse soils near the Tuscan coast that reflect the region's exceptional terroir. It was aged for 12 months in 2 and 3 year old French oak barrels followed by 6 months in bottles. 

Winemaker’s Note - “This elegant red offers inviting aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and subtle cedar notes. The palate is smooth and well-structured with refined tannins, revealing flavors of dark fruit, spice, and a hint of Mediterranean herbs.”

This was rated 94 Points by Raffaele Vecchione, International Wine Cellars and 92 points by James Suckling.

Garnet colored, medium to full bodied, round, blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of floral, rosemary and dark spices juniper berries with moderate soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5296120

https://www.igreppi.com/en/home.html

https://www.ciaoisabellarestaurant.com/

Elle’s Italian Dining in Western Springs, IL

Elle’s Italian Dining in Western Springs, IL

As summer winds down, we had an impromptu lunch at Elle’s Italian Pub Restaurant in Western Springs, IL with daughter Erin who walked there with Linda from her home in the neighborhood. Elle’s is situated downtown in the heart of chic tony Western Springs, adjacent the Post Office, just off Burlington Street and the Metra Rail Station. 

Elle’s is in the former Vie Restaurant with a completely renovated  and reconfigured bar and dining room, and sidewalk outdoor seating for alfresco dining, which we took advantage of on a perfect late summer afternoon. 

Elle’s specializes in made from scratch Roman Pizzas with hand crafted dough, and a broad selection of Italian Specialties. They offer a daily lunch menu and an all-day main menu, from which the girls ordered the Arancini alla Vodka - crispy risoto, roasted garlic, herbs, house mozzarella and Parmigiana Reggiano, and the Salmon Quinoa Salad - leafy greens, basil, mint, mango, avocado, tomatos, cucumber, organic quinoa and lemon basil vinagrette. 

Linda and I shared the Heirloom Beets and Ricotta Cheese salad - organic beets, whipped ricotta, pistachios, EVOO, Arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinagrette.    

I ordered the Beef Short Ribs and Polenta with spinach, garlic, mushrooms, tomato Demi and Parmiagana Reggiano. 

Everything was delicious, thoughtfully prepared and presented with fresh bread and honey comb. 

Taking advantage of 1/2 price bottle Wednesday, we ordered a bottle from the carefully selected, primarily Italian Wine List.

Bacci Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico DOCG 2022

Castello di Bossi dates back to the 9th century in a historic ancient Bossi Castle, located in the town of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southernmost appellation of Chianti Classico, in the province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It is located about 30 miles southeast of Florence and about 9 miles east of Siena. 

Castello di Bossi is owned and managed by Marco Bacci who oversees all operations, from beginning to end, with careful attention to detail. With his brother Maurizio, Marco owns one of the best collections of estates in Tuscany, and is creating high-quality wines from some of the top Tuscan appellations. 

In addition to Castello di Bossi, they also own and manage these Tuscan estates: Castello di Bossi, Tenuta di Renieri and Barbaione in Chianti Classico, Renieri Brunello di Montalcino and Terre di Talamo on the Tuscan coast in the Morellino di Scansano denomination, the Maremma. 

Bacci Wines represents Tuscan excellence in the world of wine, with a focus on the most renowned DOCG, DOC and IGT designated wines of the region: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Morellino di Scansano. 

Bacci produce a diverse range of wines with over twenty labels of reds, a half dozen whites, a couple rosés and sweet wine passitos. Total production is 800,000 bottles annually. 

With the purchase of Renieri in Montalcino, Marco became recognized as the producer of the third best wine in the world with Renieri Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2010. After three years, his 2015 Brunello di Montalcino was recognized as the second wine in the world. 

Beyond Tuscany, Bacci also produces wines in Sicily at their Terre Darrigo estate located on the slopes of the Etna volcano in the denomination that bears the same name. Marco Bacci's latest project is in Sardinia in Barbagia in the Municipality of Mamojada.

