Chappellet and Rivers-Marie Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd

Chappellet and Rivers-Marie Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd 

Traveling to Destin, FL, visiting The Cove, our vacation rental home, we were joined by fellow Pour Boy Bill C, and Beth for a get away get-together. We introduced them to several of our favorite food and wine venues including lunch at Vin’Tij Food & Wine, Grand Blvd Destin. 

We’ve featured Vin’Tij often in these pages, in blogposts such as these - 

Wine tasting at Vin’Tij Grand Boulevard (San)Destin

David Arthur Chardonnay at Vintij Grand Blvd

Delightful wine lunch at Vintij Grand Boulevard

We dined al fresco on the patio, enjoying the Florida autumn sunshine! 

Beth ordered the MARYLAND LUMP CRAB CAKE, Charred Corn-Black Bean Salsa & Lemon Caper Butter.

Bill ordered the Shrimp and Grits, House Made Andouille, Plum Tomatoes, Parmesan Basil Grits & Lemon Caper Butter.

Linda ordered her regular favorite, the SEARED TUNA, Marinated Cucumber Salad, Sriracha Kewpie Mayonnaise, Chili Oil & Ponzu.

I was a bit under the weather and went with the zesty soup, and then the WARM BLEU CHEESE & GRAPE TART - Red Wine Crust, Roasted Grapes, Roasted Red Peppers, Candied Walnuts & Balsamic Reduction.

We paired with our food a couple of hearty Chardonnays from the Vin’tij retail wine shop.

Chappellet Napa Valley Sangiacomo Vineyard, Carneros Chardonnay 2021

We all visited the Chappellet estate vineyards and winery, high atop Pritchett Hill, Napa Valley during our Wine Experiences back in 2009 and 2013. 

We’re big fans of Chappellet Cabernet wines but had never experienced any of their Chardonnay labels so this was a new discovery. 

Label from 2023

This 100% Chardonnay is sourced from the Sangiacomo Vineyard in Carneros AVA at the bottom of the conflucence of Napa and Sonoma Valleys.. 

The Sangiacomo family are master viticulturists and multigenerational winegrowers who have been farming since 1927. Their cool, windswept vineyard in Sonoma’s Carneros region is ideally located bordering San Pablo Bay, where the grapes slowly mature, developing intense varietal character, while retaining excellent acidity and finesse. 

Winemaker’s Growing Season & Harvest Notes - “The 2021 growing season began with one of the driest winters on record, followed by a mild spring and summer with no adverse heat events. Due to the lack of precipitation, canopy growth was limited and the vines produced very small berries and clusters. To ensure ideal ripening and flavor development we closely monitored vine water stress and applied a highly targeted irrigation strategy.’

“While the drought conditions yielded a small crop, the long, temperate growing season combined with ideal weather during harvest produced exceptional quality Chardonnay, with lovely structure and concentration, excellent underlying acidity and soaring varietal flavors.”

Wine Notes and Statistics

Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus

100% Chardonnay; Robert Young, Hyde and Catarina Clones

Harvested Sept. 6 – Sept. 16, 2021

100% Malolactic fermentation, aged in 100% French oak, 35% new

Bottled July 2022 - 1,020 cases were produced

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes - “ Made from this coveted fruit, this mouth-filling wine displays beautiful layers of  stone fruits and citrus, as well as French oak-inspired layers of vanilla and spice. This tantalizing Chardonnay displays lavish aromas of honeydew melon, lemon zest, white peach, nectarine and tropical flowers, with sophisticated hints of vanilla, nutmeg, clove and brioche from aging in French oak. While the palate is creamy and rich, with lovely depth and structure, enlivening natural acidity adds poise and energy to the juicy citrus and stone fruit flavors as they glide to a long, vibrant finish.”

This release was rated 95 points and “Cellar Selection” by Wine Enthusiast, 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck,93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

Golden straw colored, full bodied, full round complex, forward pear and peach fruits with nutty spices and brioche notes on a lengthy buttery finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/4458839

https://chappellet.com/

Rivers-Marie Sonoma County Anderson Valley Chardonnay 2021

This limited release label is from up and coming superstar winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. He founded ​Rivers-Marie in 2002 with Genevieve Marie Welsh, a boutique winery in Calistoga, California, renowned for its single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. They focus on minimal intervention and sustainable practices, seeking to showcase the unique character of each vineyard and vintage. 

