Super Big Red Wine Flight for Grilled Beefsteak Dinner

 Super Big Red Wine Flight for Grilled Beefsteak Dinner

Fellow Pour Boy wine buddy Dr Dan and Linda hosted Linda and I on a snowy winter evening. They prepared grilled New York Strip Steaks, baked potatoes, brussel sprouts, beets, and homemade baked onion soup. Before dinner there was a broad selection of artisan cheeses. These were great pairings with the Champagne and the Chardonnay.

 
Discussing the evening ahead of time, Dan offered he was going to serve a Howell Mountain Cabernet so I pulled one from the cellar to take as a comparison pairing.

The occasion was not only fellowship but also a celebration of Dan's recent successful surgery. 

The wine flight included vintage Champagne before dinner for the celebration and thanksgiving toast and to accompany the cheeses. Dessert was deliciously decadent Chocolate Tuxedo cake. I brought the remains of the dessert wine from the previous evening wine dinner for pairing. 

The wines:

Veuve Doussot Champagne Ernestine Millesime 2014
Gary Farrel Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017
Fleury Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Robert Craig Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Doubleback Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Château Suduiraut 1er Cru Classe Sauterne 2002

Veuve Doussot Cuvee Ernestine Brut Champagne Millesime 2014 

From the Aube region of Champagne, 150 km south of Epernay, midpoint on the route down to the City of Dijon. 

This vintage release is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. It scored 92 points in Wine Spectator, and 91 points by International Wine Cellar.

Champagne colored, young vibrant nicely balanced fruit of apple and citrus with mineral texture and tight acidity.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3042620

Gary Farrel Sonoma County Russian River Valley Rochioli-Allen Vineyards Chardonnay 2017

This is a wine club exclusive allocated label. Dan became a member when we visited Gary Farrell with Dan and Linda during our Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017.. 

The grapes for this outstanding vineyard designated select Chardonnay come from two different blocks within the Allen Vineyard, planted just to the south of the Rochioli Vineyard. The diverse soil types and unique microclimates of this site provides ideal conditions for Chardonnay. Each clone and field selection were chosen to take advantage of the distinctive terroir of the specific soil type, elevation and exposure to the sun. 

Some of the oldest vines have been nurtured by three generations of the Rochioli family. This blend is composed of clones 76 and 15 from two blocks at the Allen Vineyard.

Winemaker's notes for this release: "Flecks of gold reflect brilliantly through an inviting straw hue as the 2017 Rochioli Allen Chardonnay is poured into the glass. Aromas of apple blossoms and chaparral clematis entice the senses upon first swirl. Elements of dried stone fruits coupled with citrus zest provide endless layers of complexity and verve. Focused minerality and crystalline acidity complete the package, delivering a stunning concentration of silky texture and balanced flavors."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3551154

https://garyfarrellwinery.com/

@GFarrellWinery

Fleury Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Fleury Estate Winery is a family owned winery in Rutherford in the heart of the Napa Valley founded by Brian and Claudia Fleury in 2000, pivoting from a successful software business career in the Bay Area. We met Brian and Claudia at the Del Dotto Barrels and Beasts extravaganza shortly thereafter. Fleury and Del Dotto have been collaborators in various Napa Valley ventures. Back then I acquired some of their their earliest label, Lauren Bryce, named for their children. 

Fleury Estate wines are a favorite of son Ryan and several of his colleagues at Oracle.

Fleurys owns 50 acres of premium Napa Valley vineyards - eleven acres at the winery estate site in Rutherford, thirty acres in St. Helena, and six acres in Deer Park high atop Howell Mountain. This variation of different appellations and elevations enables Fleury to craft a portfolio of varying labels with consistent, high quality year after year. Total production is about 4,000 cases of wine per year.

The Fleury Estate, just south of St. Helena in Rutherford in the valley center, is home to the Fleury winery along with a hospitality center with tasting room, situated amidst the 11 acre estate vineyard. 

This label, Howell Mountain BDX is their play on the word Bordeaux, it is a red Bordeaux blend comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Two hundred cases were produced.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, vibrant expressive blackberry fruit with sprites of plum and cherry accented by notes of tar, cigar box and leather with moderate tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1614168

https://www.fleurywinery.com/

Robert Craig Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

I brought this from the cellar to compare with the Fluery Howell Mountain Cabernet. I've written often in these pages that Robert Craig, as well as Del Dotto are some of our largest holdings in our cellar collection, spanning more than two decades of vintage releases across numerous labels.

We've long been fans of Robert Craig and his family of appellation specific Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons featuring mountain fruits from three different Napa Mountains, Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, and Spring Mountain District, and sometimes supplemented by another offering from Mt George.

