BLANKbottle "B.I.G. SA" Swartland Cabernet Blend 2019

BLANKbottle "B.I.G. SA" Swartland Cabernet Blend 2019

 This was another special buy from VinChicago who find and often offer such limited release labels at good value. This seemed to be good value relative to the market price if you could find it. Being from South Africa, it had lesser distribution and a more limited following that more popular regional wines. Searching for this label, I found it available throughout Europe and in a few locations on the east coast, in all cases at prices ten to thirty percent higher. 

During my South Africa Wine Experience in 2019, I tasted some really good wines from down there, thus was open to try some unknown labels. 

Fun with wine ... as the header of this blog states, I write about "perspectives on wine buying, collecting, tasting, a study in wine marketing & branding; observations, experiences and ruminations of a winegeek & frequent traveler." This post is the epitome of such ruminations.  

This wine is the extreme of the broad spectrum of wines and labels, the polar opposite of the grower producer terroir driven wine labels where one collects and compares the subtleties of variations of the same label from vintage to vintage over time, the same wine sourced from the same 'estate' producer owned vineyard (s).

This is from South African winemaker producer Pieter Walser, who travels the region sourcing a vast wide variety of grapes from numerous growers to produce a broad portfolio of labels, many one-of single vintage offerings, and some that are repeated. There are several American and French producers that employ this negociant method of acquiring grapes to produce a private label or own label brand. I've written in these pages the perils of 'collecting' such wines since they may never appear again. Walser notes, "At the moment, roughly 30% of our wines are once-off wines. If they perform well, they will stay on."

To his credit, he employs expensive quality packaging of these wines with heavier bottles and wax dipped capsules, and imaginative designer labels.

Seeing the producer website sole photo of the winemaker, (shown left), and the way he describes himself and talks about his business and his brand, I am drawn to think this is what it would be like if Crocodile Dundee, the Australian outback movie character, were a winemaker. 

Indeed, he plays on the movie theme metaphor: “It’s our privilege to be the costume designer and screenwriter, to present this time capsule, a catalyst that brings people together, there to de-stress, entertain, – as the star headline act, in the privacy of your home.”

He replays on his website this interview style backgrounder from the producer website:  

"SO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN WINERY BUT NO FARM? Yes, at the moment I can’t afford one but then again owning a farm limits you to the vineyards on your specific farm. I love traveling and experiencing many different areas. I want to convey as many different stories as possible from as many areas as possible – if I can one day have 50 wines in our portfolio I would be happy.'

"HOW MANY VINEYARDS DO YOU BUY GRAPES FROM? In the 2020 harvest we picked 165 tons from about 80 vineyards; 35 different varietals – anything from Fernao Pirez to Cabernet. This year we bottled well over 40 different wines.'

"ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE INVOLVED IN SO MANY VINEYARDS? I work with great farmers and knowledgeable viticulturists. We make wines from almost all the areas in the Western Cape. They all ripen at different times. In the beginning of harvest I only focus on the first, maybe 10, in Wellington and Darling. As we pick through the first 10, I start looking at the next in line to possibly ripen. We carry on like that and 13000 km and 100 days later we normally pick the last vineyard in the Witzenberg.'

I am learning that the Rhone varietals, notably one of favorites, Syrah, and South African varietals such as the most well known, Pinotage, are probably the more consistent and reliable selections than Bordeaux varietals such as this. This producer, Pieter Walser, explains the challenges of South African Cabernet Sauvignon.

"When I first started speaking to the masters of Cabernet here at the Southernmost tip of Africa, the first thing mentioned by most was the dreaded Greenness in Cabernet Sauvignon - a very unwelcome herbaceous / vegetative character. This develops due to high levels of Pyrazines present in the wine - something that's determined by the ripeness level of the grapes. The longer the grape bunches get exposed to sunlight during the growing period, the less Pyrazines - resulting in less greenness in the end product - reducing herbaceousness and amplifying fruit.'

"Here in South Africa we have a unique situation: although we have plenty of sunshine, it is hot and dry. In most instances, by the time the grapes are ripe for picking, it hasn't had long enough sun exposure for the Pyrazines to get to an acceptable level. And if you leave it on the vine for longer, the sugar level gets too high. These sugars are then transformed during fermentation into alcohol resulting in rather high alcoholic wines.'

"So in general, Cabernet creators are in fact chased by the Green Monster. Defended by some, feared by most. What confuses me, though, is that one could argue that this greenness is a stylistic characteristic of wines closer to the ocean, which makes it acceptable. Or does it? Where the exact point lies where herbaceousness turns into greenness - I am not sure." 

This label release is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, sourced from 11 vineyard sites, all of which are mentioned on the label, which explains its busy-ness and complexity. In retrospect, its brilliant, showing the geography and topography, elevation of each of the vineyard sites.  

Pieter writes, "The label shows a landscape and identifies all the vineyards that went into the final wine. The closest vineyard to the ocean is 3km and the furthest 3 hours drive."  The label is brilliant and ingenious in its design showing the relative proximity and altitude of the vineyard sites. BLANKbottle creative artwork labels recently won multiple awards, including the Grand Prix, at the 2015 Wine Label Design Awards.

Winemaker producer Walser writes about this label, "The name B.I.G. does not refer to the style of the wine but to the magnitude of the blend. This wine represents Bordeaux from South Africa. The first vintage of this wine was in 2015 and it had six vineyards in the final blend, all Cabernet Sauvignons from different heights above sea level. The blend varies from year to year - the 2019 consists of 9 vineyards - 5 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 Cabernet franc, 1 Merlot and 1 Petit Verdot. Each year I adjust the label accordingly.'

There are some wonderful high volume large production wines that are a blend of fruit from a wide variety of sources. I write often how remarkable it is that such labels can consistently produce a high quality product in this way. 

This was the approach and strategy employed by Jess Jackson in his California Reserve Chardonnay, a wine that propelled him to a billionaire legend that changed the landscape of the California wine business. His success and meteoric rise was chronicled in the book A Man and His Mountain, the story of self-made billionaire Jess Jackson and his pursuit of his dream to build a brand of premium varietal based wine for the mass market.

This wine is a small production offering, a fraction of the Kendall Jackson Reserve, never-the-less, sourced and blended from a wide range of vineyards across a wide range of geographies and distinctive terroir's, in the same way. 

Winemaker's notes: "With stunning black fruit, sweet peppery spice, fine tannin and good acidity, this is a very drinkable wine that shows complexity and liveliness. A wine where each sip stays as interesting as the first."

I found it rather uninspiring and lacking a definition of a particular profile or character and style - perhaps a cacophony of tastes rather than a symphony, lacking elegance and polish, more appropriate for a casual sipper with pizza or pasta than with elegant French cuisine or grilled steak. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, big full flavors of black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of baking spices, black pepper and black tea with lively acidity on a moderate finish. 