In 2010, they acquired the notable Summa Vineyard, from which they produce highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs.

Since 2016/2017 they have produced six select vineyard designated Chardonnays from the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County. 

The Sonoma Coast vineyards for our Chardonnay program are closer to each other than any other varietal they produce.

This single vineyard designated label is distinctive, sourced from the Bearwallow Vineyard, from a small 1.5 acre block deep in Anderson Valley. Thomas says of this label, “The epitome of meticulous farming is what always comes to mind first when I think of Bearwallow. This deep end Anderson Valley site has been a part of our program since 2016 and we enjoy its different nature from all the tiny clustered Sonoma Coast vineyards that make up the majority of our program. This bottling always has a distinctive yellow fruited character complemented by a saline and roasted nut character. Our little 1.5 acre Wente clone block has matured into one of the unique coastal Chardonnays we taste every year.”

This release was rated 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 91 points by Vinous

Deep golden colored, full bodied, full round, rich concentrated and forward yellow apple, pear with notes of nuts and mineral and hints of apricot, herbs and floral with a sharp focused finish.  

RM 92 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/4503440

https://www.riversmarie.com/wines/chardonnay/

https://vintij.com/

Vin'tij Sandestin Steak and Wine Dinner

Vin'tij Sandestin Steak and Wine Dinner

Visiting The Cove, our Destin (FL) vacation rental, we dined with friends/neighbors Richard and Victoria for dual birthdays at Vin'tij Wine Bar in tony Grand Boulevard in Sandestin. Vin'tij have a carefully curated selection of fine wines available for purchase for take-home, or, for consuming with selections from the menu in the restaurant. 

I wrote about Vin'tij in these earlier blogposts … 

Delightful wine lunch at Vintij Grand Boulevard

Wine tasting at Vin’Tij Grand Boulevard (San)Destin

Vin’Tij SanDestin Food and Wine Dinner

Planning on selecting prime filet beefsteaks for our entree’s, I got there early and spent time reviewing their wines for a dinner accompaniment/pairing. I was seeking a complex red blend, expressive and full flavored, but nicely integrated and polished for pleasurable drinking and pairing with dinner, While they have many producers and labels that we own or know well, I was also ideally seeking a new discovery producer or label. 

Finally, I ended up selecting a label that stepped up and met all the above criteria, and expectations for pairing with dinner, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of both (food and wine).  Richard brought from his home cellar, BYOB a St Julien Bordeaux Blend. Both wines were ideal complements paired with the grilled beefsteaks, ameliorating the enjoyment of both the wines and the food. 

As planned, three of us ordered the grilled filet of beef, each with an individual selection of sides and sauces. 

I ordered my steak prepared ‘Pittsburgh style’, hot pink center with some charring. For sides I selected mashed potatoes and asparagus spears, with lemon caper butter sauce on the side. . 

Richard brought a bottle from his home cellar, a Bordeaux Blend from our favorite appellation, St Julien, another ideal pairing with the dinner. Anticipating, (correctly), that this would be more subdued than the more aggressive Napa Valley label, we opened the Bordeau first and had it decanted. 

Domaine Martin Château Gloria St Julien Bordeaux 2019

The Château Gloria St Julien Bordeaux estate sits on 2-4 rue Marie Amélie, right off the main highway in the village of Beychevelle/St Julien, across the road from the legendary Second Growth Château Ducru Beaucaillou, which is adjacent Château Beychevelle and across the road from Château Branaire Ducru, all properties we visited and toured during our St Julien Bordeaux Experience back in 2019.

Our spectacular week in St Julien included visits to several of our favorite St Julien producers, Second Growths Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou,  Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases,  Gruaud Larose and Léoville-Poyferré, as well as Fourth Growths Château Beychevelle and Château Branaire-Ducru. 

The Domaine Martin estate was established by Henri Martin, who was actually born at nearby Château Gruaud-Larose in 1903 into a family that has been in the wine business for 300 years.

At the end of the 1930s, he made his first acquisition of one hectare of land, the first in a life-long series of vineyard acquisitions from nine classified growths in Saint-Julien and Pauillac. Henri targeted small parcels of exceptional vineyards belonging to estates whose main vineyard holdings were distantly remote thereby making them costly to manage.

