Pio Cesare Barolo Nebbiolo with Italian Pasta

Pio Cesare Barolo Nebbiolo with Italian Pasta 

Following our dinner outing at Angeli’s Italian Restaurant, we enjoyed our pasta leftovers and opened a middle aged Italian Barolo wine for an Italian varietal / cuisine pairing. 

Pio Cesare Barolo 2018

Five generations of the Pio family have followed one another in succession producing Pio Cesare’s wines for 135 years in its ancient cellars in the center of the town of Alba.

Founded in 1881 by Cesare Pio, a successful entrepreneur he was inspired to produce a small and select quantity of wines from the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco for himself, his family, friends, and customers.

In 1940, Giuseppe Pio’s only child, Rosy, married Giuseppe Boffa, a young and well-known engineer from Alba, who managed a large company in Milan at the time. When Italy began to struggle during the Second World War, Giuseppe Boffa left his job in Milan to dedicate himself to the Pio Cesare winery.

Through his efforts, the Pio Cesare brand gained fame and prominence both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the most respected names among Italian wine producers, with a special focus on its renowned Barolo.

Rosy and Giuseppe Boffa named their youngest son Pio, in honor of his great-grandfather’s surname. Pio Boffa, the fourth generation, leads and directs the company today. In the early 1990’s Pio Boffa asked his cousin Augusto to join him in the company. 

In 2000, Pio’s sister’s son, Cesare Benvenuto, became the fifth generation, joined recently by Pio Boffa’s daughter, Federica Rosy, in working at Pio Cesare, representing the future of the Family.

Today, family members travel around the world, to more than 50 countries promoting Pio Cesare wines.

Pio Cesare own 170 acres of vineyards on prime hillside exposures located in multiple different communes of the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations.

As is customary with Barolo wines, this is 100% Nebbiolo, estate grown sourced from family-owned vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba (Ornato, La Serra and Briccolina), Grinzane Cavour (Gustava and Garretti), La Morra (Roncaglie), Novello (Ravera) and, since the 2015 vintage, their recently acquired vineyard in Monforte (Mosconi). 

The new selection 'Pio' from Pio Cesare is a blend of the different MGAs of the estate. This is the classic “formula” used by the ancient Barolo Families to produce a wines that embraces and combines each of the unique characteristics of the different vineyards and terroirs of the Barolo area.

The wine is aged in large French oak “botti” for about 30 months; and a small amount in barriques as well.

Distributor notes - A classic style Barolo. Excellent structure, harmony and elegance. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. Approachable, but with a very long ageing potential. Barolo is a great wine, which should not be described as a “basic” or “regular” Barolo, simply because it does not have any additional indication on the label.

Winemaker Notes - “A classic style Barolo. Excellent structure, harmony and elegance. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. Approachable, but with a very long ageing potential. Barolo is a great wine, which should not be described as a “basic” or “regular” Barolo, simply because it does not have any additional indication on the label.”

This was rated 94 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 91 points by Decanter and Wine Enthusiast. 

We found this a bit disappointing with the subdued fruit overtaken by non-fruit flavors, especially given its ultra-premium price. 

Dark garnet colored with a slight brownish/grey hue, medium bodied, spicy red cherry and plum fruits with notes of earthy tobacco and leather with hints creosote, truffle and camphor. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4217182

https://www.piocesare.it/en/vini/barolo/

Pour Boy lunch Venge Brown Bear Chardonnay

Pour Boys gather for FLW weekend and gala BYOB French Bistro Dinner - kick off with Pour Boys lunch with Venge Brown Bear Chardonnay

Our Pour Boys wine group gathered in Chicagoland for a gala weekend centered on the annual Frank Lloyd Wright Wright Plus Housewalk, culminating in a wine dinner at Hemingway’s French Bistro featuring some wine list selections and special BYOB bottles. 

As out of towners arrived for the weekend, wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy Bill C came over Thursday afternoon to visit and plan the weekend activities. We picked up Tuna Poke Bowls and Caesar Salads at Marianos to enjoy for lunch on the deck. I pulled from the cellar one of our favorite and currently best tasting Chardonnays for an ideal wine pairing. I think this bottle is perhaps the best tasting one in our cellar right now, irregardless of the price point.  

We first tasted this label and I wrote about Venge Vineyards and this limited release label in a these pages earlier, excerpted here back in December 2021 when we served it at a special holiday dinner - Venge Brown Ranch Chardonnay.

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

This is a single vineyard designated label sourced from the 30 acre Brown Ranch Vineyard in Carneros, named for the previous cattle rancher owner Nadine Brown. The vineyard is bordered by HdV’s Hyde Vineyard and Beaulieu’s Vineyard No.9 on Old Sonoma Road in the Carneros district, straddling the rolling hills in the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the nearby San Pablo Bay, combined with the abundant midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing elegant wines that combine power and finesse, with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.

The property, formerly associated with Saintsbury Winery, was purchased in 2012 by the Renterias.

The property was planted with twenty nine acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but most of
the vines were afflicted with Eutypa, a fungi disease also known as the Dead-arm Dieback, which causes trunks or arms of the vines to essentially rot and die. Like the famous Dead-Arm Shiraz label from McLaren Vale, Australia, rather than pulling the vines out, the vineyard managers kept the rootstock, cut off the trunk just above the soil and nurtured a bud to grow into a new trunk. Like the Dead-Arm label, focusing all the mature rootstock energy into one vine branch resulted in rich, full, concentrated fruits.

The Brown Ranch’s hillside alluvial soils, with Dijon Clone 76 set into the pre-existing rootstock, produces this rich full round Chardonnay, worthy of the iconic Venge name.Winemaker's notes: The Dijon Clones are modern strains of Chardonnay carefully isolated from grapevine nursery blocks in France. These strains are selected for their incredible ability to produce the best of what the varietal has to offer and therefore have become quite popular with cool climate growers today. The cool and often foggy climate of the Brown Ranch Vineyard, located in central Carneros, Napa, allows for a slow growing season and optimal ripening. This climate aids in the balancing of acidity and lifting tropical aromas in the fruit and thus, in the finished wine. The vines were carefully hand harvested and delivered cool to the winery.

