Aged Vintage Napa Cab anchors diverse flight Anniversary Celebration

Aged Vintage Napa Cabernet anchors broad diverse flight for Anniversary Celebration dinner

Following our gala 50th Graduation and Wedding Anniversary celebration dinner, wherein we opened some aged vintage wines, we still had another 50 year old Napa Cabernet being held for the occasion to open. 

Looking back fifty years, one might think that if any producer would produce a wine worthy of such aging the list would include Beaulieu Vineyards with their top of the line premium Founder’s label Georges de Latour. 

The family gathered for a follow on dinner to our anniversary celebration to dine with my sister Jan visiting from California. 

I used the occasion to open this other 50th year vintage bottle, having opened another one at our earlier dinner.- a 1974 Chappellet Napa Cabernet. 

Linda prepared beef tenderloin filets of beef with salmon, grilled vegetables, sweet corn, au-gratin  potatoes and salad. 

 Commemorating our anniversary, I opened from our cellar this fifty year old anniversary year vintage Napa Cabernet. 

Beaulieu Vineyards Private Reserve Georges De Latour Estate Founder’s Wine Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1974

Like the earlier bottle, this too had an excellent fill level and amazingly near perfect cork, considering their age. Similarly, the foil and label were in ideal condition. 

Unlike the 1974 Chappellet, which was served from a magnum, the BV de Latour was a standard size 750 and had not held up so well, having lost its lustre and appeal, past it’s acceptable drinking window, drinkable for memorable tasting, not not pleasurable sipping. 

This was pale opaque brownish rust brick colored, medium bodied with a subdued nose and flavors of slightly tart astringent berries, smokey ash, leather and tea - drinkable for adventurous tasting but not for savoring. 

RM 84 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?35343

Naturally, we opened several other wines, white and red,  to round out the dinner flight. 

Linda and sister Jan prepared some Brie cheese with honey, crushed berry compote and fresh nuts, fresh salsa and a garden salad for starters - with which we opened a Napa Valley Sparkling (methode traditionelle) white wine. 

Chandon California Brut Methode Traditionelle Sparkling Wine 

For starters we opened this bubbly for casual sipping before dinner. 

We followed the white with one of our favorite producers’ labels …

Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

We write often in these pages how we have fun with the alphabet labels, “V” from various producers for Vivianna, and the “L” labels from Lewis Cellars, and others, for Linda, Lucy, Lavender and Lilac. 

We also pay respects to our Indiana heritage and the legacy of founder/producer Randy Lewis, former Indianapolis 500 racer. So it was fitting to open this for a family occasion, especially with sister Jan visiting from California, ‘back home again in Indiana’. 

We wrote about our visit to Lewis Cellars Napa Chateau and our private Tasting back in 2017 in this blogpost. 

We have an extensive cellar collection of Lewis Cellars’ wines including this Chardonnay label, their Cabernet Sauvignons, Mason’s Blend, Ethan’s Syrah and one of our signature favorite wines since it happens to be the namesake of our son and the Lewis’ first grandson, Alec’s Blend. 

We’ll likely scale back our collecting Lewis wines since the family has sold the business and brand to a major consolidated producer. In 2021 Lewis Cellars was acquired by Justin Vineyards & Winery of Paso Robles and its owner, the Wonderful Company.

As a $5bn privately-held group founded by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the Wonderful Company also owns Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma County and JNSQ rosé wine, as well as the Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful brands.

Since this blog is also partially about branding and strategy, I’d be remiss to not mention the self-inflicted branding fiasco Fiji brought on themselves a few years back - memorialized in these posts - enough said… 

https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0701/gallery.101dumbest_2007/20.html

https://www.cleveland19.com/story/34514441/is-bottled-water-better-than-clevelands-tap-water-not-really/

https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-cities-tout-municipal-tap-water-as-better-than-bottled.html

Lewis Cellars makes around 9,000 cases of wine per year and is known for high-end wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Justin Vineyards said Lewis Cellars will continue to be led and run by the existing team, including Randy Lewis and his stepson, Dennis Bell.

The strategy is to leverage the larger group’s marketing, strategy and sales teams to reach new audiences, such as via wine clubs or restaurants.

This 2018 release of Lewis Chardonnay was awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and 92 points by Connoisseurs' Guide and Wilford Wong of Wine.com

Winemaker Notes - Like a silk robe or satin sheets the 2018 Napa Chardonnay seduces with thrilling texture. Creamy pear, crème brulee, white nectarine and gardenia blossom sprinkled with vanilla spice, it is simply delicious and irresistible. Finely structured yet opulent to the core, it is graced with a long, luscious finish.

Golden colored, full, round and structured medium body with rich flavors of ripe pear and apple fruits with creamy toasty notes on the lingering finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3390102 

Ryan brought from his cellar a duo of Cliff Lede Fels brand Sonoma wines - a white Chardonnay and a red Pinot Noir. The Fel’s brand is named for Cliff Lede’s mother Florence Elsie Lede who the producer attributes as the inspiration for his love of wine. Both wines are sourced from the Lede Savoy Vineyard in the Sonoma County Anderson Valley. 

The Anderson Valley sits north of Sonoma County in Mendocino County, two hours north of San Francisco up Hwy 101. Located just off the coastal region of Mendocino County, Anderson Valley and the adjacent Mendocino Ridge are in a sparsely populated area near the small town of Boonville, population 700. The 15 mile long Anderson Valley was formed by the Navarro River watershed and is surrounded by steep, forested slopes as well as rolling hills dotted with picturesque vineyards, farms and orchards and  is one of California’s most picturesque appellations. 

