Napa Wine Experience 2013
Our Napa Wine Experience 2013 started with a trip to lower Howell Mountain east of the town of St Helena, still in the Napa Appellation, to visit John Arns at Arns Estate Vineyards.
Dining at Cole's Chop House, Napa -
With Cole's charbroiled steaks we enjoyed Arns wines picked up at the winery earlier in the day - Arns Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 and Arns Impromp2 Cabernet Sauvignon.
From the restaurant winelist, on the (excellent) recommendation of our server, we selected 'Twelve C' Rutherford Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010.
The aged steaks were prepared to perfection and complemented by Cole's decadent, delicious signature hashed brown potatoes. Service was impeccibal, attentive and accommodating to the wine focused meal and our BYOB wines.
Arns Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
The 15th release of this 100% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 400 cases were produced - medium to full bodied, dark inky purple colored, complex concentrated black berry fruits with hints of mocha, coffee and anise with tightly wound tannins on a long finish.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1014195
Arns Imprompt2 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This Impromp2 is a
multi-vintage blend of wine from the vintage barrel selections remaining
from the various blocks from the 2005 – 2009 vintages, wines that were
not blended into the Arns Estate Cabernet. Comprised of small lots from
the earlier and more recent vintages set aside for this special blend it
provides a melange with unique character and flavors. A pleasant
drinking wine, this lacked the intensity and focus of the flagship
Estate Grown Cabernet but its a unique tasting experience on offer
directly from the producer.
Medium bodied with a elements of black berry, black currant and black raspberry fruits with a melange of flavors - cherries, anise, mulberry, and hints of chocolate and spice complexity with a moderate finish.
RM 88 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1103410
Twelve C Rutherford Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Besides visiting the vineyards and wineries and meeting winemakers first hand, a highlight of visiting Napa Valley is to discover emerging producers and new releases of yet to be discovered wines such as this one.
Named for the 12 degrees centigrade, 55 degrees fahrenheit, the natural cave cellar temperature which is the ideal temperature at which red wine should be stored for aging.
A single-vineyard designated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the prestigious Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley. The second release of winemaker Mike Smith who learned winemaking under the direction of Thomas Brown beginning in 2001. He travel from Portland Oregon to work for free for three years to learn the craft before becoming full-time assistant to Thomas. They worked together on several labels including Schrader, Maybach and Outpost. Starting his own wine projects at the Black Sears Winery, 12C wines were crushed alongside these greats. Today 12C is now being custom crushed at Envy Estate Winery.
Paraphrasing the winemaker, this embodies 'power and structure into one seamless package, deep garnet color; scents of dark raspberries, cassis, lavender and dark chocolate, intertwined with a lush and velvety texture followed by soft and powered tannins gliding to the finish - elegant yet muscular, with both deftness and grace.'
Medium to full bodied, dark garnet colored, nicely balanced, smooth polished, complex flavors of blackberry and black cherry with a layer of mocha and tones of floral, vanilla and sweet oak with a moderate lingering tannin finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1421166
http://www.12cwines.com
Check back .. more to follow ...
Our Napa Wine Experience 2013 started with a trip to lower Howell Mountain east of the town of St Helena, still in the Napa Appellation, to visit John Arns at Arns Estate Vineyards.
Dining at Cole's Chop House, Napa -
From the restaurant winelist, on the (excellent) recommendation of our server, we selected 'Twelve C' Rutherford Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010.
Arns Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1014195
Arns Imprompt2 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Medium bodied with a elements of black berry, black currant and black raspberry fruits with a melange of flavors - cherries, anise, mulberry, and hints of chocolate and spice complexity with a moderate finish.
RM 88 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1103410
Twelve C Rutherford Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Named for the 12 degrees centigrade, 55 degrees fahrenheit, the natural cave cellar temperature which is the ideal temperature at which red wine should be stored for aging.
A single-vineyard designated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the prestigious Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley. The second release of winemaker Mike Smith who learned winemaking under the direction of Thomas Brown beginning in 2001. He travel from Portland Oregon to work for free for three years to learn the craft before becoming full-time assistant to Thomas. They worked together on several labels including Schrader, Maybach and Outpost. Starting his own wine projects at the Black Sears Winery, 12C wines were crushed alongside these greats. Today 12C is now being custom crushed at Envy Estate Winery.
Paraphrasing the winemaker, this embodies 'power and structure into one seamless package, deep garnet color; scents of dark raspberries, cassis, lavender and dark chocolate, intertwined with a lush and velvety texture followed by soft and powered tannins gliding to the finish - elegant yet muscular, with both deftness and grace.'
Medium to full bodied, dark garnet colored, nicely balanced, smooth polished, complex flavors of blackberry and black cherry with a layer of mocha and tones of floral, vanilla and sweet oak with a moderate lingering tannin finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1421166
http://www.12cwines.com
Check back .. more to follow ...