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3892442 

https://vinchicago.com/wines/17250-detail

We obtained another bottle from this producer, another Bordeaux varietal, Petit Verdot. I'll look forward to tasting and comparing that bottle and will post that experience in these pages when I do. 

https://blankbottle.co.za/

https://www.vinchicago.com/

 

https://twitter.com/vin_chicago 

 

Goldschmidt Hilary Napa Oakville Charming Creek Cabernet

Goldschmidt Hilary Napa Valley Oakville Charming Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 

We hosted wine buddy, fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan and Linda for a wine dinner. We came across this label, Oakville, single vineyard designated Napa Cabernet, namesake to Dan's daughter, so we picked it up for the occasion. 

On further investigation of this label we learn it is the product of Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt,  owner/vintners, with Nick, the winemaker. Hailing from New Zealand, Yolyn and Nick have spent time living and working in the wine areas of New Zealand, Australia and South America. They operate out of winery offices in Healdsburg from where they operate Goldschmidt Vineyards, a "'vehicle' by which Nick and Yolyn present their innovative way of wine making and wine presentation. There are two brands under their portfolio – the prestigious Goldschmidt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon label, and the international Forefathers label', according to their website'.

"The Goldschmidt Vineyard label is a program designed to showcase single vineyard source wines from both the Alexander Valley and Napa Valley Oakville appellations. The goal is to create wines that highlight the distinct characters, benefits and attributes derived from these site specific harvests. Goldschmidt Vineyards Cabernets are crafted with the best possible resources to achieve exceptional richness, quality and balance – the hallmarks of world-class wines."

I deduce they are negociants, of sorts, procuring excess fruit from numerous sources and crafting their own wines under their own series of private labels. Several of the wines are  named for their children, which they furthr explain that, "Joined periodically in the field by their five children, the Goldschmidt expertise is being passed down to the next generation, as evidenced in the wines released under the labels Chelsea Goldschmidt, Hilary Goldschmidt and Katherine Goldschmidt."

This label is sourced from the Oakville district in Napa Valley, so it was a fitting comparison to the Plumpjack Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that we also served this evening. 

Goldschmidt describes the Oakville appellation, "where the coolness of the south meets up-valley warmth in perfect equilibrium. Oakville isn’t too hot; it isn’t too cold. It’s just right. That’s why Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville so perfectly expresses the essential qualities of the varietal in deep, complex wines that can last for decades."

They attribute the source for this label is "Charming Creek, located on Route 29 just north of Oakville Cross Rd. One retailer says of this label, "this particular Oakville Cabernet comes from a secret vineyard that borders OPUS ONE on the North Side…  Sounds expensive right?  Fortunately for us, this one was created by Nick Goldschmidt whom many of you recognize from his Crazy Creek Cabernet which is arguably the best value in California Cabernet."

I admit, I came across this at Cosco, which further leads me to believe it is a negociant sourced 'excess fruit or bulk wine' produced, packaged and sold under private label. As I have often written in these pages, the challenge with such labels is that they often are the 'second' picking or are composed of fruit not selected for the primary label. And, they're one-time wonders, not subject to long term contracts, hence any concept of terroir is a one time chance encounter. For a collector, don't fall in love with it because you may never see it again, or not in a string of continuous releases. If it proves to be that good, it'll end up back in the grand vin.

On the other hand, these labels often provide great QPR - quality price ratio, available at times for a fraction of the grand vin price. Hence, they're typically anonymized by the private label and the source is obfuscated so as not to diminish the primary source's brand and price point, as indicated by this retailer referring to the 'secret' vineyard. While under such circumstances, once in a while you get a sixty dollar wine for forty bucks, in this case, I think one got a thirty dollar wine for that price-point.

Alas, this was characteristically, lesser fruit and a lesser effort, belaying the potentially premium or ultra-premium source. Even if they reproduce in next year in a follow on vintage, I won't hold my breath for it to be memorable, or even a significant QPR value. 

Goldschmidt Hillary Napa Valley Oakville Charming Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 

Winemakers' notes: "The old Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon vines here give perfumed aromatics but also silkiness, deep color, power and richness. Also typical of Clone 7, the wines age very gracefully and show good acidity and structure when older. After 10 years this vineyard will still show dark fruits and supple tannins."

"Tasting Note: Deep garnet-purple; concentrated aromas of chocolate and black cherry alongside notes of cinnamon and hazelnut. The entry of this wine is juicy with a silky-smooth texture that builds through the mid-palate. Blackberry and black current flavors are supported with well-integrated oak. Nicely balanced and shows the fresh acidity on the finish that Oakville is known for."

Dark garnet purple colored, medium bodied, straightforward black berry fruits with note of mocha, cinnamon and hazelnut with bright acidity that seemed a bit flabby and obtuse on the finish. 

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3122527

https://goldschmidtvineyards.com/wines/united-states/hilary-goldschmidt/

Amici and Jayson Napa Cabernets

Amici and Jayson Napa Cabernets for friends' reunion dinner

Pahlmayer Jayson Red Wine 2004

Visiting ('Frat') brother Bob and Gloria at their beautiful Florida home, we took two labels of Jayson (Pahlmeyer), this Cabernet and a Sauvignon Blanc, in honor of their namesake son. We have fun with these 'signature' label wines with and for our family and friends.

Gloria prepared a wonderful dinner with grilled ribeye steak, asparagus and potatoes and we poured these two Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons.

From our last tasting of this label, I wrote, "The Cellartracker tasting window lists the wine tasting window for this wine through 2013. While we often tend to hold and drink our wines long into or even past their tasting window, in this case, this wine seemed still be at its apex, while not likely to improve further with more age. I updated Cellartracker to 2018.'

"Like the previous tasting, "Upon opening, sweet floral and berry aromas burst forth and filled the room. Dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant full forward flavors of black raspberry with tones of blueberry, sweet currants, tangy spice and hints of sweet caramel and whisper of tobacco leaf with nicely integrated sweet tangy oak on the lingering finish."

Tonight this had the same profile and character albeit the non-fruit tones of the tobacco and a bit of earthy leather were emerging, Never-the-less, this was very good and hanging on very nicely and it was a perfect accompaniment to Gloria's grilled ribeye steak dinner.

I would deduct one point from earlier tastings as a result of the slightly diminished fruit to RM rating of 92 points.

This is Pahlmeyer's Right Bank Bordeaux style Blend (meaning predominantly Merlot over Cabernet Sauvignon) -  60% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Perhaps the predominant Merlot in the mix attributed to the softer more approachable style.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/11/pahlmeyer-jason-napa-valley-red-wine.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=296642

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/

Amici Napa and Sonoma Valley Wines 

Prior to us opening the Pahlmeyer, Bob served from his cellar cooler this Napa Cabernet from Amici Cellars. I had never seen this label before but later, when I stopped in the Total Wine store in Boca Raton, the east coast beverage superstore, multiple vintages of this label were prominently displayed as well as the Reserve label including signed bottles in large (magnum) format. The Reserve label, was promoted as "the best wine under $100" by Total Wine in store signage.