We first met Robert back in the early 1990's when he was producing his handcrafted wines up on Atlas Peak. Robert started his winemaking career up on Mt Veeder and as such, this was his first Mountain designated release offering under the Robert Craig label, and fittingly, it is his favorite.

Shortly thereafter he released a Howell Mountain label which is typically my favorite, up until the limited release of his Spring Mountain District Cabernet in 2007 which I liked even more!

We've met with the Robert and Lynn Craig and various members of their team numerous  times during our Napa Wine Experiences (1998), during their visits here to Chicago, and have visited their Howell Mountain winery harvest parties and special events, and of course their tasting room in town in Napa.

Perhaps our most memorable Robert Craig experience was a special luncheon we held up at the winery during our Napa Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008 - Robert Craig on the lawn overlooking the vineyards, the valley below, and the opposing Mayacamas range across the Valley. A photo of that picturesque setting (shown above) was Linda's screensaver for years and the subject of one of her oil paintings. 

This Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is dark purple colored, medium-full bodied, focused blackberry and black raspberry fruits with smooth velvety texture, tones of soft sweet mocha with hints of cedar, spice and soft oak, a whisper of cedar and herbal notes on a polished smooth finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=379780

 

Doubleback Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Turning from Napa Valley and California to the north, Dan opened this Cabernet from Quarterback turned winery owner and producer Drew Bledsoe, very timely as we might have seen him play his last game in the NFL Playoffs series loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers who advance to the Super Bowl next week. 

We drove up to the Bledsoe property in the sloping foothills of the Blue Mountains in the southern reaches of the Walla Walla appellation during our Walla Walla Wine Experience back in 2018. 

This was Doubleback's first vintage to include estate-grown grapes in the blend. The 2011 cool vintage provided a challenge to winemakers in the Northwest as well as down in Napa Valley. This was crafted by legendary Columbia Valley winemaker Chris Figgins.

This won wide critical acclaim garnering 94 points and a 'Cellar Selection' from Wine Enthusiast, 92 from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and Wine Spectator.

Dark inky purple colored medium full bodied, vibrant ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits, very similar to the Fleury above, but less complex, and lacking the polish and balance of the Robert Craig. Notes of truffle graphite and hints of creme de cassis with smooth tannin amid vibrant acid backbone cuts through its richness ending with a lingering finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1787867

Château Suduiraut 1er Cru Classe Sauterne 2002

We enjoy sweet unctuous desert wines with salads, cheese or deserts. This was a nice finisher, a perfect complement to the final dessert course of decadent chocolate cake. 

This is a classic Sauterne, a blend of Semillon (94 %) and Sauvignon Blanc (6 %). Château Suduiraut is considered to be one of the finest Sauternes.

Golden honey, dark amber colored, full bodied yet delicate, nicely balanced fruit and floral aromas, complex roasted and candied notes of apple, vanilla and honey, medium sweetness and a long smooth silky finish.  Not as sweet and unctuous as some vintages, the fruit is more subdued lacking the apricot nectar and honey of some vintages. This showed plenty of botrytis, with predominate notes of smoke, marzipan, almond, ripe apple, and hints of vanilla on the tongue cloying finish.

RM 91 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rated this wine 90-93 points, Wine Spectator, 90 points.

https://www.suduiraut.com/en/vin/1/chateau-suduiraut

 

Horizontal tasting of 2004 Napa Valley Mountain Cabernets

Horizontal tasting of 2004 Napa Valley Mountain Cabernets from estate visits and private wine tastings

Sister Jan and Bro-in-law Bill flew in from Socal for our Mom's funeral proceedings this weekend. For such a poignant family gathering celebration of life dinner, we prepared a grilled beef tenderloin dinner and opened some special wines. We pulled from the cellar a pair of Napa Cabernets from Estate visits that we attended together - this Constant Diamond Mountain Cabernet and the Ladera below. Notably, tonight's dinner was a tribute not only to Mom, but to wine producer Freddie Constant who passed since our visit.

Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

With the late Freddie Constant at the Constant
Diamond Mountain estate

I wrote a while back when we opened a bottle of this label for another special dinner.  

We discovered and acquired this wine when we visited the spectacular picturesque Constant Vineyards estate high atop Diamond Mountain during our Diamond Mountain Appellation Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011.

We still hold close to a case of Constant wines and tonight we were rewarded for being patient as this wine has developed very nicely.

Our tasting and visit back then were hosted by proprietor Freddie Constant, founder and proprietor. Sadly, Freddie passed away in 2014. All of our group that were there remember him fondly and toast him each time we drink his wine.

The Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard sits at the peak of Diamond Mountain on the Mayacamas Range separating Napa Valley to the east and Sonoma Valley to the west and is one of the area’s highest, oldest, and smallest wineries in the region. At 2121 feet above sea level, it may be the highest, or certainly one of the highest, vineyards in the region.

Constant Diamond Mountain Estate Vineyards

The Diamond Mountain District appellation, one of the smaller Napa wine districts, sits just south of and above the town of Calistoga in the northwest corner of Napa Valley.

The unique terroir and micro-climate at the very top of Diamond Mountain provides grapes with optimal sun exposure and elongated ripening periods, The sun drenched slopes with their rocky terrain and volcanic soil produce rich concentrated Bordeaux varietal fruit.

Today the area is home to some of the most notable and prestigious labels including the namesake label Diamond Mountain vineyards. Our afternoon on the mountaintop retreat was one of the more memorable settings from our many Napa Valley trips.

The mountaintop land that would become Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard was first settled in 1895 by Andras Rasmussen, a Danish immigrant. After working in the wine industry for 15 years at Talcoa Vineyard (now Hudson Vineyard in Carneros), at Summit Vineyard and Winery, and studying viticulture at UC Davis – Rasmussen purchased 120 forested acres atop Diamond Mountain, cleared about 30 acres himself, and planted the first grapevines at the summit.

The vines were abandoned in the 1920s and 1930s due to Prohibition.

Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard was established by Freddy and Mary Constant in 1993 when they bought a dilapidated but historic farmhouse and set upon reestablishing the vineyards which by then were overgrown and wild.

The couple had backgrounds as radio station entrepreneurs but their plan on Diamond Mountain was to grow and sell grapes to winemakers. They believed they had a unique and spectacular plot of land capable of producing premium fruit and soon they were growing grapes for several of the best winemakers in the area.

The started producing small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon but their first vintage in 1993 was not to their standards and it was never released.  They released their first vintage in 1995 under the Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard label. They proceeded to build a winery on the estate producing their wine under the Constant label and brand. In 1999 Wine Spectator wrote that Constant was “a new can’t miss Cabernet, this vineyard is able to produce stunning wines on a consistent basis.” The original winemaker was the notable Philippe Melka. With the 2009 vintage, Paul Hobbs took over as consulting winemaker.

Notably, we collect Philippe Melka wines to this day an featured his label at a recent business dinner. 

Freddie and Mary hired renowned architect Howard Backen who built a stunning house along with a tasting room hospitality center overlooking the valley floor with a full view of Mount St. Helena.

In 2016, Aries Liu and Sai You became the property’s caretakers with the continued commitment to producing some of Napa Valley’s best Bordeaux varietals.

Constant Diamond Mountain Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

I believe this is the best, most memorable Constant Cabernet I have had and may be, at sixteen years of age, at the apex of its drinking profile and window.
 
Deep garnet purple color, medium-full bodied, delicious concentrated but smooth and elegant and nicely balanced ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with hints of black currant, notes of spice and graphite.

RM 92 points. 

The blend includes small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=437961

https://www.constantwine.com/

We also acquired this bottle during another winery visit with Jan and Bill. 

Ladera Lone Canyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

We served another label from this producer that we also acquired during our Napa Valley winery visit together during Sister Jan's visit from SoCal a couple weeks ago. 

Once again I pulled from our cellar a bottle of Napa Cab from a producer we visited with Jan and husband Bill during one of our Napa Valley Wine Experience trips together. Shown left, Jan and Bill with proprietor/producer Anne Stotesbury at Ladera Vineyards and Winery up on Howell Mtn during our Howell Mtn appellation tour in 2008. 

We last tasted and posted about this wine just a couple months ago when I reposted about this producer and label, we discovered this wine and purchased it following our visit to the Ladera Vineyards estate and winery up on Howell Mountain in 2006 and then again during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008. 

We'd driven past the property, formerly the historic Chateau Woltner many times over the years on our treks up Howell Mountain in northeast Napa Valley.

The fabulous historic winery building consisted of production and barrel storage below and a rustic tasting room upstairs. It is surrounded by spectacular gardens, beds of lavender, and of course the vineyards. 

 

Ladera was founded when Stotesburys moved their family to Napa Valley from Montana in 2000 when they acquired a historic Howell Mountain property featuring an 82-acre vineyard. For the next 16 years, this property served as the home for Ladera.

Ladera initially primarily focused on Cabernet Sauvignon of which we still hold a several cases of four different labels across several vintages from this era.  

Around 2008, their son Dan visited us while on a wine promotion trip to/thru Chicago and we took him around to several of the local wine merchants in the area.  

