Viader Napa Proprietary Red Corley Reserve

Viader Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend, Corley Reserve, Scount's Honor with grilled beef tenderloin for gala family celebration dinner

The entire Berganzi family came to town and gathered with clan McNees (below) to celebrate the dedication of grand-daughter Marylin, son Alec and Vivianna's baby.

Following the ceremony at Compass Church, Alec and Vivianna hosted all for a gala family dinner of grilled tenderloin beefsteak, salmon, roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and carrots. 

Alec grilled two whole beef tenderloins on the grill. Before dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses and charcuterie followed by ceasar salad with a Champagne toast. 

We opened the wine-flight with Hill Family Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay. 

There was so much to celebrate across the family - Marylin's dedication, Alec and Viv's second anniversary, Henry and Grace's engagement, Sean and Michelle's new home, and Johnny's birthday!

To celebrate the occasion and accompany the festive dinner, I pulled from the cellar a magnum of this Viader Napa Valley Red Blend. As I have written in these pages, this is one of the numerous "V" labels we have fun with as a tribute to our daughter-in-law, Viv. We wrote about fun with this branding in an earlier blogpost, Viader Napa Bordeaux Blend 1997.

We met proprietor winemaker Delia Viader at a tasting hosted by Binny's Chicago Lakeview back in 2005, and visited the property on lower Howell Mountain in 2008. 

Our collection of Viader spans a decade of releases dating back to the mid-nineties vintages. It was with interest to see how this vintage has held up over the years to calibrate the lifespan of the other vintages. In the style of many Viader releases, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Cabernet Franc in the profile of a top Graves from Bordeaux.

We expanded our collection of Viader wines following our visit to the Viader winery estate on the lower reaches of Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008.  

A travelogue of photos of our visit to the Viader are shown here or a selection are featured in the follow-on blog.  

The Viader 23-acre estate sits on the lower mountain at 1200 foot elevation overlooking Napa Valley. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Syrah. Viader is known for its Bordeaux-style blends. 

The 1200 foot elevation of the estate is significant and notable as that is the height that the fog reaches above the valley floor and hence is the point at which below is designated Napa Valley, and above it designated Howell Mountain. This climatic difference creates a distinctive terroir due to the effects of the fog on the ripening vines.  

Napa Valley view from the Viader estate

This follows our tasting last evening of another of the 'V' series of labels we enjoy with and in tribute to to Viviana, the Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor.

The 'V' is the prominent branding of the producer and winemaker Delia Viader, a remarkable and impressive lady who was born in Argentina and educated in Europe before earning graduate degrees in the U.S., a notable role model for any career minded female. Delia spent much of her formative years in Europe and in France where she earned a doctorate in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University in Paris, then pursued advanced business studies in the US at MIT, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

Recognizing the potential Napa Valley wine industry in the 1980's, Delia acquired the Howell Mountain property and set out to create a world class wine estate, and continued studying Enology and Viticulture at University of California, Davis.  During this time she also raised her four children in the wine environment and culture.

Shown here is our meeting Delia Viader during a producer tasting evening sponsored by Binny's here in Chicago back in 2005. 

Delia Viader was a visionary pioneer in Napa Valley investing in developing a mountain estate at a time when most of the vineyard plantings were on the valley floor.

Born in Argentina, Delia Viader came to the United States after spending many years in Europe. In 1986 the love of wine Delia acquired during her time in Europe lead her to purchase a 25 acre property 1200 feet above the Napa Valley floor northeast of St. Helena on the steep, rocky slopes of Howell Mountain. During this time when 99% of Napa’s vineyards were planted on the valley floor, Delia was considered a bit crazy-headed to plant vineyards in such foreboding terroir. But it was exactly terroir that she was after.

Delia’s first release of this proprietary red blend called simply Viader, was the 1989 vintage , a blend of almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wine has gained an international reputation as one of the iconic wines of the Napa Valley and has become the signature wine for the winery.

 In the last few years, Delia’s children have come back to help manage and operate the business making this a true family concern. Alan Viader is Director of Operations and Winemaking, Janet Viader is Director of Marketing and Sales. Mariela Viader (married to Alan) is in charge of the Culinary Program.

Viader Napa Valley Proprietary Bordeaux Red Blend 2004

Winemaker Notes: "Since its first release in 1989, Delia Viader has made her Proprietary Blend using only the best fruit from her Howell Mountain Estate vineyards. The Viader blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc captures an ideal balance between the two varieties. The Cabernet Franc contributes to the early approachability, elegant structure and violet-like aromatics while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds complexity and character as well as providing the backbone structure for long aging potential."

"The 2004 Viader is intense, upfront, floral bouquet laced with chocolate, coffee, anise, earth and leather. Lingering, complex tannins firm up in the finish which is rounded by the powerful aromas of blackberry, blueberry and mint. Approachable now, bottle aging will further develop bouquet and complexity. Awonderfully elegant mountain beauty!"

This release was awarded 92 points by Vinous,  17.5/20 points by Jancis Robinson.