What a pleasant surprise to discover a new brand and label such as this. So it is when one travels to a different region of the country, or visits a major wine retailer such as Total Wine, that sources wine from its own producer contacts or through different distribution than what might be available here in Illinois.

The rear label of the 2016 bottle we opened was a bit obscure about the source of the fruit or the producer leading me to believe it was not estate bottled. Visiting their website, Amici is 'a family-owned winery, nestled in the foothills of the Palisades, just outside Calistoga, Napa Valley, where we are dedicated to producing true-to-varietal wines from exceptional vineyard sources.' This indicates they are sourced from third party growers, and as such, act as negociants, which is not a bad thing as I write below.

According to the Amici Cellars website, the owners are John Harris and Silicon Valley friends and neighbors Bob and Celia Shepard, who shared a love of cooking and wine. The three 'kindred spirits’ followed their passion to produce wines of their own and founded Amici Cellars.

John Harris, CEO, was a business executive who developed technologies in the oil and gas industry. After two successful stints with Houston-based companies, he was involved in a 'start-up opportunity in Silicon Valley'. From there, he took his financial fortune to pursue his interest and love of fine wine establishing Amici Cellars.

Partners and co-owners Bob and Celia Shepard, Bob had been in real estate investment and finance before immersing themselves in the wine business.

They speak of decades of relationships with outstanding growers, which lead me to be think they might be more of a negociant than a grower/producer producing Estate bottled wines, much like the famous historic negociants of Bordeaux, who over time acquired property sources to become producers of their labels. I write of the histories of several of the famous Chateaux and estates of Bordeaux from our visits there last summer.

"From our flagship Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blend to our portfolio of single-vineyard wines from Napa and Sonoma’s most coveted heritage, hillside and valley vineyards, our wines are made with deep respect for vineyard sources and thoughtful attention to detail. Each year, we aspire to bottle beautiful wines that are accessible for everyday enjoyment and for age-worthy collections."

Indeed, they offer a four bottle set of single vineyard designated labels ($750) that includes:

• 2016 Amici Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard
• 2016 Amici Cabernet Franc To Kalon Vineyard
• 2016 Amici Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch
• 2016 Amici Cabernet Sauvignon Old Bull Trail

Despite being 'outsiders', Amici principles have obviously established extraordinary relationships throughout Napa and Sonoma to gain access to the top growers with the finest sites to source grapes from which to assemble a significant line of fine wines.

Their website touts labels sourced from a wide range of the top vineyards throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma - well known legendary vineyards such as ToKalon, Oakville Ranch and Bekstoffer Missouri Hopper in Oakville, Morisoli in Rutherford, and Hyde in Carneros.

They also cite the Charles Heintz Vineyard, from which they source their Chardonnay. It is 'called “one of the great Grand Cru Chardonnay sites in California” by Robert Parker'. The Charles Heintz Vineyard sits along the Sonoma County coastline. The vineyard site has been in the Heintz family for over 100 years, and since its planting in 1982 has become a name synonymous with the best of California Chardonnay.

They also mention a appellation specific source from Spring Mountain AVA from which they obtain Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Lastly, they speak of the 2016 Amici Cellars Old Bull Trail single vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon, grown just a half-mile north of Amici Cellars’ winery and tasting room. The small Old Bull Ranch vineyard was planted by Amici owner John Harris to his favorite Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Estate bottled? Whether it is, or not, they have sufficient influence to direct or influence the vineyard plantings.

Amici have developed a very respectable offering of fine wines assembled from the best vineyard sources. Even serious oenphiles (wine geeks) should take note of these offerings. As I have written before in these pages, caveat emptor for Collectors who strive to follow a vertical collection of a label over an extended period of time, since vineyard sourcing relationships and contracts can change, and may be shortlived. Such collections can only count on being based on 'Estate' bottled wines, those sourced from fruit grown on the owners' property, or follow the single vineyard production outcomes, regardless of the label or brand in which they are packaged. Notably, of course, there are many examples though of successful long lived relationships that produce great wines over years or even decades. I have written in these pages often about Robert Craig Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Cabernet, Arns Melanson Vineyard Syrah, and Lewis Cellars and Andretti Cellars, the Hyde and Den Hoed vineyards to name a few notable labels sourced from contracted fruit. This one will be interesting to watch and of course, only time will tell!

It should be noted too, the Amici wines command premium or even ultra-premium prices, the single vineyard designated collection offered at $750 for the four bottle set, and the Spring Mountain AVA Cabernet selling on their website for $150.

The Amici winemaking team is led by Tony Biagi and Jesse Fox.

Amici Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This 2016 release was awarded 94 points and 'Editors Choice' by Wine Enthusiast, 93 points by Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small amounts of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

The Amici website publish notes on this wine dating back to the 2010 vintage, (skipping the troubled vintage year of 2011).

The critics sum up this wine well in their notations: Dark cherry, black currant and dark chocolate melt on the palate, with a core of earthy cedar, clove and pencil shavings, with a bite of thick tannin taking on a leathery texture. (Wine Enthusiast). "Classic dark fruits and floral notes, medium to full body, light tannins ..." Jeb Dunnuck.
 
James Suckling suggests give it some time to settle, which I also support.

We found this bright vibrant fruit filled, needing some time to integrate and hopefully develop a bit more harmony and balance, lacking complexity with a predominant sprite or accent of bright cherry plum fruit turning to a layer of mocha and floral.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2928750

https://www.amicicellars.com 

Magic Door Napa Cab

Confusion and Mystery Surround Magic Door (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvingon

Magic Door Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Magic Door is a collection of Napa Valley or other regional wines sourced from various producers and marketed under the private branded label under the negociant portfolio also more widely known as Ninety-Plus Cellars. Of Magic Door, they write, "Magic Door is a collection of small-production wines from esteemed wine regions and acclaimed vineyards around the globe. All wines are selected by the wine team behind 90+ Cellars."

Ninety-Plus Cellars assign a 'Lot Number' to each label to identify that distinctive offering and to follow that label from vintage to vintage. They break from that convention here and as a result that method of tracking or following a particular source of product is lost.

Here, Magic Door Napa Valley Cabernet 2017 is different from the 2105 release in that this is attributed to be sourced from Rutherford while the latter was said to be sourced from Oakville.

If they set upon this approach to add clarity, they've achieved the opposite in their less precise branding. I can only imagine they did this to add a sense of cache or elan to the brand, a premium level vs. the standard Ninety Plus Cellars.

