Dunn Howell Mtn Cab with grilled beefsteaks

Dunn Howell Mtn Cab with grilled beefsteaks

Fellow ‘Pour Boy’ Bill with Beth visiting from Charleston, we had leftover beef tenderloin on toast points with cheese, with twice baked potatoes and salad, followed by chocolate cheese cake desserts.  

Bill opened this vintage legendary Napa Cabernet he brought from his home cellar that he acquired at the winery.

Dunn Family Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 

This is from one of our favorite producers who is a legend in Napa Valley and beyond. 

Randy Dunn is known for age-worthy long-lived Napa Cabernets, especially the flagship premium Howell Mountain label.  If you’re acquiring wines to commemorate a special vintage year for a future date, such as a birthyear, you select a producer with a track record for producing long lived wines, and select wine from a region that had a good harvest of quality fruit suitable for producing long-lived wines. 

Hence we hold a collection of such wines from Randy Dunn, the legendary, independent Napa Valley winemaker known for pioneering producing powerfull structured, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons. 

Randy Dunn helped shape the modern identity of Napa Valley. After studying enology at UC Davis, Dunn became the first head winemaker at Caymus Vineyards in 1975 where Caymus launched its legendary ultra-premium Special Selection Cabernet.

In 1978, Dunn and his wife Lori bought property atop Howell Mountain where he was instrumental in getting established the Howell Mountain AVA, which in 1983 became Napa’s first official sub-appellation.

While modern Napa moved toward micro-sorted, plush, high-alcohol wines, Dunn maintained his traditional style, crushing fruit with bits of stems intact for raw structure, and aging wines no less than thirty months in oak, crafting balanced, elegant, lower alcohol wines designed for the dinner table.

Dunn Vineyard’s Howell Mountain property is planted with 24 acres of Cabernet vines aging between 10-37 years.

We visited the Dunn Vineyards estate up at Angwin on Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008. We were hosted by Kristina Dunn that day but we had the privilege to meet winemaker, producer, patriarch and Napa Valley pioneer Randy Dunn. 

While not one of the larger holdings in our cellar in terms of number of bottles, it may be one of our broadest holdings in terms of number of vintages in our vertical collection of this label, and the flagship premium label Dunn Howell Mtn Cab.  We also collect Randy Dunn's "Feather" label that he produces for the Long Shadows Vintners Collection Series in Washington State. 

Our Cellartracker records indicate we have a vertical collection of several mixed cases of each label from more than two dozen vintages dating back to 1981. 

Selections from Vertical Collection of Dunn Napa Valley Cabernets

With Randy Dunn at Dunn estate high atop Howell Mountain.

His influence extends far beyond the family brand/label which we hold spanning several decades, as well his collaborative label (s) under different brands/labels. We written about Randy Dunn and his Family brand and his Long Shadows Vintners Collection “Feather” label in these blogposts as examples -  

Tomahawk Ribeye and Vintage Wines for Celebration dinner

Long Shadows Cellars feature world class winemakers and Columbia Valley fruit

Super Bowl party wine - Long Shadows Feather

Dunn Vineyards and Caymus #40 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, 

Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 

We debated about the tasting window of this wine, at sixteen years. We agreed it has a decade or more at the apex of its drinking window, and it may actually benefit from further aging in the bottle to settle and integrate the bold concentrated tannins and fruits. 

In any event, I remember memorable tastings of this label dating back three decades and beyond, and the distinctive tasting profile of this label, which were exemplified in this bottle. 

Stephen Tanzer of Vinous shared these same sentiments and summed it up perfectly in his review when he wrote: 

“The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is classic Dunn. Graphite, herbs, incense, tobacco, licorice and coffee infuse the 2010 with notable depth. There is an exotic quality to the 2010 that is hard to fully capture with words, but that lends tons of allure. This Cabernet Sauvignon is just starting to be approachable, although it clearly has the stuffing and pedigree to drink well for many decades to come. One of the very best wines of the vintage, the Dunn Howell Mountain has always been magical. It is all that and more on this night. Readers lucky enough to own it are in for a treat.” Vinous Review Date: 07/2023.