Winemaker's Notes: "This wine is stylish and freshly balanced, featuring a light, pale straw presence in the glass with a bouquet of fresh orange citrus, toasted pine nuts, mild allspice, rocky flints, and toasted oak. Crisp, savory pineapple, sweet delicious apple, savory stone fruit, and ripe pear lead into mouthwatering deliciousness.

The grapes are blended into used French Oak barrels according to a Burgundian style of winemaking, light handed on the usage of new French Oak keeping it to an average of 45%.

495 Cases were Produced

This release was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and Jeb Dunnuck and 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Golden lemon colored, medium full-bodied, full, round, concentrated, complex opulent fruits with a layer almost bordering on butterscotch, accented by notes of baking spice, hints of lemon, grapefruit, ginger and a touch of peach and almond nut cream, with bright acidity, depth and balance on a full long finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3517412

http://www.vengevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/VengeVineyards

Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

We had left over beef bourgogne for dinner so I pulled from the cellar this premium Napa Cabernet for pairing. This is the flagship estate wine from Grgich Hills, one of the most storied legendary producers with a historic past. 

Founded by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich in 1977 with Austin Hills, the winery has been family-owned and operated since. 

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich was born and raised in Croatio in a winemaking family. He came to American and Napa Valley in 1958. He worked for Lee Stewart, founder of Souverain Winery and an early Napa Valley pioneer, then Christian brothers before Beaulieu Vineyard where he spent nine years working alongside the legendary Russian winemaker André Tchelistcheff. 

In 1968, Mike became chief enologist at Robert Mondavi Winery, considered the most innovative winery at the time. “In 1969, I made my first Cabernet for Robert Mondavi,” Mike recalls. “In an important blind tasting, fifteen California winemakers proclaimed ours to be the best Cabernet in all of California.”

In 1972, Mike joined Chateau Montelena as winemaker and limited partner.

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the epoch “Judgement of Paris Tasting” of 1976 when, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges blind tasted a flight of fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the United States Napa Valley. When the scores were tallied, the world was shocked to learn the French judges had chosen the 1973 Napa Valley Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich,  as the finest white wine in the world. The results stunned the international wine establishment and put US and California wines on the map, and earned winemaker Mike Grgich a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.

Austin Hills of the namesake coffee company, founded Hills Vineyards and developed his own label in 1975. After the Judgement of Paris in 1976, Austin contacted Mike Grgich with a proposal to join forces to produce world class wines in Napa Valley.

Austin Hills had broad business experience and money to invest, since he and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl, had just sold the coffee company. Austin wanted to produce world-class wines and was looking for a winemaker to do that. Mike had extensive winemaking and management experience and now had the reputation as the American winemaker who beat the French.

Austin grew up in the Hills Bros. Coffee company family, founded by his grandfather and grand uncle in 1878 in San Francisco. Austin acquired a business background, earning a B.A. degree from Stanford University and M.B.A. from Columbia University, before working at Hills Bros. Coffee, Inc. Starting as an assistant coffee buyer, he worked his way up to Vice President and finally Chairman of the Board.

Today, Austin is Chairman of Grgich Hills Estate, and also president of Hills Vineyard, and an active member of San Francisco society, serving on a wide variety of boards. 

The Hills Vineyard should not be confused with Hill Family Vineyards of Napa Valley, long time Napa Valley grape growers and vineyard owners who produce a portfolio of wines often featured in these pages.   

The two men were an ideal match for success with their combined complementary business and viticulture and winemaking skills, so Mike Grgich joined forces with Austin Hills in a partnership in 1977, forming Grgich Hills.

The Grigh Hills winery and vineyard was established in Yountville in the center of Napa Valley on the valley floor. Mike first discovered the property in 1958 as an ideal site to produce quality grapes due to its ideal sun exposure and excellent drainage. 

Today, the 63-acre Yountville vineyard is planted to classic Bordeaux varietals - 53 acres Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.4 acres Petit Verdot, and 5.1 acres in Merlot. A 25-acre plot is the second oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, planted in 1959. These vines are showcased in a vineyard designated latbel, "Yountville Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon".

Grgich Hills expanded the Yountville Appellation vineyards in 1984. 

In 1992, Grgich Hills was selected Winery Of the Year by Wine & Spirits magazine, and, Mike Grgich appeared on the cover of Wine Spectator magazine, “California’s Old World Master-Few Can Challenge Mike Grgich in crafting World-Class Wine.”

By 2007, Grigh Hills had grown to 366 acres spread across five vineyards throughout Napa Valley - 34 acres in Calistoga, 18 in Rutherford, 163 in American Canyon, 88 in Carneros, and the original 63 in Yountville.

Able to use estate grown grapes exclusively in the production of their wines, they changed the name to “Grgich Hills Estate” to recognize their wines as 100% estate grown. 

In 2016, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich released his long-awaited autobiography, A Glass Full Of Miracles. At 94 years of age, Mike Grgich retired as president and passed on the baton to his daughter, Violet. He remains active in winery operations as Founder and Winemaker Emeritus, and is a Vintners Hall of Fame Inductee and James Beard Award Winner.

A Croatian TV documentary about his life, “Like the Old Vine,” won the Grand Jury’s Special Award from France’s Oenovideo Film Festival. 

Violet Grgich grew up accompanying her father in the vineyards and cellar. She spent her summers at the winery, doing everything from bottling line work to laboratory analysis and working in the tasting room.

She attended the University of California, earning a BA in music while taking classes in biology, chemistry, and enology. After graduation, she returned home to Grgich Hills to continue her education in the wine business, learning beside her father.

After a period to receive her Master of Music in harpsichord at the world renowned Indiana University School of Music, Violet rejoined the winery fulltime in 1988. Today, she is responsible for daily management of the winery, as well as sales and marketing. 