However, if that were their objective, why would they associate the new Magic Door branding with the old Ninety Plus Cellars? I'm paying attention, I am in the dark as to their strategy. Hopefully this will be clarified through further research, correspondence or disclosures.


Of the 2015 Magic Door Cabernet they write, "This full-bodied Cabernet comes from a top producer in one of Napa's most elite AVAs. We were able to put together a small allocation of this wine under the Magic Door label, and at a price point that's just a fraction of what the source winery sells it for. Napa Cab lovers: prepare to indulge." The same could be said for the 2017 release, yet one is from Rutherford and the other from Oakville. Go figure.

As I research this further in Cellartracker, which often is a source of vast data with their millions of bottles in the collective cellar inventory of more than a hundred thousand collectors, the confusion or lack of clarity regarding this label is even more than I alluded to or imagined. Cellartracker shows Magic Door Cabernet Sauvignon represented in thirteen different labels from eight different vintages from 2010 to 2017 from four different regions or appellations - Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Oakville and Rutherford.

I hope and expect Ninety Plus Cellars and Magic Door endeavor to clear this up.

Once again, the charter and mission of this unwindwine.blogspot.com blog is intended and directed at situations just such as this, studying, researching, unpicking and sorting, and hopefully clarifying - unwindwine - branding, labeling, marketing and distribution.

 This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, nicely structured blackberry and black currant fruits were accented by tones of mocha, cassis, hints of eucalyptus or cedar leading to soft smooth tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=341218

Ninety-Plus writes: "Oakville is one of the preeminent wine regions in America. It sits just north of the Yountville Mounts, a large hill which acts as a barrier to the cooling coastal influence of the San Pablo Bay. In Oakville, the wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon are less austere than examples made from grapes grown in Yountville to the south, but with more structure than wines made from fruit grown in Rutherford to the north."

C'est la vie; hopefully more to follow! 

http://www.magicdoorvineyards.com/

90+ Lot 94 2017

Ninety+ Cellars Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 94 2017

After drinking our last bottle of the 2015 vintage release of this label, and being surprised at how good it was at its price point, we were eager to see if we could acquire any more. Alas, the vintages had moved on and the 2017 release was available in local wine shops. I rushed out to purchase some to see if the current release matched the high QPR (quality price ratio) of its earlier vintage. After tasting the 2017, I went back to our local merchant and purchase every bottle available on the shelf.

I've written before, and reiterated recently on the negociant practice of Ninety Plus Cellars and how they acquire excess or un-allocated inventory from growers or producers and market it under their private label. Each source is anonymized and identified only according to its 'Lot' number to track the same wine from vintage to vintage. Here, below is what they wrote about "Lot 94 Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet".

"Lot 94 is our most popular Collector's Series wine. A full-bodied Napa Cab from highly-regarded vineyard sites in the distinguished Rutherford AVA. This is real deal Napa Cab at an incredible price.'

"Rutherford is home to many of Napa Valley's most sought-after Cabernets. In contrast to the Cabs of Oakville, those of Rutherford tend to display brighter fruit and an iconic earthy flavor that is often described as Rutherford "dust."'

"This distinguished Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was made from fruit picked from vines situated on the east side of the valley in a vineyard that was first planted in the 1890s. Upon alluvial and volcanic soils these densely planted vines produce Cabernet Sauvignon that makes some of the best wine in Napa. This is an all-star Cabernet with an elite pedigree.'

"Sitting in the middle of the St. Helena AVA to the northwest and Oakville AVA to the southeast, Rutherford is the home of many of Napa Valleys sought after bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon. In contrast to the Cabs of Oakville, those of Rutherford tend to display brighter fruit flavors and an iconic earthy flavor that is often described as Rutherford “dust”. We acquired this wine because of the way it stands true to these characteristics and the fact that it can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of most other Rutherford Cabs.'

Upon tasting the 2017 release I found it to be near, but not equal the 2015 in QPR which was a bit better integrated and polished. Although having aged two years in bottle might have made the difference, and the 2017 could perhaps improve and benefit from some bottle aging as well.

In any event, the 2017 is a top flight Cabernet, sophisticated, complex and enjoyable for early gratification, drinking now, and may likely improve further with 2 to 5 years of aging or more. Hence I bought a case plus, all that was available, and will look forward to drinking over the next couple of years. 

The negociant's (Ninety Plus Cellars) tasting notes on this release: "Deep crimson in color with lavish aromas of black currant, mocha, and savory herbs with trailing notes of tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied and well-rounded with soft edges and a lively dose of bright cherry fruit that unfolds into a smooth finish."

I give it 90 points and look for it to add a point with some bottle aging.

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=3261944

90+ Cellars Lot 94 Napa Cab

Ninety Plus Cellars "Lot 94" Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Tonight, I opened the last remaining bottle of this high QPR (quality price ratio) value special wine that I acquired a year ago. I wrote a feature at the time about Ninety Plus Cellars and their negociant business where they buy excess fruit from growers, or bulk wine, or in some cases bottled but unlabeled wine from producers, and bottle or release it under their own private label series.

Once in a while this results in an extraordinary value in a wine offered at a fraction of the original producer's or grower's offering price, hence the need to keep the source secret and release under their own or private label. This Lot 94 is such a wine.

The challenge of course is that you can't get too attached to a wine because there may not be a follow on vintage, or there may be sporadic intermittent releases every couple of years, or perhaps only in lesser years when the quality of the product is not up the standards for the primary label. Or, you may get lucky, and the producer has excess inventory or product available and is eager to release it to a trusted outlet. 

Ninety Plus Cellars have built an extensive brand with an extensive selection of wines from around the world, released under their own label. Their nomenclature of the Lot number for any particular wine indicates the source of the product so consumers can identify such from one vintage to the next. 

The challenge of course is that true identity of the source is not revealed, although there are times when it can be determined, either through mis-steps in the packaging (once the bottles had already been filled and corked with corks branded by the original producer), or there have been times when the original wine can be determined by the unique blend of the vintage. 

Their Lot 150 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon label is a case where the identity of the source of the wine is not revealed, until one pulls the cork from the bottle to see it was corked by the original producer using their branded imprinted corks. In that case, the wine available through 90+ is about 1/2 the price of the 'secret' producer's grand vin.

There have been several Ninety Plus wines that I have discovered where I acquired all that I could obtain to keep for enjoyment and value over time, Lot 101, Washington State, Columbia Valley Syrah was one such example.

To replace this consumed bottle of this wine, I had to obtain the latest release of this label, still available as 'Lot 94' from 90+, albeit from the 2017 vintage. Following this tasting I went out and acquired a case of the latest release of the label. Watch for my review of that vintage release.

A replay of my review of Lot 94. Tonight's tasting was consistent with that earlier experience.