Interesting that we debated about its complexity, being 100% Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Notably, Tanzer wrote, “With its healthy acidity and great palate-staining length, this splendid Cabernet really calls for another decade in the cellar. It may have an aging curve like a top vintage of Château Latour." (5/2020)

This top vintage release was rated 98 points by James Suckling, 97+ points Stephen Tanzer of Vinous, and 95 points by Wine Advocate.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated, dense, complex, powerful but masterful in its approachability, classic Dunn Howell black currant and black berry fruits accented by notes of cinnamon spice, graphite, herbs, cigar box and licorice with hints of cedar, with chewy but polished tannins on a tongue puckering finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/1607418

http://www.dunnvineyards.com/

@dunn_vineyards  

Hall 1873 and Oracle Napa Valley Cabernet with grilled tenderloin

Hall ”Eighteen Seventy-Three” and Oracle Napa Valley Cabernet with grilled tenderloin 

With fellow ‘Pour Boy’ Bill, and Beth visiting from Charleston, we stayed in for the evening and Linda grilled beef tenderloin , served with ceasar salad, twice baked potatoes, haricot verts and garlic bread. 

With dinner we enjoyed two ultra-premium Napa Cabernets, Miner Oracle from our Destin wine cooler, and Bill brought from his home cellar in Charleston this Hall 1873. 

Hall ”Eighteen Seventy-Three” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Bill acquired this through his wine club allocation from one of our favorite producers of highly acclaimed Napa Cabernets, this label commemorates the founding year of their historic Napa Valley vineyard.

The property above St Helena was originally planted to grapes by Captain William Peterson back in 1873. It was further developed such that during the 1930’s and 1940’s, it produced nearly 40 percent of Napa Valley production. 

Hall has become one of the premiere Napa Valley producers of ultra-premium Cabernets. We’ve visited the magnificent Hall Rutherford estate vineyards and winery several times as featured in these blogposts - 

Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting, and 

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering.

Craig and Katherine Hall have built an extensive estate of vineyards that now encompass more than 300 acres of classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. They have been innovators in adopting  cutting edge technology to yield the highest quality grapes to produce a broad portfolio of highly acclaimed wines.

This label commemorates the founding of the first winery on the historic property back in 1873 when Captain William Peterson came to Napa and established a pioneering winery on their St. Helena property. Throughout the 1930’s and 40’s, the site grew to become Napa’s most important winery, producing nearly 40% of its entire vintage. 

This Hall ”Eighteen Seventy-Three” is a blend of fruit taken mostly from sites in the eastern hillsides of Napa Valley from the mountain slopes that frame Napa Valley along the northern edge of the Vacca Mountains from Howell Mountain to the north, Rutherford where the Hall Estate is located, and Atlas Peak to the South. 

We took this an earlier vintage of this label BYOB to a wine dinner recently that was rated 98 points by Wilford Wong of Wine.com, and 95 points by Wine Enthusiast, featured in these pages in this post - Preview Night Dinner at The Belmont Naperville. 

This release was rated 93 by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points by Vinous and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes - “Deep garnet color. Complex fruit aromas of ripe blackberry, subtle warm oak and plum. On the palate, pronounced flavors of dark fruit, cocoa nib, wet stone, and baking spice are supported by firm, structured tannins and bright acidity round out the powerful finish.”

Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, round forward concentrated bright expressive vibrant rich ripe blackberry and black currant fruits with expressive notes of black tea and cinnamon with notes of creme de cassis, bitter dark chocolate, tobacco and oak with expressive plush tannins and bright acidity on a huge spicy finish. 

RM 93 points

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/2602610

https://www.hallwines.com/

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3555904

Miner Family Winery "The Oracle" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2021 

This is another wine we have fun with since our son works for Oracle, the enterprise software giant. Also, Linda’s hometown, Delphi, Indiana high school mascot and sports teams were the Oracles. 

This wine's name pays homage to founder Dave Miner and his former career as a founder of Oracle Software, and the ancient Greek concept of an oracle as a source of inspiration.

We served and wrote about this Miner Family Winery flagship “Oracle” Cabernet which was a hit last spring at a neighborhood gathering in a blogpost at that time , excerpted here. 

Miner Family Winery was founded by Dave Miner with their first vintage in 1996. Dave was born in Chicago and then lived in Southern California for a number of years, graduating from the University of California, San Diego with degree in English and American Literature. It was during this time that he became interested in wine. 

Dave was working for then upstart Oracle in software sales when his uncle Bob Miner, who happened to be one of the co-founders of Oracle, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer and passed away prematurely in 1994 at age 52. In his final days, Bob asked Dave to help him manage the operations at the family vineyards and winery Oakville Ranch, (predecessor to Oracle Family Winery). Dave quit his sales job and joined Oakville Ranch which at the time owned the property that is now Miner Family Winery. At the time they made a limited amount of wine and operated a custom crush facility. Miner Family Wines was one of their clients. We still hold several vintage labels of Oakville Ranch in our home cellar which we have featured in this blogposts such as this one - Oakville Ranch Vineyard Napa Cabernet.

