Walt Bob's Ranch Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2017

Walt Bob's Ranch Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2017

During our Gala Family Christmas celebration wine dinner, we opened three white wines to accompany the medallions of lobster including a Hall Sauvignon Blanc and this Walt, Bob's Ranch Chardonnay. Alec brought this bottle as part of relocating his cellar from Manhattan to Chicago. Walt is another brand and label of Hall wines, named for vintner proprietor Kathryn Walt Hall's family. Her parents Bob and Dolores Walt first purchased a vineyard in Northern California and were dedicated grape growers in Mendocino County since 1972.  

The Walts acquired more land and grew production to grow six different varietals that they sold to several notable wineries including Fetzer, Parducci and Beringer. 

Kathryn and her brother managed the family vineyard from 1982 to 1992, selling grapes to other wineries, as well as producing Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon under the WALT Vineyards label. 

The Walt family owns 63 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in the Redwood Valley. Walt Wines produce varietal wines Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rosé sourced from estate (family owned) vineyards in five Appellations of Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, Central Coast, Carneros and Willamette Valley in Oregon.

After her stewardship as United States Ambassador to Austria from 1997 to July 2001, Kathryn returned to America and resumed her role as proprietor of HALL Wines along with her husband Craig. Continuing her family tradition, she maintains a strong emotional attachment to vineyards, wine and the wine country. 

We were introduced to Walt wines when we tasted a Walt Pinot Noir at the Kathryn Hall Cabernet regional release tour in Chicago. That was a vineyard designated select label from Bob's Ranch vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. 

We also tasted a Walt Chardonnay that was designated Sonoma Coast, where the rear label cited Bob's Ranch Vineyard as one of the sources for the bottling, a blend from numerous sources from the area.

This Walt Chardonnay is a single vineyard designated label from the Bob’s Ranch Estate Vineyard near the Pacific Ocean in the Sonoma Coast Appellation. There the coastal breezes along with low rolling hills and morning fog define this cool climate site. Heavy fog and the strong Petaluma Wind Gap winds tempered by bright afternoon sunshine  creates a unique micro-climate within the appellation, producing a distinctive terroir for Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

The vineyard consists of 43 Vineyard Blocks on 72 Acres of sandy, well-draining soils in the low rolling hills along the coast. 

Winemakers notes for the 2018 release also represent this tasting, "Vibrant color with a green tinge, this wine has complex aromas of orchard fruit, toasted hazelnut, lightly toasted grain, and freshly struck flint. The palate brings layers of bright fruit coupled with a creamy texture and beautiful bright acidity. The Old Wente field selection’s naturally low yields and unique cluster shape bring and energy and concentration to the mid-palate. Perfectly balanced oak adds length and depth to the finish and tames a bit of the lively minerality inherent to this special vineyard site."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3280327

https://www.waltwines.com/bobs-ranch-release

https://www.waltwines.com/

@waltwines

Walt Sonoma Coast Grgich Blue Beret Chardonnays

Walt Sonoma Coast, Grgich Blue Beret Chardonnays BYOB for Longboard's Lobster Fest

Passing through Orange County on my west coast roadshow, I stayed with Sister Jan and Bro-in-law Bill in Huntington Beach. We went downtown where they were holding their Tuesday evening festival.

We dined at the legendary Longboard bar where they are featuring Lobster Feast '18 for the fall. We picked up some Chardonnay up the street to take BYOB, Walt Sonoma Coast, and Grgich Blue Beret Napa, 2016's.

The Walt wine brand is from Hall Wines in Napa, named for Kathryn Hall's maiden name and her parents, Bob and Dolores Walt who were dedicated winegrowers. The Walt family produced six different varietals that they sold to several notable wineries.

We tasted a Walt Pinot Noir at the recent Kathryn Hall regional release tour in Chicago. That was a vineyard designated select label from Bob's Ranch vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. While this Chardonnay is designated Sonoma Coast, the rear label cites Bob's Ranch Vineyard as one of the sources for this bottling, a blend from numerous sources from the area.

Hall Vineyards Walt Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2016

The winemaker notes: "Our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay sources from cool climate vineyards located near the influence of coastal breezes within the Sonoma wind gap. Notes of lush tropical fruit and vanilla lead to a palate of stone fruit and citrus, bolstered by lively acidity and underscored by toasty oak."

This was bright lively and full bodied, ideal for pleasurable sipping, and perfect for the lobster fest dinner accompaniment.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2852784

https://www.waltwines.com/ 

Our second wine for the dinner, this was lighter and less complex than the Walt. It might have been fine for the dinner but after drinking the Walt, it was diminished by comparison.

Grgich Hills Estate "Blue Beret" Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich is a legend in the wine world and Napa Valley. He gained international recognition at the celebrated 'Paris Tasting of 1976' known as the Judgement of Paris, the historic blind tasting by a panel of eminent French judges did a comparison tasted of notable French wines opposite selections from upstart California Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked to learn they had chosen the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich,  as the finest white wine in the world. The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world. The story chronicled in the book 'Judgement of Paris' and is told in a fantastic pop culture movie 'Bottle Shock'.

Thirty two years later, in 2008, 93 year Mike Grgich was was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame in honor of his many contributions to the wine industry. He hallmark is a sporting blue beret. Hence, this whimsical 'Blue Beret' label designated Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Curiously, I find no reference to this label on the Grgich wines website, nor even on Cellartracker with its five million labels, only several postings from restaurant winelists. Perhaps its too early in its release cycle but wouldn't you think the producer would at least feature it? Its invisible in web postings to date. All I can think is that they consider this their 'generic' Napa Estate Chardonnay, but the Blue Beret is prominently featured on the label in a branding effort, that is clearly falling short in promotion and execution.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2717448

https://www.grgich.com/

Afterwards, we picked up some artisan chocolates and took home to enjoy with an after dinner big red wine.