Showing posts with label Sterling Vineyards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sterling Vineyards. Show all posts

Monday, March 1, 2021

Sterling Napa Valley Merlot 1985

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot 1985

Son Sean and wife Michelle came over for beef roast dinner and I pulled from the cellar this vintage aged birthyear wine for the occasion. We still hold numerous labels from Sean's vintage birthyear and several are getting beyond their optimal drinking window so they need to be consumed. This was one such wine. 

While today this label would not be considered a collectible for long term cellaring, we acquired it long ago when our cellar and tastes were less discriminating, and when it had some other intrinsic sentimental value. Sterling Vineyards was one of the estates we visited on one of our earliest visits to Napa Valley back in the early 1980's.

Sterling Vineyards was founded in 1964 by Peter Newton, an Oxford graduate with a diverse background in international business, and a former London Financial Times writer. His company, Sterling International, purchased the 50-acre parcel of established vineyards on the south edge of Calistoga in northern Napa Valley as a means of prestige and diversification. The locals dubbed it Sterling Vineyard.

Over the following years, Sterling International acquired more upper valley properties around St. Helena including Bear Flats of which the 87 acres vineyard, and Bothe Ranch, are two key vineyard sources for Sterling wines to this day. While Cabernet Sauvignon was the most popular varietal, Newton planted his new vineyards with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and the first major planting of Merlot in the Napa Valley, in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon - a move that was considered bold and innovative.

In 1968, he added the 70-acre, 300-foot knoll off Dunaweal Lane near Calistoga  on which he built a magnificent winery perched at the top of the hill. That was the year of the first Sterling Vineyards vintage-dated Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot, produced with recent University of California Davis graduate Ric Forman as winemaker. 

In 1969, they set upon building a striking Mediterranean-style white stucco winery complex in Greek Ionian architectural style that included a most unusual aerial tramway that carried guests from the parking lot to the winery on the knoll. Sterling Vineyards was formally opened to the public in September of that year at a gala benefit for the San Francisco Symphony. The new winery started production in 1972. To the right is a historic vintage label from 1975 showing the winery atop the knoll as seen from St Helena highway.

In 1977, Sterling Vineyards was purchased by Coca-Cola, followed by the purchase of Rutherford vineyards and the world-famous Diamond Mountain Ranch vineyard the following year. 

In 1983, Sterling Vineyards was purchased by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, the world's largest producer and marketer of distilled spirits and wines. Shortly thereafter we visited the property which was a showcase tourist destination in then nascent Napa Valley. 

In 1986, Sterling Vineyards purchased Rene de Rosa's prestigious 250-acre Carneros property, Winery Lake, and introduced 1986 Winery Lake Chardonay and Pinot Noir in 1988. Three Palms Merlot 1986 was also released for the first time that year. In 1989, winemaker Bill Dyer was awarded the Winemaker of the Year award by the Los Angeles Times. Sterling wines were high profile, highly acclaimed labels during that era. 

During this era, Sterling were one of our favorite drinking Napa Valley Bordeaux varietals and I recall acquiring this label and ordering it at restaurants as well. In later years, our holdings of Sterling tended to be the 'Three Palms Vineyard' Merlot and other single vineyard designated bottlings and Reserve labels.

In 1991, directed by master sommelier Evan Goldstein, they opened the School of Service and Hospitality at Sterling Vineyards, to provide education about wine, food, and service to consumers and professionals.

In 1995, they set upon a multi-million dollar expansion and modernization project including cave expansion and replanting projects throughout Sterling Vineyards' Napa Valley properties. Seagram's wine division was reorganized under the name Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company. 

The 1985 vintage was considered a top vintage for Napa Valley Bordeaux varietal wines. For the '85 vintage, the best Napa Valley Merlots were from Duckhorn, Cuvaison, St. Francis, Sterling, Matanzas, Shafer, Clos du Val, Clos du Bois Rombauer and Rutherford Hill according to Decanter Magazine.

Fruit for this vintage release of this label was sourced from the Sterling 120 acre Diamond Mountain Ranch vineyard, west of the town of Calistoga, near the top of the Diamond Mountain range at elevation from 1,700 to 2,000 feet, on the steep northern face of the Mayacamas Mountains. 