Stotesburys sold the Ladera land on Howell Mountain in 2016, following the earlier sales of their Lone Canyon and the Mount Veeder properties.

Ladera Lone Canyon Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Ladera produced several labels of Cabernet Sauvignon including several sub-appellation designated labels from Howell Mountain and this one from Lone Canyon. This is our first tasting of several bottle in a mixed case we acquired a while back near its release. 

This was awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm, tight and concentrated complex black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of black tea, cassis, mineral sage and herbs with fine smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.laderavineyards.com/

http://mcnees.org/winesite/napa/napa_08/img_napa08_ladera_winery_remc.jpg

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/ladera-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon.html

 

 

Camiana Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Camiana Howell Mountain Blue Hall Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy Bill C introduced us to this wine when he and son Matt acquired a case or more and shared with us a mini-vertical collection of four different vintages. We served and wrote about this wine earlier this summer at a wine dinner with neighbors Mark and Shirley and wine buddy fellow 'Pour Boy' Dr Dan and Linda.

Tonight we opened this and drank it with left over beef tenderloin and some artisan cheeses. 

As I wrote last summer, this is from Blue Hall Vineyard, a 5 acre site on Howell Mountain. Andrew Zolopa purchased the property on Howell Mountain in 1998 sited near the top of Howell Mountain at an elevation of 1,700 feet above Napa Valley. In 2000-01, Zolopa planted the five acre vineyard of which 3 acres was planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard was adjacent to vineyards owned by Beringer.

Zolopa named the vineyard Blue Hall Vineyard, deriving its name from the famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson who spent his honeymoon in a cabin on the side of Mount St. Helena in the summer of 1880. Stevenson was inspired by the purity of the blue sky and exclaimed that it was as if he had entered "the blue hall of heaven." The name reference “Blue Hall” was from the book “Silverado Squatters”, written by Stevenson – a book that featured much about historical Napa Valley.

This 2004 is their inaugural release, their first wine, a 100% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Andrew named the wine “Camiana" after his daughters Camille and Juliana. Ted Osborne was self taught winemaker, building on experience working at Passing Clouds in Australia, Rupert & Rothschild in South Africa, and Chateau du Seuil in Bordeaux. Coming to America, he put in time working for two well-known Napa wineries, Cakebread and Storybook Mountain, the northern most winery in the Napa Valley. 

Camiana Blue Hall Vineyards Napa Valley Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

 

Only 80 cases made of Blue Hall’s first vintage in 2004, which they held until after their first commercial release in 2005. While the 2004 was technically their first vintage, it was released after the 2005 as a library wine. 

Their 2004 with the additional year in the bottle was their “biggest” wine out of their first few vintages. They produced the label annually until 2013, their last vintage produced.

This is one vintage of a vertical collection we acquired with/from fellow wine buddy and 'Pour Boy' Bill C who acquired a case of vintages with son and fellow collector Matt back in 2012. We're still holding four vintages of that collection and this is the oldest release from the selection.

Bill's tasting notes for this vintage release from his Cellartracker post back in 2015 says, "What a treat! Tasted side by side with the 2005 Camiana and we could not tell the difference between the two aside from additional sediment in the '04. Deep garnet in the glass, big black fruit with a touch of sweetness. Silky smooth tannins and a long, lingering finish. Beautiful Howell Mountain product. We were impressed by this small vineyard when we bought some '07 on sale 3 or 4 years ago. The big, bold, fruit forward style convinced us to try some earlier vintages. This was not terribly expensive at $45 a bottle. Great value and the '04 and '05 were absolutely at peak."

wconnolly - 92 Points

 

At sixteen years of age, this bottle was showing its age a bit with notes of earth, leather and sage. 

 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1208115

Birthyear Vintage Wine for Family Birthday Dinner

 Birthyear Vintage Wine for Family Birthday Dinner

We joined son Ryan and his family in celebrating his birthday with a gala dinner featuring grilled tenderloin steaks, twice baked potatoes and haricots verts, and ceasar salad. Ryan opened from his cellar a Robert Foley Napa Valley Claret and I took from our cellar a classic historic label Napa Cab. 

Shafer Hillside Select is a classic Napa Valley premium label dating back to 1983. The prior year, 1982, was Ryan's birthyear, and for that vintage, Shafer produced this hillside vineyards Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which thereafter would be known as Shafer Hillside Select. 

Hillside Select is sourced from a collection of rugged, arid vineyard blocks that surround the winery in the Stags Leap District in Southeast Napa Valley. 