Château Gloria was established and developed during the second half of the twentieth century, the name inspired by a neighboring property, The Gloria. By the 1980’s he had collected and assembled 108 acres of vineyards surrounded by plots of famous neighbors with century old historic Grand Crus Classés en 1855.  

The 108 acres of vineyards enjoy the classic St Julien terroir, amongst the best of the appellation. The property is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. With 80-year-old vines and 30-year-old vines, the average age is around 45 years old. 

Over recent years, the property has been upgraded with the latest high tech equipment and a new natural cellar in 2000. The wines are now produced by a team under the direction of Director Jean Triaud, Technical Director Remy Di Constanzio, formerly technical director of Ch. Cos D’Estournel, and Cellar Master Philippe Blanchard. 

While Saint-Julien is the smallest of the major appellations of the Médoc, with 2250 acres of vines, it has the greatest concentration of 1855 classified growths with eleven. 

Château Gloria has become an over-achiever developing wines that provide great QPR (quality price ratios). 

The 2019 release was a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from September 30th until October 4th, 34% Merlot, harvested from September 23rd until the 25th, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. 

This 2019 release was awarded 96 points by Vinous, 95 by Jane Anson and Jeb Dunnuck,  93-95 by Chris Kissack, 94 by Decanter, James Suckling and Wine Spectator, and 93 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and the Wine Independent. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, polished and elegant, savory blackberry and black currant fruits accented by black olive, crushed rocks, tobacco, graphite, earth and hints of soy and cassis ending in a  long and spicy finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3661571

https://www.domaines-henri-martin.com/en/brand/chateau-gloria/

We then moved to the Napa red blend … 

Torcia Napa Valley Red Blend 2019

This is from the family owned and managed Rutherford Wine Company who produce a broad portfolio of wines that showcases the diversity of California’s premier growing regions. They produce wines sourced from appellations that include Napa Valley, Arroyo Seco, Lodi and the Central Coast, all wines are finished and bottled at the family’s Napa Valley winery, the old Round Hill Winery on south Silverado Trail in Rutherford, Napa Valley, south of Zinfandel Lane, just north of Rt 128. .

The Rutherford Ranch Winery sits on the site of the original Round Hill Winery that was founded in 1978 by Ernie Van Asperen, Virginia Van Asperen and Charlie Abela. When the Van Asperens retired in 2000, Marko and Theo Zaninovich, long-time shareholders with the Van Asperen family, acquired the winery.I recall having Van Asperan and Abela Cabernets back in the 1990’s. 

The estate vineyards were replanted with superior vines and the winery and tasting room were renovated, sitting amidst the estate’s 100-year-old olive grove.

The broad Rutherford Wine Company portfolio consists of brands Rutherford Ranch, Scott Family Estate, Predator, TORCIA, Rhiannon, the original Round Hill, Four Virtues, Silver Buckle and Lander-Jenkins.

Torcia means ‘Torch,’ lighting the pathway of our senses and the search for excellence. This Napa Red Blend is crafted by Rutherford Wine Company, operated across multiple generations by the Zaninovich Family.  

The Torcia brand consists of a single vineyard Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines crafted from six appellations throughout the Napa Valley – Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak, Spring Mountain, Coombsville, Rutherford and Carneros.

Winemaker’s notes - “This Torcia Red Blend Napa Valley is a bold and expressive red wine from California. It features flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, and a hint of spice, with firm tannins and a long, smooth finish. This red blend pairs well with grilled meats, hearty stews, and aged cheeses. Serve at room temperature to enjoy its rich and complex profile.’

“This red wine has an intense and vibrant purple hue with notes of anise, Luxardo cherries, fresh lavender and other floral notes. Savory flavors mingle with hints of graphite, dried fig and candied plums. Youthful tannins dance on the palate giving lively, electric texture perfect for drinking now or for aging.”

The composition of this blend is 55% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Petite Sirah and some Malbec and Petit Verdot. It was aged in French and American oak.

This release was awarded 96 Points by The Tasting Panel Magazine, 92 Points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 90 Points by Wine and Spirits Magazine.

Bright purple ruby colored, full bodied, firmly structured, full, round, forward, vibrant on the verge of being slightly obtuse, black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of spicy cinnamon, bsking spices, black tea, slate, cedar and hints of cardaman and white pepper with chewy firm tannins on the long bright finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4346021

https://rutherfordwine.com/torcia/

https://rutherfordranch.com/

https://vintij.com/

Delightful wine lunch at Vintij Grand Boulevard

Visiting The Cove, our Destin, FL vacation rental home, we had a delightful wine lunch at Vintij Wine Bar at Grand Boulevard shopping center in Sandestin, one of favorite outings we try to take in every trip. 

