David Arthur Chardonnay Redoux at Captain Dave’s Seafood, Destin

David Arthur Chardonnay Redoux at Captain Dave’s Seafood, Destin

Traveling on to The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, we were joined by fellow Pour Boy, (our wine group), Bill C, and Beth who came over from Charleston. We dined at one of our favorite local eateries that we seek to frequent when in town, Captain Dave’s. Situated on the beach front at the Destin/Miramar Beach, Okaloosa/Walton city/county line, a short walk from our home.

Captain Dave’s On The Gulf is the oldest seafood restaurant in Destin, (FL), family owned and operated since 1968. It offers beach front views from the spacious high ceiling dining room overlooking the gulf. 

They feature the usual appetizers, soups, salads and sides. Their speciality is American seafood cuisine infused with a ‘contemporary Gulf Coast twist’. - the local fresh catch seafood dishes - Flounder, Grouper, Mahi Mahi, Snapper and Refish as well as shrimp, lobster and salmon as well as steaks and chicken dishes. 

A highlight is “Captain Dave’s Faves”, signature dishes artfully prepared with imaginative preparations featuring their signature homemade sauces such as their Parmesan Italian Cream Sauce. Our server, Dee, provided prompt attentive gracious and friendly service. 

DAVE’S FAVES

CAJUN REDFISH - BROILED BLACKENED REDFISH TOPPED WITH FRIED BABY SHRIMP, DICED BELL PEPPERS AND A CAYENNE PEPPER LOBSTER SAUCE

GROUPER & GRIT CAKE - CHARGRILLED BLACKENED GROUPER OVER SEASONED TURNIP GREENS AND FRIED SMOKED GOUDA GRIT CAKES

GROUPER PONTCHARTRAIN - BROILED GROUPER TOPPED WITH A WHOLE SOFT-SHELL CRAB, SWEET BASIL BEARNAISE SAUCE

MAHI PARMESAN - MAHI BROILED IN A HOMEMADE PARMESAN ITALIAN CREAM SAUCE TOPPED WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

From Dave’s Favs menu, Bill and Beth both ordered …  

STUFFED SHRIMP PARMESAN - SHRIMP WITH CRABMEAT STUFFING BROILED IN HOMEMADE PARMESAN ITALIAN CREAM SAUCE TOPPED WITH BABY SHRIMP AND PARMESAN CHEESE

Linda ordered from the starter menu the Coconut Shrimp as her entree.

Coconut Shrimp - Lightly sautéed and dusted with coconut with Dave’s homemade orange marmalade dipping sauce 

I ordered my regular favorite Grouper in the Parmesan Italian Cream sauce. This is featured on the menu as the Mahi Parmesan but I substituted Grouper in place of the Mahi Mahi, Grouper broiled in Captain Dave’s homemade Parmesan Italian Cream sauce topped with Parmesan cheese - a plate size filet of Grouper basking in an incredibly delicious Parmesan butter cream sauce with shallots and scallions.

We took BYOB another vintage of this Napa Chardonnay from our our favorite producers.

David Arthur Napa Valley Chardonnay 2022

This extends a mini-vertical (tasting multiple vintages of the same label) that began with the 2018, then the 2021 vintages, featured in these blogposts … David Arthur Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd, and Seafood and David Arthur Chardonnay BYOB at Waterway Cafe in Palm Beach Gardens.

I wrote about this label and producer in earlier blogposts … excerpted here … 

A highlight and targeted visit of our Napa Wine Experience 2013 was our visit to David ArthurNapa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery. I wrote about that day in this blogpost - David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery.

As written in earlier posts, we've been collecting and enjoying David Arthur wines since the late nineties since the 1997 vintage but have been pacing our consumption as we watch this wine age and achieve its true potential. The property is situated up at the end of Long Ranch Road up atop Pritchard Hill in the Vaca Mountain range. The drive up offers some spectacular vineyard views and vistas of the Napa Valley below. The adjoining vineyards represent some of the premier producers of Napa Valley wines - Brand, Bryant, Colgin, Continuum, Montagna, the new Del Dotto property Villa Del Lago, and Ovid. Not (yet) designated an appellation, never-the-less, it is fast becoming one of the premiere wine growing areas of Napa Valley.

David Arthur wines represent the unique terroir of the mountain with its rough rocky terrain. They have 21 acres on their Pritchard Hill estate (left) planted in the Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, as well as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo which go into their unique Meritaggio.