Founder John Shafer was a native of Chicago, hailed from northern suburb Glencoe, and lived for a time in nearby Hinsdale, Illinois. He moved to Napa Valley in 1972 when the Shafer family purchased a 209-acre property including 30 acres of Scansi’s vineyards. In 1973-74 Shafer planted Cabernet Sauvignon, creating small hillside vineyard blocks such as Sunspot and John’s Upper Seven.

 In 1978, John produced his first Shafer Vineyards wine, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from fruit sourced from John’s Upper Seven vineyard, a precursor to Hillside Select.

Doug Shafer joined his father John as winemaker in 1983. When he tasted the 1982 lot from the Sunspot vineyard block he was so impressed he talked John into keeping it separate from the others. With the Sunspot lot, Doug created this label, Shafer’s one and only Reserve Cabernet. Starting with the 1983 vintage, in 1984, the Reserve was rebranded as the first release of Hillside Select.

That inaugural release of Hillside Select, and those since, are sourced from the collection of 14 small vineyard blocks planted within an eons-old amphitheater-like structure of rock and volcanic soil that surrounds the winery. With scant soil nutrients and moisture, yields at harvest are meager and the berries are small, producing lush Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with dark color and intense, classic flavor.

Shafer Reserve hillside vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1982

Looking back on my records and published tasting notes, we last served/tasted this label at Ryan's birthday family dinner fifteen years ago on Nov 6, 2005 when I wrote, "Shafer Reserve Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon 1982 - RM 92 $49 - Final vintage before this wine was re-labeled the legendary Shafer Hillside Select - Full forward fruit of black cherry, plum, leather and cedar thru to the end. Amazing fruit and life in this 23 year old Napa from a modest vintage - birth-year of Ryan - tasted on his family birthday dinner."

 

My records also show we tasted this wine back on Jan 15 2003 when I published essentially the same tasting note. That bottle was consumed at Capital Grill in Tysons corner, VA. I actually remember that trip and dinner, but not necessarily that bottle tasting. 

 

The Shafer Hillside Select tasting notes date back to the 1983 vintage. They write, "Fully mature color and aromas. Nice acidity complements mature flavors and resolved tannins." Their 1984 release notes speak of 'herbal aromas'. These notes could also describe this release.

 

Tonight, this bottle showed amazing life for a 38 year old vintage bottle, exceeding our expectations. The color was ever so slightly tinged with a minor brownish hue and the slightest bit of cloudiness, still nicely structured and bodied with black cherry fruits offset by a slight layer of funky mustiness of dusty earthy leather with sprites of aromatic perfume and notes of herbs and cedar. A fun and intriguing tasting of a historic label, ready to drink as it is in decline approaching the end of its drinking window. It was remarkable for its age, never-the-less. 

RM 87 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=353028

 

https://shafervineyards.com/index.php

 

@ShaferVineyards - https://twitter.com/ShaferVineyards

For son Ryan's birthday, I also presented him with this limited release premium label Fantesca King Richards Pinot Noir 2008. 

 

This is fitting in that Ryan is actually my namesake, Richard, and this bottle was crafted and produced in limited quantities for the patriarch father of wine producer/ower Susan Hoff and husband Duane. 

 

We'll look forward to sharing this bottle at some point in the future. 

Ryan opened from his cellar this Robert Foley Napa Valley Claret.

 

Robert Foley Napa Valley Claret 2004

 

Robert Foley Vineyards is on Howell Mountain, in northeast Napa Valley. It was founded in 1998 when Napa Valley winemaker Robert Foley started making his own wine.

Robert (Bob) Foley began his wine making career in the Napa Valley in 1977, having just graduated from UC Davis with degrees in both Viticulture and Enology. He spent his first year working for Heitz Cellars, followed by 15 years as the founding winemaker for Markham Vineyards.

In 1992, Foley began another 15 years as the founding winemaker for Pride Mountain Vineyards. During this period, he also crafted wines for Switchback Ridge, Hourglass, Paloma, and School House wines. 

Primarily focused on Robert Foley Vineyards wines, he also works with Shelter, Padis Vineyards, Engel Family, Herson Family Vineyards, and Jenna Marise in the Napa Valley.

Foley’s first wine was this signature Claret, the term the British used to describe a French wines based on Bordeaux Blended varietals. He progressed to expand the portfolio with Petite Sirah, Merlot, Charbono and most recently a blend called 'The Griffin'. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Foley “one of California’s most talented winemakers…(His) are consistently top-notch efforts with impressive personalities.” 

 

This is the Foley flagship, a Napa Valley appellation left-bank Bordeaux blend comprised of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.