Ivo Jeramaz serves as Winemaker and VP of Vineyards & Production,  responsible for the day-to-day operations in the cellar and the vineyard, including naturally farming Grgich Hills’ 366 acres. 

 

Ivo was born in Grigh's home country Croatia to a family of grape growers and was involved in making family wine from boyhood. After earning a masters degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb in 1986, he came to Napa Valley to join his uncle, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich,  Over the ensuing three decades at Grgich Hills Ivo learned the classic style and art of winemaking from his uncle, supported by the science and technology, and from what he gained from enology and viticulture courses at University of California, Davis.

 

Joining Mike’s daughter, Violet Grgich as President, and Ivo Jeramaz, Mike’s nephew as Winemaker/VP, the next generation of the Hills family has also found a home in grapes, rather than coffee beans: Austin’s youngest son, Justin, and Ivo's oldest daughter Maja Jeramaz have joined Grgich Hills continuing the family legacy.

 

Today, Grgich Hills Estate produce a portfolio of Bordeaux varietals, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Mike was intrigued about the Croatian origins of Zinfandel and obtained a single Croatian Crljenak Kastelanski cutting, taken from one of the last nine Crljenak plants in existence. It is planted and continues to thrive in Grgrich's Calistoga Vineyard.

 

In April, 2023, Mike Grgich reached centenarian status. The winery celebrated with the release of two “Centennial Wines;” the 2020 Paris Tasting Commemorative Chardonnay, and the 2019 Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

 

This is 100% estate grown fruit, a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, sourced primarily with grapes from the Grgich Yountville vineyard supplemented from Grgich Rutherford and Calistoga vineyards.

 

This release was awarded 93 points by James Suckling, 92 points by Wine Advocate and 90 points by Connoisseurs Guide and Vinous. 

 

Bright garnet-purple in color, medium full bodied, expressive ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruits with floral, cassis, tobacco, licorice, cedar and earthy notes, with a hint of clove spice turning to tight crisp acidity and grainy tannins on the finish. Still young at five years, this might benefit from a little more time to settle and integrate.

 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3351128

 

https://www.grgich.com/product/2018-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley/

https://twitter.com/GrgichHills

Master Sommelier curated winelist at Auburn U Culinary School Restaurant

Master Sommelier Thomas Price curated winelist at Auburn U Culinary School Restaurant

Enroute to a getaway at The Cove, Destin, Florida vacation rental home, we stopped in Auburn, AL to visit an investment property on the campus of Auburn University where we dined at the 1856 Residence Culinary School fine dining restaurant.

The Wine Spectator recognized 1856–Culinary Residence restaurant, named after the year of the university’s founding, is an upscale teaching restaurant sited on College Avenue directly across from campus in the new Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, home of the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management.

The restaurant, opened in the summer of 2022, is the flagship of the four story Rane Culinary Science Center at the university and integrates classrooms and laboratories with a restaurant, a coffee roaster and café, a boutique hotel, bars, the rooftop garden, and other real-world hospitality services.

The Culinary experience is part of the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management.program which includes three pillars - Hospitality Management, Event Management and Culinary Studies. The working restaurant operations offers students immersive hands-on training in all aspects of the front and back of the house. 

1856 – Culinary Residence offers patrons a unique dining experience with stylish modern architecture, the dining room adjacent the open kitchen and bar, and also includes a view into the wine cellar with its two story wine wall, and a private dining room between the working kitchen and cellar. 

The 1856 restaurant operates a la carte lunch and a seven-course tasting menu at dinner.

Academy students staff the restaurant under the guidance of one or more Chefs in Residence, a position that rotates each year. Each year, an acclaimed chef works alongside the Ithaka Hospitality Partners team as well as Auburn University faculty and staff to create a unique restaurant concept, providing a one-of-a-kind, ever-changing culinary experience for students and restaurant guests alike. 

They boast the country’s first tasting-menu-only teaching restaurant that offers a unique and elevated experience where education meets experiential dining. The multi-course meal at the 1856 restaurant delivers a gourmet pleasure for diners while providing educational lessons for the Auburn University students who prepare and serve the food getting hands-on experience, learning the myriad details of running a restaurant. A chef in residence, which changes annually, oversees how fine dining and the classroom intersect at the restaurant.

The presiding Chef in Residence is Ford Fry who founded Rocket Farm Restaurants in 2007 and currently oversees a portfolio of 23 restaurants in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Houston, and Cary, NC. Rocket Farm Restaurants includes some of the South’s most popular concept establishments including Beetlecat, St. Cecilia, The Optimist, Superica, La Lucha and State of Grace. While the concepts each have their own identity, they share a commitment to their respective communities and to serving exceptional food made with local ingredients and attention to detail.  

One of the highlights of dining at 1856 – Culinary Residence or participating in institutional programs is The Master Sommelier in Residence who designs and curates the wine program. The presiding wine director and instructor is Master Sommelier Thomas Price’s who has crafted a 650-label, Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning program featuring wines primarily from France, Spain, Italy, California and Oregon. 

The current Master Sommelier, Thomas Price, spent the last 35 years working in some of Seattle’s most prominent restaurants, including his own. Shortly after obtaining his Master Sommelier certificate in 2012, Price joined Jackson Family Fine Wines as National Director of Wine Education, in addition to working with Auburn University’s Hospitality Management program as a visiting sommelier over the last eight years. 

During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting Thomas who was gracious and hospitable, generous with his time to discuss the program, the wine selections from the Wine Spectator award winning winelist, their regions and producers, and several topics of oenology and mutual, shared interests and experiences.

Throughout the meal and our visit, we were hosted and served by a student as well as a full time professional server who also mentors, coaches and supervises students in all aspects of the front of the house operations. 

For our dining pleasure we ordered from the 1856 menu the wedge salad, starters and then entrees, with an accompanying wine selection. 