Ninety Plus Cellars "Lot 94" Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

According to Ninety Plus Cellars, "This distinguished Cabernet Sauvignon was made from fruit picked from vines situated on the east side of the valley in a vineyard that was first planted in the 1890s. Upon alluvial and volcanic soils these densely planted vines produce Cabernet Sauvignon that makes some of the best wine in Napa. This is an all-star Cabernet with a pedigree that's unrivaled by anything we've put in a bottle."

They assert that the offering price for the wine under the source producer's label is double the price of the discounted private label. That may indeed be the case. In any event, I'll testify that this is a high QPR - quality price ratio, great value wine that is comparable to product twice its price.

I originally acquired this when it was one of the wines of the week, featured at the Saturday tasting of the local Vin Chicago outlet (since closed as they succumb to the competition of on-line retailers). So it was, that after tasting at the Vin Chicago Saturday tasting, I grabbed a couple bottles to bring home and try again with different foods or accompaniments. I expect I'll be going back to buy more for great value high quality every day drinking, as well as for special occasions.

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex sweet black currant and berry fruits, with notes of mocha, tangy clove spice, herbs, tobacco and hints of spicy oak and vanilla with a smooth polished finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2520637

https://store.ninetypluscellars.com/lot-94-cabernet-sauvignon-rutherford-napa-valley-california-p67.aspx

A visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou

Visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux

A highlight of our trip to the St Julien Appellation (AOC) of Bordeaux was a visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou. This is one of the 'super second' labels of Bordeaux, one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) as set forth in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

This label is one of the key holdings in our cellar collection consisting of more than a dozen vintages spanning three decades dating back to 1980 including the birth year vintages of each of our kids, 1981, 1982, 1985 and 1990. We hold many vintages in large format bottles including 3 liter double magnums from which we served son Ryan's 1982 birth year vintage at his and daughter-in-law Michelle's wedding.

In addition to our visit at Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou,  our spectacular week in St Julien also included visits to our other favorite St Julien producers, Second Growth producers Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases,  Gruaud Larose and Léoville-Poyferré, as well as Fourth Growths Château Beychevelle and Château Branaire-Ducru.

Leading up to our visit, we opened a special birth year bottle 1985 Château Ducru Beaucaillou from our cellar for son Sean's birth year vintage of which we acquired a case upon release as part of a horizontal collection of different producer's releasea from the vintage to commemorate his birth year. Upon our return we opened a 1989 release to relive the experience of our visit. 

As I've written in these pages, we reached out to a very small select set of St Julien producers to visit during our trip and Ducru Beaucaillou was on that short list, so we were delighted in their prompt response and invitation to visit. As is our custom on wine region trips, learned from many trips over many years, its important to focus and not over schedule. Too many folks try to see areas that turn out to be far apart, and they spend much valuable time in transit, or worse, arrive late for cherished appointments. As such, we learned to focus on just one appellation per trip, set priorities ahead of time, and schedule only key activities based on objectives for the trip.

Ducru Beaucaillou is one of the oldest wine producing estates in the Medoc dating back to the start of the 13th century. The earliest period of it being a working Bordeaux vineyard, it was owned by the  Bergeron family from 1720. In its earliest days it consisted of the current property as well as the adjacent properties that today make up Chateaus Beychevelle and Branaire Ducru The property was split up over the years following the French Revolution in the early 19th Century.

Ducru Beaucaillou right - Beychevelle left

Like many Bordeaux estates, it is named for one its early owners, Bertrand Ducru, who purchased the estate in 1795. The other part of the name comes the special soils along the Gironde River estuary that are covered with large pebbles or stones. Hence, beaucaillou, which means "beautiful stones" that make up the distinctive terroir on the property, that which defines the place and its effect on growing wine grapes - soil, micro-climate, sun exposure, etc.

As with the case of some of the other similarly situated properties, the stones serve to protect the soil, provide extraordinary drainage, and act to reflect the heat from the sun upon the grapes, and hold the heat into the night so as to extend their ripening time.

Ceremonial souvenir engraved
'ducru beaucaillou'

The vineyards run along the Gironde River and the proximity to the river that created the wide diversity of soils, formed over various geological periods, helps create the terroir that is St Julien. Besides the gravelly soil, the temperate waters of the river estuary and the nearby Atlantic Ocean create a moderating special micro-climate that enables very early ripening of the grapes and protects the vineyards from frost. The incomparable terroir gives St Julien wines their distinctive character and personality.

This proximity to the river with the combination of geology and climatic effects influences the growth of the vines, coupled with appellation compliance restricted water supply and a very low intake of nutrients, all contribute to bringing out the best in the fruit for making highest quality wines.

The origins of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou date back to the early 18th century, when the Bergeron family acquired it in 1720.

Bertrand Ducru purchased the estate in 1795 and added his name to the property that became Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou. Ducru hired the well known Parisian architect, Paul Abadie, who designed the core of the magnificent chateau that remains on the property to this day, and also built the barrel aging cellar. The towers at each end were added later. The vineyards were also upgraded during this time.

In 1866, after more than seven decades, Ducru Beaucaillou was sold to Lucie Caroline Dassier for one million Francs, a substantial sum at the time. Dassier was the wife of Nathaniel Johnston, a  famous Bordeaux wine merchant and negociant. 

Negociants are merchants who buy grapes, juice, or finished wine from growers, then bottle and sell them on the market. Some negociants are known for selling some of the finest wines on the market. In the early days, the role of the negociant was to take on the expenses of bottling so that farmer growers could focus on doing what they do best: growing grapes.

Nathaniel Johnston replanted the vineyards and modernized the cellars with the aid of manager Ernest David.

Catastrophic losses from the 1929 depression forced the Johnston family to sell Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou.  The property was taken over by the Desbarats family, successful Bordeaux wine merchants. They eventually sold the estate to Francis Borie in 1941.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was purchased by Francois Borie in 1941 and has remained in the family ever since.

The Borie family had extensive roots in the Bordeaux region dating back to the late 1800’s when they started out as negociants.

Francois Borie was succeeded by his son, Jean Eugene Borie in 1953. His son Francois Xavier Borie began working at the estate full time in 1978, eventually taking over from his father after his passing in 1998.

A new underground cellar for fermentation and aging was built in the late 1990s.

Entrance to new cellar facility

The new cellar barrel room

In 2003, Bruno Borie took the helm and remains to this day proprietor and overseer of Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou and all the associated businesses and brands. Bruno serves as CEO of Jean Eugène Borie SA, which is owned by the family, his mother, Mrs Borie, his sister Sabine Coiffe and him. They serve as the third generation of the Borie family to head the estate.

As a family owned property, the family lives in the Chateau that is the center of the property and iconic symbol of the estate and brand. As is the custom in Bordeuax, the chateau adorns the label of the grand vin, the signature premier wine of the property, reserved only 'estate' wines, those comprised of grape grown on the property. The two branches of the family live in the two halves of the Chateau with its two towers at each end. It has served as the family residence for over sixty years. 