 

This label release was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, nicely balanced with well integrated bright vibrant ripe black cherry and black berry fruits with sprites of cherry cola, notes of vanilla, sweet oak, creme de cassis and spice with slight astringent bright acidity, moderate tangy tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=229008

https://www.robertfoleyvineyards.com/  

@RobertFoleyWine - https://twitter.com/RobertFoleyWine

 

 

 

Family Celebration Dinner features Howell Mountain Wine Flight

 Family Celebration Dinner features Howell Mountain Wine Flight

With family gathered in town, we pivot to shift the focus from a family funeral early in the week to the celebration of Sean and Michelle's wedding this weekend. 

Linda prepared a gala dinner of tomahawk rib-eye steaks with her signature delicious twice baked potatoes prefaced with wedge salad with blue cheese, tomatoes and bacon. Prior to dinner we featured a selection of artisan cheeses. 

Tonight we featured wines from Napa Valley Howell Mountain appellation. Jan and Bill toured there with us during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008. We featured wines from producers that we visited and tasted during that trip - Dunn Vineyards, Robert Craig, Ladera Vineyards, and Viader, as well as some others. Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon Clark of Clark Claudon was our featured winemaker producer at a special dinner at Pinot Blanc in St Helena during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 1999. We'll also open Lamborn Howell Mountain Cabernet this weekend, another featured producer from our 2008 Howell appellation trip.

 The flight: 

Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1987

Viader "V" Proprietary Red 1999 (from magnum)

Clark Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Lamborn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2003-04-05

After dinner, Lucy helped Linda prepare Chocolate Cake with whipped cream and fresh berries. 

Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Best wine of the flight, favored by most, complex, sophisticated, balanced, nicely integrated fruits.

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1987

Amazing life left in this release from an otherwise off-vintage. Briary and brambly Howell Mountain fruits, rustic, very nice. Testament to the longevity of this label, passed on several other vintages that still have a decade or more to go!

Viader "V" Proprietary Red 1999 (from magnum)

Bright vibrant, big bold fruits in this single varietal Petite Verdot limited release label. "V" label signature label, tribute to Vivianna!  

Clark Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

Bright vibrant fruits here too with much life left in this vintage release at twenty-five years. 

Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

The youngest release at fifteen years, this was brash and forward, big bold, dark and brooding fruits, still needs a couple years to settle and integrate further. Settled nicely over the course of the evening after open for ninety minutes.

Lamborn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2003-04-05

Should've opened the '05 to compare with the Ladera but opted to hold off and do a mini-horizontal tasting of this collection. Needed a few more drinkers to expand the flight selection tonight. Watch for this tasting flight.

Clark-Claudon Napa Cabernet 1997

Clark-Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown 1997

Continuing our Coronavirus shut-in, we ordered 'curbside carry-out' from our neighborhood trattoria, Angelis Italian. We're endeavoring to support our local restaurants during this crisis albeit remotely since the bar and dining rooms remain closed .

I pulled from the cellar a boutique Napa Valley producer Clark-Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon.

We hold close to two decades of vintages of this label going back to their inaugural release in 1994.

Clark-Claudon are estate bottled Cabernets, sourced from their 18 acres of vineyards on the northeast side of Howell Mountain. The total estate covers 115 acres, sited between 800 and 1200 feet elevation, between Ink Grade & Howell Mountain roads.

We met Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon-Clark (middle couple on left) when we hosted them for a wine producer dinner at then trendy Pinot Blanc in St Helena during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 1999.

I recall friend and wine-buddy Paul McDonald (left) from LA had some association with the restaurant ownership back in the day.

Clark-Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown 1997

I selected a 1997 vintage release which is one of the few bottles remaining from a case we acquired back during that trip. The much heralded '97 Napa Cabernets were highly rated and projected to be long lived.

As I wrote in a previous tasting of the release back in 2014, "In earlier tastings of this vintage of Clark Claudon, I wondered if it was like Dominus (86) and some Bordeaux (89-90 Pichon Lalande) that I later learned I drank too early when they finally 'awoke' to reveal their true character and fruits years later?'

Back in 2014, "Unlike previous tastings when the Clark Claudon was somewhat closed and a bit flabby with muted fruit upon opening, tonight it seemed to be showing its age, opening to ripe raisiny black cherry and black berry fruit, with subtle tone of cigar box and leather with nicely integrated and balanced silky smooth tannins. After an hour or so the fruit closed down and it became subdued leaving a slight astringency and tones of tobacco and leather.'

Tonight, this was settled and open and while not showing diminution from age, will certainly not improve further, but there should be no hurry to consume the remaining bottles for another year or more.

Due to the wax seal on the top of the bottle, I couldn't easily use my ahso two pronged cork puller, which I would normally use for an aged bottle. Despite using the 'rabbit ear' cork screw with the extra long screw, the cork pretty much disintegrated in a crumble and had to be dug out in crumbly pieces from the bottle, which was then strained and decanted.

Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, bright lively, nicely balanced structured black berry fruits with notes of black cherry, hints of graphite, leather and earthy tobacco with modest smooth tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=436557

https://www.clarkclaudon.com/

Ladera Malbec 2006

Ladera Napa Valley Malbec 2006 

We discovered this wine and purchased it following our visit to the Ladera Vineyards estate and winery up on Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008. 

We'd driven past the property, formerly the historic Chateau Woltner many times over the years on our treks up Howell Mountain. 

The fabulous historic winery building consists of production and barrel storage below and a rustic tasting room upstairs. It is surrounded by spectacular gardens, beds of lavender, and of course the vineyards.

Rick & Linda at Ladera winery
on Howell Mountain

Ladera primarily focused on Cabernet Sauvignon of which we still hold a several cases of four different labels across three vintages from this era. We also acquired some of their Pinot Noir which was sourced from Sonoma County, as well as this Malbec grown from estate fruit, of which we still hold a half case in our cellar.


Malbec is one of the "big five" grape varieties in Bordeaux included in the "Cabernet family" of grapes.

It serves as one of the blending wines to round out and add complexity to the primary varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot used for its deep, dark purple color, its fragrant aromas, ranging from black cherry to black pepper, and its texture which is lush and juicy in the mid palette and very soft on the finish.

Primarily a blended complement to the tannic, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon, it produces an interesting and nice stand alone wine, as well.

The 2006 Napa Valley Ladera Malbec is a blend of fruit from two mountain vineyards - 50% from Howell Mountain and the other 50% from Lone Canyon - two unique terroirs.

The rolling hills and volcanic soils of Howell Mountain vineyard lend to the bold dark fruit characters while the steep slopes and gravely soils of Lone Canyon high atop Mt Veeder contribute intense phenolic structure and complexity to the wine.

Somewhat consistent with my tasting notes way back in 2011 when we last tasted this wine: "This wine holds true to its varietal characteristics with its dark inky color, rich aromatics and bold masculine structure. The wine exhibits forward fruits flavors of black cherry and black berry with violets, red licorice, hints of vanilla, white pepper and smoky fig.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, less complex and less structured than a Cabernet this comes across a bit flabby on opening but overcame the funkiness to reveal black berry and cherry fruit flavors, a layer of spice, hints of leather and a touch of cedar on a long finish." 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editinventory.asp?iWine=523712

Rick with Ladera owner/producer
Anne Stotesbery

The seeds for Ladera were planted in the early 1970s, when Pat and Anne Stotesbery fell in love while attending university in Northern California. Among their many shared interests, they discovered a passion for wine, and were soon taking wine classes together, and traveling to wine country for tastings.

The next two decades took them to Minnesota and Montana, where they ran a 3,200-acre ranch with 750 head of cattle, during which time, their interest in wine continued to grow.

With deep agricultural roots on both sides of their family, Pat and Anne Stotesbery acquired their first Napa Valley mountain vineyard in 1996. Their original vineyard was on Mount Veeder, the following year they purchased their second mountain vineyard, Lone Canyon.

In 1998, Pat and Anne made their first non-commercial vintage of 100 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 As a reflection of their commitment to making mountain Cabernet Sauvignons, they selected the name Ladera for their winery, which means “hillside, or slope” in both Spanish and Italian.

They moved their family to Napa Valley, and in 2000, they acquired a historic Howell Mountain property featuring an 82-acre vineyard. For the next 16 years, this property served as the home for Ladera.

Around 2008, their son Dan visited us while on a wine promotion trip and we took him around to several of the local wine merchants in the area. 

In 2016, following the earlier sales of the Lone Canyon and the Mount Veeder properties, with their children grown and pursuing careers of their own, Pat and Anne sold their land on Howell Mountain.

Dark color - full bodied - full firm forward fruits - a bit flabby on opening but overcame the funkiness to reveal black berry and cherry fruit flavors, a layer of spice, hints of leather and a touch of cedar on a long finish.

Rustic Ladera tasting area in the historic
chai and barrel building back in 2006.

 https://www.laderavineyards.com/

http://mcnees.org/winesite/napa/napa_08/img_napa08_ladera_winery_remc.jpg

L'Artusi NYC Wine Dinner

L'Artusi NYC Wine Dinner features three diverse expressive bold wine selections

Meeting for a gala wine dinner during our weekend in NYC visiting Alec and Viv, we dined at L'Artusi in West Greenwich Village. For the occasion we pulled from our cellar a special bottle of our 'V' series of labels, signature wines for special occasions when we're together with Viviana.