For our starters I had the Chicken Liver Mousse pate' with stone fruit on Brioche Toast, and Linda had the Marcel Bread with Garlic Herb Buer, Whipped Ricotta, Olives, Prosciuto and EVOO.

For her entree, Linda the Gnudi pasta with Pesto, Pine Nuts, Parmesan, Roop Basil and Evoo.

 Master Chef Ford Fry calls the Gnudi “a big umami flavor bomb.” It is house-made ricotta cheese seasoned and rolled into balls that are dipped in egg and buried in flour. That forms a shell when the gnudi is boiled. The cheese oozes out when the orbs are sliced. The sauce – sometimes brown butter, and other times a vinaigrette – features truffles.

For my entree, I ordered the Flounder Fish N' Chips - Crispy NC Flounder, Malt Vinegar Aioli, Garlic Oil and rice-Cooked Fries andwith pomme frits.

For our wine selection we drank the Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay from Domaine Serene. 

Domaine Serenc Evenstad Reserve Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2018

This is a producer we know well, one of our favorites and one of the few we collect of Oregon wines and Pinot Noir. We hold this same Evenstad Reserve branded label Pinot Noir going back a dozen vintages. We've seen but never tasted their Chardonnay and were eager to do so, especially in this idyllic setting. Having tried it and enjoyed it immensely, we'll be sure to pick some up as soon as we return home.

In discussions with wine director Master Sommelier Thomas Price about this selection he raved about Oregon Chardonnays and the collaborative partnership the Auburn school enjoys with this producer.

The ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay showcases the art of blending select barrels from estate vineyard sites in the Oregon Willamette Valley Dundee Hills AVA. Three of the seven Domain Serene Dundee Hills vineyards comprising a total of 150 acres of vines are planted to Chardonnay, in addition to Pinot Noir, which produce highest quality fruit from the combination of Dijon clone vines, Jory soil and the high elevation of the Dundee Hills estates.

Winemaker notes - "The 2018 vintage of this acclaimed wine incorporates the best select fruit of each vineyard into the compelling blend. An enticing tropical medley of kiwi and yellow peach act as the melody, with high notes of white flower and fresh linen. The oak treatment is flawlessly integrated, with a lingering minerality and salinity completing the symphony. This wine will certainly deserve a place in the cellar of the discerning collector of fine Chardonnays."

This vintage release was awarded 96 points by James Suckling, 95 Points "Editor's Choice" by Wine Enthusiast and 93 points by Wine Advocate. It was Ranked #87 in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2020.

Golden straw colored, medium to full-bodied with creamy texture, complex concentrated pear, white peach and yellow apple fruits with notes of honeydew and wet stone and hints of citrus, hazelnut and bit of butterscotch on a crisp acidic lingering finish. Delicious.

RM 94 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3629925

https://www.domaineserene.com/

https://auburn1856.com/

Ex Post Facto Santa Barbara County Syrah 2018

Ex Post Facto Santa Barbara County Syrah 2018

Found and picked this up at local wine shop to try as we've ventured into Santa Barbara County Syrah's since our visit to the region and discovery of some favorable wines last spring. We enjoyed this with artisan cheeses and charcuterie.

This label is from the broad portfolio of Jackson Family Wines that now encompasses more than four dozen brands of California varietal wines. 

This is produced by notable winemaker Greg Brewer, who was recognized as Wine Enthusiast Winemaker of the Year for 2020. Greg Brewer, is also co-owner of Brewer-Clifton winery, an estate with 139 acres of Santa Barbara regions vineyards planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Viognier.

At a 25 shelf price (relative to $45 published and offered prices at other sites), this promised significant QPR - Quality Price Ratio, and certainly delivered. 

Winemaker Notes - Syrah from a cold climate fascinates as it maintains lifted and perfumed aromatics that subsequently usher in tremendous fruit intensity. Fermentation is carried out as whole clusters to further elevate those high tones of blue flowers and white peppers and to corset the fruit by resultant savory tannins. Those tannins provide a tea-like architecture which offers tremendous length and a savory herb character to harmonize with virtually any dish. Coldest climate, sixty days on the skins and stems, most exhausted cooperage, peppercorn, black cherry, raspberry, firm, dry, persistent.

This label release was awarded 94 points by Matt Kettmann of Wine Enthusiast, 93 by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and by Wilford Wong of Wine.com. 

Made by Greg Brewer, the 2018 Syrah from Ex Post Facto was whole-cluster fermented 45-60 days on the skins, followed by 18 months aged in very old barrels. 

Deep ruby-purple color, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, intense blackberry and black plum fruits with notes of cassis, graphite, cracked pepper, crushed rocks and touches of cedar and milk chocolate with fine grained long finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3620446

https://www.jfwthekey.com/

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Sis-in-law Pat visited and Linda served left over Beef Bourguignon from our Christmas Family Dinner the other night. For a proper wine pairing we pulled from the cellar a memorable wine which we enjoyed together during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2013 at the Hall Napa Valley Rutherford Estate Winery and Vineyards (shown right) one of the highlights of that trip.

We tasted this latest vintage release of this label from the winelist which I featured in this blogpost - Hall Estate Napa Cabernet at Harry & Izzy's Steakhouse Indy.

As I wrote at that time, we hold a dozen labels from Hall and close to a decade of vintages of this label, so it is one we know well. That evening was our first encounter with this vintage release and it exceeded our expectations, prompting us to rush out the next day and pick up several bottles. 

Our tours and visits of the Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting, cellar and cave tasting room have been highlights of several of Napa Wine Experiences. We enjoyed meeting Kathryn Hall at their Flagship namesake Kathryn label 2015 vintage release tour wine club tasting in Chicago in 2018, pre-covid. We first discovered Hall and their Napa Valley wines during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2003.

Hall Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This may be one of the best releases of this label that I remember, resembling the higher priced premium and ultra-premium labels from their extensive portfolio of a dozen Napa Valley Cabernets. 