We had a delightful lunch sitting outside on the patio at Vin’tij Wine Bar in the tony Grand Boulevard shopping center, where you can purchase a bottle and enjoy with small bites, lunch or dinner. 

I wrote about Vin’tij and their extensive wine shop selection in this blogpost last autumn - Wine tasting at Vin’Tij Grand Boulevard (San)Destin.

Before lunch we had the delicious Bread Basket with olive oil, Roasted Garlic, Marinated Olives, Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Basil and Parmesan Cheese.

For lunch, Linda order the Seared Ahi Tuna with marinated cucumber Marinated Cucumber Salad, Sriracha Kewpie Mayonnaise, Chili Oil & Ponzu.

I order the Mango Ginger Salmon with stir fried vegetable cous-cous. It was delicious, as good as any salmon entree I’ve ever encountered. 

We purchased in the wineshop this Napa Valley Chardonnay from a favored producer we know well. 

Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay 2023 

Pride Mountain Vineyards sits high atop Spring Mountain, above St Helena at 2,100 feet, at the mountain summit above the town of St Helena in the Mayacamas Range that forms the western wall of Napa Valley. 

Pride is one of two Napa/Sonoma Valley producers whose vineyards span the summit which is the border between Napa and Sonoma Valleys. 

While this wine is sourced from Napa Valley and therefore labeled as such, some Pride labels are designated Napa/Sonoma Valley. The other producer is Constant Vineyards, high atop Diamond Mountain, at the north end of the Mayacamas range.

We own several vintages of Pride Napa Valley wines, mostly reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

We visited the Pride Mountain Vineyards high atop Spring Mountain back in 1999 and 2000 when we tasted and acquired a case of their wines.

The vineyards and wine production date back to 1869 according to archived records. The original structure was destroyed by fire after Prohibition. Pride Mountain Vineyards built the current building as part of a complete renovation of their estate in 1997.

Due to the property's unique location at the summit, atop the mountain straddling Napa Valley to the east, and Sonoma Valley to the west, the winery is required to maintain two separate facilities, one in Napa and the other in Sonoma. The property line is divided down the center of the crush pad.

As mentioned above, Pride Mountain Vineyards labels may be designated Napa Valley, Sonoma County or both, depending on the source of the blend. Pride Mountain Vineyards brands their estate, "One Ranch, Two Counties."

Pride Mountain Vineyards consists of three vineyards totaling 235 acres on Spring Mountain in the Mayacamas mountain range that separates the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Their distinctive terroir with their high elevation includes soil of volcanic rocks, gravel loam and stones along with some clay. There they grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Petit Sirah, Chardonnay and Viognier in 40 different blocks produced in fifty lots of wines that varies from vintage to vintage.

This wine is 100% Chardonnay, sourced from multiple vineyard sites, produced mainly from purchased fruit, primarily from Carneros, 30% of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation. It was aged in 90% Neutral Oak and 10% New French Oak. Production of this release was 2617 cases.

James Suckling on JamesSuckling.com rating this release 95 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave it 92 points, Antonio Galloni of Vinous rated it 91, and Jeb Dunnuck gave it 90 points. 

Winemaker notes - “The 2023 Pride Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay is a beautiful, generous expression of Napa Valley fruit at its freshest and finest. The 2023 growing season was long and even, which layered in profound complexity to this wine. Overflowing with aromas of juicy pear and nectarines, the first sip is dominated by mouthwatering minerality, balanced by a delightful salinity, and accented by an intriguing touch of lime zest. While this wine is perfect for pairing with Thanksgiving dinner or fresh Dungeness crab, it will equally captivate you when enjoying a glass or two on its own.”

Pale golden straw colored, medium-bodied, nice ‘balance between power and finesse’, bright, ‘focused and quite steely’, notes of citrus fruits with hints of pear and orange blossom, white flowers and bit of cinnamon with bright acidity on the lingering finish. 

RM 91 points 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/5146159

https://www.pridewines.com/wine/our-wines/pride-chardonnay/2023-chardonnay/

https://www.pridewines.com/