The diversity of the small plate dinner menu selections provided a tasting pairing experience for three wines with different styles and profiles - roasted beets, three pastas including the special highlight Torteloni with guinea hen and mushrooms, charred Octopus and sweetbreads.

We took BYOB this winemaker signed bottle that we tasted and acquired at a winemaker dinner with owner/producer Delia Viader in Chicago back in 2004.

Our visit to the winery on the lower reaches of Howell Mountain overlooking Napa Valley (shown right) was a highlight of our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2008.

Viader Estate Proprietary Red 2002

Appellation: Nape Valley Howell Mountain

Winemaker Notes: Scents and flavors of that classic Howell Mountain terrior sweet currant, black cherry, raspberry and hints of plum and  mocha with a long smooth polished finish.

Garnet colored, medium bodied, blackberry and black raspberry fruits accented by spice, hints of black olive, bacon fat and dark mocha chocolate on a pleasant acidic moderate tannin lingering finish.

Varieties:  Cabernet Sauvignon 51%, Cabernet Franc 49%

RM Rating 92

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this 91-93 points
 
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar gave it 90 points
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=40755

Website: www.viader.com

Bodegas El Nido 2015

Frank and Marylisa brought one of their favorite selections, this big bold El Nido.

From Jumilla, Spain, this is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell. This is the premium flagship El Nido label that consistently gets extraordinary ratings (96-100 points) from The Wine Advocate. This is a big bold concentrated fruit forward style that we love - much like a big Shiraz/Syrah; no wonder as this is a project of the Gil family of Jumilla and Australian Chris Ringland (R Wines) as chief winemaker who also makes big bold Aussie Shiraz's.

Jumilla El Nido - from the 2014 vintage

The second El Nido 'Clio' label offers a similar 'big wine' profile at a fraction of the price offering great QPR. This is a must buy each vintage as it too consistently gets highest marks.

This El Nido wine is not for the feint of heart with its 16%+ alcohol and bold forward profile and style. We love this style with bold hearty cheeses or spicy pasta dishes such as some of our selections this evening.

Bright ruby colored, full bodied, powerful, ripe and concentrated yet nicely balanced, forward bright black berry and currant fruits accented by expresso, black pepper, dark mocha, hints of cinnamon clove spices, cigar box and mineral with smooth approachable lingering tannins.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2845293

This received 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 

Wine Spectator gave it 93 points.

Argiolas Turriga Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2013

Interesting red blend from Sardinia. I had selected no less than three wines from the wine list shown on the website earlier, but couldn't find them on the actual wine list. I described my preference to the Sommelier and she presented this bottle. Ironically, we tasted this exact label at Italian Village in Chicago last year. 

 

Turriga is a blend of Sardinian grape varietals Cannonau, Malvasia Nera, Carignano, and Bovale Sardo. It is a powerful fruit forward red wine that requires time in bottle to show its full complexity. Upon release, Turriga is densely packed with powerful tannins and tightly wound fruit, thus decanting is recommended. With time in bottle, Turriga reveals multiple layers of Mediterranean herbs, roasted coffee, spices, and licorice with a generous core of black and red fruit.

Bright ruby colored, medium full bodied with bright, vibrant, bold and expressive forward sweet cherry and black currant fruits, integrated with notes of earthy spice, herbs and leather, bright acidity but moderately smooth tannins.

RM 89 2013 points.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2661079

http://www.argiolas.it/it/index.html

 

Liparita Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet 1990

Liparita Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet 1990

With son Alec home from NYC for a business meeting, I pulled from the cellar one of his birth year wines to celebrate the occasion. We're still holding several cases of various wines from his vintage year for special occasion (s) and at 28, its time to start consuming them. At this stage one has to wonder how such wines are holding up and which ones need to be consumed before they lose their vibrancy.

I've written in these pages about our meeting with Gove Celia, winemaker for this producer back in the mid-nineties, and how the current instantiation of this label is not related to those earlier wines.

We have held this bottle for quite a while as it was not accounted for in our Cellartracker inventory. It was in our older original source hand written 3x5 index cards down in the cellar and was noted in the label notations on the OWC (original wood case) for a 1990 vintage  wine in which it was stored.

This bottle actually exceeded my expectations as I was prepared for, or expecting some signs of diminution due to aging. We held several vintages of this wine from the late nineties and they were not holding as well as this one when we consumed them over the years. This 1990 was holding well and remarkably showed no such signs although it most assuredly will not improve with any further aging.

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, blackberry fruits were accented by notes of leather, smoke, tea and tobacco with hints of anise on a lingering moderate tannin finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=331458