We love this blend of Napa Valley 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon accented by the structure, grip and spice of 40 percent Cabernet Franc. At eighteen years this was wonderful, probably at the apex of its drinking window, but likely with a decade of life still left. The fill level, label and cork were all pristine. As a result, I pushed the Cellartracker drinking window for my remaining bottles of this vintage release out to 2024. I raised my earlier rating from 92 to 93 points.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied and firmly structured ripe black raspberry fruits with notes of coffee, mocha, leather, graphite, sweet oak and spice with firm gripping by elegantly smooth polished tannins on the long finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=224306

https://viader.com/ 

@viader_napa

Alec followed with a big Napa Valley Cab, closing out with another Napa Valley Big Red blend from another one of our whimsical fun 'V' labels, Venge Scout's Honor Red. 

Corley Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

We were introduced to this wine when Alec served it at a father-brothers-sons dinner last year.  I wrote about this wine in an earlier blogpost at that time - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/05/father-son-wine-dinner.html.

This is produced by the Corley family who are long time grape growers in Napa Valley that produce a small limited amount of wine of their own label, only in extraordinary vintages. The Corley family owns and manages some of the finest vineyard properties in Napa Valley at their 80 acre Monticello Vineyards estate with vineyards and winery, tasting room, as well as culinary and hospitality center.

Founded by Jay Corley in 1970 when he began searching for sites to grow wine, in pursuit of his personal passion for Burgundian-style wines led him to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in what is now known as the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley.

They produced this wine at Monticello Winery on Big Ranch Road in the Oak Knoll District of south Napa Valley. We visited this winery estate back in the late nineties when it was operating as a custom crush facility and we did a tasting of boutique producer Elan Wines with producers Patrick and Linda Elliott-Smith. 

This was a special bottle as the boys know and are friends with one of the members of the Corley family and were able to source this special limited release bottling.Today, Corley is managed by their third generation.

Since it’s first bottling in 1982, our Corley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the Corley Family flagship wine. It is sourced from each of their five estate cabernet sauvignon vineyards and the diversity of four distinct sub-Appellations - Rutherford, Yountville, St. Helena and Oak Knoll District.

This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot.

Ken's Wine Guide Tasting Panel summed this up perfectly when they wrote about this label, "This very dark garnet colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Corley opens with a mild black currant and black licorice bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and savory. The flavor profile is a fruit forward fruit bomb featuring stewed plum and black currant with notes of graphite and toasted oak. We also detected a hint of blackberry. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing this Cab with a New York strip steak. Enjoy - KWGTP"

I echo their tasting experience and give this 92 points. Dark garnet color, medium-full body, nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of anise, hints of graphite and toasted oak with smooth polished moderate tannins on a lingering finish.

Winemaker notes: "Typically luscious, powerful and richly textured our Reserve is full-bodied and while ready to drink is also a wine to lay down for the years to come. This wine once again shows nice consistency and balance throughout the entire experience – from the aromatics through to the finish. The mouth-feel is rich in texture and with a finish framed by firm but rounded velvety tannins, one of the hallmarks of this wine."

Dark garnet color, medium-full body, nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of anise, hints of graphite and toasted oak with smooth polished moderate tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3237704

https://www.corleyfamilynapavalley.com/ 

https://twitter.com/monticellonapa 

Alec opened another Big Napa Red, another of the 'V' series of labels we enjoy with and in tribute to to Viviana, the Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor.

Venge Vineyard "Scout's Honor" Napa Red 2019

As I have written often in these pages, we've been enjoying Nils and Kirk Venge' wines since the early 1990's when Nils was featured by Wine Spectator Magazine in a 1994 article on up and coming wine producers. 

One of the labels of the Venge portfolio is Scout's Honor named for the family Labrador Retriever. I remember Scout walking the rows in the vineyards with Nils during a visit to the Rutherford Penny Lane estate back in the nineties (shown right from our 2002 visit).

This wine was initially meant to be a fun sipper for the Venge tasting room, yet it became — and remains — one of the most popular wines of the Venge portfolio which has now grown to nineteen labels. 

 Scout's Honor is based on a tradition of producing a full bodied, delicious and enjoyable red wine that can be opened and enjoyed immediately upon release however when cellared correctly it will age for 5 to 8 years.

Scout's Honor starts as a unique proprietary red blend anchored by a base of old-vine Zinfandel and builds upon that with dry-farmed Petite Sirah, old-vine Charbono, and finish with mountain vineyard Syrah.

We have been collecting this label since the earliest releases in the mid-nineties and hold a half dozen vintages. We typically keep a half dozen vintages of this label on hand for easy, enjoyable smooth sipping with everyday fare, great with BBQ, burgers, pizza to hearty cheese, beef, fruits and chocolates. I was surprised when I went to write up this tasting note that this was my first recorded tasting of this vintage.

Nil's has stepped down into retirement and winemaker and production duties are now with son Kirk who has raised the bar taking this label to new heights in recent years, earning 93 or 94 points from Wine Advocate for vintages 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

 Wine buddy Andy and I visited Kirk and Nils up at the Calistoga estate and the Signal Fire Vineyard back in 2002 (shown right).  

From a branding perspective, this may be the last year you see this packaging with a paper label as the 2018 release went to a more upscale painted on glass bottle label marking, moving to a more premium positioning for this label. It remains to be seen what happens to the price point. It is already priced at the high end of the Zinfandel range, but well worth it with its sophistication and complexity and quality of the blend.

