Christmas Celebration & Dinner

 We hosted the family for a gala Christmas celebration, exchanging of gifts, followed by dinner and an accompaniment of wine pairings. 

At grandson Jessie’s request, Linda prepared Beef Wellington, with roasted vegetables and potatoes and pasta.

Prior to dinner we served an extensive selection of artisan cheeses, charcuterie, shrimp cocktail, fresh fruits, salad and sweets with holiday punch bowl. 

We served a broad flight of wines beginning with Champagne, vintage Bordeaux and ultra-premium Napa Valley Reds. 

We started with two Brut Champagnes, both from special release festive Christmas bottles, one in large format Magnum.

G. H. Mumm Grand Cordon Brut Rose’ NV

We bought a case of this special bottling for the holidays and it has been extremely popular and well received over several dinners and holiday gatherings. I wrote about this producer and label in this blogpost about one of those events - Festive wine for Christmas Social Gathering.

Piper Heidesieck Cuvee’ Brut Champagne

There’s always room for Champagne, and always a crowd pleaser! 

I opened for the occasion this large format magnum special limited edition bottle of Piper Heidseick Brut NV Champaign.  This festive red bottle was released a couple years ago over the Christmas holidays and I bought a couple cases of the picturesque festive bottles for the holidays and for special occasions such as this. 

I also opened several of these large format bottles for son Alec and Viviana's wedding celebration dinner as featured in this blogpost at the time - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues.

This is a traditional blend of primarily Pinot Noir (for structure) and Pinot Meunier (for fruit), with Chardonnay (for elegance). This is sourced from over 100 Crus (vineyard plots) throughout the Champagne region which provides consistency from vintage to vintage as well we as complexity and depth.

This perennial favorite was rated 92 points by Wine Spectator, and 90 points by Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling.

Pale golden colored, medium bodied, creamy, fruity, fine, persistent bubbles highlight notes of fresh pear, apple, almond, hazelnut, brioche, and a touch of spice and lemon citrus with a smooth, balanced finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?1279843

Château Figeac St Emilion Grand Cru Classe 1990

I pulled from the cellar another large format magnum of this birthyear vintage right bank Bordeaux, from one of our favorite producers. We’ve served this wine at many special occasions including birthyear vintages for the kids’ wedding and anniversary celebrations. I wrote about this producer in this blogpost following one such occasion - Birthyear vintage Silver Oak Bonny's, Figeac for father-son dinner.

Our CellarTracker records indicate we have more than a decade of vintages of this label dating back to and including our kids’ birthyear vintages, 1981, 1982, 1985 and this 1990 release, many in large format bottles. 

This right bank blend is roughly one-third each of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It was aged in 100% new oak.

This release was rated 96 points by Decanter, 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 90 points by Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck.

Winemaker Notes - “With its pedigree style, Château Figeac epitomises the elegance of the great wines of Bordeaux. Its unique style gradually shows through and develops over time. This great wine displays a distinctive rich nose that has wonderful aromatic complexity. On the palate, the Cabernet Sauvignon reveals lovely floral aromas in the first year then, as the wine ages, great structure on the palate. The Cabernet Franc brings lots of freshness in the tannins, and the Merlot contributes roundness and flesh. The attack on the palate is clean, the texture is silky, and the complexity elegant. The characteristic freshness of Figeac is underpinned by great length of flavor. With its long aging potential, the wine goes on in time to reveal hints of forest floor, leather, cigar-box and licorice – always with its hallmark elegance.”

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, writing about tasting this release as part of a vertical tasting at the Château Figeac property in June 2015 said, “The 1990 Figeac was drinking gloriously and this is perhaps the best bottle that I have tasted. It is noticeably deep in color, deeper and more lucid than many vintages from the 1980s. There is something still "old school" about this Figeac, but it certainly would be my pick from this era.”

At thirty-five years, the label, foil and most importantly, the fill level were ideal for the age. The cork was partially saturated but still intact and in decent condition. 

Deep garnet colored with an ever so slight rust hue showing age, medium-bodied to full bodied, black earthy currant, berry and plum fruits with notes of black olive and black tea, tobacco leaf and hints of black truffle and smoke with with chewy tannins on a tangy lingering finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/179893

Ryan brought from his home cellar this limited release highly allocated ultra-premium Napa Cabernet. 

Seven Apart “Shale” Napa Valley Stags Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 

Seven Apart is from proprietor/producer Don Dady who purchased the Stags Ridge Vineyard in 2018. The property sits up on Pritchard Hill at the southern end of the Vaca Mountain range that forms the eastern wall of Napa Valley. 

At 1,400 feet, the vineyard faces the Pritchard Gap, looking to the south with a view to San Francisco Bay. At an elevation above the fog line, the site gets generous sun exposure with afternoon breezes that blow in from the San Francisco Bay to cool down the vineyard. The breeze is said to help balance the sugar levels and acidity of the grapes. 

The rocky mountain site is covered with giant rocks that winemaker Andy Erickson says “The soil is more like a cobblestone street. Scattered throughout, some of the rock are so large that we couldn’t install trellising into the ground!” According to him, the soil contributes big, round tannins and concentration to the Seven Apart Shale wine. 

The site was developed in 1999, when the volcanic rocks, some the size of small cars, were excavated, and the land was finally cleared and planted with grapevines. The resulting vineyard was named Stags Ridge.

Acclaimed winemaker Andy Erickson produces four distinct estate Seven Apart Cabernet Sauvignon wines: Seven Apart Expedition, Seven Apart Shale, Seven Apart Basalt, and Seven Apart Summit. 

“While it may seem odd to craft three Cabernet Sauvignons from the same vineyard, that’s also the challenge for me. Even within one vineyard, you might have one section that gives you one unique element and another section that gives you something completely different. I view it as my mission to create unique expressions of our dramatic vineyard site on Atlas Peak,” says Andy.

This label Seven Apart ‘Shale’ is named for the shale rock, fine-grained, laminated soil and rock in the Stags Ridge vineyard. The name refers to the ‘soft finely stratified sedimentary rock formed from consolidated mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile plates.’ As the name suggests, the “Shale” label represents the finer, more detailed side of Seven Apart winemaking. 

