Iconic legendary Monte Bello and birthyear vintage Diamond Creek for birthday celebration

Iconic legendary Monte Bello and birthyear vintage Diamond Creek for birthday celebration ...

We joined son Ryan and his family for a celebration of D-in-law Michelle's and g-daughter Mackenzie's birthdays. For the occasion Ryan opened a birthyear vintage ultra-premium namesake Diamond Creek label that I obtained long ago at auction and gifted to them a while back for such an occasion. He also opened an ultra-premium Ridge Monte Bello to compare.

What better way to celebrate a special occasion than to serve a 100 point wine. This 2017 Ridge Monte Bello is a classic monumental release that got perfect 100 point scores from two critics, and near perfect 99 and 98 scores from the next three. 

I've written in these pages as guidance for neophytes and collectors, there are 'every day' wines, 'once a week' wines, 'once a month' and 'once a year' wines, and then there are 'once in a lifetime', and/ore special occasion wines. Choose your frequency, based on your budget, in any event, these would be 'special occasion' wines! 

This extraordinary exemplary wine "needs a solid decade of bottle age and will have 50-60 years of overall longevity", according to perfect scorer Jeb Dunnuck who wrote, "a legendary Monte Bello, pure perfection ... despite the long drinking window, it offers plenty of pleasure even today."

I wrote in depth about the Ridge Monte Bello vineyards and estate in a tasting journal blogpost back in 2015. 

Monte Bello has been called an American 'first growth' and is known for bold, complex, long lived Bordeaux style wines. Monte Bello is the unique flagship label of this prolific producer known for a broad line of vineyard select Zinfandels from throughout Northern California  including Sonoma and Napa Counties. Monte Bello is unique not only that it is a Ridge produced Bordeaux blend, but also because it is sourced from fruit from the Monte Bello vineyard, high atop the Santa Cruz mountains that separate Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay to the east and north, from the Pacific Ocean and the Monterey Bay/Peninsula to the west and south. The Santa Cruz Mountains have their own AVA, little known but highly regarded for some legendary wines such as this.

This is especially notable to us since it is closest to, yet high above the location of our home from when we lived in Saratoga, California, nestled up against the Santa Cruz mountain range down at the bottom of Silicon Valley, near the crease where the road leads up into the mountains and over 'the hill' down to Santa Cruz on the Pacific coast.

Ridge Monte Bello 2017

The 2017 Monte Bello is a Bordeaux Blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, aged mostly in new American oak. It is sourced 100% from the Santa Cruz Mountains' Monte Bello vineyard.

Deep saturated garnet/purple colored, full-bodied, "incredibly powerful, and one of the most concentrated versions of this cuvée ever made", says Dunnuck.

Synopsis - Complex, yet elegant, bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality, roasted plums, tar, aniseed and exotic spices, incredible intensity and depth of blackberries, pine needles, blackcurrants and black olives, many layers of fruit and very fine, creamy, velvety tannins.

 RM 96 points.

As noted above, this was rated 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck and Wilfred Wong of Wine.com, 99 points by James Suckling, incredible concensus of 98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, The Somm Journal and Wine & Spirits, 96 by Wine Spectator, #77 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2020, and 94 by Connoisseurs' Guide. 

100 Points – Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
100 Points –  Wilford Wong of Wine.com
99 Points – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
98-100 Points – William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
98 Points – Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
98 Points – Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits
97+ Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The accolades were substantial and momentous - "Ridge's Monte Bello occupies a rarefied space and time. This iconic wine, produced out of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has a life of its own that can never be replicated." - Jeb Dunnuck

"The 2017 vintage is cosmic." - James Suckling

What sets the palate apart is its purity: though incredibly layered, it offers a kaleidoscopic journey from blackcurrant to tobacco and dried flowers, offering continual sparks of flavor long after the wine has been swallowed.

Refined, spicy nose; velvety texture. Fresh and tangy, elegant and complex, with layers of juicy plum and berry; wonderful now, it will be spectacular in a few years - 98 Wine & Spirits

One of California’s most iconic Cabernets since its inaugural release some fifty years back, the Ridge Monte Bello bottling justly remains so to this day.

Winemaker Notes- Opaque purple-ruby color. Ripe blackberry fruit, barrel spice, anise, violets, and crushed limestone. Opulent mountain fruits on entry, fennel, sweet oak, well-structured tannins, and firm acid. Powerful complexity and tremendous length to the finish.

https://www.ridgewine.com/

A tough act to follow but this is another legendary wine,vintage aged from a birthyear vintage, hence special in its own right, beyond comparison.

Diamond Creek "Gravelly Meadow" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1983

We have fun with this label commemorating daughter-in-law Michelle, whose maiden name was Diamond. We hold a collection of Diamond Creek Vineyards single vineyard bottlings from their four estate vineyards dating back to the early 80's with highlights such as this birthyear vintage 1983. 

Special wines for special occasions -

We served a horizontal selection of each Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from magnums at the wedding of our son Ryan to Michelle Diamond! Several magnums were birth year vintages. 

We have visited the Diamond Creek estate several times over the years including a private tasting during our Diamond Mountain Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011, and again during their release tour open house for their release tasting of the 2015 vintage Diamond Creek releases at an Open House held at the Estate as part of our 2017 Napa Valley Wine Experience.

Diamond Creek Vineyards was founded in 1968 by Al Brounstein, an entrepreneur and was the first California estate to focus solely on and produce only Cabernet Sauvignon.

Located in the Diamond Creek district, on the lower reaches of Diamond Mountain, at the northern end of the Mayacamas range, just south of Calistoga, Diamond Creek, Brounstein was also an early American adopter of the European practice of bottling wines according to which vineyard had produced the grapes, , focusing on, taking advantage, and highlighting the area’s numerous micro-climates and soil types by selecting and bottling distinctive single vineyard designated wines. . 

By the early 1990s he was bottling by even smaller “microclimates” within the various vineyards. Diamond Creek wines are known for their concentration, austerity and deep color and they consistently earn high marks from reviewers. They are known to be long lived, age-worthy wines lasting decades with proper cellaring.