The Ducru Beaucaillou Chateau, bureau and residences

The magnificent Ducru Beaucaillou Victorian-style chateau castle that adorns the label of the grand vin is one of the great symbols of the Médoc. It sits on an exceptional site in the center of a hundred-year-old park with incomparable views over the Gironde estuary below and the surrounding vineyards. It sits back far off the D2 route just outside the village of St Julien-Beychevelle and can be seen from many views from vineyards along the D2 route and beyond across the St Julien appellation. 

 

Beneath the Chateau are the original historic barrel cellars which today also double as an art gallery, along with art gallery display, tasting and hospitality rooms. The tasting room is sheltered from the sun by large rolling steel shutters that when opened reveal views looking out onto the magnificent formal garden and the river in the distance. 

 

The old historic cellar under the Chateau

The Borie family also owns Bordeaux estate Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut-Batailley in Pauillac, and in St Julien, Bruno Borie and his sister Sabine Coiffe manage Chateau Lalande Borie which takes its name from the family ownership dating back to the elder John Eugene Borie. Chateau Lalande as it is also known is a relatively new estate in the Medoc. The vineyard was initially created when the Borie purchased 44 acres of vines from Chateau Lagrange in 1970, and another 30 acres from various other growers. The vineyards are located in the western part of the St. Julien appellation, situated in the vicinity of Chateau Lagrange, Chateau Talbot and Chateau Gruaud Larose.

Ducru Beaucaillou's vineyards consist of 123 acres of well-drained gravelly soils along the D2 in the village of St Julien-Beychevelle and extending down towards the river. Interestingly, the vineyards  stop several hundred meters from the river, giving way to wheat fields and pastureland, due to the change in soil topology.

The vineyards are planted in Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%) with the vines averaging 38 years of age in 2005. Earlier plantings of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were uprooted and replaced.

Ducru Beaucaillou produces two wines. The flagship grand vin called Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and Croix de Beaucaillou, a second wine introduced in 1995. This allows the finest lots to be dedicated to the grand vin and lesser-quality lots relegated to the second label. This practice of having two tiered labels in the brand is customary with all the notable producers in the Medoc.

All the Ducru wines are aged for 18 months in 50% to 80% new oak barrels, depending on the richness of the vintage. The batches are racked every three months to remove sediment and to top off the barrel filling in the void of evaporation. These regular toppings-up are carried out during the first six months of ageing. The wines are racked from the bottom of the barrels every three months for a total of seven rackings during the ageing period. They are then fined with egg whites, lightly filtered, and then bottled. Bottling takes place in a sterile atmosphere under inert gas.

During bottling, only the highest quality, all natural corks are used. These are 54 mm long.  The bottles are then engraved with the Ducru-Beaucaillou name, laser etched, and a hologram is embedded into the label, for purposes of maintaining the integrity of the brand, providing enhanced traceability and thwarting counterfeiting.

Racking the barrels - the 2018 vintage

We witnessed them racking the barrels and as a result were able to taste a barrel sample from the 2018 vintage. It was spectacular. The final selection was carried out in the first quarter of 2019. This wine will be aged 18 months in new oak barrels made from certified French oak, dried naturally outdoors.

We toured the lower level of the Chateau, the historic barrel rooms, the new fermentation and barrel room facility, the galleries, hospitality center and tasting room, and the surrounding grounds and gardens.

We were treated to a tasting flight of each of the Borie labels, the flagship grand vin Ducru Beaucaillou 2006, Croix de Beaucaillou, 2012, and Lalande Borie 2014, in addition to the barrel sample of the 2018 Ducru we tasted in the chai.

 

What a spectacular setting and honor to walk the hallowed grounds of Ducru-Beaucaillou.

Big bottle delight - Sovereign - equals two cases

We were reminded of our wonderful visit there throughout the rest of the week as the Chateau seemed to be in the background of so many of our views of the surrounding vineyards of neighboring properties and estates.

 

@DucruB #stJulien #medoc #bordeaux #GrandCruClasse1855

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

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 150 Spring Mtn Cabernet

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 150 Napa Valley Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

I've written often in these pages about Ninety Plus Cellars and their Negociant model of wine marketing, buying surplus juice or bulk wine or bottled product, and then private-label branding it with a anonymized 'Lot' reference number tied to the source of the wine. Such arrangements are typically done under a non-disclosure agreement to shield the original brand/producer. Hence, here is Ninety Plus Cellars, Lot 150, Napa Valley Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon.

Lo and behold however, when one pulls the cork of these bottles, the cork reveals the true source of the wine, Spring Mountain Vineyards. In this case, the wine was bottled but not yet labeled for distribution, and apparently sold off to Ninety Plus Cellars who packaged it for retail sale under their negociant general brand that masks the supplier. But, the packaging reveals the original branding of the producer on the original cork in the bottle. According to the Ninety+ Cellars website, the "Source Label Price" for this wine was: $79.99, hence the need or practice of anonymity or not disclosing the original source of the wine. The Ninety+ price is about half of that - high QPR (quality-price-ratio) indeed. 

Indeed, the rear label of the Ninety Plus packaging speaks to Spring Mountain District as the source for the product, without attribution to a particular grower or producer.

When I purchased the first original bottle, I imagined who the source of this wine might be, thinking about the different Spring Mountain District suppliers of Cabernet Sauvignon. Spring Mountain Vineyards was one of those potential suppliers that I considered, but presumed would never be revealed or confirmed as the source. This is not the first occurrence of this happening as I recall at least one other occasion where the product was bottled and the cork revealed the original producer source of the wine. On at least one other occasion, the source was pretty much revealed or confirmed based upon the published detailed percentages of the blend of the wine.

I've written much in these pages about Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 which I enjoyed immensely, and lamented often the mis-fortune of not knowing the source so as to be able to purchase more product in subsequent vintage releases of the label. Since, in my experience, Ninety + tend to have more misses than hits to suit my personal taste, I tend to buy a bottle and try it before I load up on any label. Here is another case where I went back and bought more, and may do so again.

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 150 Napa Valley Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm structured backbone, complex concentrated blackberry and black currant fruits with layers of firm bone dry tannins with notes of oak, spice, hints of dark mocha, anise, leather and dust. Needs a bit more time to settle and not for the feint of heart with the rock hard tannins but if you like that style (which I do) then this is a great find at a good QPR (quality price ratio) value. 