Even though this is their standard estate label, its a sophisticated Bordeaux blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot.

This is sourced from vineyards throughout Napa Valley, from Hall organic estate vineyards to 'small rugged hillside' sites of our partner growers. Hall states: "By blending these various lots, we create a rich panorama on the palate, a landscape of complexity and character that clearly depicts Napa Valley."

Winemaker notes for this release: "Our 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 tannin 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 exceptional estate bottling reflects the near perfect growing season of the Napa 2018 vintage. Hall describes the "season began in late February. Our Spring weather was mild, and allowed for extended flowering that produced very uniform grape clusters. Temperatures throughout Napa remained steady and warm during the majority of summer and fall, without any heat spikes, making for a long and unhurried harvest. The resulting wines are incredibly smooth and polished, with magnificent texture and color."

This is one to pick-up and enjoy for early gratification or hold for a decade or more. It will be fun to see how this evolves from graceful cellar aging for some time.

Wine Spectator, James Molesworth gave this release 93 points.

 

Dark inky purple garnet colored, full bodied, complex with rich concentrated dark berry fruits accented by layers of dark mocha, crème de cassis, oak, earthy tobacco and slight hint of cedar on the lingering tannin laced finish. 

Tonight I give this RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3883343

https://www.hallwines.com/2018-hall-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon

 

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

 

https://www.harryandizzys.com/

 

https://twitter.com/harryandizzys 

Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Hugo's Chicago

Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Hugo's Chicago Private Dining

For a key partner and team dinner we dined at Hugo's Frog Bar on trendy Rush Street in Chicago. Hugo's is part of the Gibson's Restaurant Group, with Gibson's and Hugo's locations throughout Chicagoland including our hometown, Naperville, nearby Oak Brook, and their adjacent flagship locations on Rush Street, the center of the near north nightlife district. 

For our key business dinner we dined in Hugo's upstairs private dining room. With our grilled beefsteaks we selected this popular long time reliable crowd pleaser wine - Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Jordan is to Sonoma Alexander Valley, what the popular well known Caymus is to Napa Valley.

Since its founding by Tom and Sally Jordan in 1972, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has produced a popular reliable go-to wine that is widely available, approachable for early gratification when young, yet has the ability to age for decades or more. 

At the outset, Jordan enlisted the legendary André Tchelistcheff as consulting enologist, inspired by his work producing Frencophile style cabernet based Bordeaux blends at Napa Valley Beaulieu Vineayards. 

Tchelistcheff hired and mentored Rob Davis, who headed Jordan winemaking from the inaugural 1976 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and inaugural 1979 Jordan Chardonnay until his retirement in 2019.

This continuity along with the tenure of but two winemakers over four decades since the winery’s inception, led to the remarkable quality and consistency of Jordan wines.

Jordan Cabernet is actually a Bordeaux-style California Cabernet Sauvignon based blend sourced from Jordan estate in northern Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.

Upon taking ownership of their property, Tom and Sally planted more than 200 acres of vineyards on the valley floor and methodically began to produce a single wine, modeled after the first growth philosophy of the finest producers in Bordeaux. To that end, they planted only cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes.

Second-generation John Jordan took over as hands-on CEO vintner and winemaker in 2005 taking on full ownership of the winery in 2007. He carried on the legacy and heritage of Jordan Vineyard & Winery producing award-winning wines year after year making Jordan one of the top Cabernet Sauvignon brands in California.  

Jordan Sonoma County Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The 2018 vintage harvest in Napa and Sonoma was one of the biggest and best in several years with each phase of the growing season  seeing near-perfect weather conditions. The quality of the fruit was exceptional and the harvest was about 25% to 33% above average resulting in holding prices steady for exceptional wines, providind good value QPR (quality price ratios) across the range with this label being no exception. 

Winemaker notes: "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a showstopper vintage. Its black cherry, boysenberry and black fig aromas jump out of the glass and, the wine’s smooth, rich tannins go on forever, making this a vintage that will age gracefully.'

"Rich aromas of black cherry, Mission fig and dark chocolate mingle with clove and nutmeg. The palate is filled with flavors of blackberry and boysenberry that are enveloped in silky tannins, showing complexity beyond its years. Enticing flavors of vanilla bean and hazelnut carry through a velvety richness that lingers on the finish."

This is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. It was aged 13 months in 100% French oak, 35% new and 65% one-year-old barrels with 37 total months aging.

Wilfred Wong gave this 92 points and Wine Enthusiast gave this release 90 Points. 

This was a perfect complement pairing with the wedge salad, creamed spinach, grilled beefsteak and dark chocolate gateaux.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex concentrated bright vibrant blackberry and black currant fruits with cedar, bitter dark chocolate, cassis, black tea, and clove spice with bright acidity and a layer of oak on the long moderate tannin finish.  

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4051656

https://www.jordanwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/jordanwinery

https://www.hugosfrogbar.com/

Spring Valley Vineyard Derby Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Spring Valley Vineyard Derby Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

We enjoyed Spring Valley Vineyards Frederick Red Blend for dinner the other night. When I was pulling together info to write up my blogpost I realized it was exactly a year ago that patriarch co-owner and co-producer Dean Derby passed away.

Ironically, on the anniversary of his passing, we received our wine club allocation shipment, the 2019 release of his namesake tribute label wine, Derby Cabernet Sauvignon. Hence, we felt it only fitting to pull a bottle of Derby in tribute and remembrance of Dean, replacing the older vintage with the just arrived vintage release, as part of cellar management to drink the older bottle from our cellar collection.  

We pulled from the cellar a bottle of Derby Cabernet for dinner in a fitting tribute to Dean, whom we had the pleasure of meeting when we visited the estate vineyards a few years ago during our Spring Valley Vineyards Tasting, Estate and Vineyard Visit. That was one of the highlights of our appellation visit to the Walla Walla (Washington) wine region in 2018.

Dean Derby was a bigger than life character. He was a delightful man of faith and family. 