We first discovered this wine when we purchased a case back of the 1997 vintage release and still hold about half of those bottles, but we quickly turned and became fans of their Cabernet Sauvignon and their flagship wine Elevation 1147, creatively names for the vineyard site situated 1200 feet above the valley floor. All are crafted 100% from estate grown grapes. This visit offered us the opportunity to experience (and acquire) their latest vintage releases as well as their new Three Acre and Old Vines labels Estate bottled Cabernet Sauvignons and a new release bottling of David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Franc.

David Arthur, named for the grandfather of the owner/producer, is a family affair consisting of three generations of the Long family, who over the years acquired the mountain land to raise cattle. Today it is operated by brothers David and Bob along with Joye Long, all are co-owners, with David acting as General Manager and his daughter Laura running the office and daily operations.

A point of interest and fun part of this trip was the fact that Linda (nee) Long and Pat (nee) Long, daughters of Indiana farmer Ned Long were with us. Wife Linda and I were joined on this Napa trip by sister/sister-in-law Pat (Long), so it's only fitting we saved our David Arthur visit and this Long reunion for this trip together.

Adding to the Long legend and heritage on Pritchard Hill, adjacent to the David Arthur vineyards are Long Family Vineyards owned by Napa Valley legends Bob and Zelma Long, who gained notoriety in the 70s as chief enologist at Robert Mondavi Winery. Divorced from Bob, today, Zelma and husband Phillip produce wines in Germany and South Africa under their Zelphi label..

David Arthur Napa Valley Chardonnay 2022 

Like the 2019 and 2021 vintages of this label from that recent tasting, the grapes for this vibrant and expressive wine are grown in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley at the southern end of the valley floor. The close proximity to San Pablo Bay provides a cooler climate for which these vines thrive. Morning fog and cool off-shore breezes allow the fruit extended hang time resulting in lower sugars and higher acidity.

Winemaker Notes - “A golden straw color with tints of green offers aromas of ripe Bartlett pear and Fuji apple. There is a freshness to the fruit as well as notes of lemon rind, pineapple and white fig. The oak spice is subtle with vanilla bean crème brulee notes. The palate is broad and expansive yet a mineral acidity balances the texture while flavors of white peach, green apple skin and kiwi carry the length of the palate.”

This release was rated 93 points by Vinous.

The 2022 spent 17 months in French oak, about 40% new.

Similar to other vintages, a bit more polished and balanced … golden colored, full-boded, rich round, creamy textured and balanced, notes of apple, pear and accents of almond and hints of caramel and whisper of butterscotch with a long expressive finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5167578

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5167578

https://www.davidarthur.com/

https://www.davidarthur.com/wines/chardonnay/

Pazzo Italian dining in Destin

Pazzo Italian dining and Sebaste Barolo BYOB in Destin

Sunday evening, our last night at our second home, Destin, FL, we made a last minute decision for Italian dining for dinner. Finding no seating availability until later at usual suspect Italian restaurants, we booked a table at a nearby restaurant that we have overlooked and not tried before.

Pazzo Italiana Ristorante & Bar is located a short six minutes from our vacation rental. in the commercial center at the major intersection of Hwy 98, Emerald Coast parkway and Mid-bay bridge hwy 293, across from the Destin Commons shopping mall.  

Pazzo was awarded “Best in Destin Magazine Reader’s Choice Award” in 2023, 24, 25, and 26.

Despite being a rainy night, and a commercial strip mall setting, we opted for ‘al fresco’ seating, which means "in the fresh air", dining or eating outside, on a patio, terrace, or sidewalk café. With the authentic Italian dishes and ambiance, the setting almost felt like an Italian city piazza, like dining in Turin, Milan or Florence! We also loved the piped in music playlist. 

It turned out to be a wonderful, delightful evening - ambiance, food, service, and even the music. 

For pairing with dinner, I took from our home cellar an Italian Barolo, Nebbiolo varietal wine. 

The extensive menu had all the traditional Italian offerings. We each ordered one of usual favorites - a point of comparison between restaurants. 

Linda ordered the Eggplant parmiagana - marinara, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmagiano, Regianno and Béchamel sauce, (a classic French white sauce made from a butter-and-flour roux whisked with milk and seasoned with salt and nutmeg).

I ordered the Saltimbocca - pan seared veal, prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella, in a Porcini mushroom cream sauce … 

Both entrees were absolutely delicious, as good as any. Pazzo is definitely on our short list and must return for future dining in Destin. 

https://www.pazzodestin.com/

Our BYOB wine from our home cellar … Mauro Sebaste Barolo 2019

Mauro Sebaste Barolo 40° anniversario 2019 

This “ Mauro Sebaste 2019 Barolo Edizione Limitata 40 Vendemmia” is a limited release bottling from the family owned and operated Mauro Sebaste in Alba, founded by Mauro in 1991 after he left the family winery founded by Sylla Dogliani, Mauro's mother and grandmother of Sylla and Angelica, known as "La Dama di Langa," after Sylla's untimely death.