This is another unique tasting experience - one of the four Diamond Creek labels - all single vineyard designated bottlings from one of their distinctive four vineyards at the estate.

 Diamond Creek is a case study in terroir - each of its four vineyards with its own micro-climate, soil type and geography that are revealed in their single vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon wines - named for their four distinctly different origination vineyards. 

The vineyards of Diamond Creek, as pictured here are Gravelly Meadow (5 acres - center left), Red Rock Terrace (7 acres front), Volcanic Hill (8 ac,res opposite), and Lake (¾ acre), plus Petit Verdot (1 acre) to the left outside of frame. 

The vineyards are amazingly co-located close to each other yet have distinctive individual characteristics that are revealed in their wines. 

Though Brounstein died in 2006 the wines remain highly collectible. Today the vineyards are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. About 3,500 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon are produced annually.

With co-founder, matriarch
Boots Brounstein

With fellow 'Pour Boys' Dan and Bill at the
Diamond Creek estate open house

Winemaker notes about Gravelly Meadow - "Our second coolest microclimate is our five-acre Gravelly Meadow vineyard. Originally a prehistoric river bed, this stony, gravelly soil drains rapidly and the vines struggle for moisture.'

"Gravelly Meadow is our lowest yielding vineyard. The wines are described as "earthy, cedary, jammy and ripe blackberry with a spicy expansive finish."

Read More: https://www.thedailymeal.com/wine/diamond-creek-gravelly-meadow-cabernet-sauvignon-magnum-1983/

At forty years, this aged Napa Valley Cabernet was still approachable, showing and drinking remarkably well. While past its prime, it was still within its drinking window, showing very little diminution from age.

James Laube of Wine Spectator cited, "A successful 1983, with remarkable length, finesse and texture, remarkable flavor for such a difficult and tannic vintage..."

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex and still vibrant plum and berry fruits with notes of cedar, tobacco, earthy leather and hints of anise, dark bitter mocha and smoke with moderate tannins on a moderate lingering finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=45804

 https://www.diamondcreekvineyards.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2011/03/diamond-mountain-wine-experience.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/07/diamond-creek-open-house-2013-release.html  

Ryan then opened one of our favorite producer's labels.

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

How touching for Ryan to open one of our favorite producer's labels for continuing the Cabernet flight. Robert Craig is one of the broadest and deepest producer holdings in our cellar collection. Our Cellartracker records show we hold four cases of this label across a dozen vintages. Notably, this was the last vintage release of this storied label.

Robert Craig produced five different labels - what he called four mountains and a valley - a mountain fruit Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, and this one from Mt Veeder. I recall Robert telling us on numerous occasions that his favorite label was the Mount Veeder (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon. This was likely in light of his early years managing vineyards up on Mt Veeder on behalf of Hess Collection, and then Robin William's winery (Toad Hollow, named for his brother Todd, whose name he couldn't pronounce as a child calling him Toad instead of Todd), and then his long history sourcing fruit from vineyards there to supply one of his key labels, the Mt Veeder Cabernet of the Robert Craig portfolio. 

This long association ended just a couple of years ago with the purchase of the vineyards by the Tesseron French conglomerate from the estate of the departed Robin Williams. This was the last vintage release of this label as noted by the producer - "After 22 years sourcing our Veeder Cabernet from the Pym Rae Vineyard, the 2015 will be our final bottling from the late Robin Williams’ 19-acre property. Pym Rae is on the north end of the appellation, free from coastal influence, where the fruit develops incredible structure and purity. For now, we say a fond farewell to an outstanding property and old friend, while looking ahead to 2019, when we will introduce our first Cabernet from our new estate vineyard—newly christened “Amentet Vineyard”—which abuts the Pym Rae property.

Notably, Robert Craig also passed away around this time. I wrote about Robert and this label in a tribute in these pages in 2019 - Robert Craig Tribute - Robert Craig Tribute and Remembrance - Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Sadly, this is the end of an era for this label with which we have a long history and many memories dating back to the inaugural release in 1993-94.

Winemaker's Notes - "Our 2015 Mount Veeder offering is a towering wine of tremendous tannin structure coupled with dense color. Classic Mount Veeder markers are present in force; dried cocoa, pencil shaving, cassis, and mountain violet are woven into this tightly wound wine. This Mount Veeder release is without doubt one of the most profound Cabernets that we have produced at Robert Craig Winery in terms of its size and power. If enjoying this wine young, a two-hour decant is recommended. The 2015 Mount Veeder will cellar comfortably for decades yet should start to show well as soon as 2020."

This was a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot. It was aged 18 months in Chateau-style French oak; 80% new & 20% 2nd year.

This was described as Amentet Estate Vineyard, Mount Veeder and was rated 95 points by Antonio Galloni of Vinous. He wrote: "One of the highlights in this range, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt. Veeder) is seriously beautiful. A healthy dollop (24%) of Merlot gives the wine terrific mid-palate pliancy and fruit depth to play off of the more intensely mineral and soil-drive signatures, of which there are many. Raspberry jam, crushed rocks, blood orange, white pepper and red cherry jam infuse this deep, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from Robert Craig." Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2018

Going forward, this label will continue with the 2019 vintage, explained by the producer below:

https://store.robertcraigwine.com/2015-Mount-Veeder-Cabernet-Sauvignon

"Perched at 1,700’ of elevation along Wall Road on the north end of the Mount Veeder AVA, this 6.5-acre vineyard is destined for greatness. After 22 vintages of purchasing fruit on a handshake contract with the late actor Robin Williams from the neighboring Pym Rae vineyard, it was a joy to receive a first harvest from our own immaculate young vineyard in 2016. We christened the property Amentet Vineyard, after the Egyptian Goddess of the West. With the “rebirth” of our Veeder Cab, Amentet (pronounced “AH-men-TETT”) seems the perfect patroness—the goddess of fertility and rebirth, who was often depicted with a hawk perched upon her head. Given the number of red tails spotted from our new vineyard, this seems particularly providential. The site was planted and managed by the same man who farmed the neighboring Pym Rae vineyard for Robin for more than two decades, and it is no surprise that the resulting wines are so similar. The sandy, gravel-based soils of shale with a sandstone topsoil produce wines that are black in color with very low PH values and naturally high acids. A perfect combination for longevity. The beauty of this warmer, fog-free northern section of Mount Veeder is that the wines are free of any unwanted vegetal or rustic characteristics that can affect cooler climate sites to the south." 