His family and he moved to Walla Walla in 1945 where he met Shari Corkrum in the 6th grade at Sharpstein Grade School. Upon graduation from Walla Walla High School, Shari and Dean both attended the University of Washington in Seattle. They were married in 1954.

In 1956, Dean Derby was captain of the University of Washington football team. He still holds the record for longest run from scrimmage for a touchdown at Husky Stadium (92 yards against Illinois).

Dean was drafted into the NFL as the 1st pick of the 4th round by the Los Angeles Rams, then traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 1st league game in September 1957. He was named All Pro Defensive Cornerback and played four+ years with the Steelers and a bit more than a year for the Minnesota Vikings.

Back at their homestead ranch in Walla Walla, Dean and Shari's son, Devin Corkrum Derby was born in Spring Valley in 1956. 

Dean and Shari first planted wine grapes on the ranch in Spring Valley in 1993.

Devin Corkrum Derby took over management of the ranch and winery at Spring Valley in 1999. As founding winemaker he oversaw the first crush and crafted the first wine – Uriah, a Merlot-based red blend which had its inaugural release in 2001.  This was also the first vintage release of Derby Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the Frederick, a Cabernet Sauvignon-based red blend, and Mule Skinner Merlot.

Devin also designed the labels for Spring Valley’s wines. 

 

Devin Corkrum Derby was killed in a tragic car accident in 2004 and winemaking duties were taken over by assistant winemaker Serge Laville. Serge Laville was a French winemaker who had met Devin in Walla Walla and moved from France to become assistant winemaker at Spring Valley Vineyard.

 

I've written in these pages, (as late as this week with recent postings) about the portfolio of Spring Valley wines with each label featuring a member of three generations of the Corkrum family reaching back to first generation founding producers Uriah Corkrum and his wife Nina Lee.

As I mentioned above, Dean Derby was husband of Sharilee Corkrum Derby, who is daughter of Frederick (subject of the Frederick Red Blend label consumed the other night) and grand-daughter of founder Uriah Corkrum. Each of them are featured on SVV labels as tribute to them and features of their portfolio of estate grown varietal wines and blends. 

The SVV portfolio features estate grown Bordeuax varietals, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, as well as Left Bank and Right Bank blends, and a Shiraz/Syrah, named after Nina Lee, wife of Uriah and mother of Frederick.

This label, Derby, is the Cabernet Sauvignon offering from that collection.

Spring Valley Vineyard Derby Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

For dinner, Linda prepared a home-made pizza and this wine was a wonderful accompaniment. Some Cabernet's may be too firm or structured for such a dish, better paired with a beefsteak, but this was sufficiently round and fruit forward that it was perfect. 

This is 100% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the Spring Valley Vineyard that lies twelve miles northeast of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque expansive wheat fields of southeastern Washington. 

 

Today, the ranch consists of 109 total vineyard acres of grapevines planted to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec.

 

The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows that take advantage of and allow air circulation, drainage and optimal exposure to sunshine. Through meticulous and caring viticulture, every grape cluster is tended by hand, including crop thinning, leaf pulling and harvesting.

 

The final blend was aged 19 months in French oak, 20% new

Winemaker's Notes: "As usual, a very limited number of barrels were able to go under the label 100% Cabernet Sauvignon “Derby ”. Complexity and purity is the ultimate goal for this wine. Rose petal on the
nose. Flavors are focused on ripe cherry. Intense mid pallet and finish on herbal notes."

The 2018 vintage release was rated 93 points by both Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, and 89 points by Sean Sullivan of Wine Enthusiast.

Bright purple garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant blackberry, black cherry and plum flavors accented by spice, smoke and herbs with a long smooth polished finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3928217

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

 

Nozzole Chianti Classico Italian Village Chicago

Nozzole Chianti Classico Sangiovese with Pasta at Italian Village Chicago

Hosting a valued business partner leader, we dined at Italian Village Restaurant, Chicago, our usual locale for such occasions, downtown in the middle of the Loop, merely blocks from our office. 

We took advantage of the private dining tables and the superb authentic Italian cuisine and accompanying quality wine by the glass offerings. 

We both ordered the handmade Ravioli pasta, my guest the meat filled pillow shaped pasta, with the red meat bolognese sauce, and I selected the pasta stuffed with cremini and white mushrooms, garlic, ricotta and parmesan cheese with mushroom cream sauce (shown). 

We were served by one of the IV veteran long tenured staff, Hans, and Wine Director Jared Gelband who gave my guest and me a quick tour of their magnificent extensive Italian Village wine cellar that serves all three of the IV (Italian Village) restaurants.  

To accompany our power lunch, he served from the extensive Wine Spectator Best of Award winelist, glasses from the WBTG offerings - Nozzole, Toscana, DOCG Chianti Classico Riserva - an ideal pairing with our pasta entree dishes.

Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana, DOCG 2018

This 100% Sangiovese is from Villa Nozzole run by owners Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, heirs of the historic estate that dates back to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 

The founder, Lorenzo Folonari, was born in Valtellina in 1729 and moved his family to Val Camonica, where they were entrepreneurs in trade and then producing wine.

In 1882, the brothers Italo and Francesco Folonari moved the company, then known as Fratelli Folonari, from Val Camonica to Bresci. 

In 1911, they bought the historic Tuscan winery and producer Ruffino, widely known for its Chianti Classico wines, bottled in traditional wine flasks wrapped in straw.

The Villa di Nozzole, located in the heart of the historic Tenuta di Nozzole, was taken over by the Folonari family in 1971. The classic Renaissance architecture castle and estate overlooking the vineyards, olive groves and surrounding hills dates back to the seventeenth century.

Principle Giovanni Folonari worked for Robert Mondavi in 1989 and Ruffino from 1991 to 2000 before forming Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute.