He is joined by his wife Maria Teresa and, since 2018 by their daughters Sylla and Angelica, and more recently the next generation, consisting of Sylla's daughters Costanza, Celeste and Camilla.

The winery is in Alba municipality. Their estate vineyards covering 75 acres of are located in more than 10 different communes, between Langhe, Roero and Monferrato and Astigiano. The primary vineyards, Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba and Nebbiolo d’Alba are located in the area of Santa Rosalia, on the ridge of the hill that lies between Diano d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour.

Mauro Sebaste produce an average of 150,000 bottles a year, divided into different labels and types which also include a range of grappas made from the pomace.

This is a limited release of just 3,500 bottles that celebrates their four-decade anniversary. This Barolo designated label comes mainly from Serralunga d’Alba, one of the main communes in the DOCG area. The area is planted to and produces Nebbiolo grapes where the sunny climate and terroir are optimally suited for wines of strength, elegance and complexity. They also have other estate vineyards of Nebbiolo da Barolo grapes are located in the territory of equally prestigious municipalities such as La Morra, Verduno and Monforte d’Alba.

This was labeled as bottle 275 of 3500. 

This is 100% Nebbiolo, specifically sourced from Cerretta (Serralunga D'Alba) 65%,  and 35% from Roncaglie (La Morra). There the soil is Lequio Formation, iron-rich limestone sands for the Serralunga soils; Sant'Agata Fossil marl, marly layers with a higher percentage of clay and silt for the vineyards located in La Morra. 

After summer thinning, the grapes are harvested manually in 20 kg perforated boxes with each single vineyard vinified separately in order to optimize extraction and enhance its characteristic profile. After further manual selection on vibrating tables, the grapes are destemmed and transferred to the winemakers where the alcoholic fermentation takes place. After maceration of 15-20 days in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, then malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in large 15 hl French oak barrels for 30 months. The two fractions are refined separately and are blended just before bottling, then aged in the bottle for another six months before release.

Winemaker’s Notes - “Brilliant ruby ​​red color with slight garnet shades. Intense, rich and complex perfume with small red fruits, cherry, violet and dried rose, sweet spices complete and enrich the bouquet; full and consistent taste, with sweet and enveloping tannins, savory. Long and persistent finish.”

This label was rated 91 points by Wine Advocate.

Somewhat transparent ruby colored with garnet hues, medium bodied, complex yet elegant and refreshing, with bright dried cherry fruits with subtle savoury notes rose petals, spices and cassis, leather and hints of smoke with lively acidity and silky tannins on a long persistent finish.

RM 91 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4986236

https://maurosebaste.it/en/home-english/

PS. In retrospect, this was a week before the Destin hurricane, and I write this we are enroute back to check out the aftermath of the storm!  

Lonesome Rock Willamette Chardonnay BYOB at Beach Walk Cafe, Destin

Vacationing at The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, on our last weekend night in town, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin. This is one of our favorites in the area, and is one of literally a dozen restaurants within walking distance of our place! 

Just like two earlier dinners this trip, as written in these pages, our outing at Vintij Wine Bar and Restaurant, David Arthur Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd in (San)Destin, a near replay of our Delightful wine lunch at Vintij Grand Boulevard, featured in this blogpost last spring, and Italian Wine Month Dinner at Wine Bar Destin, this is another of our favorites restaurants that we enjoy revisiting when we are in town. 

The pages of this forum feature many outings at Beach Walk Cafe with its scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

Another common theme of these postings is taking BYOB wines from our cellar to enjoy with our dinners:

Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view

Hope Cuvée at Beachwalk Cafe, Destin

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Beach view dinner at Beach Walk Cafe Destin

Sunset dining at Beachwalk Cafe

Herman Story Tomboy Viognier BYOB at Beachwalk Cafe

Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Inniskillin Ice Wine at Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin

Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Henderson Beachwalk Cafe

David Arthur Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd

Tripadvisor named Beach Walk at Henderson Park Inn one of the Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants in the United States in its 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards, coming in at No. 7. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. So, as usual, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB a premium Willamette Valley Chardonnay discovery to try. 

We had with the starter course the caprese salad, split to share for two. 

For dinner I ordered one of my regular selections from the menu fresh seafood local catches, their signature dish, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

Linda ordered her regular selection, the Beachwalk Cafe signature crab cases. 

With the dinner course, we brought from our home cellar, BYOB, a recently acquired but as yet untried, Chardonnay, for such an occasion, pairing with the seafood selections.