Mt Brave Double Diamond Napa Reds at Morton's Steakhouse Naperville

Mt Brave and Shrader Double Diamond Napa Reds at Morton's Steakhouse Naperville

Son Sean and d-in-law Michelle took us to trendy upscale Morton's Steakhouse here in Naperville (IL) for a festive Christmas dinner outing. Morton's are one of the premier upscale steakhouses, with over 65 restaurants nationwide since opening the first in Chicago in 1978. Morton's specializes in steaks with complementary seafood and accompaniments, with each location offering a deep broad extensive award winning winelist. 

Sean, Linda and I each ordered beefsteak entrees, Sean the Waygu, me the surf and turf beef filet with lobster tail, and Linda the beef filet Oscar selection with crabmeat. Michelle ordered the lamb chops. We ordered family style side dishes of creamed spinach and smoked gouda cheese au gratin potatoes.  

Morton's has an award winning winelist that features 275 different selections, mostly American, with an inventory of 1500 bottles, showcased in the elegant glass enclosed wineroom cellar adjacent to and separating the bar from the dining room.

From the winelist I ordered a Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt Brave.

Perusing the winelist I noted they offered Shrader Double Diamond Oakville Napa Cabernet by the glass. Of course this wine was just awarded Wine Spectator's #1 Top 100 Wine of the Year for 2022.  I couldn't resist and ordered a glass to try this momentus wine only to be advised it was sold out, but they just acquired a case of half bottles of the label, so we took advantage and partook of one.

Mt Brave Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

We acquired a bottle of this label from the 2018 vintage but are holding it, aging in our cellar, so I've never tasted this wine and was eager to do so. 

Mt. Brave Veeder Peak Vineyard was formerly the Chateau Potelle Vineyard, since taken over the powerful expansive Jackson Family Wine Empire. The estate sits high atop Mt Veeder at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 1,800 feet, above the fog line, with the morning sun warming the grapes each day, and cooling at night from maritime breezes wafting up from the San Pablo Bay to the south. The sparse soils are comprised of gravelly loam with large and small rocks that hold the heat into the evenings contributing to the ripening of the grapes. The sparse nutrients and minerals in the soil coupled with the drainage from the steep slanted slopes result in tiny berries with concentrated and complex flavors. 

We toured Mt Veeder during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Appellation Wine Experience in 2011. 

The wines of Mt. Brave show the characteristic brambly aromas and blue fruit flavors that are common to Mt. Veeder but are expressed here uncommonly well. They feature intense minerality, well-defined tannins allowing for extended aging, and recognizable mouth-pleasing acidity. The incredible structure suggests an extended development over time, but the wines have been crafted for enjoyment and celebration in the present.

The Mt Brave winemaker is Chris Carpenter known for legendary Napa winemaking for Lokoya and Cardinale, involved since the Mt. Brave project began in 2007. 

Chris, originally from Chicago, earned a BS in biology from the University of Illinois, then an MS in both viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis. He also holds an MBA in marketing and international business from the University of Illinois. He broke into the wine business with a prestigious research internship at Tenute Antinori in Tuscany and further study at Università per Stranieri di Perugia. Through these experiences he developed an old world sensibility paired with a new world ambition.

This label release is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. It was barrel aged 21 months in 100% French oak, 80% new.

Winemaker notes on this label: "Grown on the rocky slopes of Mt. Veeder, the 2019 Cabernet shows notes of black cherry, blueberry, and Asian spice. On the palate, the wine has a profound density of fruit that is structured by fine tannins while the perfectly balanced acidity elongates a long savory finish."

This release was award 96 Points James Suckling, 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 94 points by Wine Advocate.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex concentrated, bright expressive ripe blackberry and huckleberry notes with cassis, caramel, cedar turning to refined tannins and bright acidity on a lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4306541 

https://www.mtbravewines.com/

https://twitter.com/MtBraveWines

@MtBraveWines

Shrader Double Diamond Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvginon 2019

This label is from the ultra premium producer Schrader as a separate second brand. We hold a half dozen labels from this brand going back a decade. Double Diamond labels are available from appellations vineyards in Napa Valley, Amber Knolls in Lake County, Mayacamas in Sonoma, and this from the Oakville appellation in Napa Valley, 70% from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. 

The winemaker for Double Diamond (Schrader) is Thomas Rivers Brown. I wrote about him in an earlier blogpost about Double Diamond Amber Knolls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

What a surprise that a wine from their second label brand would gain infamy and notoriety as Wine Spectator's #1 Top 100 Wine of the Year for 2022. 

I've written in these pages about the consternation when a favored wine gains such notoriety resulting in exorbitant demand drying up availability, and significantly driving up the price from that moment forward.  It was timely and serendipitous that this wine was available at our dining site tonight.

Producer notes - "Our 2019 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown in the Schrader Cellars tradition of making the best Cabernet Sauvignon that Napa Valley can offer. A unique expression of the Oakville AVA with harmonious integration of decadent fruit, refined structure, and silky tannins, the 2019 vintage of Double Diamond is ready to enjoy now and will continue to evolve over the next 3-5 years."

Winemaker notes - "The 2019 vintage of Double Diamond offers intricately woven layers of decadent flavor, complemented by exotic spice components and a refined tannin structure. It highlights all the best attributes of what defines Oakville as the epicenter for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.'