Marco Bacci was born in Florence in 1959, into a family that has always been linked to Tuscany. During his first successful career in clothing, he developed a passion for wine and purchased Castello di Bossi in 1984. Over time, his wine interests evolved from an important hobby to his primary business ans he made Castello di Bossi his home in 1998. The first bottle of Corbaia from Castello di Bossi was released with the 1985 vintage. 

Following in his father's footsteps, Marco's son Jacopo joined the company in 2004, first on the production side, then active in sales in the US and Asian markets.

The wine consultant is Alberto Antonini and Federico Curtaz is the agronomist. 

Castillo di Bossi is labeled Chianti Classico. One of the first wine regions anywhere to be officially recognized and delimited, Chianti Classico is today what was originally defined simply as Chianti. Already identified by the early 18th century as a superior zone, the official name of Chianti was proclaimed upon the area surrounding the townships of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole, just north of Siena, by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany in an official decree in 1716. 

In the 1930s the Italian government appended this historic zone with additional land in order to capitalize on the Chianti name. In 1996, Chianti Classico became autonomous when the government granted a separate DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) to its borders. Ever since, Chianti Classico considers itself no longer a subzone of Chianti. 

Chianti Classicos designated wines are typically made of 100% Sangiovese but can include up to 20% of other approved varieties grown within the Classico borders. 

Marco Bacci’s vision as he has brought Castello di Bossi to the highest ranks of international wine. The Castello di Bossi estate and vineyards are located in the town of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southernmost appellation of Chianti Classico. Amid evergreen woods the long rows of vines cover an area of 370 acres. 

The best Classicos will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and be full-bodied with plenty of ripe fruit (plums, black cherry, blackberry). Also common among the best Classicos are expressive notes of cedar, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic or tobacco.

This Chianti Classico is made from 100% Sangiovese, remaining true to the terroir of Chianti it is grown in soils with high chalk content, this wine shows just how good this varietal can taste. Designated a DOCG wine, it represents great QPR - Quality Price Ratio at a retail price of about $30.  

This release was rated 93 points by James Suckling.

Winemaker Notes - “Deep, ruby-red in color, this Chianti Classico offers aromas of ripe cherries and red plums, with subtle notes of toasted vanilla beans and purple flowers. On the palate, the wine displays a superbly structured character with bright acidity and a pleasantly savory finish.”

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, full round bright cherry and plum fruits with notes of cedar, truffles and chalky mineral with a pleasant flavorful finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5272357

https://www.bacciwines.it/

https://www.ellasitalianpub.com/

Red & White Indy Racer Wines for Beefsteak and Shrimp Dinner

Red & White Wines for Beefsteak and Shrimp Dinner

We were joined for dinner by Sis/in-law Pat and Rodger and friends Steve and Carol-Ann, who used our house as a staging stop-over as they flew out and then back into Chicago O’hare International airport. 

Linda prepared beef flank steak and shrimp with rice, roasted potatoes and vegetables.

I pulled from the cellar a special Napa Red and White for pairing with the surf & turf dinner.

Taking into account our guests being from Indianapolis, I opened bottles from Indianapolis 500 Race drivers, legend Mario Andretti and Randy Lewis.

Notably, both wineries have been sold or closed since acquiring these wines.

Andretti Cellars Montona Napa Valley Chardonnay 2015 

We discovered this wine and the Montona portfolio/brand when we visited the Andretti Winery and Estate in southeast Napa Valley during our Napa Wine Experience in 2018. I wrote about that visit in a more detailed blogpost earlier, and about the Montona brand and this particular label in another previous blopost. 

This label is from the Montona Reserve brand, the high end premium line of the Andretti portfolio. The line is named for the village of Montona, the hometown of the Andretti family and birthplace of the legend racer turned wine producer.

Mario’s birthplace, Montona d’Istria, Italy, is now called Motovun and is in Croatia; at the time of his birth in 1940, it was part of Italy but it was annexed by the former Yugoslavia after World War II. 

Mario is not the only Napa ‘vintner’ with the distinction of being born in what is now Croatia – legendary winemaker Mike Grgich was also born in Croatia in the small village of Desne.