Savoy Vineyard, long recognized as a benchmark vineyard in Anderson Valley, is located in the “Deep End” of the valley, west of the town of Philo. 

During the growing season, moist, cool, late afternoon air flows in from the Pacific Ocean along the Navarro River and over the valley's golden, oak-studded hills. High and low temperatures can vary as much as 40 or 50 degrees within a single day, allowing for slow and gentle ripening of grapes, which will in turn create elegantly balanced wines. 

The Anderson Valley is best suited and known for these cool climate varietals Pinot Noir made in a range of styles from delicate and floral to powerful and concentrated. Chardonnay.

Fels Sonoma County Anderson Valley Savoy Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

Fels produce an estate blend and two single vineyard Chardonnays from Savoy Vineyard and Ferrington Vineyard from Anderson Valley. Their signature is bright fruit and fresh flavors due to the absence of new oak or malolactic fermentation showing a crisp clean vibrant taste profile. 

FEL Anderson Valley Chardonnays are made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Winemakers notes - “Lifted floral aromatics waft from the glass of this citrus-driven Chardonnay. Notes of lemon zest, white grapefruit, and Key lime, are complemented by hints of juniper, struck flint, and melon. The blend of citrus flavors continues in the mouth with an abundance of fresh lemon and orange zest. The juicy finish is carried by notes of lemon balm with zippy acidity.”

Golden colored, medium full bodied, crisp fresh, vibrant flavors of crisp apple, ripe pear and a touch of pineapple and subtle hints of baking spice on the clean finish. 

RM 91 points. Wine Enthusiast gave this 92 Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3780208

Fels Sonoma County Anderson Valley Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018

Winemaker notes - “Savoy Vineyard, the archetypal expression of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, is always layered and intensely complex. Loaded with enticing aromatics of black cherry, wild brambleberries, and Santa Rosa plum, the nose is furthered with hints of mint, sage, and redwood needles. Simultaneously intense and elegant in the mouth, flavors of black fruit mingle with hints of baking spices, wild herbs, and savory notes of cocoa and black pepper. The palate finishes with a delicate balance of bright acidity and fine-grained tannins.”

“Loaded with enticing aromatics of black cherry, wild brambleberries, and Santa Rosa plum, the nose is furthered with hints of mint, sage, and redwood needles. Simultaneously intense and elegant in the mouth, flavors of black fruit mingle with hints of baking spices, wild herbs, and savory notes of cocoa and black pepper. The palate finishes with a delicate balance of bright acidity and fine-grained tannins.”

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3780212

https://shop.cliffledevineyards.com/product/2018-FEL-Pinot-Noir-Savoy-Vineyard-3L

With the dinner entrees and the dessert course Ryan trolled our cellar and pulled an adventurous duo of Cabernet Franc varietals.

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 1996

Mindful of cellar management, to avoid opening an older bottle late, approaching, or even past it's drinking window, lest it deteriorate or diminish for future enjoyment, we pulled this 1996 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc from Paradigm. 

We tasted and acquired this wine during a visit to the Paradigm Estate and vineyards with proprietors Ren and Marilyn Harris during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 1999. At twenty eight years it was holding its own, showing no signs of diminution from age - the fill level and cork were still in ideal condition. 

This tasting experience was similar to another Bordeaux varietal from the same vintage from this producer we consumed relatively recently in 2019, as featured in these pages here as excerpted below.

Producer Ren Harris, Linda 
and Rick.
back in 1999

Ren and Marilyn had owned and operated various properties in Napa Valley since 1964 and purchased the Paradigm property in 1975. The '91 release was the inaugural vintage for Paradigm.

The fifty-five acre property lies in the Oakville appellation and consists of fifty acres of vineyards planted in Bordeaux varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the beginning, with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot being added a few years later.

We still hold nearly a case of the Paradigm Cabernets we acquired at that time, and since as we replenish consumed bottled with current vintages. We held a mini vertical (series of vintages of the same label) spanning vintages from 1991 up to 2004. We've consumed all our vintages from 1991 thru 1994 but still hold nearly a decade of vintages.

Paradigm wines are all Estate bottled, meaning all the grapes are sourced from their fifty acres of vineyards there on the property. The Paradigm winemaker is the legendary Heidi Barrett who has been there since the beginning. 

Tonight, we opted for this Cabernet Franc for some adventurous tasting with the grilled beef tenderloins which was an ideal pairing combination. 

Producing a standalone label bottling of Cabernet Franc was unique and somewhat progressive back in the day, as it is customarily used as a blending wine in a Bordeaux Blend to add structure, color and an element of vibrancy and spiciness. Hence it a fun wine to consume at 100% of the blend.

Recent Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Estate Merlot 1996 tasting… 

Like the Merlot we consumed a while back, this is still drinking nicely at twenty four years, only starting to show it age with only slight diminution, but past its prime and so time to starting consuming whats left in the cellar over the next couple of years. The cork was in fine condition but darkening to a tobacco color, there was ever-so-slight rust tinge color on the rim, and the fruits were starting to give way a bit to non-fruit tones of leather and tobacco. It was still very enjoyable and holding its own nicely.

Garnet colored with the slight rust hue, medium bodied, 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5876

Spring Valley Vineyards Katherine Cabernet Franc 2015

I wrote about Spring Valley and this label in several posts in these pages, excerpted here.

Spring Valley “Katherine” Cabernet Franc

We followed with another Cabernet Franc for a comparison tasting. This is another family oriented producer with family oriented branding which we enjoy serving for family occasions such as this.  