"In the glass, the wine displays a nearly opaque ruby-purple hue. Upon closer inspection, aromas emerge in waves suggesting framboise, nutmeg, toasted cedar bark, plum reduction, and pennyroyal mint. The sleek palate is marked by mouth-watering notes such as blackberry compote, dark chocolate shavings, cassis, oolong tea, flint, and lavender. The dynamic flavors interact on the mid-palate with a vivid harmony, carrying through to the long floral finish, which lasts for up to a minute. With a  pleasing acidity and fine tannic framework, this wine is very enjoyable today and should develop gracefully in the cellar for years to come."

This wine was awarded a rare consensus 94 points from Jeb Dunnuck, James Suckling and of course, Wine Spectator which also anointed it #1 Wine of the Year in its Top 100 wines of 2022. That accolade is awarded based on availability and value as well as quality and distinction. 

Dark garnet colored with hues of purple, medium full bodied, aromatic, elegant, round, nicely balanced and integrated ripe plum, black currant and blackberry fruits with notes of mint, cassis, bittersweet cocoa, tobacco, and hints of sweet caramel, turning to smooth polished tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 94 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4503361

https://doublediamondwines.com/products/2019-cabernet-sauvignon-750ml

https://twitter.com/dd_wines

@dd_wines 

https://www.mortons.com/

https://twitter.com/Mortons 

@Mortons

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering

The kids and grandkids all assembled at our house following the annual ritualistic Santa's breakfast at our local Seven Bridges Golf Club, for Christmas celebration, opening presents, watching the FIFA World Cup final, dinner and some festive wines. 

Since we had a large breakfast together, Linda prepared a more informal lighter meal for the afternoon with lasagna, salad, shrimp cocktail and holiday deserts. 

For such a festive family gathering, the boys went down to the cellar and pulled two memorable, notable bottles, Hall's flagship ultra-premium Exzellenz Napa Cabernet, from the grandkids birthyear 2015 vintage, and the historic inaugural vintage release of Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, 1993.

Hall Exzellenz Rutherford Sacrashe Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

We discovered, tasted and acquired this label at the magnificent Rutherford Estate Winery during our Napa Wine Experience in 2017. This is sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard that lies just above the winery adjacent to the estate residence. We hold and have had some of the earlier single vineyard designated wines from this vineyard dating back to 1998. Who knew this would evolve and progress to such heights? Not often does one get to taste a 'perfect' wine. of course perfection is in the eyes ('eyze') of the beholder. The 2013 vintage of this label that we tasted that day in their magnificent tasting room in the cave at the Rutherford Sacrashe estate (shown below) got 100 points from  Robert Parker.

Parker wrote of this wine; "This hails from the foothills of Rutherford and refers to Kathryn Hall’s ambassadorship to Austria between 1997 and 2001. A prodigious wine with beautiful floral notes intermingled with blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry and graphite, the wine hits the palate with a full-bodied force, but nothing seems pushed, cloying or out of sync. Gorgeously pure blue and black fruits cascade over the palate, a full-bodied presentation with remarkable purity and complexity. The finish is a good 45-50 seconds, and while there is significant tannin, the extravagance of the fruit and glycerin generally conceal it. This is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind, world class Cabernet Sauvignon that should prove compelling for at least another 30-40+ years."

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate. 100 Points.

Sacrashe Vineyard at Hall Rutherford Estate

When Alec was living and working in Manhatten, his boss called me and asked about what wine should he order for a holiday selection for his most special clients. I suggested this wine. Of course the purchase allocation from the winery was two bottles, but after some negotiations and a ritualistic wine club mating dance, I obtained two cases for his holiday benefactors and our cellar. 

So, based on that memory and histrionic of this wine, Alec pulled this from the cellar for our special holiday family celebration. I am so glad he did! What a treat, and what better way to enjoy such a spectacular cellar selection than with family - especially my two sons who are becoming oenphiles in their own right, like me! 

Hall Exzellenz Rutherford Sacrashe Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

As explained on the rear label, shown below, the name Exzellenz is German for Ambassador, in commemoration of Kathyn Hall's service as US Ambassador to Austria from 1997 to 2001. 

The bricks in in the magnificent tasting room in the cave at the Rutherford Sacrashe estate (shown right and above) and featured in a separate blogpost at this link)  are recovered and repurposed from a former royal castle in Austria.  

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard (shown above) at the Hall Rutherford Estate on the lower slopes of the Vaca Range overlooking Rutherford, Napa Valley. 

While this release didn't get 100 points, it came as close as possible, 99 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points from Owen Bargreen of owenbargreen.com, and 93 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Parker wrote about this wine: "Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and sporting a very deep purple-black color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz unfurls slowly, tantalizingly out of the glass to reveal powerful, intense scents of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and preserved plums with an undercurrent of Chinese five spice, molten chocolate, licorice and Marmite toast with wafts of garrigue and camphor. Very rich, full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it coats the mouth with black and blue fruit preserves plus tons of spice and savory accents, held together by a rock-solid, grainy frame and finishing with epic persistence."

Spectacular! Delicious! Enchanting! Deep dark garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, round, rich, complex but elegant and seductive smooth blackberry and black currant fruits accented by savory clove/cinnamon spices, tones of crème de cassis, mocha chocolate, tobacco leaf and black tea, with a tongue coating dusty gripping but silky smooth tannin laced lingering finish. 

RM 97 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2508301

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

@HALLWines 

 

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Son Ryan wanted to open an older aged Napa Cabernet from the nineties so we pulled this 1993 Robert Craig. This was the inaugural vintage release of Robert Craig wines. 

I've written often in these pages about our collection of Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignons, one of the largest producer holdings in our cellar. We got to know Robert from the earliest years as he launched and developed his brand and evolved from a tenant using another producer's production facilities to being one of the premier producers in Napa Valley. His approach of  'four mountains and a valley' grew into a broad expansive portfolio of Bordeaux varietals. He loved Napa Valley mountain fruit and produced Cabernet Sauvignon based labels from Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain and Mt George, as well as the Napa Valley itself. 