Winemaker notes - “Seven Apart Shale is beautifully layered,” opens Andy. “It is simultaneously hard, yet also easily pliable rock. This dichotomy of texture is really what we want the namesake wine to capture. It’s layered, but in a soft, gentle way that means you can dig into it easily.”

“While it may seem odd to craft three Cabernet Sauvignons from the same vineyard, that’s also the challenge for me. Even within one vineyard, you might have one section that gives you one unique element and another section that gives you something completely different. I view it as my mission to create unique expressions of our dramatic vineyard site on Atlas Peak,” says Andy.

Seven Apart Shale is more delicate. Andy describes the Seven Apart Shale as being crafted with softer tannins and a subtler aromatic profile.

When they harvest the grapes and collect the individual components from the different vineyard blocks,  they let them age for a year separately before they start crafting the blending. The winemaking team taste for specific components that have the elegance and finesse best suited to the Seven Apart Shale style and start forming a blend. Once the envisioned Seven Apart Shale blend is composed, the wine is aged 24 months in the finest French oak.

 

For the 2018 Seven Apart Shale, Andy and the Seven Apart team selected only 9 barrels to be ‘worthy of this final bottling’. Described as graceful yet powerful, the latest 2018 vintage was produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Ridge vineyard. 

Winemaker notes - “At first sight, it shows a notable black-purple hue and great density. On the nose are intense aromas of black licorice and cassis, along with savory tones of teak oil, sage, baked bread, and chaparral. The wine brims with intense berry flavors, as well as soy, thyme, and orange blossoms. Along with the voluminous palate impression, the tannins are highly polished, making for a long, velvety finish.”

This label release was rated 94 points by Vinous, 93 pints by James Suckling,

Dark purple/ruby colored, full bodied, deep rich, round, powerful, expressive concentrated but finely integrated bright vibrant ripe blackberry, black cherry and black currant fruits accent by clove spice, graphite, mint, cedar, rose petals and cassis licorice with firm but silky polished tannins on the lingering finish.  

RM 95 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3905517

https://sevenapart.com/behind-the-bottle-1-seven-apart-shale-cabernet-sauvignon/

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3975575  

We dove back into our cellar to find a suitable pairing with the Seven Apart and pulled this 100 point Napa Valley Bordeaux varietal blend from the same vintage. 

Continuum Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2018

Like the Seven Apart, this is 100% estate grown and made, sourced from a single vineyard, the Continuum Sage Mountain Vineyard, high up on Pritchard Hill in the Vaca Range along the eastern ridge high above the town of Oakville. 

The Continuum estate is on the backside of Pritchard Hill, over the hill opposite the David Arthur estate and vineyards that we visited during our Napa Wine Experience in 2013, as featured in this blogpost - David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery.

We also visited Pritchard Hill and the Chappellet Vineyards estate down the road back in 2009. Within sight of the Continuum estate, Pritchard hill is the home to illustrious neighbors, iconic cult wine producers including Bryant, Colgin and Dalla Valle.

Continuum is from the iconic Mondavi Family who founded this brand after selling the historic Robert Mondavi to Constellation Brands. Continuum was set up in 2005, a partnership between Tim Mondavi, his father Robert, and sister Marcia, (who lives in New York). 

Initially, they produced a Bordeaux blend with grapes sourced from the famous To Kalon vineyard. Meanwhile, after an extensive search, they found the site 70 acre vineyard on Pritchard Hill, about half, 41 acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, a third to Cabernet Franc, and the smaller remainder to Merlot and Petit Verdot

After years of searching hillside estates, in 2008 and 2009, the family acquired contiguous parcels on the slopes of Pritchard Hill along the eastern ridge of Napa Valley, now known as Sage Mountain Vineyard, the core of Continuum Estate. 

The Continuum estate Sage Mountain Vineyard sitting high on Pritchard Hill along the eastern ridge above Oakville, overlooks Napa Valley with views in the distance of the San Francisco Bay.

In total, the vineyard is comprised of 38 distinct vineyard blocks planted to Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. The vineyards sit above the fog line at an elevation of 1300 to 1600 feet facing to the western and south with some blocks with slight northern and eastern views. Continuum credits this diversity of plantings in the volcanic soils with the complexity of the estate bottled wines. The rocky, volcanic soils of the site force the vine’s energy to produce low yields that contribute to the fruit’s depth and complexity.

The first three vintages (2005–2007) of Continuum were not from today’s estate vineyard but were sourced primarily from Marjorie’s Vineyard within the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, plus some fruit from Stags Leap District.

The first three vintages of Continuum, from 2005 to 2007, were sourced primarily from Marjorie’s Vineyard within the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, located on the valley floor near the Robert Mondavi estate, representing the family’s past, plus some fruit from Stags Leap District.

Before this acquisition, the property had been a conventionally farmed, rocky 70 acre vineyard that needed extensive work; Tim brought in former Mondavi colleagues to re-graft, replant, and convert it toward organic and biodynamic practices.

Following early vintages sourcing fruit from To Kalon and Stags Leap, the 2008 vintage was the first that included some fruit from the new estate site. From the 2012 vintage onward, Continuum has been sourced exclusively from Sage Mountain Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, making it a true single-estate wine rather than a blend of purchased valley-floor fruit.

Having developed and transformed the property and vineyard, they build winery facilities, completed in 2013, establishing the ability for the first time, the family were able to grow, produce, and bottle from a single estate the product of a singular site. The year 2013 also marked Tim Mondavi’s 40th year making wine as well as the 100th anniversary of Robert’s birth.

The 2018 Continuum has an average vine age of 20 years reflecting 38 acres of mature estate vineyard, planted in 1991 and 1996, with additional plantings in 2004 and 2010. 

This 2018 release is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot.

Winemakers notes - “The 2018 growing season was a winemaker’s dream given the overall cooler weather patterns paired with ample sunshine. The spring brought timely, abundant rainfall nourishing the earth and setting the stage for a healthy crop. Moderately cool temperatures post veraison allowed the fruit an extended hang time, retaining vibrancy and evolving character complexity. Berry size was smaller than average though berry count was up given the bountiful rain. Crop size was generous for the estate at 2.4 tons per acre-still quite small by any measure. Harvest began 135 days from bloom on September 27th, and continued at an unforced and purposeful pace, thanks to record cool weather in August and September. Harvest concluded on October 22nd.’