Mario fell in love with wine through numerous trips around the world as a result of his racing career; he would seek out the finest wines in various regions and wine became a part of his lifestyle. 

Andretti Winery was established in 1996 by the famed race car driver, Mario Andretti in a joint venture project with Joe Antonini, former CEO of Kmart, who was one of Mario’s sponsors during his racing days.

Andretti and Antonini purchased land along Big Ranch Road in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District (a short drive north of the city of Napa). In 2001 they sold the property to Laird Family Winery and agreed a 20-year operational lease for the Andretti Winery and hospitality space. That lease expired in March 2021 at which point Andretti Winery closed its doors and no longer sees visitors at that winery location. For the next couple years Andretti Winery hosted visitors by either walk-in or appointment at Feast it Forward tasting room in downtown Napa but those tastings are no longer being offered. 

Andretti continues to lease about 42 acres of vineyards surrounding the winery, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. They also purchase grapes from other vineyards in select locations in Napa Valley.

Several brands were produced under the Andretti label including their Napa Valley Series (wines that are not vineyard designates), the Villa Andretti Series (reasonably priced limited production wines that focus on Italian varieties from grapes typically not growing in Napa Valley) and the Montona Series is named after Mario’s childhood home in Italy and features their most premium limited production wines with a number of bottlings limited to just 50 cases.

Each vintage, Andretti Winemaker Bob Pepi selected from the finest fruit to create wines for the limited production Montona series of labels - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a Super Tuscan and this Chardonnay. Produced was very limited to as few as fifty cases each and allocated available directly from the producer, to Andretti Winery Wine Club Members. We procured our allocation through our membership in the Wine Club.





Photos of the former Andretti Winery estate, a small faux Italian/Tuscan building and courtyard with picturesque fountains and landscaping. There was a small cottage, patios and lawns that are available for small private tastings and picturesque grounds which would be ideal for a private event or special outing.

Andretti Montona Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay 2015

The Andretti Winery Montona Napa Valley Chardonnay went through full malolactic fermentation and was aged 16 months in 30% new French oak barrels. This is our last bottle of our limited holdings. 

As noted above, this label is not Estate bottled, meaning the grapes for the juice in the bottles are not necessarily grown on the property, but rather, may have been purchased from contract growers. As such, the (rear) label cites the wine is merely "Bottled by Andretti Winery".

Hence, with all due respect to the legendary Indy Racecar driver, Mario Anrdretti, and his benefactor investor partner in the winery venture, former CEO of K-Mart Joe Antonini, they are tenant wine producers, not landowners or winery estate owners.

As a wine collector and onephile, I would prefer to support family owned farmer/grower winemakers who produce wines from grapes produced on their properties. This provides a consistent source of fruit year after year and thereby allows for the focus on terroir and its impact on the wine from vintage to vintage, as a basis for comparison over the years, and as a comparison against other similarly situated terroir focused wines.

Winemaker notes - “Our Montona Chardonnay exudes complex aromas of fresh stone fruit, Meyer lemon and floral notes complemented by subtle oak overtones of almond and crème brulee. On the palate, the wine is exploding with flavors of pear, toasted almond and spiced apple. Minimal new oak allows the wine to retain its natural fruit characteristics and varietal focus.”

This is not an oaky or buttery profile wine. It is butter to medium golden in color, medium bodied, moderately rich and concentrated pear, peach and stone fruits with notes of floral, jasmine and citrus with toasted oak spices on the lingering finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3599050

http://andrettiwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/AndrettiWine 

@Andrettiwine  

We then opened this big red wine from another Indy Race Car Driver, Randy Lewis, whose winery ironically was across the road from the (former) Andretti Winery Estate.

Lewis Cellars Alec’s Blend 2015

We wrote about our private Lewis Cellars Napa Chateau Visit and Tasting in an earlier blogpost, excerpted here. Our visit to the Chateau of Lewis Cellars winery was one of the highlights of our Pour Boys 2017 Napa Wine Experience. 