Winemaker's Notes: "Full-bodied, concentrated and gorgeous, this vintage features an assemblage of violets, dried cinnamon, white flowers, fresh cut blue herbs, and a touch of barrel toast. The palate has loads black fruits and sweet currants, pepper spice, and an enveloping masculinity of char and tannins from the Syrah, Charbono and Petite Sirah. A seamless balance and mouth coating deliciousness lead to a wine that is quite pleasing to the senses. Cellared correctly it will age for 7 to 10 years."

The 2019 blends 63% Zinfandel with smaller amounts, 16% Charbono, 12% Petite Sirah and 9% Syrah aged 50% new American Oak and the balance in once-used tight grained French Oak.

The Zinfandel was picked from two, old-vine, 60 to 100+ years old, dry-farmed vineyard sources: Venge’s Estate “Signal Fire Vineyard” and the Frediani Vineyard, both located in the heart of Calistoga. The Charbono was sourced from old, dry-farmed vines 60 to 100+ years old, also planted in the Frediani Vineyard. Robbie Mondavi’s Oso Vineyard located on Howell Mountain supplies the Petite Sirah, and, Napa’s finest Syrah from Stagecoach Vineyard, high in the mountains of the Atlas Peak AVA.

This was rated 93 points by The Wine Enthusiast.

After the more subdued and focused Viader red blend, this was a monstrous super sweet fruit bomb, begging for hearty cheese, spicy pizza pasta or dark bitter chocolates. Dark garnet purple colored, full bodied, rich, thick concentrated sweet super ripe black currant fruit with notes of that Howell Mountain cinnamon spice, violet floral notes, pepper and pain grille.

RM 90 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3525137

https://www.vengevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/vengevineyards

 

Family dinner features broad diverse wine flight

Family dinner features broad diverse wine flight - Robert Craig, Del Dotto, Pirouette, Domaine Pegau and Hill Estate 

I wrote in the previous post about sister Jan and Bro-n-law Bill visiting from California with daughters Jenna and Krysta and her new grand-baby to meet the cousins, the family gathered at our house for a family reunion dinner. Linda prepared beef tenderloin and ribs with asparagus, whipped potatoes and mac-n-cheese, salads and desserts.

We opened a broad diverse wine flight to accompany the dinner courses and selections. 

For the beef tenderloin, we opened a series of reds including this family oriented and run Napa Cabernet from Del Dotto Vineyards, followed by Robert Craig, two of the largest selections in our cellar collection spanning three decades. 

We also opened a Long Shadows Pirouette Red Blend, from their Vintner's Collection, another producer label of which we own a broad collection spanning many vintages going back more than a decade.

For the ribs' accompaniment, son Ryan brought a CDP and son Alec brought a Napa Syrah to round out the flight.

A separate post covered the white wine offering I opened - Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling. 

Del Dotto Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs Series Juppilles Oak 2000

Del Dotto is one of the largest holdings in our cellar dating back to the inaugural vintage release back in 1993. Our association with Del Dotto dates back to several of our Napa Wine Experiences and wine producer and winemaker dinners back to the mid-nineties.

My blogpost features our last visit there during our Napa Valley Del Dotto Estate Cave Tour and Barrel Tasting in 2017.

Tonight, I opened a large format magnum bottle of Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2000 vintage, an Estate and a bottle from their Connoisseur's Series.

Del Dotto produce this unique series featuring a wine aged in different oak barrels with different types of oak sourced from around the world. The premise is that different varieties of oak have specific characteristics that will act upon the wine differently resulting in subtle flavor variations.

The Del Dotto Connoisseur's Series features as many as nine different oaks in which they age the same wine. Oaks barrels are produced with wood sourced from numerous forests around the world including America and France - French Allier, Bertranges, Colbert, this one from Juppilles, Marsannay and Troncas oaks, and American Missouri and Minnesota oaks. As with the whole collection, the resulting differences are subtle and may not be discernible except to the most discriminating oenophile, but they provide a unique and interesting tasting experience. 

Del Dotto Connoisseur Series Cabernet
Sauvignon served at an earlier wine tasting

Still holding its own at two decades plus two years, this is certainly reached its prime and will not improve further with aging but was not showing any diminution from age, perhaps due to large format bottle, which tends to age better. 

Dark garnet purple colored, medium to full bodied, modest structure, black berry fruits, notes of cassis, black tea, leather and hints of creosote on a moderate finish. 

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=530962

https://www.deldottovineyards.com/

@DelDottoWine 

Robert Craig Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

We're long time fans of Robert and Marilyn and the Craig team and their 'artwork'. Our friendship with Robert and our 'Affinity' for his wines dates back at our first visit to Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 1996, and then again at our Robert Craig featured producer wine dinners during our Napa Wine Experience 1998, and again in 1999.

We visited Robert Craig's estate high atop Howell Mountain with Jan and Bill back in 2008 (shown right) and we visited Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Appellation Trail together in 2011.  

 

As I have written in these pages in the past, we've dined and tasted with Robert and Lynn Craig at the winery, in Chicago, and at numerous Napa Valley events over the years. I recall Robert saying that this label, the Mt Veeder was his favorite. 

 

Our Robert Craig collection of these labels is one of the largest holdings in our cellar collection. Our records show we still hold over four cases of this label over fifteen vintages dating back to the inaugural vintage in 1993.