Wine Production - “Continuum is 100% estate grown, produced and bottled. All fruit is selectively hand-harvested at night. The fruit is then sorted before and after de-stemming, and gravity fed into French oak or concrete tanks. A three-day cold soak is followed by fermentation, receiving three to four pump overs daily, and délestage two to three times in total during the most active period. The wine remains on skins in tank for 20 to 40 days. All lots are then drained, basket pressed, and transferred with lees for malolactic fermentation and aging. In 2018, Continuum spent 22 months in barrel. 63 percent of French oak barrels were new and 35 percent were once used.A single concrete amphora was also used for aging.The wine clarified slowly and settled naturally in our cold barrel room, was racked sparingly and bottled without fining or filtration.Each vineyard lot was tasted and carefully considered many times to assemble the 2018 blend.”

Winemaker Notes - The 2018 Continuum shows energy and verve. The wine expresses purity and precision, with high tone aromatics of red and blue fruit, deep plum and rose oil. This vintage shows an approachable nerve of the land in the refined mineral quality on the palate. The surrounding native vegetation of bay and sage is evidenced in an earthy, savory profile. This is a shimmering, silky and harmoniously integrated wine with densely packed fine grain tannins.”

This was rated a perfect 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Wilfred Wong of Wine.com, and James Suckling, 99 by Wine Independent, 98 points by Vinous, 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and 94 points by Wine Spectator. 

Deep garnet-purple colored, full bodied, dense, concentrated, complex yet smooth, polished and elegant, integrated and balanced ripe red and black fruits, blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry fruits with notes of mocha, cassis, graphite, black tea and dusty rose with gentle silky smooth fine grained tannins in the long finish. 

RM 96 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3778487

https://www.continuumestate.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3975575 

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon  2018

We also opened this Hall Napa Valley Cabernet from the same vintage. We’ve visited the Hall Rutherford estate vineyard and winery on numerous trips to Napa Valley, one in 2017, and previously back in 2013, and hold an extensive collection of their wines spanning more than two decades.  

Winemaker Notes - “Hall 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet is deep ruby in the glass, and displays effusive aromas of crème de cassis, dark plum, anise, and dried herbs. The palate is lush and layered with fine-grained tannins supporting flavors of dark berry, cocoa, and a hint of freshly turned earth. The long and supple finish showcases the impeccable growing season that allowed us to coax the very best from each of our unique vineyard sites.”

This was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark garnet colored medium to full bodied, dense concentrated black berry and plum fruits with notes of cassis, dark licorice, tobacco leaf, black tea, black olive and pain grille’ with smooth polished tannins on the finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3883343

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2013/04/hall-napa-valley-rutherford-estate.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/hall-rutherford-winery-estate.html

Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

We gathered the family together to welcome Alec and Vivianna’s new baby, our newest grand-daughter, Ryleigh, to the family. We ordered carry out Italian cuisine from Angeli’s Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. 

Dinner consisted of Angeli’s signature dishes, Mussels in White Wine sauce, Butternut Gnocchi, Peppers and Sausage, and Lasagna, with garlic bread and salad. 

Prior to dinner we had a medley of artisan cheeses with crackers and fresh fruits and olives. 

For the occasion, I opened a flight of wines, white, red, sparkling, and dessert, several aged vintage wines from our cellar collection of birthyear vintage wines, in this case for Alec’s birthyear. 

We celebrated and I wrote about the extraordinary, exceptional 1990 vintage, Alec’s birthyear often in these pages including - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues.

Opening multiple bottles of the same vintage is called a ‘horizontal’, (as opposed to a ‘vertical’, which is multiple vintages of the same bottle/label). A horizontal tasting is often revealing in comparing how one region, varietal, appellation and producer ages relative to others. 

Charles Heidseick Brut Vintage Champagne 1990

This is one of several Heidseick Champagne houses, named for founder Charles Heidsieck, nephew of the famous uncle of the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne House. Charles Heidsieck was born in 1822 and married into the Piper family. 

Charles grew up in the vineyards and gained experience at his uncle’s business, but left to pursue his ambitions based on his own winemaking philosophy and founded his own Champagne House, Charles Heidsieck in Reims in 1851. 

After success in the Europe marketplace, Charles set out for America to sell his wares in the US and was one of the first to introduce Champagne successfully to the country. He gained notoriety and popularity with his outgoing gregarious personality and he famously became known as ‘Champagne Charlie’. 

Charlie had an eventful few years in America, including being imprisoned in Louisiana on suspicion of being a spy during the Civil War. He was eventually freed by President Lincoln himself and then returned to settle in Champagne.

Unlike his peers, Charles viewed himself as a blender and not a grower and , instead of purchasing land, he spent most of his money investing in forty-seven underground chalk cellars dating back to the 11th century. He began buying grapes from trusted grower families with expertise in perfecting the care of their vines going back generations. 

Today, Charles Heidsieck Champagne sources grapes from 60 separate sites, encompassing a variety of different Crus, some of these plots are cultivated by the fourth or fifth generation of the same family.

Charles Heidsieck is a hand-crafted champagne. The intricacies of its complex make-up have been perfected over the years by one of the most celebrated winemaking teams in Champagne. Between three winemakers they have been awarded Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge twelve times, an award no other house has won more than twice!

The flagship cuvée, Brut Réserve, is the house’s flagship masterpiece. Many years in the making, the wine is a blend of 60 of the best vineyards and harvests going back more than 15 years. It is aged in the House’s Roman chalk cellars under Reims, which provide an ideal environment to age the wine with its unique combination of constant temperature, high humidity levels and no sound, light or vibration to disturb the wines. 

Since 2011, the company has been owned by the Descours family continuing the legacy ensuring the company remains family-run with a long-term vision for the future. In early 2015, Cyril Brun took over as Cellar Master, having been assistant winemaker for many years at Veuve Clicquot.

I’ve written often in these pages about the incredible 1990 vintage that enjoyed success globally, from Bordeaux in France, to Napa Valley in American, to Australia. Indeed, Wine Spectators Wine of the Year featured 1990 vintage releases for three years to follow.