There, nearly vertical slopes, austere soils, and dry farming stress the vines planted, and when combined with the low-vigor volcanic soils that provide minimal nutrition, the results are small, intensely concentrated fruit clusters that make deeply pigmented, assertive wines with full body and rich tannins.

This release was a blend of 97% Merlot and  3% Cabernet Franc, both from the same estate Diamond Mtn Ranch vineyard. It was aged in smalll Nevers French Oak barrels.

Despite its age, at thirty-six years old, the fill level, cork, foil and label were in ideal condition. The wine, while past its prime was still holding on to some fruit and body and was still consumable. 

Brown hues were setting in to the color, the body was a bit flat and the dark berry fruits were giving way to non-fruit tones of wood, earth, tobacco and black tea. 

It was still enjoyable for the dinner and it was fun opening and sharing with son Sean. Notably this was our last bottle of this label, consumed while still drinkable, but in its waning days. 

RM 84 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=191994

https://www.sterlingvineyards.com/ 





Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Sterling Three Palms Merlot with Rib-eye Steak

Sterling Vineyards 'Three Palms' Merlot Compliments Rib-eye Steak 

The fifteen year old single vineyard designated Napa Merlot I took BYOB to dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, was the perfect pairing with the dinner special, boneless rib-eye in a red wine reduction with rosemary sauce with roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus. Linda had the other dinner special, sea scallops.

Sterling Vineyards was one of the first large commercial wineries in Napa Valley, formed in 1964. We visited Sterling Winery, up in north Napa Valley on the main trail just south of Calistoga, with its amusement park aerial tram that takes visitors up to the visitors center, on our first trip to Napa Valley back in the early eighties.

We're big fans of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, our favorite wine, but we have always associated Sterling with the other Bordeaux varietal, Merlot.

Sterling released the first vintage dated Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux varietals in 1969. Previously, Merlot was primarily considered a blending wine. The first Three Palms Vineyard single vineyard designated select Merlot was released in 1985.

At fifteen years of age, this was still vibrant and expressive, most likely at the apex of its drinking window, but certainly not likely to improve from further aging.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, complex but well balanced, intense firm core of plum and black cherry, with tones of toasty oak and spice, hints of cedar and vanilla yielding to firm tannins on the tangy spicy finish.

RM 89 points.



Thursday, March 27, 2014

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Reserve 1999

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Reserve 1999

I remember Sterling with its gondola cable car up to its mountain top winery and art gallery was one of the wineries we visited during our first Napa Valley visits back in the eighties. I seem to recall a turbulent era when its ownership passed from Coca-Cola to the Seagram Liquor company and then at one point I think also Heublein liquor company before being sold to private investors. I also recall Sterling Merlot as one of my earliest memorable wines from back then. Recently, I cited recent vintages of Sterling Merlot in this blogsite as having reasonable QPR - Quality Price Ratio.

This Reserve bottling of Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot has been down in our cellar for a while and is one of a few bottles where I have no record or recollection of where I acquired it. Adjacent to a 1999 Sterling Three Palms Vineyard Merlot of similar unknown background, I always think I'll do a mini-vertical tasting of these two bottles in tandem. Casting that notion aside, I pulled the Reserve tonight to enjoy with grilled sirloin steak dinner at home with Linda.

Dark blackish purple colored with medium body, this aged Merlot is showing its age being past its prime drinking window with the diminished black cherry and black berry fruit giving way to ripe raisin and hints of black licorice on a modest finish.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=10289&searchId=259864

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/



Friday, January 4, 2013

Duo of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons with Beef Tenderloin Dinner

A pair of Napa Valley Cabernets from Calistoga with beef tenderloin family dinner on Alec's last night at home before returning home to Sandy ravaged New Jersey. With Alec's colleague Kyle. Following recent tastings of Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and 2010, we pulled a 2006 from the cellar. For a comparison tasting we pulled another Calistoga area Napa Cabernet, Elizabeth Spencer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Blended Special Cuvee 2009. After dinner we had a Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes 2003 with a selection of artisan cheese cakes.