I pulled a Bordeaux varietal, a grape used to add structure and spice to the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A wine that is 100% single varietal with those characteristics isn't for the feint of heart, but fits the bill perfectly for our tastes. 

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the Spring Valley Vineyards tasting room in Walla Walla back in 2018 as covered in this blogpost - October 27, 2018 - Spring Valley Vineyards Tasting and Vineyard Visit.

We joined their wine club and as members receive regular quarterly shipments of their wines. We amassed a collection of the complete portfolio of wines including this label. Our Cellartracker records show we have 95 bottles of 35 different Spring Valley wines in our collection.

One of the great historic Walla Walla wineries, Spring Valley Vineyard lies 12 miles northeast of the town of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque wheat fields of southeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The land that was originally used for farming dating back to the the 1880s.  

Founded by Uriah, Katherine, and continued by the next generation, Frederick, and Nina Lee Corkrum, Shari Corkrum Derby and her husband Dean Derby continued to operate the wheat fields, vineyard and winery. Shari and Dean Derby planted vines on the land from 1993 and made their first vintage in 1999. 

Today, Spring Valley have 110 acres of vines planted, all in the relatively cool micro-climate of Walla Walla Valley in the southeast corner of Washington State.

We had the pleasure of meeting Dean Derby on the property during our visit to the estate.during our appellation visit to the Walla Walla (Washington) wine region in the fall of 2018. We visited the Spring Valley Vineyard tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, then ventured out to the vineyards and winery northeast of town. There, we met Dean Derby, patriarch, and husband to Shari Corkrum Derby, grand-daughter of Uriah Corkrum, founder and namesake for their Bordeaux Blend label, husband to Katherine, namesake for this label. 

Meeting Mr. Derby was one of the highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience, especially since he has since passed on. We posted a Tribute to Dean Derby and memorium of that visit - Spring Valley Vineyard toward the end of 2021. 

We thought of him last week as his alma mater, University of Washington played in the NCAA national football championship, and next year join the Big Ten conference. I wrote about Dean playing on and being captain of that football team in my tribute blogpost.

The Derby's son Devin Corkrum Derby served as winemaker until his passing in 2004. Devin’s assistant and friend Serge Laville took over as winemaker and has been crafting wines since. Originally they focused on varietals from the Northern Rhone region in France, they expanded production to Bordeaux varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and this Cabernet Franc, and a Right Bank and a Left Bank style Bordeaux Blend. 

I've written often in these pages about Spring Valley Vineyards portfolio of wines named for members paying homage to the family and ancestors dating back to the first generation founders at the turn of the last century. We have several vintage releases of their annual case that features six of these labels - each one commemorating a different family member. This Cabernet Franc is named in honor of founder Uriah Corkrum’s wife Katherine, a native of Wales who immigrated to Walla Walla Territory in 1897. She and Uriah had four sons, including Frederick Corkrum.

We have a vertical collection of seven vintages of this wine. Normally, as part of cellar management, I would open the oldest, earliest vintage to drink, but, I pulled a bottle from the rack, not thinking that we have a couple older vintages in the decorative OWC - Original Wood Cases, each with a vertical collection that include this label. I'll need to 'break' those collections at some point and consume the older releases. 

Spring Valley Vineyards ‘Katherine Corkrum’ Walla Walla Cabernet Franc 2015   

This wine commemorates Katherine Williams Corkrum, born and raised in Wales, then came to America and settled in Walla Walla Washington to eventually marry Uriah Corkrum. Together they raised a family with three sons that would follow for three generations developing the property. 

This is 100% estate grown Cabernet Franc. The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows, an orientation that when combined with the declination of the slope, allows the vines to take optimal advantage of air drainage, sunshine, and the reflective nature of the surrounding wheat fields.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes - “This Cabernet Franc has plenty of herbal notes with abundant flavors of raspberry and cassis and a touch of spice.” - ~ Winemaker Serge Laville 

100% Cabernet Franc, this was aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 30% new

This was rated 91 points by Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer

Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, full round with a silky smooth texture, ripe dark blackberry fruits with notes of spice, cassis, mocha chocolate, herbs and tobacco with toasty oak on a lingering moderate tannin finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2767108

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?2767108

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

.  

  

Christmas Family Dinner and Big Syrah Blends with Beef Bourguignon

Christmas Eve Family Dinner features Big Red Syrah Blends with Beef Bourguignon

Much of the family gathered at our house after Christmas eve church service for a dinner celebration. Linda prepared Beef Bourguignon, mashed and sweet potatoes, green beans, asparagus, and salad.

I pulled from the cellar two big Syrah based red blends to accompany the rich meat and vegetable stew in red wine reduction sauce - a perfect complement. 

Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa Valley Red Blend 2012

Randy and Debbie Lewis established their family winery in Napa back in 1992. We've been fans since the earliest days and hold and keep and extensive collection of their wines - Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs, and this unique blend of both. 

We enjoy Lewis wines as  I've often written in these pages about the fun we have with this branding, with its signature 'L' on the label, ala Laverne and Shirley, or wife Linda, or her mother Lucy, or our daughter Erin Leigh, or her daughter, our first grandchild/daughter Lucy, and now our recent grandaughter Lavender! That coupled with the Hoosier heritage of Randy Lewis, Indy 500 race driver from our native Indiana, and, their affinity to family, naming labels after their grandkids - Alec, Ethan and Mason,  we adopted Alec's Blend as a signature label for son Alec and feature it often at family celebrations such as tonight.