Picnic with Robert at Craig Estate atop
Howell Mtn
with Jan and Bill, Andy, Linda and Me

We first met Robert and tasted these wines 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 in Napa Wine Experience 1998,  and again in 1999. We were saddened by his passing and posted a Robert Craig Tribute at that time back in 2019.

We tasted releases of this wine with Robert and his crew at the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 and during other visits such as our 2008 Robert Craig Vineyards and Winery visit up on Howell Mountain. Needless to say, we're long time fans of Bob and the Craig team and their 'artwork'.

We heard him often say, his favorite was Mt Veeder reflecting his heritage and history starting out there working in the earliest days as winemaker for Hess and the late comedian Robin Williams and his Toad Hollow brand which later developed to Pym Rae vineyard designated product. 

We hold a vertical collection of this wine that spans two decades going back to this first vintage release. We've held this looking for the right occasion to open such a unique bottle, and concerned that perhaps we'd held it too long and that it might be past its prime or even suitable drinking window. So it was with pleasant relief and surprise that this was approachable and drinking well, still within its acceptable drinking window.

This release was awarded 96 points by  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate who called it "One of the vintage’s superstars, ,,, from a winery that is still somewhat under-appreciated for what they have achieved. It received 92 points from Connoisseurs Guide and 91 points from Wine Enthusiast.

 Wine Enthusiast compared this to the Robert Craig Howell Mountain release saying, this is "Riper, softer and more accessible than Craig's Howell Mountain Cab, this wine, grown at 1,800 feet, shows delicious cherry, currant and chocolate flavors, with the caramel and toast of new oak. For all the deliciousness, it still has mountain tannins, and should age well for a decade."

This is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. 

What a pleasant surprise to find this drinking nicely after so many years. There was a barnyard funkiness initially but this burned off eventually. 

Dark inky garnet colored, medium full bodied, blackberry black currant fruits with notes of spice, leather, tobacco and hints of bitter dark mocha, vanilla and sweet caramel on a tangy acidic moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=86390

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine  

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

For midweek dinner in, we selected this legendary Napa Valley Cabernet from the cellar. 

This follows a recent blogpost about Mayacamas when we selected a Mayacamas Chardonnay for a similar setting, midweek dinner in. In a replay of highlights from that blogpost I wrote:

For a weeknight dinner, Linda prepared a smoked turkey breast with mash potatoes, gravy, and mixed vegetables. For a wine pairing,  I opened one of Linda's favorites, Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay.

We tasted this wine at the historic old winery and vineyards high atop Mt Veeder at the south end of the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma valleys during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011. We obtain and keep a half dozen vintages in our cellar ever since. 

We pulled this from the cellar for tonight's pairing, the oldest vintage release for this label, as part of effective cellar management.

The mountain terroir at Mayacamas ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in elevation and the estate spans 475 acres, only 50 of which are dedicated to vines.

I wrote in detail about the original historic Mayacamas winery (left) tht dates back to 1889 in earlier blogposts including one in January 2016. 

The modern era Mayacamas dates back to 1968 when the property was taken over by Robert Travers who had worked at Heitz Cellars. He and his wife Elinor continued to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay striving to make wines of great character, depth, complexity, and longevity.

In July 2013, Mayacamas was purchased by Charles and Ali Banks in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son, Joey. Andy Erickson took over the Estate’s winemaking duties, and Phil Coturri took over farming and vineyard development. This release was crafted by Winemakers Andy Erickson and Braiden Albrech.

The old vines of the Terraces vineyard had been deteriorating, so after a long and productive life many were retired with the 2013 Harvest being their last. 

Since then, many of the vines from the old historic vineyards have been replanted with only a few plots remaining from the old historic vines. 

 

In 2017, the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, took over the remainder of the 100% ownership of Mayacamas Vineyards to become sole proprietors of the estate and brand. 

 

As noted above, Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey had been partners in Mayacamas Vineyards since it was purchased from long-time owner Bob Travers in 2013. 

 

A month later in October 2017, the Nuns Fire reached Mayacamas Vineyards. One of the property’s historic buildings burned to the ground but the historic stone winery building constructed in 1889 survived intact.

The burned structure, was a building they called “the residence.” that served as the hospitality center for the winery (though Mayacamas is generally not open to the public for tastings). That building was completely destroyed.

Mayacamas has been on a roll with their estate Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2015 vintage having been awarded #2 on Wine Spectators Top 100 wines in 2019 with a 96 point score. The 2018 vintage was awarded 98 points by Vinous and 97 points by Wine Spectator.

 

Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 

 

My Cellartracker records and my blogpost from that Mayacamas Vineyards and Winery visit from that time indicate we tasted and purchase this wine at the winery during that visit back in 2011. 

Cellartracker - purchased from Winery on 3/7/2011, delivered 3/25/2011.

At that time I gave it 91 points.

Winemaker's Comments: Deep, brooding blackberry and black cherry aromas, along with a sage-like dimension, on the nose.  The acidity on the tongue balances the surprisingly supple tannins.  Red currants and plums on the palate finish very long.  Will age gracefully for many years. 

 

This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot.

This release was awarded 96 points by Vinous and 94 points by Decanter.

At seventeen years, this is likely at the apex of its drinking and not to improve further with additional aging, nor does it show any signs whatsoever from aging. 

 

In 2018 AG at Vinous wrote that "Readers lucky enough to own the 2005 can look forward to several decades of exceptional drinking from this powerhouse, old school Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon."

 

Wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy and Cellartracker Bill C was with us when we visited the estate and also wrote about this wine recently last summer. He wrote:  "Wow! Great depth and complexity. Deep garnet color with no signs of aging. Nose of cassis and graphite. Blueberry, plum and cassis on the front palate with layers of green pepper, mint and tobacco on the mid palate. Big and full bodied with ample tannins yet. Layered and complex.  Tannin and savory notes were most prevalent upon first tasting. Fruit took front stage at about 90 minutes. Tannins became more sedate at 2 hours and the balance, elegance and layers revealed themselves at about 2 and a half hours. A real treat." He gave it 94 points.