The Nozzole estate produces a broad portfolio of wines starting with this Chianti Classico Riserva sourced from their estate just north of the village of Greve at Passo dei Pecorai in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, and several single vineyard designated premium labels. The estate covers a striking, rugged, mountainous area of about 1,000 acres at 300 meters in elevation. Yields are kept low in order to obtain concentration and complexity in the wines.

Winemaker Notes: "Cherry and violet aromas, persistent and rounded flavors of spices and mushroom. Great structure with elegant finesse."

This release was awarded 93 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Ruby colored, medium bodied, bright cherry and raspberry fruits with notes of floral, earth and tobacco on a moderate tangy acidic soft finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4001918

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/the-village/

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

Hall Estate Napa Cabernet at Harry & Izzy's Steakhouse Indy

Hall Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Harry & Izzy's Steakhouse Ind7

We dined with dear friends Eric and Cathy at Harry & Izzy's in Indy and ordered from the winelist this standard-bearer estate Napa Cabernet. 

We hold a dozen labels from Hall and close to a decade of vintages of this label, so it is one we know well. This was our first encounter with this vintage release and it exceeded our expectations, prompting us to rush out the next day and pick up several bottles. 

Our tours and visits of the Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting, cellar and cave tasting room have been highlights of several of Napa Wine Experiences. We enjoyed meeting Kathryn Hall at their Flagship namesake Kathryn label 2015 vintage release tour wine club tasting in Chicago in 2018, pre-covid. We first discovered Hall and their Napa Valley wines during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2003.

Our first Rutherford estate tour and tasting was after its opening back in 2013. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2013/04/hall-napa-valley-rutherford-estate.html

Hall Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This may be one of the best releases of this label that I remember, resembling the higher priced premium and ultra-premium labels from their extensive portfolio of a dozen Napa Valley Cabernets. 

Even though this is their standard estate label, its a sophisticated Bordeaux blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot.

This is sourced from vineyards throughout Napa Valley, from Hall organic estate vineyards to 'small rugged hillside' sites of our partner growers. Hall states: "By blending these various lots, we create a rich panorama on the palate, a landscape of complexity and character that clearly depicts Napa Valley."

Winemaker notes for this release: "Our 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 tannin 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 exceptional estate bottling reflects the near perfect growing season of the Napa 2018 vintage. Hall describes the "season began in late February. Our Spring weather was mild, and allowed for extended flowering that produced very uniform grape clusters. Temperatures throughout Napa remained steady and warm during the majority of summer and fall, without any heat spikes, making for a long and unhurried harvest. The resulting wines are incredibly smooth and polished, with magnificent texture and color."

This is one to pick-up and enjoy for early gratification or hold for a decade or more. It will be fun to see how this evolves from graceful cellar aging for some time.

Wine Spectator, James Molesworth gave this release 93 points.

 

Dark inky purple garnet colored, full bodied, complex with rich concentrated dark berry fruits accented by layers of dark mocha, crème de cassis, oak, earthy tobacco and slight hint of cedar on the lingering tannin laced finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3883343

https://www.hallwines.com/2018-hall-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon

 

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

 

https://www.harryandizzys.com/

 

https://twitter.com/harryandizzys 

 

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Rhone Blend 2018

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley Rhone Blend 2018 

For pairing with BBQ rib dinner we opened this big Syrah based Rhone blend from our wine club allocation shipments from producer Force Majeure.

We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine during our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting as part of our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018. We first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines, hence, they were one of our shortlist priority visits when we planned our Washington State, Columbia Valley wine trip.

Our visit to the Force Majeure estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, was a highlight of our visit to the region, hosed by Todd's wife, Carrie Alexander who manages marketing and operations. Since then, they have purchased property at and planted vineyards at the North Fork of the Walla Walla river and have released their own Paxsa Brand and labels. Both Force Majeure and Paxsa brands focus on Rhone as well as Bordeaux varietals. 

Linda loved the sister label to this bottle, Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2015, that we took to Duck Inn Chicago unique dining experience BYOB which was a standout that evening. That bottle was another label that discovered and acquired during our Walla Walla appellation and estate visit. 

We tasted the next most recent vintage of this label, the Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Red Blend 2019 for a special dinner last fall with son Alec. 

Tonight we opened the Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Rhone Blend 2018.

This is from the Parabellum brand, the second-tier of Force Majeure wines, yet still produced with care to reflect the varieties and terroir and be approachable for early consumption and gratification, without constraints on blending. Parabellum and the rest of the brand are intended to "provide an opportunity to savor an authentic wine of distinction at a great value." To that end, Parabellum wines are unrestrained imaginative blends of both Bordeaux and Rhone varietals and offer good QPR.

While many of these blends are called GSM, a reference to common blend of Rhone varietals Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, the blend of this release, contains northern and southern Rhone varietals, but is 90% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, a blend much to our liking since we're lovers of Syrah, one of our favored varietals. 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659538

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/wines/parabellum/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3979164 

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley Rhone Blend 2018

This is sourced from Force Majeure Estate Vineyards from both the Rocks region of Walla Walla and the estate vineyard on Red Mountain, from the Red Mountain AVA, in the Columbia River valley in central Washington State.

As its name suggests, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain. 

The appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River. The terroir of soils, sunlit slopes exposure, and climate are ideal for the ripening of grapes. 

The steep upper slopes of Red Mountain, sit at 960 to 1,230 feet elevation and produce some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.

Red Mountain is relatively new to the fine wine scene. Force Majeure were pioneers in planting some of the very first vineyards on the steep, upper slopes of Red Mountain. The first wine pioneers to the region initially walked the land in the summer of 1972. They found a gently sloping sagebrush covered hillside that had been largely overlooked by both early settlers and local indigenous peoples. There were no roads, wells, power- lines or any other signs of civilization. 

Planted in those early days focused on carefully matching the optimal varietal and clonal selections, trellising and irrigation to the nine distinct soil types formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity. The result was a vineyard articulated into many small "micro-blocks," to meet the management demands of this unique and dynamic site. Due to the rough, rocky nature of the acreage and elevations ranging from 960 to 1,230 feet, mechanization is virtually impossible in the upper portion of Force Majeure, requiring true "farming by hand," while the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils. 