The 1990 vintage in Champagne was also extraordinary. Despite severe frosts in the spring, the vineyards enjoyed hot weather throughout the growing cycle. Not since 1950 had the sun been so strong; grapes had never experienced so much sunlight. There was, however, no drought like in 1976 or 1959. Just at the perfect moment, as the situation became dire, it would rain.As a result, the vine stocks, deeply rooted in the chalky soil’s water reserves, did not suffer. The heat hindered the development of disease and parasites, leading to perfectly healthy grapes at harvest.

This release was a traditional blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay.

Producer’s vintage notes - “TO THE EYE: A golden robe with glints of copper sparkling withdelicate phemeral bubbles. ON THE NOSE: The wine expresses maturity as it opens with notesof oxidation: spices, roasting coffee, jellied fruit sweets andcandied melon. There is also a touch of cocoa. This complex noseoffers toasted, roasted notes with citrus fruit, bergamot, lemonand orange zest. The structure develops, but contributes to thearomatic complexity without overpowering it. ON THE PALATE: The palate is characterised by nuts – walnuts andhazelnuts – but also cocoa, coffee and raisins. The wine demonstrates great elegance and freshness thanks to its citrus fruit notes accompanied by apricot and mirabelle plum. The finish is saltyand chalky.”

We acquired several bottles of this birthyear vintage designated Champagne years ago and served it at special occasions, most notably, Alec and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago and at other family celebrations, since. 

We still hold several bottles of this label and need to consume them soon. At thirty five years, this had lost its effervescence, yet was still tasty and pleasant interesting drinking. 

Back in 2021 I wrote - Amazing, impressive life left in this 31 year old vintage Champagne. 

The color was dark gold colored with intense, complex, dry, finely integrated layers of zesty citrus fruits accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and pineapple with a long bright vibrant finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/fathers-day-grilled-steak-wine-dinner.html

Tonight, this was tea colored, light medium bodied, dry, subtle layers of citrus fruit accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and tones of coffee on the moderate finish. With the zest gone, it’s time to drink up the remaining bottles. 

RM 88 points for now. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?39790

Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure Monbazillac Cuvée Abbaye 1990

We opened this vintage dessert wine which went well with the salad, the cheeses, the sausage, as well as the desserts. This sweet dessert wine is from the appellation of Monbazillac, the third most esteemed region in Bordeaux for sweet wines, behind Sauternes and Loupiac. 

Early in the 20th century the wines of Monbazillac were considered equally with and fetched the same prices as the more famous, higher chateaux of Sauternes. With its exceptional terroir and microclimate suitable for the production of late harvest wines, this region is re-emerging the “new” sauternes. 

The wines of Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure are considered among the best in the region. The Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure is situated in Colombier, in the southwest of France, in the Périgord region, in the South of Bergerac, on the appellation Bergerac and Monbazillac.  

The estate covers 125 acres, 80 of which are planted with white grape varieties and 17 with red grape varieties. The grape varieties selected and vinified for the dry and sweet wines are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Chenin and Ondenc which are ‘accessory’ grape varieties permitted in the appellation, with a limited percentage in the blend. The grape varieties selected for the red and rosé wines include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec.

Christian Roche has managed the winery since 1984. He rebuilt the wine cellar in 1989 in the his endeavors to improve the quality of the wines.

This is a blend of traditional Monbazillac varietal grapes: 80% botrysized Semillon and 20% Muscadelle. A is customary for dessert wines, the grapes are harvested in multiple passes through the vineyards with only those affected by noble rot making their way into the cuvee. This wine was aged 24 months in oak barrel.

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in ideal condition for their age. The color was deep dark brownish golden tea colored. When released this wine was straw colored, then darkened with aging, turning golden, then increasingly deeper brown. 

Producers’ notes - “Here the Monbazillac is adorned with gold, as it should. While not explosive, the bouquet is a beautiful complexity candied fruit, but also notes of quince, acacia, lemon … On the palate, the sugar-acid balance is remarkable. It is both rich, powerful, bold and fresh. The wood (twenty-six months in the barrel) is perfectly allowed to express the fruit. In a word, harmonious.”

“Luscious deep gold, honeyed and fat with peachy botrytis tones, gingerbread, hazelnuts, fresh mint and eucalyptus on the palate. The Ancienne Cure is mini Mon-bee, marzipan, orange peel and spices.”

Showing its age, gone were bright sprites of apricot, oranges and quince, the fruits were subdued and turned to notes of smoky and espresso accenting the sweet honeyed citrus, yet this was very interesting and enjoyable drinking, especially nicely paired with various courses of the meal.  

RM 90 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=167954

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/167954

https://www.domaine-anciennecure.fr/gb/

This mini-horizontal tasting of two Bordeaux varietal wines from the same vintage was illuminating, comparing the Bordeaux to the Alexander Valley Cabernet. 

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

We then opened this well known popular label from Alec’s birthyear vintage. This is the same label we served at his and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago. We also still hold several bottles of the Napa Valley variant of this label. Believing it will age longer than the Alexander Valley version, we opened this one, as part of cellar inventory management. 

We wrote about this label and this birthyear release in more detail in this earlier blogpost - Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House, and Birthyear vintage labels and large format bottles.

We hold over four cases of this label across a vertical collection of sixteen vintages dating back to the birthyears of each of our kids. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in remarkably ideal condition for their age. 

Winemaker Notes for this release - “The 1990 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a stable and lively translucent, ruby red color. It offers aromas of bergamot, vanilla, and hints of black cherry. This wine has an impressive lively and bright, yet elegant, attack and mid-palate with hints of red pepper flavor. The 1990 still shows exuberance and structured tannins on the lengthy finish. Decanting suggested. “

This was rated 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

After decanting and breathing for two and a half hours, this was still approachable, albeit showing its age with a slight bit of funkiness, leather and wood setting in, offsetting the blackberry fruits. The color was still dark garnet colored with the slightest bit of cloudiness appearing. 

Medium bodied, the blackberry and black cherry fruits were hanging on with notes of leather, cigar box, cassis, spice and forest floor with a still balanced lingering finish. 