I've often written in these pages about the fun we have with this branding, with its signature 'L' on the label, ala Laverne and Shirley, or wife Linda, or her mother Lucy, or our daughter Erin Leigh, or her daughter, our first grandchild/daughter Lucy! 

That coupled with the Hoosier heritage of Randy Lewis, Indy 500 race driver from our native Indiana, and, their affinity to family, naming labels after their grandkids - Alec, Ethan and Mason, we adopted Alec's Blend as a signature label for son Alec and feature it at family celebrations.

Lewis wines are family favorites for such special occasions, punctuated by this namesake Blend for son Alec. Lewis Cabernets are some of our favorites and we have a decade long vertical of Alec's as well as their Cabernets, dating back to this '97.

This blend is dedicated to Randy and Debbie Lewis' first grandson, Alec, who was born on the day of the harvest of the grapes for this wine leading to the name. I learned at our tasting that this is the inaugural vintage of this label/blend of which we still hold two bottles, and every vintage bottle since.

At the time of the writing of this blogpost, the blog search shows twelve postings of Lewis wines (Lewis Cellars (12)). Scrolling through those tastings are posts tied to many memorable family and friend wine tastings and dinners.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 - Lewis Alec's Blend 1997 - Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Alec's Blend 1997 - Son Alec's Signature Namesake Label selection for his birthday eve dinner.

Sunday, May 10, 2015 - Mothers Day Family Dinner Features Lewis Alec's Blend

Sunday, August 17, 2014 - Family Celebration Dinner - Favorite Wines & Foods

Family Celebration Dinner - Favorite Wines & Foods for our anniversary celebration family dinner featuring Lewis Cellars Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Friday, December 25, 2015 - Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Alec's Blend 2003 - Son Alec's Signature Namesake Label for Family Holiday Celebration Dinner
Thursday, August 30, 2012 - Alec's Blend, Robert Craig Affinity, Penn Shore Diamond 

Saturday, May 5, 2012 - Graduation celebration wine tasting flight featuring 1990 vintage birthyear wines. Gala celebration of son Alec and his roommates' graduation from Indiana U, Kelly School of Business, featuring specially selected wine flight of namesake or other memorable wines saved for the occasion.

So it was that we have some experience with Lewis wines going back two decades.

Like Andretti, Lewis didn’t own their own vineyards, they have long term contracts with many grower sources, some for terms as long as thirty years. We collect and drink some other wines similarly situated such as Freemark Abbey and their long term affiliation with the Bosche' vineyard, source for their vineyard designated select Cabernet which we own going back to the '92 vintage.

Lewis sourced the finest fruit from Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford and Oak Knoll for our their varietals. Chardonnay comes from Oak Knoll and Russian River Valley. Each site was selected for a specific varietal character, with many of the vineyards being planted exclusively for them.

Notably, Lewis Cellars was acquired in 2021 by Paso Robles-based Justin Vineyards and Winery, which is owned by the company behind Fiji Water.

Vin’Tij SanDestin Food and Wine Dinner

Vin’Tij SanDestin Food and Wine Dinner 

After a fun-filled afternoon of wine paired with foods at Vin’Tij Food & Wine, we booked a table for a follow-on Saturday night dinner. I wrote about that wine tasting in this blogpost - Wine tasting at Vin’Tij Grand Boulevard (San)Destin.

The plan was to drink BYOB one of the ultra-premium bottles we purchased in the Vin’Tij Wine Boutique for the occasion.

I write often in these pages about the price charged by restaurants for their wines, often expressed as a function of the retail price of the wine. It is customary that a restaurant charges 2 times the retail price of a wine. Often the restaurant price is 2.5 times or more. 

Establishments that combine a restaurant with a wine retailer provide the best and most economical scenario for the consumer whereby the restaurant price equals near the retail price - a 1:1 ratio. In this scenario, the restaurant is relying solely on the gross margin uplift between the wholesale price paid and the retail price charged the diner. 

Two such establishments exist in Destin, Vin’Tij and also Chan’s Wine World that is connected to and associated with the adjoining Wine Bar restaurants. Diners seeking a food and wine experience can leverage these policies for great value dining. And, they can take the opportunity to upgrade their wine choices with higher premium or ultra-premium wines they otherwise not be able to afford or justify for wine experimentation or appreciation!   