Lewis wines are family favorites for such special occasions, and this is one of our go-to wines, a 'signature wine' for son Alec, his namesake Blend for Dennis Lewis' son Alec. Lewis Cabernets are some of our favorites and we have a decade long vertical of Alec's as well as their Cabernets, dating back to the inaugural release in '97.
The label is dedicated to Randy and Debbie Lewis' first grandson, Alec, who was born on the day of the harvest of the grapes for this wine leading to the name.

One of the most anticipated wine producer visit tastings at our just completed Pour Boys 2017 Napa Wine Experience was a visit to the Chateau of Lewis Cellars.

This 2012 vintage release was the oldest of a decade of vintages we hold in our cellar of this label. 

This is a powerful yet balanced blend of 79% Syrah, 13% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot. 

Winemaker's notes: "One of our best bottlings ever, the 2012 Alec's Blend carries the casual confidence of a 17-year old. Deliciously complex...layers of lifted ripe blackberry, black cherry, cola, malt chocolate, Heath bar and bramble never quit. There's great acid and structure here too with a balanced arc of tannin and toasted cherry wood spice."

This release was awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Connoisseurs Guide.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, rich bold full round ripe blackberry fruits with  mocha, spice, toasty oak, smoke  and graphite with a long and persistent finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1887417

http://www.lewiscellars.com

@lewiscellars

Mollydooker "Carnival of Love" McLaren Vale Syrah/Cabernet 2011

This is another fun label that we have designated one of our family signature wines that we love to serve at family occasions. 

I've written often in these pages about Mollydooker husband and wife winemaking team, Sara and Sparky Marquis, who happen to both be 'lefties', hence 'Mollydooker', the Aussie term afforded what in America we would call a 'southpaw' or a left handed person. 

You gotta love our Aussie friends and their sense of humour. They emerged on the American wine scene with Marquis Phillips and their whimsical 'Roogle' or half kangaroo half eagle character for the Australia - American joint venture with their US distribution partnership back around the turn of the century.

After several successful releases, Sara and Sparky set off on their own and never looked back developing an extensive brand and line-up of labels, all with whimsical names and colorful cartoon characters (see select library below - a more complete library is on our winesite Aussie 'M' Mollydooker label library).

Aside their flagship 'Velvet Glove' Shiraz which nears $200, their two premium labels in the release price $80 range are this one, and 'Enchanted Path', a Shiraz and Cabernet blend. Their line includes an extensive collection from an entry level Shiraz to Cabernet, Cabernet-Shiraz blends, Merlot - even a sparkling Shiraz.

The story of these wines according to the winemaker is: "Our whole family is involved in making our wines, and all the wonderful people who drink them become our friends, so we named this wine Carnival of Love, because the wines bring us together. If you look closely you will notice that the Lefty characters are all included in the label and when you join the Carnival of Love and the Enchanted Path together, the two labels form one beautiful continuous love story."

Alas, the Enchanted Path and Carnival ended a couple years ago when Sara and Sparky split and went their separate ways. Sara took over and runs the business and serves as CEO, Winemaker, producer and philanthropist. Sparky, it turns out is a racing car buddy of my associate down is Australia who builds and races cars in his spare time when not tending to running the APAC region for my software business. 

Since Sarah took over the business, Mollydooker’s wines have been praised globally, including receiving five 99-point Wine Advocate scores by renowned wine critic, Robert Parker. Its Carnival of Love Shiraz has also been listed a record three times in Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines in the World. Under her leadership as sole owner Sarah Marquis, the company has been recognised for its business success, being chosen as the 2019 South Australian Business of the Year at the much revered Telstra Business Awards.

At these price points, these are not every day wines for us ordinary folks, but wines for special occasions. 'Carnival of Love' has become one of our family tradition wines which we serve at wife Linda's and family birthday parties, since Linda is a Lefty, and we happen to have three family birthdays in the span of several weeks.

Mollydooker have continually won high acclaim with Carnival receiving 95-ish ratings consistently over the years; 2010, RP95, WS94, 2009; WS94, RP93, 2008; WS94, 2007; RP96, WS95, 2006; RP97, WS95. This 2005 release got 98 points from Robert Parker, rarified space indeed for only very special highly acclaimed wines.  

 

Like the Alec's Blend above, this is also Syrah (2/3) based accented by Cabernet Sauvignon (1/3), just without the Merlot that comprises 1/3 of the Bordeaux varietal components in the Alec's Blend. Being from South Australia, it is remarkably similar to the profile of the California based Alec's Blend - dark inky purple, rich, concentrated, syrupy, chewy fruit filled. Both share a profile of spicy, clove accents.

This unique blend really works with the Cabernet adding breadth and depth to the big black inky purple colored full bodied Shiraz. The result is a powerful full bodied complex wine with concentrated forward chewy tongue coating black berry and black cherry fruits accented by ripe plum and spice, a layer of leather and hints of anise with fine silky tannins on the long finish.

 

Winemaker's notes on this release: "This is the wine I tell all my friends about. To see the look on their faces after their first sip is priceless. The 2011 Carnival of Love so clearly shows the essence of Mollydooker. It has elegance; a complete, intense, seamless flavour spectrum; a sumptuous mouth feel and perfect balance. At 92% Fruit Weight it is a wine to go WOW about, an absolute beauty." 

This release was awarded 94 points by Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate who said "Drink it from 2014 to 2022+."

This is my third review of this label and tonight's experience was consistent with the earlier ones. Like tonight, both previous blogposts were on family celebration events.