Lonesome Rock “The Estate” Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022

This small production (177 cases) single vineyard 100% Willamette Valley Chardonnay is from high elevation estate vineyard, located minutes from Carlton, Oregon, in the rugged hills, midway between Portland, 70 minutes to the northeast,along the forested edge of the Pacific Coast Range and the Pacific coast to the west.

Lonesome Rock estate vineyard and winery is the fulfillment of a dream of Danny and Susan Kleiman and a promise they made to each other more than thirty years ago.

They met in 1989 at the University of South Florida. Drawn together by a shared love of language, culture, and travel, they moved to Burgundy, France in 1991. There, Danny studied oenology at the Université de Bourgogne and worked in the vineyards and cellar of Domaine Yves Chaley et Fille in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Spending their free time exploring the vineyards of France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, they promised each other to one day have their own vineyard.

 

After four years in France, they returned to Chicago, where Danny joined Heritage Wine Cellars where his work over the next several decades took him to vineyards and cellars worldwide.

More than twenty-five years later, after focusing on careers and raising a family, they pursued their dream and their promise to produce their own home grown wines. After searching across California, Washington, Oregon, France, and even Greece, they settled on a site high in the hills west of Carlton, Oregon. 

The unique vineyard was isolated, windswept and surrounded by forests. It was planted in 2007 by Scott and Rae Baldwin of De Ponte Cellars. Zak Laster, who helped plant many of the vines, continues to manage the vineyard.

Set at the extreme northwestern edge of the Willamette Valley, the Lonesome Rock  secluded estate vineyard is tucked into the rugged foothills of the Coast Range west of Carlton, Oregon. Defined by fractured volcanic soils, high elevation, and a cool, extended growing season, the site was planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

Lonesome Rock is what the French would call a “monopole” — a vineyard in a unique place, with a micro-climate, soil, and topographical profile like no other, isolated from neighboring plantings and outside farming influence.

The classic Willamette Valley ‘terroir’, ‘sense of place’, is defined by elevation, exposure, and volcanic soils. The Lonesome Rock estate vineyard sits at a high elevation at 575 to 780 feet above sea level, among the higher-elevation vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley. The vineyard’s north and south-facing 270 degrees of direct exposure to the day’s sun, and nighttime cool marine air extends the growing season, allowing fruit to ripen slowly and evenly while preserving freshness, tension, and complexity.

Proximity to the Coast Range exposes the vineyard to steady marine airflow, resulting in pronounced diurnal temperature variation during the critical weeks of ripening. Daytime warmth builds flavor and phenolic maturity, while nighttime temperatures regularly fall by as much as 45 degrees, preserving acidity and aromatic lift.

These conditions slow the pace of ripening without stalling it, allowing sugars, acids, and tannins to develop incrementally and in balance.

The well-drained hillsides vineyard is planted on fractured volcanic soils that are naturally low in fertility and high in mineral content that limit vigor, encourage deep root systems, and produce small, concentrated berries - ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Naturally low yields, combined with an extended ripening cycle, produce fruit of concentration without heaviness producing wines retain high vibrant acidity, defined structure clarity, and the potential for ageability.

According to the rear label, shown below, this Dijon  76 clone Chardonnay was planted in 2015.

Danny and Susan’s first harvest was in 2021, crafted by winemakers Isabelle Dutartre for the Pinot Noir, and Jackson Holstein for the small lot of Chardonnay. That initial  release was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast. .

In May 2023, they released the first wines bearing the Lonesome Rock name and branding.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes - “Crisp scents of honey crisp, pear, and lemongrass picking up scents of white flowers and vanilla fleck with a mineral, rain-on-rock vivacity.”

Pale straw colored, light medium bodied, singularly focused bright expressive tangy acidity with citrus notes of meyer lemon, hints of peach and chalky minerality with a sharp crisp finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4905551

https://lonesomerock.com/

After dinner, we enjoyed the decadent Beach Walk Corleone Dessert - Ice cream rolled in graham crackers, coated with caramel and honey, surrounded by fresh whipped cream and berries.  

Surf & Turf - Snow Crab Legs and Filets of Beef

Surf & Turf - Snow Crab Legs and Filets of Beef

Continuing our getaway to The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, and following our Surf & Turf Dinner with fresh caught red snapper with filet of beef tenderloin, featured in this blogpost, excerpted below, we returned to John’s Sea Market for fresh Alaskan Snow Crab legs.  

Linda and son Sean prepared the grilled beefsteaks with the steamed crab legs, sweet corn on the cob and cooked broccoli and carrots. 

As I wrote in earlier blogposts, Destin is called “the world’s luckiest fishing village” due to its historic reputation as a destination for gulf coastal and deep sea fishing. As mentioned, it has the largest commercial charter fishing fleet in the nation.  