In 1999 Dave and his wife Emily (who worked at Oakville Ranch) purchased the winery and accompanying 18 acres. They were not able to plant vineyards on their steep hillsides due to the county ordinance prohibiting new vineyards on slopes greater then 20%, they opted to install solar cells instead – some 1,750 panels. Miner Family only owns 1/2 acre of vineyards; a tiny vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in front of the winery. They source premium grapes for their wines from partner growers mainly in Napa Valley. 

The Minor winery is located just above the valley floor – high enough in elevation that one has panoramic views looking over the vines to the west and the Mayacamas mountain range. 

This is the flagship of the Miner porfolio of Bordeaux and Burgundian wines, several Chardonnays and some Pinot Noirs. They also produce some Rhone style wines based on Rhone varietals, and some other varietal wines, not typically produced in Napa Valley.  These wines include Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese and Tempranillo, as well as the traditional Napa Valley Bordeaux varietals.

This flagship Oracle label is a Bordeaux blend produced from select premium Bordeaux varietals sourced from prime eastern Napa Valley hillside locations, including the renowned Stagecoach Vineyard and Volker Eisele Vineyard.

The 2021 release is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot.

It was aged 22 Months in 60% new French oak. 3,586 6-packs were produced. 

This released was rated 94 points by James Suckling and 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Winemaker Notes - Miner Family's flagship wine, a full-bodied, red blend, grants a nod toward elegance. This Bordeaux-style blend is silky, reserved and supremely balanced. Lush aromatics of raspberry and dark cherry with a hint of eucalyptus, The Oracle is decadent, but with finesse. Earthiness and layers of dried flowers and cocoa integrate harmoniously into a finely balanced marriage between tannin and acid, providing the structure that ensures, like all impeccable beauties, this wine is sure to age gracefully.

Deep garnet-purple colored, full bodied, complex and concentrated, tightly structured yet elegant, nicely balanced and polished, black raspberry, blackberry and blueberry fruits accented by notes of cassis, dark chocolate, black tea, black olive and hints of leather and lavender, with firm, fine-grained tannins, on the long fragrant finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5087056

https://minerwines.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/21Oracle.pdf

https://minerwines.com/

Grilled beefsteak dinner with summer vegetables, fine wines

Grilled beefsteak dinner with summer vegetables and fine wines 

Enroute back from our Bloomington getaway weekend (Anniversary dinner at Truffles Bloomington), we stopped by Dr Dan’s in Northwest Indiana for a wonderful grilled beefsteak dinner. He prepared a delicious vegetable medley of squash, onions, peppers, artfully crafted roasted potatoes with a subtle hint of curry, and fresh picked Indiana sweet corn, which was as good as any I have ever tasted. 

We enjoyed a medley of fine wines before and with dinner.

The fine wine flight of ultra-premium wines included a sparkling white wine and a single vineyard Sonoma Chardonnay before dinner, and a Napa Cab for pairing with the food. 

Before dinner he served a special limited release label we tasted at his recent private wine producer tasting event - Joe Phelps Ovation Sparkling Wine. 

Joe Phelps Ovation Sparkling Wine 2019

Dan acquired this special limited release ultra-premium sparkling wine through the Phelps Wine Club. This wine was included in our producer private tasting at Dan’s earlier last month wherein wine ambassadors from Joe Phelps winery visited and curated a wine portfolio tasting - featured in these pages in this blogpost - Joseph Phelps Private Tasting.

This Methode Champonaise (traditional production method) white wine is a blend of 79% Chardonnay and 21% Pinot Noir. It is 100% estate sourced from the Phelps Pastorale vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA in western Sonoma County. It was bottle aged fifty-eight months ‘en tirage’, meaning it was aged in the bottle in contact with spent yeast cells after secondary fermentation which us what creates the bubbles to become a sparkling wine. This aging method rests the bottle horizontally in cool cellars as the yeast cells slowly break down. The results is adds rich, creamy textures and complex aromas like brioche, toast, and nuts to the white wine.

Winemaker’s harvest notes - “The 2019 harvest began one to two weeks later than usual, shaped by heavy February rains particularly in the Sonoma Coast and Russian River areas. A wet spring with precipitation during flowering resulted in lower crop yields, while the cool growing season provided an extended ripening period that allowed grapes to develop full flavors with naturally fresh acidity and superb balance. The overall Chardonnay fruit quality was exceptional, and since sparkling wine grapes are harvested early in the season, our Chardonnay blocks offered pristine fruit for production.’