RM 89 points at this stage.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10085

This was an interesting comparison to the same vintage Bordeaux below; see comments that follow. 

Chateau La Louviere Passaic Leognan Bordeaux 1990

We hold nearly three cases of a vertical collection of this label spread across a dozen vintages dating back to this birthyear release. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and the import fill level were in good condition for their age. (We still hold five more bottles of this release and we selected the one with the worst condition soiled label.) The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Wine Advocate, back in 2000 and 1997 respectively. .

Wine Advocate wrote, “One of the finest of the lesser known Graves chateaux, La Louviere has been making terrific wine since the late eighties.” 

Wine Spectator wrote’ “ One of the best wines ever from this estate.”

Compared to the Silver Oak, Alexander, this was showing more diminution from aging, with slight rust brownish color hues on the rim, slight clouding, and showing a bit less remaining structure and body.

Slight foggy dark garnet colored, medium bodied, dark berry and cherry fruits were a bit muted but still hanging on, accented still by that classic Graves tobacco, smoke, leather and cassis, with slight remaining grainy texture on the short finish. 

This was still holding on surprisingly well, and approachable, mostly so as part of this horizontal comparison, but it’s time to drink up in the near term. 

RM 87 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10446

Our great fun with wine such as this gala family celebration continues. 

Aged vintage wines for family birthday dinner

Aged vintage wines for family birthday dinner 

The family gathered at our house for a gala celebration dinner for my upcoming birthday. 

We grilled out cowboy tomahawk ribeye steaks and bbq baby back ribs, and scallops, accompanied by salad, baked beans, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and Mac-n-cheese (for the kids). 

The cooks, (above) Linda, master chef, and Ryan, griller and carver - naturally absent, missing from the family photo above, (as is Reid who was playing ball out in the yard with friends). 

Grilled scallops on herb buttered toast points 

For a wine accompaniment I pulled from the cellar a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay for the whites and two aged vintage big reds wines for the beef and ribs, and an aged vintage dessert wine (also a birthyear vintage). 

I also selected several younger Right Bank Bordeaux varietal wines, in the event we went through the open bottles, or needed a back-up if the first choice wines were not up to par, due to age or other conditions.  Almost regrettably, we didn’t open those wines which I was looking forward to trying, hence they’ll be available for another day. 

LaJota Napa Valley Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

La Jota Vineyards in Napa Valley date back to 1888 when winemaking pioneer W.S. Keyes planted some of the first vines on Howell Mountain. Ten years later his contemporary, Fredrick Hess, built a stone winery and established La Jota Vineyard Co., named for its location on the Mexican parcel Rancho La Jota. 

Both men won medals for their Howell Mountain wines in the Paris Exposition of 1900.

La Jota Vineyard Co. continues today as a boutique producer crafting small-production mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay, sourced from the winery’s estate and from nearby W.S. Keyes Vineyard.

Today, Howell Mountain is known for Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa’s rugged northeastern hills with its volcanic ash soils deposited millenia ago by Mount Konocti. Howell Mountain itself is a weathered volcanic "knob" with two distinct soils: crumbly white decomposed volcanic ash known as rhyolitic tuff and red, iron-laden soils of clay and volcanic rock.

La Jota estate vines develop good root systems in these well-draining, porous, nutrient-lean soils, allowing them to self-regulate the amount of water they take in. And the nutrient lean soils force the vines to struggle to survive, forcing their energy to the fruit. The result is tiny berries and clusters with very high flavor concentration.

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon was made famous by legendary wine maker Randy Dunn, who gained fame at Caymus in the 1970s and 1980s. Turning his attention to Howell Mountain, it became officially recognized as the first sub-region of Napa Valley in 1983. We visited the Dunn Vineyards estate up at Angwin on Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008. We were hosted by Kristina Dunn that day but we had the privilege to meet winemaker, producer, patriarch and Napa Valley pioneer Randy Dunn.

The Howell Mountain AVA includes 1,000 acres of vineyards interspersed by forestlands at the north end of the Vaca Mountain range that forms the eastern wall or Napa Valley. With vineyards at 1,400 to 2,000 feet in elevation, they sit above the fog line. The days on Howell Mountain remain cooler than those in the heart of the valley, giving the grapes a bit more time on the vine.

The soils, shallow and infertile with good drainage, are volcanic ash and red clay and produce highly concentrated berries with thick skins. The resulting wines are full of structure and potential to age.

We tasted the recent release of La Jota Howel Mtn Cabernet at the SoWal (Southwest Walton Beaches) Wine Festival in Destin, (FL) last year was one of the highlights of that event and we acquired their current release of this label at that time - Pour Boys gather for SoWal Wine Festival weekend in Destin.

Notably, LaJota was acquired by and is now part of the vast portfolio of Jackson Family Wines, who amassed a vast Billion dollar wine empire that now comprises some of the most storied labels, such as this. It was being presented by Jackson Wines at the SoWal festival. 

I wrote about Jess Jackson and the building of the family wine empire in earlier blogposts in these pages - most recently last month - La Crema Coastal Chardonnay with Homemade Chicken Piccata, and earlier, Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2018.

And, we’ve featured other vintages of this label in other notable tastings -Boy's Night Out Cellar Tours Wine Tasting, and Dad's Day Father Son Tasting Birthyear Wines.

Today, La Jota’s winemaker is Chris Carpenter, a graduate from the University of Illinois with a BS in biology, who also earned an MBA in Chicago before working various roles in the food and beverages industry. During those years in Chicago he developed a love of food and wine, and a network of colleagues in the business.

After a visit to Napa Valley in 1993, he decided to pursue a career in wine and went on to earn a Masters in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California, Davis. 

In 1998 he found himself working as the Assistant Winemaker at Cardinale where he learned making wines from mountain terroir. In 2005 he became the Winemaker for La Jota.

Tonight we opened this vintage 1990 release,  a birthyear vintage wine of son Alec, celebrating my birthday, and he and wife Vivianna expecting (grand) baby number three. 

This release was rated 92 points by Robert Parker back in 1993, when he wrote, this wine should “reach its apogee by the turn of the century and last 20 or more years”. 