Tonight's tasting was consistent with our last one when we opened this label release in August 2018 when I wrote: "I like this wine: This was still drinking well but likely past the apex of its drinking window, not to improve further with aging, but still holding its own at seventeen years of age. Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bright forward firm structured backbone of tangy black cherry and blackberry fruits accented by notes of cedar, spicy oak, leather, tobacco leaf and tea with firm but smooth approachable tannins on the finish." 

RM 90 Points

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/12/robert-craig-veeder-cinq-cepages-byob.html 

https://mcnees.org/winesite/napa/napa_08/img_napa08_robt_craig_friends_lunch_remc.jpg

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine

We also opened another Long Shadows Vintners Collection label, Pirouette, a red blend crafted by legendary producer/winemakers Phillip Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr.

Long Shadows Pirouette Red Wine 2004 

This is the Bordeaux varietal red blend from the Long Shadows Vintners's Collection that features world class winemakers and Washington State Columbia Valley fruit.

Two legendary winemakers, Philippe Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr. teamed to combine the heritage of old world winemaking with the advancements of new world technology, using small lots from Washington State’s finest vineyards to craft this exotic red blend.

Agustin Huneeus entered the wine business in Chile in 1960 to lead Concha y Toro, a company he grew to become Chile’s largest winery. In 1971, he moved to New York, then later to California, continuing in the wine industry before becoming a partner and president of Franciscan Estates in 1985.

In addition to building Franciscan, he also built well-known California wineries Estancia and Mount Veeder and Veramonte Winery in Chile. In 1999, he left Franciscan to establish Huneeus Vintners, a portfolio that includes Napa Valley’s Quintessa where he worked with talented winemaker Phillip Melka. 

Philippe Melka attended the University of Bordeaux earning a master's degree in agronomy and enology, before working at some of the most famous wineries in the world: Château Cheval Blanc, Pétrus and Château Haut-Brion, among others. There he developed a passion for and expertise in cabernet-based blends. 

In 1994, Philippe settled in Napa Valley where he developed his reputation making wines for such celebrated wineries as Hundred Acre, Quintessa, Bryant Family, Seavey, Dana Estates and Vineyard 29 before joining the dream project partnering with Agustin Hunneus from Quintessa and Allen Shoup at Long Shadows. 

The Pirouette Vintners' Collection label collaboration was launched with the inaugural 2003 vintage. This, the second release in 2004 was a unique red blend consisting of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot and 11% Syrah. 

Seeking to create a wine with complexity and layers, the winemakers chose a diverse selection of Columbia Valley vineyard sites, each contributing unique characteristics to the blend. Grapes from the Horse Heaven Hills vineyards (32%) contributed depth; Wahluke Slope (24%) provided richness, concentration and dark fruit; Columbia Valley (25%) added ripe fruit character; the Yakima Valley (5%) gave the wine its balance and acidity; and Petit Verdot from Ciel du Cheval on Red Mountain (14%) further enhanced balance and complexity.

The Winemakers' Tasting Notes for this label release: "A full spectrum of bright aromas and flavors gives the 2004 Pirouette wonderful complexity and style. Cabernet Sauvignon makes for a rich, structured wine; Syrah and Merlot add vibrant, dark fruit and a hint of licorice and spice; Petit Verdot contributes to its balance and liveliness. Lush and concentrated, the flavors continue through a lingering finish."

The wine was aged 21months in 100% all French oak (75% new) barrels.

This release was awarded 93 points by Wine Advocate.

The expressive nose offers up pain grille, scorched earth, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a thick wine with silky tannins, superb depth and richness, and layers of flavor.

This was consistent with earlier tasting, CT records show we last opened this label and tasted it over the holidays in December 2018 when I wrote: "I like this wine: While it is a blend of Bordeaux varietals Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, it also contains a percentage of Syrah. It seems the Syrah almost predominated with a residual sweetness un-befitting the blend. The blend is 49% Cabernet, 37% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot and 11% Syrah. It is showing no signs of diminution from aging at fourteen (now eighteen) years and seems to still be at the apex of its drinking window.'

"The cork came apart on opening so the server had to decant this and strain it to remove the crumbled cork and residual sediment. Bright ruby colored, medium-full bodied, vibrant, rich concentrated forward black and blue fruits with highlights of black cherry, notes of cassis, spice and hints of cedar and creosote giving way to sweet almost obtuse bing cherry notes on the tangy lingering finish." 

RM 90 points.

https://longshadows.com/

@LongShadowsWine

For pairing with the baby back ribs, we opened two bottles brought by Ryan and Alec respectively.

Domaine du Pegau "Cuvée Reservée" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2003

We drove past the Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate and vineyards during our tour of the area during our Rhone Valley Wine Experience in 2019. Our visit to the estate of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe was the other highlight of our visit to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, and then to a visit to Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-chateau-la-nerthe.html

We lasted tasted this label when Ryan brought this from his cellar to a family celebration dinner on my birthday back in 2015 when I wrote: "This was tight and a bit closed with the fruits subdued and overtaken by a layer of black tea, tobacco leaf, with hints of creosote over the black berry fruits. This needs bold zesty bar-be-que to offset the tight firm black fruits and non-fruit layer." Tonight's tasting experience was consistent with then. At that time I gave this 87 points. I'd add at least another point perhaps reflecting the complementary pairing with the food. 