“The 2019 Sonoma Coast Ovation Sparkling Wine opens with vibrant aromas of Meyer lemon, ripe pear, apricot and freshly baked brioche, complemented by delicate notes of white flowers. On the palate, this wine displays elegant textural complexity with silky layers of golden apple, nectarine, lemon curd and toasted almond, finished with a subtle mineral edge. The 2019 showcases bright, refreshing acidity and excellent structure, with the potential to develop further complexity and depth through extended bottle aging.”

I brought from our home cellar a premium Sonoma County Chardonnay from the same area. 

Wayfarer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2019

Wayfarer is the project of legendary Napa Valley wine producer Jayson Pahlmeyer, and his daughter Cleo Pahlmeyer.

Jayson Pahlmeyer crafted his first wine in 1986. Working with viticulture professors at the University of Bordeaux, Jayson obtained and planted French vine cuttings in Napa Valley in 1981. Working with another legendary winemaker, Helen Turley, they produced the award winning Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red.

Helen Turley discovered the Wayfarer Sonoma Coast estate for sale in 1998, which she shared with Jayson who sensed it had the essential elements to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Jayson acquired the property and recruited renowned vineyard developer David Abreu to plant Wayfarer, which he completed in 2002. For several years, Wayfarer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were blended with fruit from Russian River vineyards and bottled under the Pahlmeyer branding.

In 2012, Jayson's daughter Cleo Pahlmeyer, who had been working by his side since 2008, founded Wayfarer and released the first Wayfarer estate wines in 2014. 

In 2017, Cleo was appointed President of Pahlmeyer wines. She led the sale of Pahlmeyer Winery in 2019 to focus entirely on Wayfarer, which she heads and manages to this day. 

Wayfarer Winemaker is Todd Kohn who grew up in Northern California and graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology, He worked at Napa sparkling white wine producer Schramsberg,  then gained further experience in the vineyard, lab and cellar, gaining knowledge of winegrowing and winemaking working at several premiere Napa Valley wine producers including Opus One. He then worked at Moorooduc Estate on the Mornington Peninsula region of Australia, where he gained insight into growing and crafting world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

Todd joined Wayfarer in 2013 as Assistant Winemaker working with the Consulting Winemaker and took over as Winemaker in 2017.

The Wayfarer vineyard spans 30 undulating acres on a remote reach of the Sonoma Coast. This distant landscape tucked in between redwoods gets the Pacific fog which cools the grapes at night extending the growing season, ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Producer photo of Wayfarer Vineyard

“Winemakers vintage and production notes, “We hand-picked each block and delivered firm, cool clusters to the winery before sunrise. After gentle pressing, the wine settled for 24 hours, followed by a carefully monitored racking to French oak barrels, 63% new. Native yeasts slowly guided alcoholic fermentation, with careful batonnage until malolactic fermentation was complete. The wine aged in barrel for 15 months, and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.’

“2019 began with several months of heavy rainfall. Total rainfall for the year was 78 inches, second only to record-setting rainfall in 2017. With a warm April, shoot growth advanced quickly, and energy was plentiful in the soil after heavy rainfall in May. Flowering was also a week later than normal, but aligned wonderfully with a change in the weather, as rain clouds gave way to beautiful sunshine in June. The summer of 2019 was full of sunshine, yet temperatures were moderate to cool. The average high temperature through July and August was 81oF, perfect for gradually ripening the Chardonnay. By the time veraison began on August 4th, the vines were tracking only three days later than normal. 40 days later, we picked our first Chardonnay on September 13th, and concluded harvest on October 5th.”

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes, “Aromas of star jasmine, white peach, lemon zest and meringue emerge from the glass, along with roasted almond, coconut and baking spice. Graceful and subtle in its richness, this wine has plenty to offer. The dense palate is beautifully balanced with fresh acidity and salinity. An elegant chalky texture lingers on the finish, indicating great aging potential.’

This release was awarded 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 95 points by Erin Brooks of Wine Advocate, and 93 points by Antonio Galloni, Vinous and Kim Markus of Wine Spectator.

Dunnuck wrote, “This is just about as good as it gets in 2019 with regards to Chardonnay.”

Golden straw colored, full bodied, Burgundian styled with smooth polished, layered but perfectly balanced, creamy notes of peach, honeycomb, nutty almond and touches of citrus, green apple, flint  and chalky minerality, with pleasant integrated acidity on the very long finish.

RM 95 points. 

https://www.wayfarervineyard.com/wines/wayfarer/wayfarer-vineyard-chardonnay/2019

For the dinner course Dan offered a selection of different ultra-premium labels from his cellar collection including Shoup Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Chateau Palmer Margaux 2015 and this California Cab 2008. As part of proper cellar inventory management, I selected the oldest vintage, the California Cabernet, which was likely at the apex of its drinking window, and not likely to improve from further aging, vs the other’s that have a decade or decades of life yet, and likley to mature and improve further. 