Destin’s immediate history is attributed to a fisherman, Leonard Destin, who moved down from New London, Conn., and settled in Northwest Florida about 1845. For decades, he and his descendants fished and navigated the only channel passage to the Gulf of Mexico between Panama City and Pensacola, known as Destin’s East Pass.

Destin is a place where highest quality freshest seafood is readily accessible - direct off the many charter and commercial fishing boats in Destin Harbor, through numerous fresh seafood markets, and of course, at a myriad of daily fresh catch seafood restaurants. 

One of many seafood markets is Sea Market. own and operated by John, a commercial fisherman in his own right. At the Sea Market he sources fresh catch seafood through exclusive arrangements with a dozen local fishing boats - wherein he guarantees to take 100% of their daily catch, and hence has assurance of supply to service his retail and wholesale customers. 

In addition to the fresh local daily catch that regularly includes Grouper, Mahi Mahi, Pompano, Snapper, Cobia and Sea Bass, he also offers shellfish such as Stone Crab and Wild Caught Scottish Salmon which is flown in fresh from Scotland, and prime and exotic meats.
Like the other evening, we grilled filets of tenderloin beefsteaks to complement the crab legs for a ‘surf & turf’ diner.

As before, for wine accompaniment with dinner, we pulled from the wine cooler a red and a white wine. 

Catena Zapata 'Angelica Zapata Alta' Chardonnay 2022

Catena Zapata, founded in 1902 by Italian Nicola Catena, is Argentina’s oldest winery still in the founding family’s hands, founded in 1902 by Italian Nicola Catena. Today they are the largest exporter of wines by value in Argentina.

In the 1980s, third generation Nicolás Catena Zapata, set out to grow internationally, championing Argentina wines overseas and becoming one of the largest and best known Argentine producers and brands. 

In the 1990’s he was joined by his two daughters, fourth-generation Laura and Adrianna Catena, sisters, in operating the business. Following in her father Nicolás Catena Zapata’s footsteps, fourth-generation vintner Dr. Laura Catena manages the winery and established the legendary Catena Institute of Wine. The institute, founded by Dr. Catena in 1995, collaborates with local and foreign universities in developing and advancing Argentine wines across the country’s winemaking regions. It conducts leading edge research in regional viticulture and publishes discoveries and findings in national and international wine journals.

In 2021, they opened an experimental winery within the larger facility in Agrelo equipped with all the latest technologies, as well as an equally experimental winery for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other high altitude varieties in Gualtallary. 

Catena Zapata has been successful in producing premium single-vineyard white wines from the high-altitude Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. Their “single vineyard” wines showcase Mendoza’s highest altitude microclimate. Where warm, sunny days and cool nights allow the chardonnay grapes grown at the foot of the Cordón del Plata mountain range to achieve excellent balance and maturity. 

He also set upon planting vineyards higher up in the mountains taking advantage of the cooler climates. He developed single vineyard designated labels sourcing from and showcasing his Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, with the La Pirámide vineyard, then in Villa Bastías with Domingo, Gualtallary and Adrianna, both in Tupungato, and subsequently in Paraje Altamira with Nicasia. 

Catena Zapata’s Adrianna Vineyard, called the “Grand Cru of South America”, has been awarded more 100-point ratings than any other South American winery. In 2023, it was voted #1 World’s Best Vineyard by a group of 500 food, wine and travel writers’ William Reed’s World’s Best Vineyards Awards.

Catena Zapata was also recognized and became known for establishing the Malbec grape grown in extreme high-altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza, and promoting the legacy of Argentina’s old vines and the country’s ungrafted, massale Malbec heritage. 

Catena Zapata was named the No. 1 World’s Most Admired Wine Brand by Drinks International in 2020, 2025, and 2026.

Catena Zapata has been introducing new wines from the Cordon el Cepillo region of Mendoza and are working with Doña Paula and Trivento to get El Cepillo bestowed with its own IG (geographical indication) designation.

Catena Zapata also operates a restaurant in Mendoza where they showcase their wines with the food menu crafted to perfectly complement the wines.

Catena Zapata 'Angélica’ Zapata Alta' Chardonnay 2022

This 100% “single vineyard” Chardonnay was sourced estate vineyard in Mendoza’s highest altitude Cordón del Plata mountain range in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, sitting at 4,850 feet altitude above sea level in the foothills of the Andes.

The microclimate of warm, sunny days and cool nights allow the chardonnay grapes to achieve excellent balance and maturity.

It was aged 14 months in 100% French oak, 40% new.