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/05/pichon-baron-and-viader-v-1999-flight.html

This blockbuster vintage release got 99 points from Jeb Dunnuck. 98 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 97 points from Wine Spectator. 

Robert Parker wrote about this release in Wine Advocate back in 2010: "The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee stands out as one of the all-time great wines made by Laurence Feraud and her father, Paul." Later in 2014 he wrote, "Starting with the 2003 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Reservée, this wine showed spectacularly on release, closed down for a few years, and has now emerged, at close to full maturity, and is straight-up fabulous."

Parker's tasting notes at that time referred to 'currants, garrigue, pepper and beef blood'.

Wine Spectator in 2006 cited this "Highly Recommended, #5 in Top 100 Wines of 2006" and described it with notes of "bramble, licorice, tar and pain d'épices flavors before a flitter of game and garrigue on the finish."

Its a tough comparison, this old world style compared to the modern era style and more robust, vibrant and expressive fruits from Bordeaux varietals. A wonderful tasting when compared with the BBQ ribs in any event. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19857

Hill Family Estate Napa Valley Clarke Vineyard Syrah 2018

Alec brought this hearty Syrah to pair with the ribs. We've written often in these pages about his discovering this producer and their portfolio during his and Vivianna's Napa Valley honeymoon that was disrupted by the raging fires. They acquired this label as part of their wine club allocation shipment. 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/12/hill-family-estate-origin-napa-valley.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/03/hill-family-estate-napa-cabernet-2018.html

Winemaker's notes about this wine: "The Clarke Vineyard in American Canyon has a cool breezy climate that brings out the depth and finesse of the Syrah grape. Clone 877 is used for body and raspberry chocolate fruit, and a little Clone 383 for extra color and smoky complexity. A small amount of Viognier was co-fermented with the Syrah to add its exotic appeal. We brought the grapes in on October 23 at 27 Brix. We gave the tank 3 days of cold soak before adding FX10 yeast, then pressed it on November 4. The 2018 Clarke Syrah offers intriguing aromas of dark plum, black cherry, iris flower and wafts of mezcal. The wine glides across the tongue with flavors of raspberry and melted milk chocolate."

Dark purple colored, full bodied, notes of blackberry and black raspberry fruits accented by dark mocha chocolate hints of smoke and black tea. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3975107

https://store.hillfamilyestate.com/product/2018-Clarke-Vineyard-Syrah

 

Gala Family Celebration Dinner at Angelis Italian

 Gala Family Celebration Dinner at Angelis Italian - Naperville

The family successfully pulled off a surprise birthday party for wife/mom/grandmother Linda for her deca-milestone year. We gathered in the private dining room at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria (Naperville, IL). We ordered a broad array of appetizers, our favorite dinner entrees from the menu and daily specials, followed by celebratory birthday cake, accompanied by our special BYOB wines. 

All our kids and their kids were able to attend, including a surprise pop-in visit from Alec and Vivianna, only hours after release from the hospital, with less than 48 hour old, just arrived, daughter, grand-daughter, Marylin - named after her grandmothers Mary-Lisa and Linda. This was everyone's first encounter meeting her and the first time hearing her name as this was announced as part of her introduction at the gathering. All this further amplified the excitement and special circumstances of the occasion.

To accompany the dinner I brought BYOB, from our wine cellar a magnum of champagne and two reds - Del Dotto Napa Cabernet and a Venge Vineyards Sangiovese. 

Piper Heidseick Brut Champagne (Magnum) 

There's nothing like Champagne served from a large format magnum bottle - especially for special occasions. This bottle is even more festive with its red holiday packaging.  We acquired several cases of these commemorative bottles upon release last year and have had fun serving them at weddings, holidays and special family occasions such as tonight. 

 

Venge Vineyards Sangiovese Family Reserve Penny Lane Vineyard 2010

I pulled this bottle for its traditional Italian Sangiovese varietal composition to accompany our Italian cuisine dinner.  This is from Venge Vineyards, one of the earliest growers and producers of this varietal based wine from Napa Valley sources. Nils Venge has long been a pioneer and thought-leader in Napa Valley.

The Venge (ven-ghee) family has farmed vitis vinifera varieties in Napa Valley for nearly half a century dating back to Knud Venge who emigrated from Denmark to the US in the early 1900’s. Knud's son, Per Venge, was passionate about wine and spirits and imported Western European fine wines and spirits. Per's son, Nils Venge started in the family business in the 1960's before leaving to study viticulture at UC Davis and then went on become an icon in the Northern California winegrowing community.

Venge family viticultural took root in Napa Valley in 1976 with the purchase of a 17-acre vineyard in the Oakville District that was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 

 

We've met Nils and Dianna Venge on numerous occasions at Napa events and visiting the Venge Vineyards in Oakville during the nineties. We first met their son, Kirk Venge, who engaged in winemaking from an early age while they were developing the Rossini Ranch Vineyards, Winery and caves up in Calistoga.  

 

We visited Nils at the Penny Lane Family Reserve Vineyard in Oakville, then drove up to meet Kirk at the Rossini Ranch site in the eastern foothills of Palisade Mountain near Calistoga back in 2002. 