Stag’s Leap Cellars “SLV” Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

We tasted the recent release of this label at the producer’s dinner recently featured in this blogpost Italian Village Wine Dinner.

This Italian Village “Crown Jewel of Napa - Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars” Wine Dinner hosted at Italian Village, Chicago celebrated the classic legacy of historic Italian and now American wine producer Marchesi Antinori, and their acquisition of legendary American Napa Valley producer, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. 

We were joined by fellow Pour Boy, Lyle and Terry, along with Dan and Linda,.

This is from the legendary “S.L.V”. Vineyard, also known as Stag’s Leap Vineyard, the winery’s first vineyard, planted in 1970. The vineyard is home to 35 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.5 acres of Cabernet Franc, and is composed of predominantly volcanic soils with healthy drainage. 

This vineyard achieved global fame when the 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon triumphed over Bordeaux’s First- and Second-Growth Chateaux in the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris blind tasting. This historic Stags Leap District vineyard continues to produce wines with complex black fruit and berry character, spicy intensity and excellent structure. Wines from S.L.V. are craft to be enjoyed upon release, but also promise long life and an exceptional ability to age.

Producer’s notes, “The majority of the 1970s-era vines have aged past their grape-producing prime and have been gradually replanted, perpetuating the life of this historic vineyard. Yes, the notable vineyard, S.L.V. Block 4, planted in 1972, still sourced grapes for this blend. This block on the eastern side of S.L.V. is composed of rugged volcanic soils gives this wine its structure and notes of minerality along with concentrated dark fruit fl avors and ripe, elegant tannins. Vines in alluvial soils in the western part of the vineyard add accent notes of vibrant fruit fl avors and heady aromatics.”

Each lot was vinified and aged separately in small French oak barrels for 24 months.

Producer’s vintage notes - “The 2008 growing season was like a scary movie with a happy ending. A hard frost in April and a heat spike in May during bloom greatly reduced vineyard yields. Another heat spike in the first week of September caused concern, yet a reprieve of a cool, calm harvest the rest of the way. Although yields were lower than normal due to poor bloom and set, the concentration and flavor development in the grapes was outstanding, resulting in a beautiful wines despite the challenges.”

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate wrote, “It is one of the better and more complete of the 2008s“

Winemaker Notes, “The 2008 S.L.V. is the 35th vintage since the 1973 S.L.V. won the Paris Tasting in 1976. This rich and generous Cabernet Sauvignon opens with crushed blackberry and ripe plum aromas, accented by notes of anise, fennel and cedar. Full-bodied and supple, the wine flows smoothly across the palate. The wine's texture is reminiscent of enjoying a dark chocolate covered caramel with sea salt. Dark fruit and spice linger on the finish.”

This release was rated 95 points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant and refined ripe blackberry, dark plum and black cherry fruits with notes of cassis, new oak, smoke and tar turning to sweet tannins on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.stagsleapwinecellars.com/

Preview Night Dinner at The Belmont Naperville

Preview (Pre-opening) Night Dinner at The Belmont American Steakhouse Naperville

Anticipating the upcoming opening of The Belmont American Steakhouse in Naperville, we dined preview night leading up to their grand opening this coming week. This is the latest creation of Dave Miller of the Elements dining in the Indigo Hotel, Naperville, The George American Tavern, and Empire Grill, and partner and Executive Chef Zac Rogers. 

We’ve featured the tony, cozy George in these earlier blogposts -  

The George American Tavern, Naperville
The George Tavern Naperville Replay

The Belmont is a classic American steak house reimagined in the former Catch-35 restaurant on Washington Street downtown Naperville. They source prime beef steaks from several sources depending on the cut of meat and prevailing market conditions. They age the beef from 60 to 90 additional days in their own meat cabinet adjacent the main dining room. 

There is a fabulous Wine Room dining room for special gatherings. 

I refrain from showing interior pictures of the bar and dining room as there is a substantial dramatic bar surround overhang not yet installed. 

They also offer several fresh seafood selections based on what was flown in from US and World markets - lobster, Argentine Branzino, Black cod, salmon, crab cake, shrimp and scallops. And, same for the oysters which are fresh, flown in from best available markets - west coast and east coast! 

Pork chops, lamb, chicken and short rib and a couple pasta dishes round out the entree selections along with a caviar service of American Ossetra Caviar.

A highlight, the preparation and presentation of the wedge salad, ideal for sharing. 