My post from 8/17/2020 - "This was dark inky garnet purple colored, full bodied, expressive fragrant floral notes, dense, deep concentrated, complex fruits of sweet black cherry, black raspberry and hints of blueberry fruits accented by creme de cassis, cinnamon and clove spices with a layer of charcoal that detracts from the harmonious desirable fruit and spice notes. The finish is long with crisp acidity and soft silky tannins."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/carnival-of-love-for-anniversary-dinner.html

And, previously back in 2014 - "This 2011 continues with a big powerful concentrated, dense, deep and complex wine, black inky purple in color, with super ripe blackberry and raspberry and layer of blueberry flavors that are a bit over the top for my preference, almost being raisiny and hint of herbs in their concentration, with tones of spicy cinnamon and clove, and hints of creme de cassis, mocha and black pepper on the lingering sinewy tannin finish. This is not for the faint hearted and needs a big steak, bold cheeses or dark chocolate to offset its in-your-face power,such as tonight's beef burgundy which was perfect."

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/02/mollydooker-carnival-of-love-shiraz-2011.html

Both times, as with tonight, I gave this 92 points.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1436687

http://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/  

Top Rated Lewis Cabernet

Top Rated Wine of the Year, Lewis Cabernet for new home christening ...

Ryan and Michelle moved in to their new house and celebrated their first dinner opening this top rated Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon 2013. This label was the Wine Spectator #1 Top 100 Wines of 2016, Highly Recommended. Their new home boasts Ryan's new custom built atmosphere controlled wine cellar. As part of our house warming recognition for the kids, I gifted them from our cellar a birthyear vintage Dom Perignon 1983 in the original seal box, for a suitable occasion.

Ryan's Caroline Cellar

Our visit to Lewis Cellars Chateau in Napa Valley was one of the highlights of our Napa Wine Experience in 2017. 

As I've written often in these pages, we have fun with label with its prominent 'L' in their branding and on their on the labels which we open for special occasions with Linda and Lucy.  

Son Alec and Vivianna also had a private tasting at the Chateau during their honeymoon in the summer of 2019. We also have fun with their label, Alec's Blend, named for their so named grandson. 

We typically maintain a rolling collection of a decade of Alec's Blend vintages in our cellar that we serve on applicable occasions.

We also enjoy Lewis, sharing the Hoosier heritage with his affiliation with the Indianapolis Motorace. Randy was a professional race car driver for 23 years running in Formula Three in Europe, and in the US, Formula 5000, Can Am, and finally Indy Cars from 1983 to 1991. He drove in five Indy 500's qualifying in the 4th row three times and finishing highest at 13th.

When he crashed during trials for the 1991 Indianapolis 500, he and his wife Debbie decided to change careers, opting to pursue their love for wines. Heading to Napa Valley, they released their first wine in 1994, the first in a long string of successful award winning vintages. 

Randy learned winemaking, learning on the job working for friend and vintner Bob Miner at Oakville Ranch, while Debbie studied the business. When Miner died in 1994, they set out on their own with their own label and brand.

Lewis established agreements with growers throughout Napa Valley that allowed them to source the finest fruit from Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford and Oak Knoll for their red varietals, and Chardonnay from Oak Knoll and Russian River Valley. Each site was selected for a specific varietal character, with many of the vineyards being planted exclusively for them. 

Pour Boys wine tasting at Lewis Cellars

Randy handled all aspects of vineyard management as well as winemaking while Debbie tended to the business including sales and distribution. The Lewis brand grew to a total production of nearly 10,000 cases annually of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Comparing car racing to winemaking, Randy says the biggest difference between his racing days and those in the cellar is that he never had the best cars, but he does have the best grapes. 

Debbie passed away two years ago. Her son Dennis Bell has taken over as President and General Manager. He grew up with wine at a young age spending childhood summers in the orchards of his grandparent's ranch. He joined Lewis Cellars in 1999 and is winery president.

Josh Widaman oversees winemaking. After college he worked harvests internationally – in the Barossa, Hawke’s Bay and Burgundy – while earning a degree from UC Davis and pressing cuvée at Domaine Carneros. Before joining Lewis Cellars, James gained experience on the winemaking teams of Donum, Dutton Goldfield, Patz & Hall and Acacia.

In their selection of vineyard sites, they conducted severe grape selection and lavish oak treatment trending to their preferred ultra-ripe grapes, and holding on the vine, often among the last in the valley to harvest.

They produce a bold style that Randy discovered and favored when he started drinking wine while living in Europe in the 1970s, when he was racing Formula Three cars. His preferences gravitated to Bordeaux and to fuller-bodied reds from the Rhône Valley - styles that we also prefer and collect and consume. 

Following advice and wisdom of Helen Turley of Marcassin, the architect of Napa Cabernet powerhouses such as Bryant Family and Colgin, he applied her approach: 'Be patient and let the grapes hang until the desired peak, when flavor and tannin texture reach a sweet spot'. 

Lewis proved to be a remarkably consistent, successful producer. Since the debut vintage in 1994, they produced 60 Cabernets and blends, nearly all of which earned outstanding ratings of 90 or more points, with 15 in the classic range (95 to 100). Their wines earned repeated appearances in the Wine Spectator Top 100 and Top 10 of the annual Wine Spectator ranked list. In addition to their much heralded Cabernets, Lewis produced more than 125 other wines reviewed in that same period scored in the outstanding range, with 25 ranking classic by Wine Spectator.

Lewis own no vineyards, but sourced grapes through contracts with leading growers from top vineyards, they were able to consistently produce opulent yet graceful wines. The source of their grapes, the identity of the vineyards that supplied their blends, was always a well kept secret, subject to handshakes to rigorous confidentiality agreements. 