Winemaker notes - “Angélica Zapata Chardonnay Alta offers an intense golden colour with light shades of green. The nose is rich and full-flavored, with vibrant citrus fruit and attractive minerality. On the palate, a smooth sweet entry leads to an unctuous, fresh wine, packed with ripe fruit and subtle vanilla. The finish is long and lingering, with crisp, well-balanced acidity.”

Alejandro Vigil, the head winemaker at Catena Zapata, said his overall impression of the 2022 vintage was that it was the best year he has ever seen, even surpassing the lauded 2019 and 2021. “2022 was similar in terms of cool temperature of 2021, but it was not as rainy,” he said.

Golden straw colored, medium bodied, zesty bright vibrant green apple and citrus notes with layer of minerality and tones of vanilla on a crisp acidic finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5368030

https://catenazapata.com/angelica-chardonnay/

https://catenazapata.com/

For the red wine accompaniment with the beefsteaks I pulled from the cellar/cooler this Napa Valley Bordeaux varietal blend. 

Whitehall Lane Tre Leoni Red Blend 2023

We hold Whitehall Lane Napa Valley wines dating back to the turn of the century - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Estate and Reserve. We've passed by the Estate and Winery on St Helena Highway in Rutherford dozens of times during our trips to Napa Valley so this trip we decided to visit there during our  Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018. We featured that visit in this blogpost - Whitehall Lane Cellars Winery Visit and had a private Tasting, excerpted here.

The historic estate actually dates back two centuries to the mid 1800's. Napa Valley settlers were drawn to the gravelly-loam soils and ideal climate, planting high quality grape vines at the Whitehall Lane Winery site. A barn constructed in the early 1900's for equipment storage is still used today. In 1979, two brothers started the winery and directed their winemaking efforts successfully to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They named the winery after the road that runs along the southern border of the property, Whitehall Lane.

Tom Leonardini acquired Whitehall Lane Winery in March of 1993 and has been a hands on active proprietor every since with his wife and their five children. Tom was joined by son Tom Leonardini II in 1994. 

They updated the winemaking and barrel-aging program and introduced a scientific approach in the vineyards. Tom had the Estate vineyard replanted and bought four additional vineyards including the Leonardini Vineyard. They now own seven prime vineyards that include two vineyards in the St. Helena Appellation, three vineyards (including the winery) in the Rutherford Appellation, one vineyard in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley and one vineyard in Sonoma Valley.

Tom II is responsible for distribution and has been instrumental in increasing sales from 15,000 cases to almost 50,000 cases today. Sister, Katie Leonardini oversees direct sales and hospitality at the winery after college and a career in the financial services industry. They are joined by eldest sibling Kristin who opened the Napa Valley Winery Exchange, a premiere retail wine shop in San Francisco. She assists Katie in public relation and hospitality events at the winery.

Whitehall Lane wines have been recognized in Wine Spectator Magazine's year-end ranking of wines, having been honored an unprecedented three times in five years for producing wines rated among the top five in the world. The winery has also been voted Winery of the Year from the Quarterly Review of Wines and Wine and Spirits Magazine.

The estate and winery in Napa Valley's historic Rutherford appellation consists of approximately 140 acres in seven prime vineyards that include the Whitehall Lane Estate Vineyard, Millenium MM Vineyard and Bommarito Vineyard in the Rutherford Appellation, the Leonardini Vineyard and Fawn Park Vineyard in St. Helena, Oak Glen Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District and Rassi Vineyard in Sonoma..

Whitehall Lane Tre Leoni Proprietary Red Blend 2023

We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine at the SoWal Wine Festival Sandestin this spring and have held it at our Destin vacation home since, waiting for a tasting occasion such as this. . 

This proprietary Red Blend of Bordeaux varietals commemorates the three generations of the owner/producer Leonardini Family, “Tre Leoni”. It is packaged with a bold brightly colored artistic label with an abstraction image of a Lion.

It is a blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. Each grape varietal was fermented and aged as separate lots in 25% new French oak, 75% neutral French oak barrels. Winemaker Jason Moulton tasted through each lot and put the final blend together after aging for 10 months. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

This blend has amazing depth, balance, and big flavors. The nose evokes candied black fruit, red currants, stewed black plums, licorice, and dried sage. On the palate, it bursts with fresh blackberries, crème de cassis, dark chocolate, and mixed berry jam. This wine has great texture that ultimately finishes with round, silky smooth tannins. Enjoy Tre Leoni with your next barbeque and when gathering with family or friends.