The crab cake with chili pepper remoulade … 

A half dozen oysters, east coast Long Island, and California west coast. 

The petit filet … 

The New York strip with Seared Foie Torchon …

There is a range of salads and sides available for sharing as well as enhancements including lobster tail, seared Foie Torchon, Shaved Truffle and accoutrement finish sauces. Each of the usual suspect sides was creative and artfully prepared - puree de pomme with pimento, wild mushrooms, grilled asparagus, charred carrots, Mac-n-cheese, and an interesting take on creamed corn with ‘corn brulee’, almost akin to a dessert!

A selection of the sides, Puree’de Pomme, Wild mushrooms and the Corn Brulee. 

There is a carefully selected wine list of standard labels as well as an extensive Reserve List of ultra-premium selections. Many of our favorite producers are represented: Robert Craig, Plumpjack, Joseph Phelps, Randy Dunn, Kosta Browne, Quintessa, La Jota and a selection of super premium labels such ans Dominus, Hundred Acre and Schafer Hillside Select, and more. 

There is also a selection of some of the most highly acclaimed and sought after cult wines such as Colgin, and Screaming Eagle.  Aside the cult labels, the wine list read like our wine cellar inventory with many of our favorites!  

Having not seen the winelist beforehand, I spent close to an hour trolling our cellar for a special wine accompaniment for our dinner, seeking an ideal label for the grilled beefsteaks, and one not available on their winelist. I was seeking a label in the Goldilocks zone … enough age to having fully integrated and settled, but still within its prime drinking window. I also sought a label we acquired with fellow Pour Boy diner, Dr Dan. In the end, I opted for a vintage label of a favorite producer/label which proved an ideal choice. 

Amazingly, when I saw the winelist, vast majority of selections were producer labels I considered bringing BYOB! 

Dan and I both brought BYOB bottles tonight that were 98+ point rated selections, from prime vintages, and at twelve and fourteen years, in their prime drinking windows, perfect selections for pairing with our dinner. 

Hall 1873 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

From one of our favorite producers of highly acclaimed Napa Cabernets, this label commemorates the founding year of their historic Napa Valley vineyard.

Hall has become one of the premiere Napa Valley producers of ultra-premium Cabernets. We’ve visited the magnificent Hall Rutherford estate vineyards and winery several times as featured in these blogposts = 

Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting, and 

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering.

Hall produce a broad portfolio of highly acclaimed wines and we acquired this label as part of our wine club allocations back on release. 

This label commemorates the founding of the first winery on the historic property back in 1873 when Captain William Peterson came to Napa and established a pioneering winery on their St. Helena property. Throughout the 1930’s and 40’s, the site grew to become Napa’s most important winery, producing nearly 40% of its entire vintage. 

The fruit for this Hall “”Eighteen Seventy-Three” hails from the mountain slopes that frame Napa Valley along the northern edge of the Vacca Mountains towards Atlas Peak. 

It was rated 98 points by Wilford Wong of Wine.com, and 95 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes - “Brooding and earth-driven, this wine opens with dominant aromas of crushed rocks, ripe blackberries, and wild blueberries. The weighty palate is structured by fine, powerful, tightly-wound tannins and balanced acidity. Integrated French Oak aromatics of toasted coconut, cinnamon and clove carry through the lengthy finish.” 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, round forward concentrated bright expressive vibrant rich ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with notes of creme de cassis, anise, sweet tobacco, sweet oak and dark mocha with full tannins on the huge finish. 

RM 94 points

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/2602610

https://www.hallwines.com/

Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Blend 2012

Dan brought from his Dominus vertical collection this 100 point rated 2012 vintage. Protocol suggests one doesn’t take a BYOB label that is available on the winelist. While they had Dominus on the winelist, it was a recent release, not an twelve year aged vintage, from a 100 point rated release! 

Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley product from legendary Christian Moueix of Bordeaux Chateau Petrus fame. This is from one of the region’s oldest vineyard sites. Dominus sits on a rocky alluvial fan, a gentle benchland slope nestled into the western hills of Yountville.

It was rated 100 pointss by Vinous, 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck and the Wine Independant, 98 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Decanter and James Suckling, 95 points and Editor's Choice from Wine Enthusiast, and Wilford Wong, and 94 points from Wine & Spirits and Wine Spectator.

Like many 100 points wines, perfection is discernable not so much by any memorable or highlighted flavor sprites or profile, but rather the lack of any faults, and the straight forward elegance, polish and balance of the blend. 