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013 

This was rated 95 points and was awarded Wine Spectator’s Top Wine of the Year of 2016, selected from a pool of more than 18,000 wines by Wine Spectator editors in the magazine’s blind tastings. 

Selections are based on four criteria: quality (represented by score), value (reflected by price), availability (based on the number of cases either made or imported into the U.S.) and what Wine Spectator calls the “X-factor”—or, in other words, the excitement generated by the wine.

In 2013, Lewis Cellars bottled five Cabernets, all but one of them blends from a variety of grape sources, mostly located on the eastern side of the valley. The blends are all aged in 100 percent new French oak. The best barrels go into the Reserve and Cuvee L bottlings. 

 

That one of Lewis’ most affordable Cabernets was such an achievement speaks to the success of their winemaking. It is also a phenomenon I often write about in these pages, that is top vintages, the second and third labels often rival the premier flagship labels, thereby providing very high relative QPR - Quality Price Ratios.  Indeed, as too often happens, once awarded the highest award recognition in the industry, this label price has grown from the $100 release price to over $250, driven up by collectors and vanity buyers, seeking to own the #1 label.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, smooth and polished, blackberry and black currant fruits are accented by anise, spice and black tea with graceful long, lingering finish. 

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2177567

https://www.lewiscellars.com/wines/

Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 2011

 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 2011

With wife Vivianna in NYC/CT for the weekend, son Alec hung out with us and neighbors over the weekend. After golfing with Chris and Andy, they came over to check out our cellar and Alec naturally pulled his 'signature' Alec's Blend for a tasting with pate' and artisan cheeses. 

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

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

This blend is dedicated to Randy and Debbie Lewis' first grandson Alec, who was born on the day of the harvest of the grapes for this wine (for the '97 vintage), hence the namesake!

Our visit to the Lewis estate and Chateau were a highlight of our Napa Valley Wine 2017 Experience as well as visit and private tasting there by Alec and Vivianna on their firestorm shortened honeymoon last year. 

This 2011 vintage release was the oldest of a half dozen vintages we hold in our cellar of this label. I was concerned about its age, not only being the oldest in our holdings at ten years, but also a slight off-vintage overall in Napa. 

This vintage release is a blend of 61% Syrah, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Indeed, at ten years, this was starting to show its age a bit and was showing some slight diminution with a slight funk beginning to set in. It wasn't likely due to provenance as the fill level, label and notably the cork were all in perfect condition. Some, but not all, of the funk did burn off a bit after some settling time.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, moderately intense brambly black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of vanilla, hints of that classic Alec's Blend cinnamon clove spice and pepper, with some tones of black tea, wet wood and graphite setting in, with moderate tannins and acidity on the finish. 

RM 88 points - probably off a couple points due to its age.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1670123

http://www.lewiscellars.com

@lewiscellars

Fisher Vineyards and Lewis Cellars Masons Cabernet

With the family gathered for our family matriarch's funeral, Linda served an extensive dinner paired with a flight of select wines from our cellar including this Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux Blend served in large format magnum and a favorite producer Cabernet. 

Fisher Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia 2000

Fisher Vineyards was founded in 1973 when Fred and Juelle Fisher bought 100 acres in the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County. They later added 57 acres on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. Both had backgrounds in business -- Fred with General Motors and Juelle was an investment analyst -- before starting the winery. 

Today the winery is still owned and operated by the Fisher family, which includes three adult children who are part of the management team. The estate's first successes were with Chardonnay, then turning to crafting Cabernet Sauvignon from purchased grapes. Now the estate includes many acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards, as well as Chardonnay and Merlot. The Fisher brand features several estate bottled signature Cabernet Sauvignons including this flagship Coach Insignia and two select vineyard designated cabs from Lamb Vineyard and Wedding Vineyard.  

Coach Insignia honors the Fisher family's heritage and tradition of craftsmanship from their legacy as one of the legendary automobile businesses of the 20th century with 'Body by Fisher' in General Motors automobiles followed by Fisher Vineyards' wines of the 21st century

The Coach Insignia Cabernet is a blend of grapes from three geographically diverse vineyards: the estate vineyards on the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley, Stagecoach vineyards above Oakville and Feingold vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. 

The Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of the finest selected lots of Bordeaux varietals from the Estate vineyards including those near Calistoga nestled at the foot up against the Palisades mountain range. There, the vines grow on an alluvial fan that slopes gently west, following Simmons Creek to the Napa River. The Estate’s well drained soils are remarkably consistent, comprised primarily of cobblestones and loam.

It is a blend of classic Bordeaux varietals with predominant Cabernet Sauvignon accented by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. These varietals and diverse vineyards offer Fisher the option to craft exceptional red wine that has become an insignia for Fisher Vineyards.  

At twenty years of age this is still holding its own and just showing minor signs of diminution from aging indicating it is starting to decline from its apex and moving to the next phase of its profile and drinking window.

Classic California in Bordeaux style. Dark garnet colored, a bit tight and firm  blackberry fruits with notes of black tea, flinty mineral and leather with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin lingering finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=29484

https://www.fishervineyards.com/

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Mason's 2012 

For the family dinner, we continued with a family favorite brand, Lewis Cellars which we have featured often in these pages. The portfolio consists of three labels named after the Lewis grandsons including Alec, who shares the name with our son, hence, Alec's Blend is a one of our favorite collectables. This label, a Napa Valley Cabernet is named after their grandson Mason. Alec and Viv visited Lewis Cellars on their honeymoon last month so it was fitting to include this in our intimate family dinner. We visited Lewis during our Napa Wine Experience 2017 and wrote about it in these pages here.

We selected this wine to pair and compare with the Fisher Coach Insignia. 