At 35 years, it has held up remarkably well, despite the tattered label, the fill level and cork were still in great condition, considering their age. 

The wine showed no signs of diminution from aging and still well within its drinking window, albeit not likely to continue aging beyond a few more years. 

Winemaker Notes - “Where rivers, creeks and property lines usually define an AVA, the Howell Mountain boundaries are defined by a 1,400 foot elevation contour line as the lowest point and the highest vineyards at 2,400 feet above sea level. The vines share the mountain with pines, oaks, madrone and the easternmost stand of the coastal redwoods.”

Opaque garnet/purple colored, medium to full bodied, rich, round concentrated black berry and black currant fruits with notes of minerals, cassis, and classic Howell Mtn spices, with firm but approachable tannins on the lingering, what Wine Spectator calls “fleshy” finish.  

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?771991

https://www.lajotavineyardco.com/

Château du Domaine de l'Eglise Pomerol 1989

Château du Domaine de l'Eglise is a renowned producer of Right Bank Bordeaux wine, located in the commune of Pomerol, in the shadow of the church tower, and less than two kilometres, within walking distance, of notable producers Château Clinet (300m) and Château Petrus (900m). 

The Pomerol AOC (Appellation Originale Controllee) is located in the Libourne region on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, just upstream from its confluence with the Isle. The town of Libourne, has a port that was used for exporting wines as far back as 1269. 

In the 1900s, winegrowers got together and made joint purchases. Working together, they set up a winegrowers’ and farmers’ union to improve their wine and protect the Pomerol appellation. The AOC area was defined in 1928, recognised in 1936 and revised in 2011.

Today, the Pomerol AOC is renowned for its great wines such as Pétrus, Trotanoy, Clinet, Petit Village and Gazin. The Pomerol appellation comprises around 800 hectares with 140 producers with an average of 6 hectares, producing 31,000 hectolitres of red wine a year.

The origins of the Château du Domaine de l’Église vineyard can be traced back to 1589, at the beginning of the reign of the Good King Henri (Henri IV). The estate was seized by authorities during the French Revolution and in 1793 it was sold to the Bertin family though a national property sale.

In 1893, the Bertin family produced ten barrels of wine, rising to twenty barrels by 1949. Simon Landard, Laure Bertin’s nephew, ran the estate a few years later. The estate was acquired in 1973 by Émile Castéja, 

Château du Domaine de l’Eglise was owned by Philippe Castéja and his sister, Chantal Castéja Prében-Hansen. Philippe ran the estate and improved the quality of the wine over the years. The wine from Château du Domaine de l’Eglise is considered a Grand Vin. Today the estate is run by the firm of Borie-Manoux.

The 7-hectare vineyard of Château du Domaine de l’Église is mainly planted with Merlot (95%), with a touch of Cabernet Franc (5%). The vines have an average age of 40 years.  The vineyard is situated on a plateau with classic Pomerol terroir, characterized by gravelly soil and clay subsoil, which imparts a distinct minerality to the wine. 

At thirty six years, this wine was holding up remarkably well and still very much in its drinking window, but certainly not likely to improve with any further aging, and best to be consumed in the next couple years. The label and foil and most importantly the fill level was top of neck and the cork was still intact despite being partly saturated, it was holding its integrity. It was carefully extracted using an ‘Ahso’ two pronged cork puller (shown). It likely would have collapsed in the bottle if pressed by a traditional cork screw. I always use this method, especially with older wines (except for synthetic corks).  

This release was awarded 90 points by Wine Advocate in 1993. 

This was even better the following day, being more balanced and settled, after decades of aging in the cellar.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium to full bodied, deep rich round ripe balanced blackberry, cherry and plum fruits with herbs and vibrant spice notes with soft fine tannins on a long sensuous finish. 

RM 90 points, better, 91 points the following day. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?186048

https://www.domainedeleglise.com/en/

We also opened a birthyear vintage aged sweet dessert wine which paired perfectly with the scallops as well as the salad and later, the dessert. I wrote about this in a follow on blogpost - Clos Fontindoule Monbazillac Dessert Wine.

 https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2025/05/clos-fontindoule-monbazillac-1982-as.html

Family Easter and Birthday Celebration Dinner features ultra-premium birth-year vintage wines

Family Easter and Birthday Celebration Dinner features ultra-premium birth-year vintage wines

We hosted the family for Easter featuring an Easter Egg hunt for the (grand) kids followed by a gala dinner that also recognized son Alec's birthday. Alec and Linda prepared grilled Salmon and NY Strip Steaks. 

I pulled from the cellar two ultra-premium birth-year vintage wines for the occasion, from son Alec's birth-year who also had a birthday this week. 

At thirty-two years, this was a study in longevity and age-worthiness of two top labels, one from Bordeaux and one from Napa Valley. Amazingly, they were very similar and equivalent in all respects, with similar character and tasting profiles, fill levels, foils, labels, and importantly the corks were all in ideal condition, for their age. The Ducru cork was a bit soft and spongy and starting to erode, but was still intact. The Diamond Creek cork was remarkably tight and well preserved.

This is another testament to the conditions in our wine cellar for aging fine wines. Both had been in our cellar for decades.

Both had good color and body and, while showing their age and perhaps past their prime, were still very much within their approachable drinking window.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St. Julien, Bordeaux 1990

Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Robert Parker's Wine Advocated tasted this at the Chateau in August 2020 and gave it a drinking window of 2020 - 2028. 

We hold a vertical collection of this label dating back four decades, including birth-year vintages for each of our kids, and many of our grand-kids, several of which we served at their weddings in large format bottles. 

We had the privilege and honor to visit the Château Ducru Beaucaillou estate during our trip to the St Julien appellation of Bordeaux in 2019.

Château Ducru Beaucaillou is named for the "beautiful pebbles", stones found in its unique wine-growing terroir of the Gironde River estuary. The estate sits on an promontory site with views of the river in the center of a hundred-year-old park. 

The Ducru Beaucaillou Chateau is a majestic, Victorian-style castle, which is one of the great symbols of the Médoc, and residence to the owners to this day. 

The original winery and cellars are in the lower level underneath the residence. A new extensive expanded facility was built in recent years.