The Red Mountain AVA is the smallest appellation in the state. AVA status was achieved in 2001. Red Mountain now hosts approximately fifty-four vineyards covering more than 2300 acres, making Red Mountain one of the most densely planted AVA's with 57% of the 4,040 acres of the AVA currently planted. 

The climate and terroir boasts approximately 3,200 degree days but with significantly higher total acids than are typically found in this warm a region. It has 2 hours more sunlight per day during the growing season than Napa Valley and receives only five to six inches of annual rainfall a year.

The terroir coupled with the diversity of the vineyards results in versatility to grow a variety of fruit characterized by intensity, depth and concentration, complex flavors and fine tannins. The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.

The producer website says this is a blend of 86% Syrah 14% Mourvèdre, wine reviewer Jeb Dunnuck writes its is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Mourvèdre. As shown above, the rear label of our bottle says 90% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.

Dark inky purple plum colored, full bodied, round, textured, black berry, black raspberry and hints of blueberry fruits with cassis, spice, hints of pepper and black tea with notes of floral violets, Red Mountain minerality, and a firm full tangy tannin laced lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

 

This label release was awarded 93-95 points by Jeb Dunnuck. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3612601

https://twitter.com/ForceMVineyards 

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards

 

Hill Family Estate Napa Cabernet 2018

 Hill Family Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

We were invited over to son Alec and Vivianna's new home to watch March Madness, the Big Ten Basketball tournament as a lead up to the NCAA selection show.

As newlyweds, Alec and Vivianna visited Hill Family Estate during their forest fire shortened honeymoon in Napa a year ago September. They visited the new Hill Family Estate winery, located just minutes south of Yountville just off Ste Helena Highway 29, the western main artery of Napa Valley. They tasted this wine there and acquired it as part of their wine club allocation. 

Doug Hill founded Hill Family estate vineyards back in 1977 when he acquired his first vineyards. Since then, eleven different vineyard locations have been added to the Hill Family Estate portfolio, mostly in Napa Valley and its environs now covering more than 100 acres in numerous significant sub-appellations within Napa Valley.

For nearly four decades, the fruit was sold to the likes of Far Niente Winery, Silver Oak Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Caymus Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars and a host of other winery luminaries. Hill Family grapes were considered among the finest grown in the prestigious Napa Valley.

Around the turn of the century, Ryan and Carly Hill approached their father with the vision to establish the family winery with the family name on it. Hill Family Estate was born in 2001 with the first fruit that would become Hill Family Estate wines. A total of around 980 cases were produced and released in 2004. The new brand was immediately acclaimed and gained national prominence with numerous Awards and industry plaudits.

Hill Family Estate winemaker Alison Doran joined the team and crafted the inaugural 2001 vintage. Alison was introduced to Doug while he was growing grapes and she was making wine for Lewis Cellars, another one of our benchmark favorite producers, and the other estate visit tasting the kids attended during their shortened honeymoon. Alison developed her skill while being mentored by renowned wine expert Andre Tchelistcheff, completing a degree in winemaking at UC Davis and spending time in the legendary wine region of Alsace, France. Today, Doug and Alison work closely together selecting the highest quality grapes and producing ultra premium wines

Today, the Hill Family owns 120 acres of vineyards with properties on Atlas Peak, in Carneros, Oak Knoll and American Canyon. They are 100% family-farmed, family-owned and family-operated. Production ranges between 9,000 to 12,000 cases annually sourced from 12 different estate vineyards allowing them to select the highest quality fruit for their wines.  

The Hill Family portfolio has grown to over twenty five different labels across the broad range of varietals, blends, and single vineyard designated offerings.  

 

Hill Family Estate opened a tasting facility in downtown Yountville, directly down from the famous French Laundry Restaurant of Chef Thomas Keller and Keller’s Bouchon Restaurant, a classical French bistro also located in Yountville where Ryan Hill was formerly a sommelier. 

 

I wrote about Hill Family Estate and their wines in detail in a blogpost late the year before last and in follow on blogposts: Hill-Family Estate Origin Napa Valley Red 2016 and Hill Family Estate Origin Napa Valley Red 2018. 

We've had several Hill Family Estate wines with Alec and Vivianna and I believe this may have been the best label so far. 

We had one of their special limited release premium labels available to Hill Family Diamond Club members that Alec acquired as part of Alec's club allocation during Father's Day Grilled Steak Wine Dinner last year. 

 

Hill Family Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

I believe I liked this label release as well as the best of all those selections, meeting the same rating of their most expensive premium label selection with a similar tasting profile and experience. 

 

This release was blended from fruit from several Hill Family Napa Valley vineyard sources. The high elevation Baker Vineyard up on Atlas Peak at 1,200 ft. providing intense tannins and color, was blended with vineyards from the valley floor and cooler areas - Windy Flats on the western foothills in Wooden Valley, and Beau Terroir is in the Carneros foothills. Also included in the blend was fruit sourced from Beau Terre, Hansen, and Villagio vineyards on the valley floor. Added to the blend was some Malbec and Merlot to add complexity of aromas on the nose along with fruit and oak spice, and finally some Syrah to add density without astringency.

The winemakers's notes for this release: "The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of black currant, black cherry, violets, vanilla and pie spice. The palate is rich, with flavors of blackberry, hazelnut, raspberry and mocha. This wine has tremendous viscosity for being so young and has a lot of room to grow and integrate all the flavors."

I found this dark inky purple garnet colored, full bodied with bold, full round complex expressive ripe black berry, raspberry and black currant fruits with a layer of soft sweet mocha, with notes of spice, floral and hints of cassis on a lingering tongue puckering tangy acidity silky tannin laced finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3881100

https://hillfamilyestate.com/product/2018-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon/ 

https://hillfamilyestate.com/

https://twitter.com/HFEWine

@HFEWine