For our Saturday Night Vint’Tij dinner, we were joined by Richard and Victoria, friends and neighbors in our Destin residential community. 

Planning to order grilled beefsteaks for our entrees, I took BYOB a Washington State Columbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend from Force Majeure. 

This is from Force Majeure Vineyards, originally called Grand Reve, founded in Woodinville, near Seattle, in 2004, a collaboration between businessman Paul McBride and vineyard manager Ryan Johnson who spent a decade managing vineyards in Eastern Washington’s prestigious Red Mountain AVA. 

McBride and his wife Susan then changed the winery name to Force Majeure, and hired winemaker Todd Alexander to oversee winemaking. Alexander was previously winemaker at Bryant Family Vineyard in Napa Valley. 

Jeb Dunnick of Wine Advocate has called Force Majeure “One of my favorite estates in Washington…”

We tasted and acquired this wine during our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting back in 2018 as featured in these pages, and excerpted below.

One of the inspirations for and objectives of that Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018 was to visit Force Majeure vineyards. We first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines, hence, they were one of our shortlist priority visits when we planned our Washington State, Columbia Valley wine trip.

Force Majeure Carrie Alexander and Linda

Following our Woodinville (Washington) tasting experience where we tasted several fabulous  Red Mountain AVA wines, we were targeting there for our first Washington State wine appellation visit. Carrie convinced us to visit Walla Walla and we followed her guidance and were amply rewarded as it was a spectacular wine travel experience. Our Walla Walla AVA visit provided the opportunity to visit a vibrant wine region, meet some legendary winemakers on the Washington wine scene, and still experience the best of Red Mountain appellation wines as well!

Force Majeure have vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA where they grow Rhone varietals on the upper slopes and Bordeaux varietals on the lower blocks of the site. According to Carrie, the varietal blocks are based on the selection and matching of the grape varieties to the appropriate soil composition in the eight different soil types on the site.

The Red Mountain site was the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain. Developing the Red Mountain estate vineyards involved carefully matching varietal and clonal selections and vineyard trellising and irrigation to the eight distinct soil types in the vineyard.

The site was formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity resulting in many small “micro-blocks,” each uniquely suited to specific grape varietals. The rocky upper-slope with shallow soil is well suited to the cultivation of Rhone varietals such as Syrah and Grenache, while the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils, where Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc excel.

This Force Majeure Épinette Right Bank Bordeaux style blend was a perfect complement to our aged prime steak dinner, including my perfectly prepared 'Pittsburgh' style, served with mashed potatoes, haricot verts and mushroom Bordelaise sauce. 

Force Majeure Épinette Columbia Valley Red Mountain Red Blend 2015

Épinette is Force Majeure's Right-bank Bordeaux-inspired blend, and was named after an avenue in Libourne that leads to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, the home of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Épinette is also the name of a musical instrument akin to a piano, as well as a word for pine tree, which is a fitting nod to the locale's in Washington state.

Épinette is a Bordeaux blend in the 'Right Bank' style meaning it is primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

The blend for this 2014 vintage was 58%  Merlot,  22%  Cabernet Franc 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining 5% Petit Verdot.

The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in the lower areas of the Red Mountain vineyard with its  deep, well-drained soils. The wine was aged for approximately 22 months in mostly new French oak.

It was rated 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93-95 points by The Wine Advocate, 92 by Stephen Tanzer and 90 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant forward dense black berry, ripe black raspberry and black current fruits with notes of cigar box, earthy leather, anise, graphite and spicy oak and hints of dark mocha chocolate with gripping but approachable silky tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4507644

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

https://vintij.com/

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin Waterfront Dining Seafood Dinner

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin Waterfront Dining Seafood Dinner 

Our last night hosting Linda’s lady friends at The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, we took them to LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE for dinner. Louisiana Lagniappe is a Destin institution since 1984 known for Gulf seafood with a Creole flair.  The upscale restaurant offers waterfront dining at the end of Destin Harbor. 