Elizabeth Spencer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Blended Special Cuvee 2009


Elizabeth Spencer is a husband and wife wine-making partnership that produces small lots from fruit sourced from growers throughout Napa Valley. Only 60 barrels of the 09 Napa Cabernet were produced, a hand-crafted blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc from premier growers St. Helena, Howell Mountain, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and Mount Veeder districts.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, this shows bright vibrant full forward complex black and red berry and plum fruit flavors, accented by clove spice and hints of dark chocolate. with velvety mouthfeel, and naturally balanced acidity turning to firm integrated tannins on the finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1311721

http://www.elizabethspencerwines.com/wines/
 
Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006


We enjoyed two recent vintages of this wine that exceeded our expectations so I was anxious to try this earlier vintage release in comparison. (See unwindwine.blogspot.com journal posting).

This wine was dark inky purple color, medium bodied with subdued briary black berry and hints of sweet strawberry fruits accented by clove, allspice, tones of creosote, smoke, and black licorice turning to a layer of firm dry tongue coating tannins on the lingering  finish. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley 88%, Knights Valley Sonoma County 8% and Lake County 5%.

Opposite the Spencer above with its bold vibrant forward berry fruits, the Sterling came across as smooth, polished with its more subdued style, this was the preferred choice of Johnny and Kyle.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=464915 

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/

Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes Bordeaux 2003

Light honey colored, medium to full bodied, unctuous sweet pear and slight hint of honey, apricot fruit and vanilla bean with a tone of sweet nut and subtle smoke on a lingering tongue coating finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=54954


Monday, December 17, 2012

Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Following the Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 tasting the other evening, I picked up the 2010 release and lo and behold it's even better. This offers good value (high QPR - quality to price ratio) at the release price of $25, but its a great buy on sale at the local Dominic's grocery retailer for $19 ($17 with a six bottle purchase). While it didn't go well with Manchego, it was a perfect complement to Bellavitano artisan cheese. When we served it up with char-broiled beef tenderloin with mushrooms and spinach, you might've thought it was an Estate Howell Mountain cab - heaven in a glass.

Sterling has numerous labels from their Vintners Collection to their single vineyard designated releases to their Reserve. This is their 'Varietal' series, Napa Valley designated Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Estate (producer owned properties) and purchased grower fruits from various appellations throughout the Napa Valley.

Dark inky purple color, medium to full bodied, the Sterling Napa Cab 2010 is bursting with forward black berry, black raspberry and ripe plum fruits, accented by a layer of mocha and hint of cedar and spicy oak. While not overly complex or structured, this had better balance and more polish than the 2009. This wine is set up for affordable, approachable, easy, enjoyable drinking now. Get some and enjoy.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1295434

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Tasted w/ Matt M from the winelist at Andolino's Italian Restaurant in Sterling Heights, IL. A long time historic Napa Valley producer, Sterling Vineyards' winery sits on an outcropping opposite the mountains on the valley side of Highway 29 south of Calistoga, north of St Helena in northern Napa Valley. The stylish Spanish mission style building is accessed by a gondola from the valley floor. Sterling produces a wide variety of labels sourcing grapes from numerous growers and Estate vineyards from all the reaches of Napa Valley.    
Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, this is a vibrant, complex fruit forward wine bursting with a range of flavors of black berry, currant and raspberry fruits, with a layer of spice, oak and hints of mocha and cedar with moderate fine integrated tannins on a lingering finish. What a pleasant surprise in this high achieving red wine blend that provides a high QPR (Quality Price Ratio) in this moderate priced label.
RM 91 points.    
Winemaker's notes:
With intense fruit and well-integrated oak, this wine is a powerful expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wine Spectators review:
"Smooth, refined and sophisticated, with ripe currant, blackberry, touches of mocha and cedar, and ending with fleshy, fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2020."
88 Points Wine Spectator

The Bordeaux style blend for this release is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot, 3% Petite Sirah, 2% Malbec and 1% Syrah.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1464210

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/