For 300 years, six families of owners have owned and managed the Château Ducru Beaucaillou estate. which today is managed by the company Jean Eugène Borie SA, which is owned by Mrs Borie, her daughter Sabine Coiffe and her son Bruno Eugène, CEO since 2003, the third generation of the Borie family to head the estate.

This wine is a traditional left bank Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged for around 12 months in two-thirds new oak.

Dark garnet brick colored, medium-full bodied, complex and rich blackberry and plum fruits with notes of earth, tree bark, tobacco, tapenade, black tea and leather on a lingering moderate tannin acidic finish. 

RM 91 points. 

This was awarded 91 points by Robert Parker 's Wine Advocate.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=10531

 

https://chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com/en

 

@DucruB 

Diamond Creek Vineyards "Gravelly Meadow" Vineyard, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

A trip to Napa Valley Diamond Mountain by the serious wine enthusiast or collector would not be complete without a visit to the legendary Diamond Creek Vineyards. 

Diamond Creek was founded in 1968 by the late Al Brounstein, and wife 'Boots' (pictured below), a visionary pioneer who defied conventions of the time by planting Bordeaux varietals on secluded Diamond Mountain in the Mayacamas Range at the north remote end of Napa Valley.

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

The vineyards of Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon are Gravelly Meadow (5 acres - center left), Red Rock Terrace (7 acres front), Volcanic Hill (8 acres opposite), and Lake (¾ acre). There is also one acre planted to Petit Verdot. 

This is another producer of whom we hold a vertical collection spanning more than two decades. Our collection includes all of the vineyards, many in horizontal collections of the three primary vineyards from a vintage.

The vineyards,  pictured here, are amazingly co-located close to each other yet have distinctive individual characteristics that are revealed in their wines, based on their proximity to the slope approaching the creek that cascades down the mountain, dividing the property. The chateau and tasting room offer a magnificent setting and view of the vineyards on the slope and meadow below and of the opposing hillside.

We visited the estate in 2017 for the Diamond Creek Open House and 2015 Vintage Release Tasting, shown here with Matriarch, proprietor and founder Boots Brownstein. 

We also visited the estate and did a private food and wine pairing tasting back in 2011 as part of our Diamond Mountain Wine Experience - Diamond Creek Vineyards visit and tasting.

In 2020, 52 years after its founding, Diamond Creek was acquired by the Rouzaud family of world-renowned Maison Louis Roederer, whose roots in wine date to the 1700s. The relationship between the Rouzaud and Brounstein families stretched back three decades, with an admiration and mutual respect for one another born of a common love for wine and its role in history, culture and life.  

Like the 1990 vintage Bordeaux above, this too was in ideal condition, with no obvious signs of diminution from age. The fill level, foil, label and cork were as good as to be expected at three decades. 

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated, rich, complex yet elegant blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of deep, perfumed, herbaceousness with concentrated currant, cedar and flavors of tea, leather and tobacco on a long, smooth finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=38034

https://diamondcreekvineyards.com/

Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay 2011

For the grilled salmon, we also served this hearty robust Napa Valley Chardonnay from a legendary producer. 

The Far Niente estate sits along St Helena Highway in the heart of Oakville. Far Niente's history dates back to 1885 when the estate was first established by pioneer John Benson a forty-niner of the California gold rush and uncle of the famous American impressionist painter, Winslow Homer. Benson hired notable architect Hamden McIntyre to design the historic winery in western Oakville which today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was restored to its original prestige by the Nickel family in 1979.

Far Niente prospered up until the onset of Prohibition in 1919 when it was closed and sat neglected for 60 years until 1980, when Gil Nickel bought and restored the winery and neighboring vineyard over three years. He preserved the Far Niente name which in Italian translates to ‘without a care.’ 

 

Far Niente constructed wine caves, the first to be constructed in North America since the turn of the century, spawning a whole new standard in California wine country. Over the next 20 years, the winery conducted four more expansions of the caves, bringing the total area to 40,000 square feet.

Far Niente is consistently recognized as a benchmark producer of Napa Valley Chardonnay and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The Far Niente Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay is crafted in a blend sourced from superb vineyards, many of which are located in Coombsville, the cool growing region in the rolling hills east of Napa that they've been growing for over 40 years. The climate there is similar to the other source site in the popular Chardonnay appellation of Carneros in south west Napa Valley, but with less wind and deeper, well-drained gravelly loam and volcanic ash soils. The winery states, "the combination of these spectacular vineyards results in the subtle, tropical flavors, complex aromas and uncommon richness that we have long associated with Far Niente Chardonnay."

Winemaker Notes: The 2011 Far Niente Chardonnay opens with delicate aromas of citrus blossom, honeydew melon, pear, flint and toasted almonds. The entry is silky with pear and citrus flavors. Refreshing acidity leads to a juicy finish, layered with toasted oak.

Butter colored, medium bodied, bold full but nicely balanced flavors of citrus, pear and melon with notes of floral and almond on a pleasantly dry moderately acid finish. 

 

RM 92 points.  

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1347669

https://farniente.com/

 

@farnientewinery

 

Old and New big reds for family celebration party

Old and New big reds for family celebration party

Alec and Vivianna hosted a gala first birthday party for Marylin. They served a broad selection of foods including Salmon and beef tenderloin, along with salads, shrimp, and a broad selection of artisan cheeses, charcuterie and dips.

Afterwards we had two birthday cakes, a white cake and a chocolate cake, also to celebrate Linda's birthday. 

The occasion was an opportunity for all the family to gather, along with many of their friends and families. 

On the eve of the NBA All-Star game, and the day our Indiana Hoosiers, and rival fellow Hoosier Purdue Boilermakers are the only Big Ten teams nationally ranked, the day also called for a serious pop-a-shot tournament, first by the kids, and then the adults. 

I brought from our cellar an aged Napa Cabernet Reserve from Alec's birthyear vintage, a fitting tribute to the occasion. Alec served a selection of reds, a white and Rose' from his cellar. 

Flora Springs Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1990

We collect many wines in our cellar that are family affairs, such that we favor them with family outings such as this. 