Nils' and Dianna Venge's son, Kirk Venge, engaged in winemaking at an early age and has emerged as a talented winemaker like his father.

I've written often in these pages how we have fun with this label with the prominent "V" in the branding, for special dinners with daughter-in-law Vivianna, such as tonight. 

This is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Charbono from the Venge estate Penny Lane vineyard in Oakville. 

 

Dark inky colored, full bodied, rich concentrated extracted fruit, aromatic,almost intense black cherry and black raspberry with notes of tobacco leaf, tea and hints of tar on a smooth silky tannin laced finish. This was and ideal accompaniment to our zesty Italian pasta!

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/12/venge-napa-valley-oakville-penny-lane.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1351252 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1351287

http://www.vengevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/VengeVineyards

@VengeVineyards 

Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (Magnum)

We've been collecting Del Dotto Family Wine for over twenty-five years, since their inaugural release of this Napa Cabernet in 1993. The Del Dotto brand, holdings, portfolio and presence have grown substantially over those years, yet they still maintain their focus on small production, premium wines. 

Over that time Dave Del Dotto has acquired vineyards in some of the best American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) including Rutherford, Oakville, St. Helena, Howell Mountain, and Fort Ross-Seaview Sonoma Coast. The portfolio and brand has grown proportionally as well. 

Today Del Dotto produce wines based on cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, sangiovese and sauvignon blanc from their Napa Valley vineyards, as well as pinot noir, chardonnay and limited amounts of syrah, sauvignon blanc, sparkling grenache and mourvedre from their Cinghiale (wild boar) Vineyard in the King Ridge region of the Sonoma Coast.

We still hold nearly two decades of Del Dotto wines dating back to that 1993 inaugural vintage release. 

Over the years we've held Del Dotto wine dinners with Dave and Yolanda such as our Napa Wine Experience back in 1999, and attended numerous Del Dotto hosted special events. More recently, our Pour Boys wine group did the Del Dotto Napa Valley Cave Tour and Barrel Tasting at the magnificent St Helena estate winery and caves. And, our Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience at the then new Piazza Del Dotto estate and winery (and now caves) was one of the memorable highlights of our Napa Wine Experience in 2018. 

Our collection of Del Dotto family wines remains one of the largest holdings in our cellar with both vertical and horizontal collections of favorite labels. Hence it was only fitting for a special occasion family dinner that I took a Del Dotto estate label, in magnum - especially since it was held at our local Italian trattoria. 

Our   -https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/del-dotto-napa-valley-cave-tour-barrel_12.html

Its hard to believe that with published tasting notes of no less than sixty-five different labels and vintage releases - and countless iterations thereof, I have not tasted, or published a tasting note or blogpost of this particular label vintage release. 

At twenty years, the fill level, label, foil and cork were all essentially perfect - indications of the aging environment in our cellar as we acquired this bottle upon release. This is probably at the peak of its drinking character and profile and not likely to improve with any further aging, but showed no sign of diminution whatsoever.

This vintage release was awarded 92-94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant ripe concentrated blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of earthy leather, tobacco, hints of spice and cassis with moderate tangy acidity and tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 92 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1158239

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=84270

https://www.deldottovineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/DelDottoWine

@DelDottoWine

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut Limited Edition Red Magnum Bottles NV

The Winemaker Notes for this release: "The Brut NV represents the epitome of the Piper-Heidsieck
style: a classic, well-structured, and fruit forward champagne.

Piper-Heidsieck carefully selects fruit from more than 100 of Champagne’s crus to blend the Brut NV. This adds great complexity and dimension to the wine and allows the bold Piper-Heidsieck style to shine through.

A majority blend of Pinot Noir provides structure to the composition while Pinot Meunier expands the wine with its brilliant fruit expression and fleshiness and Chardonnay bring elegant tones and acidity. The precious reserve wines create a consistent flavor profile year after year.'

"This Champagne teases and allures us with its festive, light-drenched, pale gold shimmer and joyful display of neat, lively bubbles. Notes of almond and fresh hazelnut accompany the precise ascent of its bubbles. It is lively, subtle and light, leaving a deliciously incisive sensation of smoothness, marked by the pureness of fresh pear and apple and a delicate hint of citrus fruits. A harmonious mixture of bright, crunchy pomelo, blonde grapes and juicy white fruits creates the delightfully surprising sensation of lightness embraced by the structure and depth from the Pinot Noir; all beautifully balanced."

This release achieved Critical Acclaim having been awarded WS 92 points by Wine Spectator, 91 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 90 points each by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast.

White-golden straw colored, balanced, fruity, fresh and elegant, medium-bodied, stimulatingly fresh and well-structured blend with gorgeous fruit and a clean, persistent finish, a mineral edge and final fruitiness, beautifully textured with a solid mid-palate, good density, and a clean, crisp finish.

RM 90 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2651727

Merry Christmas - Frozen and gala family wine dinner

Merry Christmas - Frozen and gala family wine dinner Italian Village Chicago

For our Christmas present to the kids and grandkids we got them tickets to the Broadway theatrical presentation of Frozen at the Cadillac Palace theatre in Chicago, followed by a gala family dinner at a classic historical Chicago landmark restaurant, Italian Village, Chicago. We love the city and endeavor to take advantage of all the culture, arts, history and culinary scene often. My office is in the city and I admit I get a rush feeding off the energy of the city from the moment I step off the train.