Winemaker’s comments on the vintage. “The 2023 vintage is being hailed the vintage of a lifetime. Winter and Spring brought roughly forty inches of rain, which provided a boost for Sonoma Valley. This vintage moved California out of a drought and into a good position for years to come. Budbreak arrived 2 weeks later than the 2022 vintage due to the spring rain events. The moisture in the soil led to a perfect flowering condition in the vineyard, which provided an even crop with perfect fruit set. Summer was moderately warm, allowing the grapes on the vine to develop slowly. Autumn had a few hot days, that pushed the vines into perfect maturity, leading to a late harvest season. The consistent summer and fall weather encouraged our Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec grapes to ripen in mid-October.”

Winemaker Tasting Notes - “This blend has depth, balance and big flavors. The nose evokes hints of red currants, fresh strawberries, black plums, vanilla and notes of cocoa dust. On the palate, it bursts with fruit ranging from black and red currants, red cherries, mixed berry compote and toasted hazelnuts. This wine has great texture that ultimately finishes with round, silky smooth tannins.”

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/5211848

https://whitehalllane.com/

@Whitehalllane

Surf & Turf - Fresh caught red snapper with filet of beef tenderloin

Surf & Turf - Fresh caught red snapper with filet of beef tenderloin 

During our getaway to The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, we took advantage of the Destin based largest commercial charter fishing fleet in the nation to obtain the fresh catch of the day for a festive seafood dinner.  

We went to John’s Sea Market on Emerald Coast Parkway in Destin and got the smallest whole red snapper they had, which was still large enough to feed our four adults and two small children!  

Destin is called “the world’s luckiest fishing village” due to its historic reputation as a destination for gulf coastal and deep sea fishing. As mentioned, it has the largest commercial charter fishing fleet in the nation. 

Destin’s immediate history is attributed to a fisherman, Leonard Destin, who moved down from New London, Conn., and settled in Northwest Florida about 1845. For decades, he and his descendants fished and navigated the only channel passage to the Gulf of Mexico between Panama City and Pensacola, known as Destin’s East Pass.

Destin is a place where highest quality freshest seafood is readily accessible - direct off the many charter and commercial fishing boats in Destin Harbor, through numerous fresh seafood markets, and of course, at a myriad of daily fresh catch seafood restaurants. 

One of many seafood markets is Sea Market. own and operated by John, a commercial fisherman in his own right. At the Sea Market he sources fresh catch seafood through exclusive arrangements with a dozen local fishing boats - wherein he guarantees to take 100% of their daily catch, and hence has assurance of supply to service his retail and wholesale customers. 

In addition to the fresh local daily catch that regularly includes Grouper, Mahi Mahi, Pompano, Snapper, Cobia and Sea Bass, he also offers shellfish such as Stone Crab and Wild Caught Scottish Salmon which is flown in fresh from Scotland, and prime and exotic meats.

John also prepares John and Araya’s Seafood Gumbo, and Chowder, and they are especially known for his “John’s Famous Crab Cakes”. His wife Anaya produces a collection of sauces including Araya’s Seafood Sauce, Tuna Dip, Araya’s Thai Steak Sauce, and John’s Roumalade, for pairing with the seafood. 

Linda picked out this fresh whole Red Snapper which John’s associate scaled and scored the fish for us to prepare it for grilling.

Sean and Linda stuffed the fish with citrus oranges and fresh seasonings including fresh lemon, garlic salt and pepper.

After grilling we served it with Jasmine coconut sticky rice and mango salsa. 

They also grilled filets of beef tenderloin with pineapple and asparagus. 

 

With dinner I pulled from the wine cooler two wines to accompany and complement the entrees - a white and a red. The optimal pairing amplified the enjoyment of both for a delicious dinner. 

Brewer Clifton Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay 2023

We picked this up at Wine World in Destin, where we attended the Italian Wine Month Dinner at Wine Bar Destin wine dinner just the other night. It proved to be a huge QPR - Quality Price Ratio value for a bold sipping Chardonnay to accompany our seafood dinner. 

This is from winemaker Greg Brewer who founded Brewer-Clifton in 1996 to produce wines that reflect the geographic, geologic and climatic uniqueness of California’s Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County.

Sant Rita Hills has one of the coolest climates on the west coast, Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, with a long growing season, making it ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The unique topology where the valleys run perpendicular to the coast funnels the maritime influences through the hills to the small appellation that is filled with variations in soil, aspect and micro-climates to produce terroir ideal for those varietals.

Greg Brewer also produces Diatom Santa Barbara County Chardonnay which we have enjoyed in the recent past, another high QPR easy sipping Chardonnay. We wrote about it in these pages in this recent blogpost - Diatom Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2023.

We visited the Brewer Clifton tasting room in the town of Los Olivos during our Santa Barbara Country wine experience back in 2023.





Jeb Dunnuck gives their Sta Rita Hills estate Chardonnay 95 points and writes, “I've written many times, this appellation release can stand toe to toe with any Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County.” 