This was awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator and Connoisseurs Guide

Connoisseurs Guide warned us of the firmness and tight structure of this wine, which resembled the profile of the Fisher Insignia. It suggested holding the wine for six to ten years. At eight years we're within their suggested drinking window, and likely drinking this at its apex. 

Connoisseurs' Guide wrote in December of 2014 about this wine: "Subtlety may not be its strong suit, and there is no question but that this bottling flirts with excess, but it is so deep, so rich and so solidly fruited that its exuberant ripeness and back-palate heat are easily forgiven as mere misdemeanors. Make no mistake, this is a big wine of great amplitude and substance, as those of its maker tend to be, and, yet for all of its largesse, it is fairly tight and well-structured and never gives in to glyceriny fatness. It is sufficiently tough as to warn off drinking anytime soon, and it is best laid away for six to ten years." 

I found this lighter and softer than expected or indicated by the review, and more approachable in that regard than the Fisher, never-the-less, very similar in style and profile. 

Dark garnet colored, black berry fruits with note of cedar, wood and toasted oak with hint of mocha on the tight firm tannin laced finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1889083

https://www.lewiscellars.com/us/

 

Lewis Cellars "Alec's Blend" Napa Valley Red Blend 2010

Lewis Cellars "Alec's Blend" Napa Valley Red Blend for family celebration dinner and birth year vintage tribute ...

For oldest grandchild, Lucy's tenth birthday, Linda prepared grilled tenderloin, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables with her wonderful holiday season crescent rolls, accompanied by a kale cucumber and tomato salad. 

For dinner, I pulled from our cellar a family favorite label for such occasions from Lewis Cellars. 

Lewis Cellars' branding features the whimsical 'L' label with which we commemorate Lucy on her special day. This particular label has added significance, Alec's Blend is named for the Lewis' eldest grandson who also shares the name with our son, Alec.

Alec and bride Vivianna visited Lewis Cellars for a private tasting during their recent honeymoon in Napa Valley. Our visit to the Lewis estate chateau was a highlight of our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2017. That blogpost lists many such postings of special Lewis Cellars' wine openings/tastings.

We hold a vertical collection (multiple vintages of the same label) of this label spanning more than a decade, from which we pulled this 2010 vintage release.

For added significance we opened a bottle from Lucy's birth year vintage, 2010, on her double digit, first decade tenth birthday. Seeking a birth year vintage wine for the occasion, its notable that our horizontal collection (multiple labels of the same vintage) of this year consists of 108 bottles in 59 wines, allowing for many more celebratory tastings in the future. I originally pulled a Lewis Cellars Napa Cabernet 2010 but switched to the Alec's Blend label for the occasion.

The birthday celebration was also special since Lucy and I share the same 1/2 birthday, meaning each of our birthdays is the half birthday of the other. We also share many special shared memories together and have a special grandfather grand-daughter bond. Its great to be a grandpa!

Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa Valley Red Wine 2010

This vintage release got 93 points from Wine Spectator. 

This is a unique blend of Napa Valley fruit, 70% Syrah, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is the style we love with its thick concentrated full bodied forward fruits and bright floral aromatics. 

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied concentrated black and blue fruits with accents of tobacco and herbs, notes of cedar and expresso, turning to nuances of sweet mocha chocolate on the supple finish laced with firm but approachable acidity and tannins

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=1433021 

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/lewis-cellars-napa-chateau-tasting.html

Fabulous premium wine flight for tenderloin surf and turf dinner

 Fabulous premium wine flight for tenderloin surf and turf dinner

We had a double newlywed dinner with Sons Alec and his bride Vivianna, back from New York, and Sean and his bride Michelle joining us for a gala post celebration dinner. Linda prepared beef tenderloin that Alec grilled (right) and lobster tails, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, haricurt verts and ceasar salad. 

I pulled from the cellar a selection of premium wines to commemorate the occasion - wines that have special significance on many fronts. Alec and Vivianna visited Napa Valley for their rescheduled honeymoon and visited Lewis Cellars and Piazza Del Dotto wineries. 

Due to the extensive fires in the area their tasting at Hall Wines and others were canceled. Never-the-less, our wine flight included the trifecta of Hall, Lewis and Del Dotto premium labels. 

Prior to dinner we opened Champagne. We also tasted a Chateau St Michelle Merlot, a fun wine recognizing our daughter-in-law. We closed the dinner with a birth year vintage port with desserts. 

We opened the evening toasting the newlywed couples with Champagne - Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé.  

Consistent with earlier tasting with a layer of smokiness ... Rustic orange color, crisp, full-bodied, complex and zesty, lively red currant, red berry and citrus fruits with a good core, fine acidity, crisp texture, chalky minerality and hint of apple, smoke and spice with a long, vibrant finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=27316

Hall Exzellenz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

A couple years ago, Alec's boss contacted me seeking advise on a celebratory wine to gift to key clients for the Christmas holiday. I suggested this label with its classic name, super premium standing, and of course its holiday festive red and gold label. While this was an allocated wine with limited access, we garnered our wine club privileges and obtained two cases of this wine. In light of recent celebratory events, it was fitting to open this tonight. 

This is sourced from the finest blocks of the Sacrashe Vineyard which is just above the Rutherford Winery adjacent to the estate home. We were introduced to this wine during our Winery Tour and Tasting back in the summer of 2017 and prior to that back in 2013.

Jeb Dunnuck gave this 99 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 points and Wine Spectator 91 points. 

Tonight this was the WOTN - Wine of the Night. 