I worked a partial day in the office, attended a Board meeting and then went downstairs in the belly of my office building to meet the kids and grandkids arriving by train from the western suburbs. We went up the escalator and elevator to my office where they had lunch in the board room overlooking the cityscape. 

The grandkids had fun looking across at the heights of the Willis Tower, watching the raising of the new Salesforce tower, and looking down on the arriving Metra trains, the "L" trains traversing the river, and the people on the upper decks of the architectural boat tours passing our building on the river below. 

From there the kids and grandkids went to the theatre presentation of Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, on the Chicago stop of their North American tour. 

Readers of this column have seen numerous blogposts  of  my leadership team business dinners at historic Italian Village Restaurant. Tonight, we took over the wine room in the Italian Village Cantina for a festive private holiday dinner.

Sons Ryan and Alec, daughter Erin and Vivianna joined me in selecting some special wines from the extensive, extraordinary wine cellar list and then we enjoyed touring the spectacular wine cellar to fetch our selections. 

 Our wine flight consisted of my favorite Italian Super Tuscan from a dozen or so dinners and visits over the last couple months. Ryan selected from the winelist a legendary Californian, and Alec found a vintage of one of our Vintner's Series collectables from Columbia Valley. We finished the entree course with America's best Sangiovese, and I finished off the evening with a vintage premium Italian dessert wine. 

Erin & Johnny Fort & Jared Gelband

Our good friend, Italian Village Wine Director Jared Gelband had already staged for us two Italian wines to start off our dinner appetizer course.

Ezio Poggio Caespes Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Terre di Libarna 2018

Interesting pleasant white wine from the Colli Tortonesi DOC Appellation in Piedmont region in the northwestern most corner of Italy. It is comprised of 100% Timorasso, a modern varietal grape indigenous to the region.

Straw colored, fully round medium bodied with vibrant green apple and pear fruits with notes of melon and stone with soft minerality, moderate acid and medium dryness. Very nice accompaniment to the salad course and shrimp and calimari starters. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3485962

 

Dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove 2017

We discovered and enjoyed this Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove Bolgheri 2017 in a recent visit to Italian Village, I wrote about it in this blogpost of that tasting.

We then selected from the winelist several wines to accompany our dinner entrees, and dessert.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3377327

https://www.ornellaia.com/en

https://twitter.com/Ornellaia

 

Ridge Monte Bello California Proprietary Red 2002

Ryan selected from the winelist this iconic flagship label of this prolific producer. They are known for their wide portfolio of single vineyard designated labels from Napa, Sonoma and their estate site situated high at the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains that separate Silicon Valley from Santa Cruz and the coast. 

This site is special to us as it sits above our home village of Saratoga down in the southwestern corner of Silicon Valley, where we lived out there back in the early eighties.

The Ridge estate and Monte Bello vineyard is officially in Cupertino, albeit high above the valley up at the summit.

This release was awarded 98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points by Vinous, 96 points by Wine Spectator, 94 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and 18/20 from Jancis Robinson.   

The 2002 Monte Bello Proprietary Red is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.

Going into its twentieth year, this is very likely at the apex of its tasting window, its hard to believe that it will improve much more with further aging. Robert Parker wrote in 2012 when it was ten years,  "It tastes as if it hasn’t changed since I first sampled it in late 2003 and then again in bottle two years later. ... Extremely young and full-bodied, with some wood char still present, it is unevolved and tastes like it could be a barrel sample, except that it has been in bottle for nearly ten years! This is a blockbuster Ridge Monte Bello that still needs a minimum of another 10 years of bottle-age and should keep for 50+ years."

Vinous wrote in 2016, "The 2002 Monte Bello is just starting to enter the early plateau of its maturity."

Wine Spectator wrote in 2019: "Fully in its secondary phase now..."

Such highly acclaimed and rated wines are almost harder to describe because they are conspicuous in their lack of obvious or obtuse high notes, seemingly subdued, but not so, rather, they harmoniously polished and balanced, a symphony of complex flavors, and notably without flaws. Like a well orchestrated symphony the sum of the parts is greater than their individual totality, but no instrument or note stands out from the rest. Garnet colored, medium-full-bodied, expansive, deep and penetrating yet elegant, polished and superbly balanced and harmonious, Vinous wrote, 'it is all about understatement', layered, perfume, expressive flavors of raspberry, blackcurrants, notes of crème de cassis, bitter dark chocolate, spices and tobacco, framed by ripe, plush tannins, concluding with a lingering finish.

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=9782

https://www.ridgewine.com/wines/2002-monte-bello/

Sequel Columbia Valley Shiraz 2004 

Alec caught this in the Italian Village wine book list. We couldn't believe they have this aged vintage release of this label. This special collection feature was crafted by notable winemaker John Duvall who was winemaker for fifteen years for Penfold's Grange, one of Australia's most iconic celebrated wines.

Duvall is a participating winemaker in the Longshadows Vintners Collection of world famous winemakers, each recruited to produce their specialty varietal based labels. We visited and wrote about the Long Shadows tasting room in Woodinville during our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour back in 2017.

This was the second vintage release of this label.