 

Regarding the bottle from our cellar, the fill level, foil and label, and importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition. 

 

Upon opening it exhibited some funkiness but that dissipated over the course of about an hour after opening. It should be decanted as it had a fair amount of sediment in the bottle.

 

Bright garnet colored, medium full bodied, rustic rich round concentrated intense black berry and plum fruits with notes of earth, leather, smoke, licorice and tobacco on a lingering moderate tannin finish.

 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1279446

http://www.mayacamas.com/

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine

@mayacamaswine 

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

For a weeknight dinner, Linda prepared a smoked turkey breast with mash potatoes, gravy, and mixed vegetables. For a wine pairing,  I opened one of Linda's favorites, Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay.

We tasted this wine at the historic old winery and vineyards high atop Mt Veeder at the south end of the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma valleys during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011. We obtain and keep a half dozen vintages in our cellar ever since. 

We pulled this from the cellar for tonight's pairing, the oldest vintage release for this label, as part of effective cellar management.

The mountain terroir at Mayacamas ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in elevation and the estate spans 475 acres, only 50 of which are dedicated to vines.

I wrote in detail about the original historic Mayacamas winery (left) tht dates back to 1889 in earlier blogposts including one in January 2016. 

The modern era Mayacamas dates back to 1968 when the property was taken over by Robert Travers who had worked at Heitz Cellars. He and his wife Elinor continued to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay striving to make wines of great character, depth, complexity, and longevity.

In July 2013, Mayacamas was purchased by Charles and Ali Banks in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son, Joey. Andy Erickson took over the Estate’s winemaking duties, and Phil Coturri took over farming and vineyard development. This release was crafted by Winemakers Andy Erickson and Braiden Albrech.

The old vines of the Terraces vineyard had been deteriorating, so after a long and productive life many were retired with the 2013 Harvest being their last. 

The 2013 harvest was small but was of exceptional quality, character, and intensity – a stand-out special release. That was bottled as a special designated one time bottling for the 2013 vintage year. 

 

Since then, many of the vines from the old historic vineyards have been replanted with only a few plots remaining from the old historic vines. 

 

In 2017, the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, took over the remainder of the 100% ownership of Mayacamas Vineyards to become sole proprietors of the estate and brand. As noted above, Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey had been partners in Mayacamas Vineyards since it was purchased from long-time owner Bob Travers in 2013. 

 

A month later in October 2017, the Nuns Fire reached Mayacamas Vineyards. One of the property’s historic buildings burned to the ground but the historic stone winery building constructed in 1889 survived intact.

The burned structure, was a building they called “the residence.” that served as the hospitality center for the winery (though Mayacamas is generally not open to the public for tastings). That building was completely destroyed.

This 2017 vintage of Mayacamas Chardonnay was the current era producer's team's fifth vintage release and they note it showcases both the site and vintage beautifully, a combination of old vines and new.

 

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Mt Veeder Chardonnay 2017 

 

The fruit for this 2017 release was sourced from Mt. Veeder Appellation vineyard sites, and harvested primarily from 40-year old dry farmed vines located between 1,800 and 2,000 feet in elevation above the fog line. It also includes some young vine Chardonnay from the newly replanted Hill Block. 

 

The producers were fortunate to have picked the grapes for this release well before the October 2017 fires that ravaged the area. Those that waited till late in the harvest were denied a harvest that year. 

The blend was aged 22 months in oak and 6 months in steel.

 

Winemakers notes for this release: "Aromas of ripe lemon honeysuckle and crushed oyster shell highlight the nose. On the palate, the wine has the classic Mayacamas acidity and is framed nicely by the textural richness in the mid-palate that comes from a warm vintage".

 

This release was awarded 95 points and *Editors' Choice* by Wine Enthusiast, 94 points by James Suckling and Vinous, 93 points by Decanter and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

 

Golden straw colored, full-bodied, structured and tight with dense but bright vibrant apple and pear fruits with notes of lemon citrus and peach and wet stone, with bright tangy acidity and creamy Oak on a lengthy finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3218950

http://www.mayacamas.com/

 

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine

Napa Reds and Sonoma Chardonnary for Surf & Turf dinner

Mini horizontal vintage tasting of diverse Napa Valley Bordeaux varietals and Sonoma Chardonnay for surf and turf dinner

We hosted 'in-laws' Jeff and Melissa visiting from California for an evening and grilled beefsteak and wine dinner. Jeff and Melissa are in-laws to my sister's daughter, our Niece Krysta. Linda prepared lobster tails and her classic tomahawk rib-eye steaks for the occasion. 

We pulled from the cellar two vintage Napa Valley wines that we acquired during a trip with our common connection, sister Jan and Bro-in-law Bill. I also pulled a classic Sonoma County Chardonnay to accompany the lobster medallions.

We opened this hearty robust Sonoma Chardonnay with the lobster medallions served in ramakans on bread with drawn butter and ceasar salad.

Our wine flight with dinner .... 

Nickel & Nickel Stiling Vineyard Russian River Valley Sonoma Chardonnay 2013

We toured the Russian River Valley during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience 2017 year before last. We stayed on the coast in Bodega Bay and traveled the back roads between there and Santa Rosa to witness and experience the climate and topology that comprises the notable terrior of the area.

This is from the Green Valley AVA in Russian River Valley where, the grapes benefit from a cooling coastal influence that helps them ripen slowly and develop complexity.

From the Green Valley AVA site: "Green Valley is one of the smallest appellations in Sonoma County. It lies in the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley, bounded by the towns of Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is very tightly delineated, both geographically and climatically, and is the most consistent and distinctive of any North Coast appellation in terms of soil, climate and flavor. The fog is Green Valley’s trademark."