Jeb Dunnuck describe this wine's "awesome depth and richness with crazy levels of purity".

Deep garnet-purple color, full-bodied, firmly structured yet perfectly balanced and silky smooth, elegant and polished, full concentrated black berry fruits with notes of crème de cassis, graphite, hints of cigar box and what Robert Parker described as tree bark turning to a long sinewy spicy oak laced finish. 

RM 96 points 

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=2508295

https://www.hallwines.com/

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

Del Dotto Napa Valley Vineyard 887 St. Helena Connoiseur's Series Colbert French Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 

Succumbing to some sentimentality, I selected this label from our extensive Del Dotto holdings. The kids encountered the Del Dotto experience on their honeymoon last month. This label has a special place in my heart with fond memories of our prior trips to Napa. 

We tasted and then procured this wine during our Napa Valley, Del Dotto Winery and Caves Tasting and Tour in 2018. This single vineyard designated select label is crafted from fruit from the Del Dotto 887 St Helena Vineyard. This vineyard is named for the address, 887 St Helena Highway, on the south approaches into the town. 

The property is the site of a guest cottage, amidst the vineyard surrounded by the vines. Linda and I had the pleasure of staying in the cottage during a Napa Valley Del Dotto winery, estate, vineyards and cave tour back in 2003.

The single vineyard designated label didn't exist back then, it came along the next year, but we didn't discover the label until our 2018 estate and winery visit and tour. We purchased this label at that time, much in remembrance of that earlier visit, and had great anticipation of tasting this

This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Crafted in the unique Del Dotto method, it is part of the Del Dotto Connoisseur's Series where the same wine will be aged in different oak barrels of different oak varieties for the ultimate comparison tasting experience. This version was aged in Colbert French Oak. Robert Parker gives this wine 95 points and an aging window of 2018 out to 2040. 

We have hosted wine dinners where we served a flight of the Connoisseur Series of the same wine aged in different oaks. Only the most discriminating experienced enophiles appreciated and discerned the subtle differences. 

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, concentrated, forward, structured black berry and tangy black currant fruits with notes of pipe tobacco, black tea, graphite and hints of milk chocolate, anise and spicy cinnamon turning to firm but silky smooth approachable tannins on the long tangy acidic lingering finish. Needs a few more years to settle, soften and integrate further.

RM 94

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2743499

  https://www.deldottovineyards.com/our-wines

@DelDottoWine 

Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2015 

 We tasted and acquired this wine during our Lewis Cellars Estate Visit and tasting in 2017. This label is a family favorite about which I've written many times in these pages. Like Del Dotto above, Alec and Vivianna also visited Lewis during their recent honeymoon.

The winemaker notes say; "Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" best captures the character of our rocking 2015 Reserve Chardonnay. Ripe succulent D'Anjou pear, gardenia blossom, sweet mineral spice and toasty brioche aromas come singing through. Broad shouldered with creamy textured leesy flavors, the wine reaches great depth while maintaining precision and serious structure."

Butter colored, medium full bodied, very pleasant bright vibrant crisp notes of citrus laced pear with notes of floral, soft sweet oak and hints of lychee fruits.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2586833

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/lewis-cellars-napa-chateau-tasting.html

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990

After dinner Linda served a medley of deserts and ice cream
with fresh berries. With the dessert flight we served a 1990 vintage release from Alec's birthyear, Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990.

 

Warre’s is a classic port producer that dates back to 1670. It was the first British Port company established in Portugal and therefore the pioneer of a great tradition; its history is synonymous with that of Port itself and the British influence in the trade.

 

Warre’s premium wines are sourced from Quinta da Cavadinha and Quinta do Retiro Antigo, two of the finest estates of the Douro valley. 

 

The owners and producers today are British, Peter Symington and his son Charles who assists in managing the vineyards and wine making. Symington has been made ‘Fortified Wine Maker of the Year’ an extraordinary 6 times by the ‘Wine Challenge’. Nobody else has won this important award more than twice. In 2003, his son Charles won the same award. 

 

Garnet colored, medium full bodied, hints of aniseed and liquorice with a touch of cinnamon with a backbone of pleasant raisin and fig notes. 

 

RM 90 points.

Lewis Cellars Ethan's Blend Syrah 2014

Lewis Cellars Ethan's Blend Syrah 2014

For mid-week sipping with some hearty cheeses, we opened this 100% Syrah from one of our favored producers, Lewis, known for Cabernets and another big bold blend, Alec's Blend.

We featured a vertical tasting of another Lewis label, Alec's Blend, a family signature wine for our son Alec, at his wedding celebration last week. Like Alec's Blend, this Ethan's Blend is named for one of the Lewis grandsons. We feature a lot of Lewis wines in these pages from our collection that goes back three decades. 

Our visit and private tasting at the Lewis Cellars chateau was one of the highlights of our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2015.  Alec and new bride Vivianna were scheduled to visit Lewis during their Napa Valley honeymoon this week but their trip is bring severely disrupted and is day to day due to the Glass Fire ravaging the Napa region.

Lewis Cellars Ethan's Blend Syrah 2014

This 100% Syrah is crafted from small lots of Mt. Veeder and Pritchard Hill mountain fruits resulting in a big bold thick concentrated style that we love in a Syrah. 

This wine got 94 points from Wine Spectator.  One reviewer describes it as "minerals, charred meat, scorched earth, vanilla, violets and dark chocolate."

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, thick concentrated, firmly structured, not for the feint of heart, ripe black berry and ripe plum fruits are accented by a layer of spice, smoke, bittersweet dark chocolate, hints of licorice and creosote on a full firm tannin laced finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2436973