We collect this label as part of our club allocation but this vintage release predates the current Long Shadows branding and packaging, sporting a painted bottle rather than a customary paper label. As we collect this label, had to try this vintage release from the earliest days of this offering. 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: Darkly-hued with cherry and cassis aromas to match, this is a focused Syrah loaded with black fruit, spice and a hint of vanilla across a supple frame. Give it time in the glass to fully reveal the wine’s layers of fruit and concentration.

This was rated 93 points by Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer, and 92 points by Wine Spectator. 

This was sourced from numerous Columbia Valley Vineyards. Working with a broad varied selection of top Syrah vineyards gives Sequel complexity and layers: Yakima Valley’s Boushey Vineyard (35%) gives the wine its elegance and balance; Alder Ridge (24%) and Wallula Vineyard (7%) in the Horse Heaven Hills combines with Red Mountain vineyards (32%) to add black fruit and richness. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from Sagemoor’s Dionysus Vineyard on a southwest facing slope in Pasco adds complexity and more layers.

This was dark deep purple colored, full bodied with complex plum and blackberry fruits with notes of game, dark chocolate, spices and herbs, pepper and hints of cedar with a moderate tannin and acidic lingering finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=264802

https://longshadows.com/

Leonetti Walla Walla Valley Sangiovese 2003 

Gary Figgins' Leonetti Cellar winery sits just on the outskirts of the town of Walla Walla, the wine producing center of south eastern Washington. We visited the area with our Walla Walla AVA Wine Experience in 2018.

Leonetti Cellar was founded by Gary's parents, Gary and Nancy Figgins, in 1977 as Walla Walla’s first commercial winery. The history of Leonetti dates back a century to Francesco and Rosa Leonetti, who immigrated from Italy in 1901 and 1902 and settled in the area and established the Leonetti farm in 1906. Virginia Leonetti married Berle Figgins (Gary’s father) in 1943 and Gary Figgins was born five years later. Gary toured the California wine country while serving in the Army and begins winemaking.
Gary along with his two uncles, George and Bill Leonetti planted the first commercial vineyard in the area in 1974. 

 

Gary and wife Nancy established the current winery property and winery in 1975, bonded at Leonetti Cellar winery, Walla Walla’s first winery in 1977. Leonetti Cellar’s first commercial vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon & Riesling produced from estate grapes the next year. The first Leonetti Sangiovese was produced in 1995. Chris Figgins, Gary and Nancy’s son, graduated from Washington State University with a degree in horticulture and joined the family business in 1996. He took over the reins as head winemaker in 2001. 

Robert Parker and other critics have said Leonetti produce the finest Sangiovese outside of Tuscany. Leonetti say that while it is most challenging grape to farm, it ais also their favorite.

This 2003 Leonetti Sangiovese is produced from fruit sourced from the Figgins’s Mill Creek Upland Vineyard as well as the Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge Vineyards. It is 78% Sangiovese blended with 22% Syrah. 

This release was awarded 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: This is our darkest Sangiovese to date – gorgeous, saturated magenta to the rim. The razor-precise fruit nose is loaded with bright, dense red fruits and high-tone floral notes. The wine is refreshing on the pallet with bright acidity, while providing rich crème cassis and other red fruit flavors and excellent length.

Bright garnet colored, medium full bodied, vibrant intense concentrated but nicely balanced spicy blackberry, black cherry and plum fruits are accented by anise, tar notes of cedar with bright tangy acidity on a tongue puckering long polished tannin finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=87895 

https://leonetticellar.com/index.html

Livio Felluga Picolit Rosazzo del Friuli Riserva 2001

With the Italian Village chocoloate mousse and biscotti I selected from the winelist this premium Italian dessert wine.  

Livio Felluga's family have been producing wine for six generations. He moved to Friuli in the late 1930s and made his home on the foothills of Rosazzo in the region of Fruili. Friuli Venezia Giulia is Italy's north-easternmost region. It borders Austria to the north and Slovenia to the east. To the south it faces the Adriatic Sea and to the west the Veneto region.

The artistic wine labels feature a signature historic Geographical Map of Friuli’s hillsides, a symbol of the connection between the land and its history, which has appeared on the wine labels since 1956. 

Livio Felluga is now operated by the next generation children. The family estate spans over 550 acres of which 159 planted to vineyards in a complex ecosystem with the Alps in the background and a view that reaches to the sea. 

Livio Felluga is one of the largest wine estates in the Friuli hills. The vineyards are interspersed with woodlands, grassy hillsides, olive groves, paths, streams and groves of mulberry and fruit trees. The vineyards are planted with 14 grape varieties in 320 individual plots that extend across over 550 kilometres of rows of vines. 

The portfolio of Livio Felluga wines now spans eighteen different labels of red, white and rose wines, and this dessert wine.

Livio Felluga Picolit is Friuli’s noblest wine, a unique distinctive dessert wine of historic noble Friuli Venezia Giulia fruit with origins that date back to 1750.

This was awarded 94 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.

At twenty years, this has darkened from the color of straw to butter to weak tea to honey color. Medium full bodied, concentrated rich complex sweet unctuous fruit flavors of peach and dried apricot are accented by notes of raisiny fig, nutmeg, honey and smokey roasted nuts with a long tongue coating finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=202083

https://www.liviofelluga.com/

http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/wine-cellar/  

https://twitter.com/italianvlg