 That release was rated 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Vinous and Wine Enthusiast.  

Winemaker Notes - With the goal of expressing a comprehensive expression of the appellation, Brewer-Clifton selected four unique vineyard sites to create this Sta. Rita Hills bottling. This blend is comprised of 3D, Machado, Acin and Hapgood vineyards. While each lot is handled separately and in a completely uniform fashion in the winery, each contributes vastly different expressions which ultimately harmonize in the finished wine.

This was pale golden straw colored, medium-bodied, crisp, clean and pure with , A savory bright vibrant acidity to the fresh-cut green apple and ruby grapefruit flavors with mineral richness, intense Meyer Lemon citrus on a robust lingering finish. 

It was so bright and vibrant, it needs food or a cheese accompaniment such as tonight’s seafood, which was an ideal pairing, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of both, food and wine. It was great with our seafood entrees.

This release was aged nine months in 100% neutral oak barrels but any sense of oakiness is muted.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5299506

https://www.bygregbrewer.com/brewer-clifton

For a red wine with the filets of beef, we finished off this bottle we had open from earlier in the week. 

Madame de Beaucaillou Haut-Médoc

I wrote about this new release label in this earlier blogpost, excerpted here. 

Madame de Beaucaillou Haut-Médoc 2018 

We're long time fans and collectors of the grand vin Ducru Beaucaillou and picked up a case of this new label in its inaugural release. 

We visited the famous Château Ducru Beaucaillou during our Bordeaux St Julien wine experience in 2018 and tasted the 2018 release from the barrel. That vintage went on to receive 100 points from Wine Enthusiast and 99 points from just about everyone else. They released this new label for that vintage so we were compelled to pick some up. 

As I have oft written in these pages, in top vintages, 'all boats rise with the tide', meaning great Chateaux will produce great wines even in their second and third labels, such that those labels often provide tremendous QPR - Quality Price Ratios, superb wines at a fraction of the price of the grand vin. 

Wine critic Jeb Dunnuck wrote about the 2018 Bordeaux: "In short, 2018 is a thrilling vintage with no shortage of legendary wines and I cannot imagine anyone who purchases these wines will be disappointed...It’s possible to find attractive, well-made, even outstanding, wines that punch well above their price points." 

This is the very first vintage of this new label coming from the cellars of Ducru Beaucaillou. The new wine comes from vineyards located in the Haut-Médoc; plots brought by Madame Eugène-Borie on her marriage and more recently by the acquisition of plots from Madame Fort-Pradère. This wine label was created to pay homage to the woman who chaired the Board from 1998 to today, but also to an attentive and loving mother. Under the Haut Medoc appellation, this wine offers Borie quality at an entry-level price.

In recognition of Ducru's long line of women owners, the chateau released this label noting, “equally inspiring and demanding… all of them had an essential role in the development and renown of Ducru Beaucaillou’s signature style – strength and grace.”

Ducru Beaucaillou is a Bordeaux Second Growth that dates back to 1720 and is named for its terroir – the beautiful stones - ducru beaucaillou ... that are a large part of the composition of the soil of the vineyards adjacent the Gironde River. These stones, and the vineyards planted on them, are part of what gives Ducru Beaucaillou its particular Saint Julien character. Adjacent is a commemorative 'beautiful pebble', engraved with the historic chateau, in a gift box given to guests at to the estate.  

With the 2018 vintage, Ducru Beaucaillou decided to honor it’s 300^th birthday and its Chairman [chairwoman] of the Board, Mrs. Eugene Borie, for the past decade by creating a new cuvee from her family’s home vineyards. The cuvee is this one, the Madame de Beaucaillou, released in 2020. 

This is vinified in the cellars by the Ducru-Beaucaillou team, receiving the same care and attention: the technical winemaking process, selective blending, and careful ageing for 12 months in barrel (including 20% new oak). 

In classic Bordeaux style, this is a blend of 39% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. 

Deep garnet-colored, medium bodied, bright expressive vibrant blackberries, blueberries and plum fruits, accented by graphite and a touch of clove, hints of coffee tobacco, cigar and cedar with a savoury round finish with firm structured backbone and sturdy, fine-grain cloying tongue coating tannins that are not for the feint of heart but will impress big Bordeaux enthusiasts. 

This was delicious already and I can only imagine how this will be with three to five or more years of additional integration and aging. 

RM 90 points. This was awarded 91 points by James Suckling

Upon tasting this, I quickly got on line and ordered the current release of this label, available through En primeur (futures purchase). 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3662209

@DucruB #stJulien #medoc #bordeaux #GrandCruClasse1855

http://chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com/  

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