Vinous in their ‘perfect’ rating wrote, “Dominus is very clearly one of the wines of the year. I loved the 2012 from barrel, but found it quite closed after bottling. Now, after all these years, I finally see the realization of the potential suggested in my barrel tastings. Magnificent.” 

In his 99 point review Jeb Dunnuck wrote, “The 2012 Dominus is a sensational wine that certainly ranks with the all-time greats of this cuvée and is reminiscent of the 1991”, describing it as “Ripe, flamboyant, and incredibly sexy, it nevertheless shows the classic style of this estate, has nothing out of place and just glides across the palate. It's a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the greats. 99+“

Decanter wrote, “if you have any 2012 in your cellar, try it today and try it again in 5, 10, and 15 years.” Similar to Robert Parker’s note that this is “built to go on for 25-30 years.”

Wilfred Wong of Wine.com said it is one of the winery's best efforts to date. 

This Bordeaux varietal blend was 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Winemaker Notes - “The Dominus 2012 exemplifies the finest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon from an ideal vintage. The intriguing nose offers a depth of aromas including lavender, Asian spices and cedar. Soft, supple tannins buoy layers of dark earth and cocoa. The wine is racy yet refined with a long elegant finish.”

Dark garnet colored, medium to full-bodied, elegant, silky smooth and polished, pure seamless black raspberry and black currant fruits with notes of rose petal, cassis, graphite, violets, tobacco leaf and anise, hints of mocha and hazelnut with round soft fine tannins on a soft velvety finish.

RM 96 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/1794476

https://www.dominusestate.com/

We then had to try the Belmont signature chocolate cake, prepared by legendary local DeEtta’s Bakery, delicious paired with tawny ports.  

Check out The Belmont in Naperville, while you can, before it is discovered and becomes a difficult reservation to obtain! 

Pour Boys Veal Marsala Wine Dinner

Fabulous Wine Flight with Pour Boys Veal Marsala Wine Dinner ...

 We were invited to fellow ‘Pour Boy’, (our wine group), Dr, Dan, and Linda for dinner. 

They prepared Veal Marsala with buttered mashed potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, and Tomatoes with herbs, crustin and goat cheese. 

Before dinner there grilled shrimp, cheese and mango blintzes, and a medley of artisan cheeses with fresh fruits, nuts and assorted biscuits. 

Over the course of the evening we had a wonderful wine flight starting with a Willamette Oregon Pinot Noir, a Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Cabernet, and finishing with a special limited release Shiraz. 

I took from our home cellar a bottle of one of our favorite Pinots. Readers of these pages know we don’t do a lot of Pinot Noir, but this is a special bottle we keep in our cellar for special occasions. We discovered and first tasted this label during a weekend getaway in the city (Chicago) during an enjoyable memorable afternoon lunch on the patio overlooking the Chicago River at Smith & Wollensky.   

Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011 

This is from the estate of Grace and Ken Evenstad who settled in the Willamette Valley, Oregon in 1989 to craft  Pinot Noir wines equivalent to those of Burgundy from Oregon fruit. They established Domaine Serene, a 42-acre hilltop estate in the Dundee Hills in Yamhill County, effectively creating Oregon’s luxury wine industry. In 2001, they constructed a state-of-the-art, five-level, gravity-flow Pinot Noir winery. The notable Ken Wright, vintner and producer, was Domaine Serene's first winemaker.

In the ensuring years they acquired and developed several more vineyards in the area growing Domaine Serene to over 1,000 acres, with 300 planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Today they craft a portfolio of ultra-premium single vineyard designated labels, this reserve, an entry level cuvée, and also a line of Chardonnays, all sourced from individual estate vineyards.

In 2018, the couple was honored with Wine Spectator's Distinguished Service Award.

This ‘Evenstad Reserve’ label is the Domaine Serene flagship wine, a blend crafted from best select barrels each year to create a reserve wine that is consistent in both quality and flavor profile. The ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Collection has earned world-class accolades over the years, including Wine Spectator's #1 Pinot Noir in the World (2013) and #1 White Wine in the World (2016).

Domaine Serene aims for consistency and character in their flagship "Evenstad Reserve" Pinot Noir, a complex blend of fruit from different clonal selections and sites in the Dundee and Eola Hills. The 2011 was aged for 13 months in 55% new French oak. 

Producer’s Notes: "A true illustration of the art of blending, the Evenstad Reserve® Pinot Noir is a wonderfully complex wine that delivers an array of red fruits, caramel, baking spice, vanilla, dried flowers, and potpourri. On the palate, this elegant wine shows a harmonious balance of structure, richness and acidity with soft tannins and a clean, lingering finish. With clonal variation and site driven diversity, we are able to craft this wine to our precise and exacting standards year after year."