They also offer beachfront dining ant their two sister restaurants The Back Porch, and our favored Pompano Joes a beach walk from our vacation home. We regularly walk the beach to Pompano Joe’s for dinner or for their Happy Hour Signature PJ’s Punch. Shown below is our kids/grandkids there.

Among the hundreds of restaurants in Destin, Lagniappe is consistently ranked in the Top 10 restaurants on TripAdvisor and wins the Award of Excellence every year.  

The extensive Lagniappe menu features steaks but focuses on fresh seafood with a broad selection of “Chef’s Selections” and “Lagniappe Favorites”.

Lagniappe Chefs Selections include:

GROUPER PONTCHARTRAIN - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with fried jumbo soft-shell crab, hollandaise sauce and honey roasted nuts 

TOURNEDOS OF BEEF - Medallions of Certified Angus Beef Filet Mignon topped with sautéed jumbo lump crab meat and shrimp and finished with béarnaise sauce

BAYOU GROUPER - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and jumbo shrimp, then finished with meuniere sauce 

SHRIMP & GRITS - Jumbo Gulf Shrimp tossed in a smoked tasso ham cream sauce served over stone-ground cheese grits

BLACKENED REDFISH - Fresh filet of Redfish, blackened then topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, medallions of lobster and both hollandaise and garlic-beurre blanc sauce 

TWIN LOBSTER TAILS - Two Maine Lobster tails cooked to perfection

GROUPER CREVETTES - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with grilled jumbo shrimp and hollandaise sauce

CHARGRILLED YELLOWFIN TUNA - Fresh Yellowfin Tuna topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and hollandaise sauce

BLACKENED SHRIMP OR SCALLOPS - Your choice of blackened jumbo shrimp or blackened bay scallops served with a pineapple-rum butter sauce, and 

SEAFOOD LAGNIAPPE - Gulf Grouper, sautéed and topped with medallions of lobster, hollandaise sauce and a light garlic-beurre blanc 

The Lagniappe Favorites include:

SNAPPER DESTIN - Gulf Snapper, stuffed with jumbo lump crabmeat, rice and cream cheese 

BARBECUE JUMBO SHRIMP - Peeled, spicy New Orleans style barbecue shrimp

JAMBALAYA - Chicken, sausage and shrimp cooked together with rice in a rich tomato sauce 

GROUPER LOUISIANNE SAUTÉED OR GRILLED - Fresh jumbo lump crabmeat in a seasoned butter atop a fresh fillet of Gulf Grouper 

GROUPER ALMONDINE - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with toasted almonds and lemon butter

LAGNIAPPE STUFFED SHRIMP - Fresh jumbo shrimp topped with our shrimp and jumbo lump crabmeat stuffing

GROUPER MEUNIERE - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and finished with meuniere sauce

GROUPER PECAN - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and topped with toasted pecans and meuniere sauce

OYSTERS LAGNIAPPE - Baked with Lagniappe stuffing and jumbo lump crabmeat

CRESCENT CITY FETTUCCINE - Jumbo shrimp tossed in a smoked tasso ham cream sauce with fettuccine, finished with Parmesan Romano cheese

For our dinner we all selected variations of the Grouper selections … all were delicious, perfectly prepared, served hot, and included their signature twice baked potatoe and vegetable, along with their signature hush puppies starter.  

BAYOU GROUPER - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and jumbo shrimp, then finished with meuniere sauce

Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay 2023

From the basic fundamental wine list, we ordered this standard pleasant drinking Chardonnay. Sonoma Cutrer are consistently recognized for good value Chardonnay. 

This was ideal for pleasant easy sipping pairing with our fresh seafood.  

Wine Spectator-California - Sonoma County - "Appealing for its seamlessness and texture, this white is creamy and supple, with lemon meringue pie, shortbread and peach notes at the core on an elegant frame. Accents of lemon zest and wildflower honey linger on the finish..."

https://www.sonomacutrer.com/

https://www.thelouisianalagniappe.com/destin-menu