The 2013 vintage was a fantastic growing season in the Russian River, with dry, moderate temperatures and cool foggy mornings

From the winery: "The 2013 Nickel & Nickel Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay is consistent from year to year. Passion fruit and floral aromas offer a mere hint of what’s on the palate: flavors of Muscat and Meyer lemon enhanced by flint and stone. A pleasant oiliness adds suppleness to the mouthfeel, but the vibrant acidity cleanses the palate and adds a succulent quality that makes one eager for another sip."

In my previous tasting I wrote that it was a bit much, almost overpowering for my more delicate sole entree at that time. Tonight this was an ideal pairing with the lobster medallions and I raise my rating as a result. This seemed to have softened and become more approachable with some additional age, or perhaps there was some bottle variation between this bottle and one I tasted two years ago. 

This was golden butter colored, full bodied, forward, round and firm with intense buttery and oaky tones and structure with expressive fruits - passion fruit, melon, floral, lemon, flint and stone.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2028407

https://nickelandnickel.com/wines-vineyards/single-vineyard-wines/2013-stiling-vineyard-chardonnay/

https://nickelandnickel.com/

Moving to the main course, son Alec assisted Linda in preparing tomahawk rib-eye steaks.  

Yates Family Vineyards Flower Merlot 2005

We tasted and acquired this wine during our visit to the Yates Family Estate vineyards high atop Mt Veeder during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2011.  That was our custom in those days to focus on visiting one appellation per trip. This was especially useful as we could be efficient in not traveling long distances between sites, and it provided for a comparison tasting experience of like wines of similar terroir. 

Too many folks try to cover a too much during Napa Valley visits, or underestimate the time and effort to get from one site to another, especially if traveling up into the mountains. Having visited Napa Valley many times, we know the broader area and the specific appellations so we don't need to try to visit more than one area per trip. This is immensely more productive and enjoyable and significantly less stressful. 

Also, we plan our trips so as to visit in the off-season, off-peak, non-prime-time, when the producer's are more available and more relaxed. 

Many folks regale in visiting during the 'crush' (harvest) or at peak times when the producers are occupied and focused on running their business, tending to the most critical aspects of viticulture, harvest, or winemaking, bottling and so on. When meeting the actual producers and winemakers, this is much appreciated and respectful of their invaluable and precious time.  For many, this is the only time they really can focus on hospitality and promotion of their brand. Other times of the year, they need to delegate these tasks to subordinates who are dedicated to these tasks, if they have such resources at all.

We mastered this approach to visiting different wineries or estates, visiting off season, and by starting at the top of the mountain and working our way down from there. Then the worst drive, going up the mountain was at the beginning of the day, and it was 'downhill' from there the rest of day, literally and figuratively! 

It is also much easier to remember which trip was which, when a particular trip was dedicated to visiting one appellation, rather than several trips with no organization to differentiate the theme or focus of each. On this, our Mt Veeder focused trip, its easy to remember the estates and producers we visited and met, as it is for other similar approach trips such our visits to Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain, and Spring Mountain, each separate and individually focused. 

We tasted, and acquired, the broad portfolio of the Yates Family Mt Veeder Estate Wines during our visit. A decade later, we're down to less than half a case and are enjoying these wines at fifteen years of age, or thereabouts, very likely at their apex of their tasting profile and window. We're also down to the last building of most of the half dozen labels that acquired during our visit to the estate.

While predominantly Merlot, this includes in the blend some Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) and Cabernet Franc (2%).

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant black berry, black raspberry and black cherry fruits, lively acidity, dark spices on a long moderate tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1129204

http://www.yatesfamilyvineyard.com/

We also opened another bottle from the same vintage, hence a horizontal tasting, two wines from the same vintage, but allowing for two diverse styles and terrior. The other bottle we opened was also from a visit with Sister Jan, and Bill, but to Howell Mountain, on the opposite 'corner' of Napa Valley. 

Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

From the same 2005 vintage, we opened about Napa Cab from a winery estate that we visited with sister Jan and Bro-in-law Bill.

We've written numerous times in these pages about Ladera and our visits to the estate on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. We discovered this wine and purchased it following our visit to the Ladera Vineyards estate and winery up on Howell Mountain in 2006 and then again during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008. 

 

We last wrote about this vintage release of label back in 2017 and tonight's tasting experience was consistent with that one when I wrote the note below.

This exceeded my expectations as I had forgotten how good this release was. It was a proper succession from the lighter and softer Merlot based Yates with its firm structure and the big concentrated bright forward fruits. Tonight was consistent with earlier tastings, earlier this year and a previous tasting in 2017.

Dark blackish purple colored, full bodied, rich concentrated chewy forward black berry and black currant fruits with a firm backbone structure accented by notes of cedar and hints of graphite and subtle oak with a tangy nicely balanced lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=451794

https://www.laderavineyards.com/ 

Earlier tasting blogposts: 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/01/ladera-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/07/birthyear-vintage-magnum-cos-destournel.html

We were joined by neighbors Mandy and Chris, son Sean and daugher-in-law Michelle and another friend Bobby D. As a result we opened a flight of big reds. 

I feature these in a follow on post. 

Duo Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Napa Cabs

Duo of Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernets comparative tasting

Fellow Pour Boy wine buddy Bill and Beth came in from Charleston for the weekend so Linda prepared grilled rib-eye beefsteaks with roasted potatoes and haricut verts. Linda prepared the steaks charred Pittsburgh style perfectly, as shown. 

Prior to dinner and ceasar salad we had a selection of artisan cheeses and fresh berries.

After dinner, Linda served Tuxedo chocolate cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Grilled Ribeye steaks prepared
Pittsburgh style served on French Bread

We scoured the cellar for an interesting and tasty wine flight and selected a mini-horizontal of two vintage wines from two different producers, sourced from the same estate and vineyard.

I wrote about the history of the Pym Rae Vineyard on Mt Veeder serving as the source for several producers over the years in this blogpost a while back. - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/06/marco-di-guilio-pym-rae-vineyard-mt.html.

We've met with Robert Craig a dozen times over the years at the winery, at a ghost winery in early years, at harvest parties, and at special dinners that we have hosted or attended.  