This is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot aged 22 months in French Oak.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2793688

https://store.ninetypluscellars.com/lot-150-cabernet-sauvignon-spring-mountain-district-napa-valley-california-2013-p419.aspx

90+Cellars Lot 94 Napa Cab

Ninety Plus Cellars "Lot 94" Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

I wrote a feature on Ninety Plus Cellars and their negociant business where they buy excess fruit from growers, or bulk wine, or in some cases bottled but unlabeled wine from producers, and bottle or release it under their own private label series. Once in a while this results in an extraordinary value in a wine offered at a fraction of the original producer's or grower's offering price, hence the need to keep the source secret and release under their own or private label. This Lot 94 may be such a wine.

The challenge of course is that you can't get too attached to a wine because there may not be a follow on vintage, or there may be sporadic intermittent releases every couple of years, or perhaps only in lesser years when the quality of the product is not up the standards for the primary label. Or, you may get lucky, and the producer has excess inventory or product available and is eager to release it to a trusted outlet. 

Ninety Plus Cellars have built an extensive brand with an extensive selection of wines from around the world, released under their own label. Their nomenclature of the Lot number for any particular wine indicates the source of the product so consumers can identify such from one vintage to the next. The challenge of course is that true identity of the source is not revealed, although there are times when it can be determined, either through mis-steps in the packaging (once the bottles had already been filled and corked with corks branded by the original producer), or there have been times when the original wine can be determined by the unique blend of the vintage.

There have been several Ninety Plus wines that I have discovered where I acquired all that I could obtain to keep for enjoyment and value over time, Lot 101, Washington State, Columbia Valley Syrah was one such example.

Ninety Plus Cellars "Lot 94" Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

According to Ninety Plus Cellars, "This distinguished Cabernet Sauvignon was made from fruit picked from vines situated on the east side of the valley in a vineyard that was first planted in the 1890s. Upon alluvial and volcanic soils these densely planted vines produce Cabernet Sauvignon that makes some of the best wine in Napa. This is an all-star Cabernet with a pedigree that's unrivaled by anything we've put in a bottle."

They assert that the offering price for the wine under the source producer's label is double the price of the discounted private label. That may indeed be the case. In any event, I'll testify that this is a high QPR - quality price ratio, great value wine that is comparable to product twice its price.

This was one of the wines of the week, featured at the Saturday tasting of local Vin Chicago outlet. So it was, that after tasting at the Vin Chicago Saturday tasting, I grabbed a couple bottles to bring home and try again with different foods or accompaniments. I expect I'll be going back to buy more for great value high quality every day drinking, as well as for special occasions.

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex sweet black currant and berry fruits, with notes of mocha, herbs, tobacco and hints of spicy oak and vanilla with a smooth polished finish.
I look forward to opening a bottle to taste with a savory meal.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2520637

https://store.ninetypluscellars.com/lot-94-cabernet-sauvignon-rutherford-napa-valley-california-p67.aspx

Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010

Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010

 Xavier Vignon is one of the most highly renowned oenologists in Chateauneuf du Pape. He is the consultant for several well-known domaines such as Raymond Usseglio, Jerome Quiot, Beaurenard, La Nerthe, Mont Redon, Marcoux, Grand Veneur and La Gardine. These are all labels we know well and hold in our cellar collection.

View from Chateau LaNerthe looking in the
direction to Route Courthezon

I visited Chateau La Nerthe, and Mont Redon during our visit to the region during our Rhone Valley Wine trip back in 1998. Xaver's office and laboratory are down the road from and close to La Nerthe and the Chateau Fine Roches Hotel where we stayed during our visit. Xavier Vins does not have their own domaine so they produce their wines at the nearby Chateau Husson there on the route Courthezon.

Robert Parker visited Xavier and tasted his wines including this one in October of 2012. He writes "The blend of Xavier Vignon’s Chateauneuf du Pape can vary considerably. Vignon told me that it is a selection from nearly 120 different parcels in the appellation."

Often a wine consultant is paid in fruit or even in wine which he then can market under his own label. Hence the broad diversity and variation of such a label. Also, notably, his rather simple plain label therefore is void of a picture of any chateau or domaine or 'estate' reference.

Recall, as I've written in this pages, US labeling conventions use the term 'Estate' only when the grapes are grown on the proprietor/producers own property. In Bordeaux, this designation of attribution is referenced on the label notation "Mise en Boutille Au Chateau" (bottled at the chateau (estate). See yesterday's blogpost and label with notation.

So it is that Xavier Vignon is active in the wine business as an oenologist (winemaker and consultant) and negociant. He’s been a negociant since 2002 and produced his first Xavier Vins wine with the 2007 vintage.

In addition to his work in Chateauneuf du Pape, Xavier Vins also makes wine throughout the broader region in Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone and the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Ventoux and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.

Before settling in the area and developing his career as an oenologist in the Southern Rhone, Xavier Vignon learned the craft working for various producers in Bordeaux , Napa Valley, Champagne and Australia.

the black pepper, spice, dark cherry, juicy kirsch, mint and herbs are right out in front. Plushly textured, this is a really nice wine that's fun to drink on the young side. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah.
Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/xavier-vins-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/

Xavier Vins produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 2 Chateauneuf du Pape white wines.

Xavier Vins is the creation of the noted wine consultant, Xavier Vignon. Xavier Vignon works with numerous domaines in the Southern Rhone Valley including: Raymond Usseglio , La Nerthe , Marcoux , Gardine , Jerome Quiot, Beaurenard , Mont Redon , Maucoil , Roger Perrin and Grand Veneur are just some of the wineries he works with. Before his career really took as an oenologist in the Southern Rhone, Xavier Vignon practiced his trade in several countries and continents including stints in Bordeaux , the Napa Valley, Chapmagne and Australia.
Xavier Vins Vineyards, Wines, Winemaking
Xavier Vignon is one of the people active in the wine business with dual careers, as an oenologist and negociant . He’s been a negociant since 2002. The combination of those two skill sets formed the partnership that led to producing their own wine. Xavier Vins produced their first wine with the 2007 vintage, and they have not looked back since. As Xavier Vins does not have their own domaine, the wines are produced in in Courthezon at Chateau Husson .
Aside from making wine in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, Xavier Vins also makes wine in Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone and the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Ventoux and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.
Xavier Vins produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 2 Chateauneuf du Pape white wines.
Xavier Vins Chateauneuf du Pape was made for the first time from the 2007 vintage. The blend can vary from year to year as the grapes come from perhaps 120 different parcels in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. The wine is aged in French oak barrels of various ages, shapes and sizes.
Xavier Vins Anonyme made its debut with the 2007 vintage. The blend can vary from vintage to vintage as the grapes are sourced from more than different parcels scattered among the appellation. For example, in 2010, the wine was produced using mostly old vine Grenache from vines that were more than 100 years of age, along with a percentage of other, allowable grape varieties. In other vintages, the wine was produced from blending about 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre , 25% Syrah and 25% Counoise . In other vintages, while dominated by Grenache, the blend can include all 13 allowable grape varieties. Xavier Vins Anonyme is aged in a combination of concrete vats and French oak barrels of various sizes and shapes. This is their flagship wine and the strongest wine in their portfolio. This could be the latest released wine from the region, as the 2007 was not available until 2013, which could be even later than the release of Celestins from Henri Bonneau !
Xavier Vins La Reserve VII IX X – The wine is a multi vintage blend that was produced most recently from the following 3 vintages, as you can tell from the Roman numerals in the name; 2007, (43%), 2009, (21%) and 2010 with 36% of the blend.
Xavier Vins Cuvee Anonyme Blanc made its debut with the 2012 vintage. The wine is produced from blending 50% Roussanne , 40% Grenache Blanc and 10% Clairette . 70% of the wine is aged in barrel and the remaining 30% is aged in stainless steel tanks.
Xavier Vins Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is made from a blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 40% Roussanne and 20% Clairette, but the blend changes from vintage to vintage. The wine is barrel fermented and aged in barrel for 6 months before bottling.
Serving and Decanting Xavier Vins with Wine, Food Pairing Tips
Xavier Vins is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Young vintages can be popped and poured, or decanted for an hour so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Xavier Vins is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed dishes, sausage and cassoulet. Xavier Vins is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms pasta, eggplant and tomatoes.
The white wine of Xavier Vins is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.
Xavier Vins produces a few wines from the Cotes du Rhone appellation as we mentioned. But one wine stands out for its uniqueness. He produces a blend of 50% Grenache from the Southern Rhone and 50% Syrah from the Northern Rhone , called. SM Cotes du Rhone.
www.xaviervins.com

Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/xavier-vins-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/

Xavier Vignon is one of the people active in the wine business with dual careers, as an oenologist and negociant . He’s been a negociant since 2002. The combination of those two skill sets formed the partnership that led to producing their own wine. Xavier Vins produced their first wine with the 2007 vintage, and they have not looked back since. As Xavier Vins does not have their own domaine, the wines are produced in in Courthezon at Chateau Husson .
Aside from making wine in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, Xavier Vins also makes wine in Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone and the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Ventoux and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.
Xavier Vins produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 2 Chateauneuf du Pape white wines.

Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/xavier-vins-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/

Xavier Vignon is one of the people active in the wine business with dual careers, as an oenologist and negociant . He’s been a negociant since 2002. The combination of those two skill sets formed the partnership that led to producing their own wine. Xavier Vins produced their first wine with the 2007 vintage, and they have not looked back since. As Xavier Vins does not have their own domaine, the wines are produced in in Courthezon at Chateau Husson .
Aside from making wine in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, Xavier Vins also makes wine in Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone and the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Ventoux and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.
Xavier Vins produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 2 Chateauneuf du Pape white wines.

Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/xavier-vins-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/vier Vins is the creation of the noted wine consultant, Xavier Vignon. Xavier Vignon works with numerous domaines in the Southern Rhone Valley including: Raymond Usseglio , La Nerthe , Marcoux , Gardine , Jerome Quiot, Beaurenard , Mont Redon , Maucoil , Roger Perrin and Grand Veneur are just some of the wineries he works with. Before his career really took as an oenologist in the Southern Rhone, Xavier Vignon practiced his trade in several countries and continents including stints in Bordeaux , the Napa Valley, Chapmagne and Australia.

Xavier Vins Vineyards, Wines, Winemaking
Xavier Vignon is one of the people active in the wine business with dual careers, as an oenologist and negociant . He’s been a negociant since 2002. The combination of those two skill sets formed the partnership that led to producing their own wine. Xavier Vins produced their first wine with the 2007 vintage, and they have not looked back since. As Xavier Vins does not have their own domaine, the wines are produced in in Courthezon at Chateau Husson .
Aside from making wine in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, Xavier Vins also makes wine in Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone and the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Ventoux and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.
Xavier Vins produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 2 Chateauneuf du Pape white wines.
Xavier Vins Chateauneuf du Pape was made for the first time from the 2007 vintage. The blend can vary from year to year as the grapes come from perhaps 120 different parcels in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. The wine is aged in French oak barrels of various ages, shapes and sizes.
Xavier Vins Anonyme made its debut with the 2007 vintage. The blend can vary from vintage to vintage as the grapes are sourced from more than different parcels scattered among the appellation. For example, in 2010, the wine was produced using mostly old vine Grenache from vines that were more than 100 years of age, along with a percentage of other, allowable grape varieties. In other vintages, the wine was produced from blending about 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre , 25% Syrah and 25% Counoise . In other vintages, while dominated by Grenache, the blend can include all 13 allowable grape varieties. Xavier Vins Anonyme is aged in a combination of concrete vats and French oak barrels of various sizes and shapes. This is their flagship wine and the strongest wine in their portfolio. This could be the latest released wine from the region, as the 2007 was not available until 2013, which could be even later than the release of Celestins from Henri Bonneau !
Xavier Vins La Reserve VII IX X – The wine is a multi vintage blend that was produced most recently from the following 3 vintages, as you can tell from the Roman numerals in the name; 2007, (43%), 2009, (21%) and 2010 with 36% of the blend.
Xavier Vins Cuvee Anonyme Blanc made its debut with the 2012 vintage. The wine is produced from blending 50% Roussanne , 40% Grenache Blanc and 10% Clairette . 70% of the wine is aged in barrel and the remaining 30% is aged in stainless steel tanks.
Xavier Vins Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is made from a blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 40% Roussanne and 20% Clairette, but the blend changes from vintage to vintage. The wine is barrel fermented and aged in barrel for 6 months before bottling.
Serving and Decanting Xavier Vins with Wine, Food Pairing Tips
Xavier Vins is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Young vintages can be popped and poured, or decanted for an hour so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Xavier Vins is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed dishes, sausage and cassoulet. Xavier Vins is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms pasta, eggplant and tomatoes.
The white wine of Xavier Vins is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.
Xavier Vins produces a few wines from the Cotes du Rhone appellation as we mentioned. But one wine stands out for its uniqueness. He produces a blend of 50% Grenache from the Southern Rhone and 50% Syrah from the Northern Rhone , called. SM Cotes du Rhone.
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We tasted this with an assortment of artisan cheeses.

This was lighter than we expected. Dark blackish garnet colored, it was medium light bodied, the dark brooding fruits were more subdued than we expected, overtaken by non-fruit layers of herbs and spices with hints of black olive, pepper and mushroom on the short finish.

The next day, this was more balanced taking on an interesting tone of bourbon whiskey without the heat.

This is a blend of 65% Grenache and the remainder is equal proportions of Mouvedre and Syrah.  

The more subdued fruit flavors may be indicative of the proportion of Genache over the Syrah and Mouvedre in the blend. This may be another indication leading to my disfavor of Grenache over the other CDP varietals.

RM 88 points. Robert Parker gave this 91 points.

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