One family winery who's wines we collect is Flora Springs and their Komes-Garvey estate vineyards. The Komes and Garvey’s family have acquired 500 acres throughout Napa Valley, 300 of which are planted to vineyards. With estate properties stretching from the cool, rolling hills of Carneros to the famed sub-appellations of Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena, Flora Springs produces varietal wines ranging from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and the other red Bordeaux varietals.

Flora Springs was founded by the children of Jerry and Flora Komes who bought the property at the end of West Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena believing it to be the perfect place to grow grapes and become farmers. But when their son, John, proposed that the old winery building on the property be revived, Flora Springs became a new career for Flora, Jerry and their children.

They may be best known for their label, Trilogy which is a mainstay go to label in our cellar offering quality sophisticated drinking at reasonable value relative to the premium Napa and Bordeaux Blends. This label is a Reserve bottling of their single varietal Cabernet.

 They started producing Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon in 1989 reaching production of 700 cases. Their 1991 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 96 points by Wine Spectator and was called 'stunning' by Robert Parker. 

Perhaps whimsically, I latched on to this as a regular favorite partly due to the namesake that wife Linda is a descendant of the Flora family, founders of her hometown Flora, in Indiana, no relation of course to the California Napa Flora (first name) Kombs. but fun and a tribute none-the-less.At thirty-three years, this was holding up amazingly well, still within its drinking window and only beginning to show diminution from age with slight discoloration and haziness. Never-the-less the fruit was vibrant and after decanting and settling for an hour, it was very tasty and pleasant drinking. 

The fill level, foil, label and importantly, the cork, were all in ideal condition, considering their age. The cork was pristine and held together well when extracted using an Ahso two pronged cork puller.

Dark garnet colored with a slight brownish gray hue started to set in showing its age, medium bodied, complex, concentrated blackberry and plum fruits with layers of currant, mocha, anise, leather, sage herbs and hints of eucalyptus. on a long finish of bright acidity and ripe tannins. Time to drink and we caught this just in time. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=151440

https://www.florasprings.com/

https://twitter.com/FloraSprings

 

Alec then pulled from his cellar a recent acquisition, this premium single vineyard designated Big Red from Napa Valley Stags Leap District. 

Mira Schweizer Vineyard Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

 

This is the handicraft of Co-Founder/Winemaker Gustavo A. Gonzalez and co-founder Jim “Bear” Dyke, Jr., consultant and lobbyist. A chance meeting at the Off The Record bar in Washington, D.C., lead to their joint pursuit of the dream of creating a world class winery. In 2009, the duo sourced their first grapes and in 2012 Mira went to market. 

They are joined by Ed Thralls who came to Mira with 25 years of experience in both wine and financial technology industries. Having studied winemaking at UC Davis and earning a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), he has served as General Manager for a Sonoma premier producer. Ed had his own winery, Thralls Family Cellars, producing premium Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley, Syrah and Chardonnay. Prior to that, he served as the director at Flowers Vineyards & Winery and Huneeus Vintners.

Mira Winery is named for the Latin root of “miracle” and Greek for “destiny”. It is a family owned, 16-acre estate in the heart of the Napa Valley, farming historic vineyards that were first planted to grapes in 1885. 

Gustavo A Gonzalez has been practicing his craft in the Napa Valley and around the world to critical acclaim for over 20 years, in California, Italy, France, Argentina, and Brazil. He brings local knowledge and global perspective, experience and creativity to Mira’s vineyard practices and winemaking techniques.

Gustavo’s grew up in California’s Central Valley, surrounded by family with longstanding ties to agriculture and an appreciation for wine. His appreciation for winemaking took him to the Napa Valley where he joined the Robert Mondavi Winery in 1995 working in the fields towards a career in winemaking. For 17 years at Robert Mondavi Winery, Gustavo worked his way up to Head Red Winemaker where he established Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the leading Napa Valley Cabernets, consistently receiving Wine Spectator ratings of 95 or higher. 

There he also produced some of the best Sauternes style wine of the new world and raised the Pinot Noir program to cult status. During this time, he also worked with other notable wineries around the world including Tenuta dell’Ornellaia where he was responsible for the 2001 “Masseto” Toscana which received 100 points from Wine Spector and was described by James Suckling as, “possibly the best Tuscan red ever.”

Gustavo’s strong relationships with leading Napa Valley grape growers brought Mira unique access to some of the finest blocks of grapes in some of the Napa Valley’s premier vineyards including Hyde Vineyard in the Carneros AVA and Schweizer Vineyard in the heart of the Stags Leap AVA.

Gustavo has established Mira as one of the top producers of small production single vineyard wines from the Napa Valley. At a blind tasting commemorating the historic Judgement of Paris featuring eight of the world’s top wines from Bordeaux and the Napa Valley, the 2012 Mira Cabernet Sauvignon Schweizer Vineyard took the top slot for Napa Valley Cabernet besting Screaming Eagle, Schrader To Kalon, and Shafer Hillside Select.

Mira produce a dozen premium labels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux varietal red and white blends sourced from leading Napa growers.  

Mira Cabernet Sauvignon Schweizer Vineyard 2016 

This is from Schweizer Vineyard, one of the oldest in Napa Valley, that has been producing grapes for premier wines for over 100 years and has been owned by the Schweizer family since 1956. The historic 42-acre vineyard in the heart of Stags Leap District has ideal terroir for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. It combines excellent draining Perkins Gravelly Loam soil with a microclimate of great afternoon sun due to its position on the east side of the valley and ideal hot days and cool nights. As a result, Schweizer Vineyard is among the world’s top locations to grow Cabernet Sauvignon.
 

Winemaker notes: "A level of refinement on the nose that defies easy description, evoking the best of the “Grand Cru” tradition. Smooth despite tremendous structure, on the palate the wine’s essential fruit character underlies layers of earthy, forest floor notes. Already extremely complex, this wine is destined for a profound journey in the cellar."

This release was awarded 97 Points in the Sunset International Wine Competition, 95 Points by Wine Enthusiast, 92 Points by James Suckling, and 91 Points by Wine Spectator.  

Bright garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, concentrated ripe blackberry and currant fruits, earth, tobacco, dark bitter mocha chocolate, vanilla and spice notes with hints of cedar and on a long expressive acid tinged finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4093038

https://miranapa.com/

https://twitter.com/mirawinery