The Pym Rae vineyard property historically was better known as the Napa Valley vineyard and estate of Robin Williams, the comedian and actor known for his stand-up routines and his many diverse film performances including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting, for which he won an Academy Award.

 

Rick, Robert Craig and Bill at
Howell Mtn estate harvest party.

The name Pym-Rae is a hommage to the late Robin Williams and his children after whom the vineyard was named. The inspiration behind the odd sounding Pym-Rae was the combination of the middle names of Robin's two eldest children, Zachary Pym Williams and Zelda Rae Williams.
 

The Pym-Rae vineyard was originally cultivated in about 1990, long before there was an estate chateau or active winery. The grapes were sold to various local producers including Robert Craig, Vineyard 29 and Rombauer. 

 

Robert Craig was winemaker for Robin Williams wines for more than a dozen years and when he started producing wines under his own label he sourced his Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from there. We hold several decades of vintages of Robert Craig wines including this Mt Veeder label, dating back to the inaugural release in 1993.

Robert Craig's website noted the end of their supply of fruit from this vineyard; "Bob Craig consulted on the development of the late Robin Williams’ 17-acre Pym Rae vineyard in 1990 and, since then, we (have) received the majority of the fruit from this terrific property".

The entire Pym-Rae property totaled 640 acres and was purchased by Robin Williams in 1994. After his death, in August, 2014, the property was sold in January 2016 to the French Tesseron family, owners of Chateau Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac. 

 

As part of the purchase they acquired homestead chateau on the property, Villa Sorriso, a massive, stunningly beautiful home, built in 2003. The 2 story Italian styled villa, 20,000 square feet, was the home of Robin Williams and included a movie theater, 5 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a tennis court and infinity pool in the home. Robin Williams had referred to the estate as Villa Sorriso, which is translated to “Villa of Smiles.” There the Tesserons have created the "Tesseron Estate". 

 

Last year the Tesseron Pym Rae Cabernet Sauvignon was released at $350 per bottle making these wines a terrific value in comparison.  

Marco Di Giulio Napa Valley Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/12/close-out-2020-with-diamond-mtn.html

 

This 2005 Mt. Veeder Pym-Rae Cabernet was dark inky blackish garnet colored, full bodied, powerful and massively structured. Upon opening the fruit flavored exploded from the bottle into the glass. The forward rich fruits are layered with blackberry and blueberry accented by a tone of chocolate with nuances of smoke and spice, turning to an incredibly long finish.

I wish I could find more of this label and will watch for it and buy all that I can find. Watch for the new releases from Tesseron Estate as they come on the market in the coming years.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1498521

An interesting comparison of two wines from two different winemakers and producers, sourced from the same fruits. In comparison, the Di Giulio was more expressive with more vibrant fruits from the onset with aromas erupting from the bottle and glass upon opening and pouring, while the Craig was tighter and more subdued. 

Over the course of an hour the wines came closer together resembling their common terroir character and profile. Then, they drifted apart again, back to their initial profile where they revealed winemaker influences as the Di Guilo presented more vibrant fruits accented by a frame of sweet oak. 

Surprisingly, the ladies both preferred the Robert Craig over the bolder more expressive Di Giulio.

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

The time before last that we served this particular label at one of our wine dinners, it was poignant tasting and reminiscing over this wine. We recalled tasting this wine with Robert Craig on numerous occasions and he recollecting this is his favorite of the vineyard selections. We talked of the recent end of the supplier relationship for this fruit source as the legendary Pym Rae Vineyard, previously owned by the late Robin Williams, was sold to a major French producer who acquired the sixteen hundred acre estate with plans to enter the Napa Valley marketplace. We recall Robert's reminiscences of Robin for whom he worked and managed the vineyards back in the nineties. 

From Robert we learned the inspiration for naming Robin's wine portfolio brand Toad Hollow was because, as a child he couldn't pronounce older brother Todd's name.

Robert Craig's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is complex and unusually high in alcohol. It displays aromas of blackberry and cassis with notes of chocolate and tobacco, while its fruit-forward palate offers flavors of mocha and licorice with a long finish and supple tannins.

Its dark garnet colored, black berry fruits with notes of smoke, hints of cassis, toasty oak, graphite, and spice notes offered in a medium-bodied, elegant, Margaux-like stylish, graceful wine. Drink it over the next decade."

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Most known for both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder is known for producing grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex aromatic blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of cassis, subtle spice, black tea, cigar box with hints of cedar and anise with full, ripe tannins and a hint of minerality on a long smooth finish.  

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=458252

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine 

Clerc Milon Pauillac 1989 

With the steak dinner entrees course we opened this aged vintage Bordeaux from Bill and Beth's son Matt's birthyear that we've been holding for such an occasion.  

The 1989 Clerc-Milon is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The vintage faced a warm spring that produced early flowering and the heat continued throughout the summer, leading to Clerc-Milon's earliest harvest of the twentieth century to that point. 

We drove past the Clerc Milon estate and vineyards during our Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2018, although we didn't stop as our focus for the trip the adjacent St Julien appellation. 

This wine was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator, 91 points by Vinous and 90 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

At thirty-two years, this was holding up well, testament to the ageworthiness of fine Bordeaux from a good vintage. The fill level was appropriate for the age at lower neck level. The cork was completely saturated by still sound and intact albeit nearing end of life for its utility. It was extracted after much effort and care using a ahso two pronged cork puller. I wonder if it could have been done with a corkscrew. 

This was clearly in the waning years of its drinking window, but still presentable and enjoyable, taking into account its into its entering its fourth decade. The resulting Clerc-Milon was on par with the premier first growth flagship Mouton-Rothschild and even preferred by Robert Parker for the first time in his many years as a critic resulting a great value in comparison

Garnet colored with a slight brownish hue starting to emerge, medium bodied, the ripe blackberry and black currant fruits were beginning to give way to earthy leather, creosote, tea, herbs and hints of licorice and graphite. turning to soft tannins on the long lingering finish. 

Showing its age a bit - RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2898