At fourteen years of age, this was at, but likely nearing the end of its prime drinking window. The label, foil and most importantly, the cork and fill level were pristine. 

This release was awarded 92 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

Ruby colored medium bodied, smooth and elegant with bright ripe red berry fruits, floral, earthy, dusty rose petal, tangy acids and smooth polished fine tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.domaineserene.com/shop/2011-domaine-serene-evenstad-reserve-pinot-noir-15l

With the dinner course we had this Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Cabernet.

Diamond Creek Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 

We visited the magnificent Diamond Creek Vineyards and Winery back in 2011 as featured in this post - Diamond Mountain Wine Experience - Diamond Creek Vineyards.

We then tasted and acquired this wine together at the Diamond Creek Winery Chateau 2015 vintage release party on Diamond Mountain during our Napa / Sonoma Valley Wine Experience back in 2017- as featured in this blogpost -  Diamond Creek Open House 2015 Release Tasting.

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon is one of four single vineyard designated lablels made by Diamond Creek with the Cabernet Sauvignon variety from estate vineyards on Diamond Mountain in nortern Napa Valley.

Known as the first Californian winery to bottle 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the same plot, Diamond Creek Vineyard is a benchmark for great winemakers. Founded in 1968 by Al Brounstein and his wife Adele Boots, this project started with identifying the differences in the soil composition and the slope of the terrain when planting the vines. They ended up with four vineyards with very special characteristics: Volcanic Hill, Red Rock Terrace, Gravelly Meadow, and Lake Vineyard - four unique plots with four distinctive exclusive wines with a marked character of their own. 

Following the death of the founders, the winery was acquired in 2020 by the exclusive Maison Louis Roederer.

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon comes solely from the small Red Rock Terrace plot of less than 3 hectares of vineyards planted in reddish soils with a high iron content. Throughout the year they enjoy a warmer climate and are meticulously cultivated through environmentally friendly agriculture.

In the winery, once the best grapes have been selected to make Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, they are crushed to ferment and macerate at a controlled temperature. The wine is then aged in 225-litre wooden barrels for about 18 months.

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

We tasted this wine as part of the three labels vintage release tasting at the release party and it immediately became my favorite, and the benchmark against which the others were compared. This was the most vibrant and expressive fruit of the three, although the others' fruit gave way to more complexity with layer of accent flavors.

This release was awarded 99 points by Robert Parker’s Wine advocate in 2018, and 94 points Vinous and 93 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Two months ago in November, 2025,  Antonio Galloni wrote, “the 2015 has aged exquisitely”. While the legendary long lived anticipated maturity is projected to be 2032-2052, tonight this was spectacular and hard to imagine it will improve more with further aging. In 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Robert Parker gave it 99 points and projected anticipated maturity from 2020-2044.

Like that memorable tasting at the winery, tonight, this was fabulous, even better having aged ten years in bottle. 

Deep garnet-purple colored, medium full bodied, rich, round, structured, complex, layered blackberry, black raspberry and plum fruits with earthy notes of herbs, graphite, creme de cassis, dark mocha chocolate, cinnamon spice and licorice, hints of vanilla and cedar, with super ripe, fine-grained tannins on a polished finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3430910

https://diamondcreekvineyards.com/red-rock-terrace/

https://diamondcreekvineyards.com/

With dessert, Dan opened another 2015 vintage, this special limited release Shiraz/Syrah from Washington State. 

Long Shadows Vintage Select Bin 898 Columbia Valley Syrah 2015

Dan acquired this limited release label crafted by legendary winemaker John Duvall, winemaker of the iconic Penfolds Grange Australian Shiraz. Duvall was recruited by Long Shadows to produce “Sequel” as part of the Vintners Collection series of master winemaker labels. 

We discovered Long Shadows and joined their wine club during our visit to the Long Shadows Cellars winery visit - featuring world class winemakers and Columbia Valley fruit, as part of our Seattle Culinary and Woodinville and Washington Wine Tour was a visit to the Long Shadows Wine Cellars tasting room back in 2018. 

This highly allocated limited release bottling was available only through the Long Shadows wine club - 125 cases were produced. It was rated 94 points by Wine Advocate and 93 points by Owen Bargreen.

This is a unique blend of 83% Syrah and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark garnet inky purple colored, full bodied, dense, concentrated, complex structured blackberry, plum and black raspberry fruits with creosote, tobacco leaf, floral, clove and cinnamon spice notes on a tangy tongue puckering finish. 

RM 93 points. .  

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3383466

https://longshadows.com/library/sequel-bin-898/15399