Showing posts sorted by date for query hope. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query hope. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Friday, June 20, 2025

Pirouette BYOB with Familiar Favorites at Entourage DG

Pirouette BYOB with Familiar Favorites at Entourage DG 

Seeking pre-weekend early Friday dinner, we dined at Entourage Entourage DG (Downers Grove) Downers Grove, intent of enjoying some of our familiar favorite Entourage dinner selections as featured in these pages in earlier blogposts

In the end, we ordered these same two entrees as with  a previous visit - Fontanafredda Barolo with Meatloaf at Entourage DG, as excerpted below.

It would’ve been nice sitting outside on the street front tables watching the workers and vendors set up the tents and the stands for this weekend’s Downers Fest, before the madness set in, but the skies opened with cloudbursts and thunder outside just as we were arriving. 

Taking advantage of their call ahead ‘priority’ seating option, we were promptly seated inside. With somewhat limited seating, and growing popularity, it’s becoming a tough seat for dinner so mid-afternoon is a smart time to visit Entourage for easier access seating, such as was the case today, in the dining room and at the bar.  

I’m almost reticent to share this secret as I don’t want to have to compete with bigger crowds for a table at this venue but I’d be remiss to not mention “‘Social Hour at Entourage DG!”,  Where Small Plates, Specialty Cocktails, Wines by the Glass and Beer are 1/2 off! Weekdays from 3PM - 5PM Sun - Thurs 8PM to close / Fri - Sat 9PM to close.” 

Reader’s of these pages know we’ve featured Entourage often, as it has become one of our favorite go to dining destinations in the western suburbs of Chicago in recent months, as shown in some of the links below - 

Taking advantage of the Social Hour, ‘early bird’ specials, we ordered the Rosemary Focaccia Bread - “Made Fresh Daily”, served with Mediterranean Olives and Sea Salt Butter. While it may be easy to discount this as a simple bread plate, it’s delicious! 


Additionally, prior to our main course, we enjoyed the Roasted Beets and Whipped Goat Cheese Salad - Arugula, Baby Gem with Spicy Pecans, Fennel, Hot Honey and Grapefruit Citrus Vinaigrette. As always, this was delicious - a wonderful pairing of flavors.


As intended when we set out for Entourage tonight, I ordered what is one of my favorite dishes on the menu, their signature Wagyu Meatloaf Sundae - Truffle + Parmesan Whipped Potatoes, Brioche, Wild Mushroom Gravy,  Vegetable Succotash topped with Crispy Onions.

This signature entree continues to be amazing, delicious and ample in portions - enough for a follow on take home meal. Two huge slices of meatloaf, and not enough of the delectable pomme puree’! But where would you put it in that tower, or what they call a ‘Sundae’!

Last time we ordered this, we actually ordered an extra to take home for a follow-on meal.  



Linda had what has become one of her favorite go-to dishes - the Spicy Shrimp & Jalapeno Grits - Blackened Wild Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Charred Jalapeno, Charred Corn, Baby Peppers and Creole Cream.

This was equally delicious, but it’s too spicy for my tastes, okay for hers, although she set aside the Jalapeno’s. Nice portion size for a ‘small plate’.

Often, we bring two bottles of wine, a red and a white, to offer two choices based on what we end up ordering. 

Tonight, we brought from our home cellar just one BYOB special bottle that was an ideal pairing with my Waygu beef meatloaf. 

Long Shadows Vintners Collection “Pirouette” Columbia Valley Red Blend 2009 

Having just received the latest release of this label, as part of our wine club allocation shipment, I pulled the oldest vintage of this label to drink, as part of cellar inventory management rotation, from the nearly dozen vintages of this label that we hold in our cellar. We’ve actually supplemented our collection of this label with additional bottles from auction house Wine Bid (as shown below).

As part of the Vintner’s Collection portfolio, world class winemakers are selected to work in collaboration with Long Shadows to produce world class wines, sourced from fruit from the finest selected vineyards in Washington State Columbia Valley. 

This special bottling label is crafted by legendary winemakers Philippe Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr., teamed to combine the traditions of old world winemaking, the advancements of new world technology, and small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards to craft this red blend.

Pirouette is made by Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, selected to produce this signature label for the Winemakers Collection.

We have long been fans of Philippe Melka and his signature labels Matisse and 'CJ', named for his children, and for his consulting winemaker contributions to a dozen of notable high end brands across Napa Valley.

While we had owned the various labels over the years, we really discovered Long Shadows at the Long Shadows Wine Cellars tasting room during our Woodinville Wine Experience. We joined their club and have been taking regular shipments of the collection ever since. They provide remarkable wines at great value relative QPR. 

Philippe Melka, widely recognized as one of the leading craftsmen of his trade, graduated from the University of Bordeaux, France, where he received a degree in geology in 1989. After taking a course in Terroir and Viticulture, he aspired to become a winemaker. After earning a second degree in Agronomy and Enology, he applied what he learned working at prestigious wineries in Australia, Italy, California and France, including some of the world's most revered producers, Petrus, Haut Brion and Dominus, among others.

In Napa Valley, Melka honed his craft while contributing to the production of several highly acclaimed wines from a number of the most elite estates including Marston, Seavey, Constant, Lail, Bryant Family, Caldwell, Quintessa (which is owned by collaborator in this label, Augustin Hunneus), Hundred Acre, and Vineyard 29.

Today, Philippe Melka and his wife, Cherie, reside at Melka Cellars in Napa Valley. Cherie is an accomplished wine professional and laboratory manager at Silver

This is one of our favorite, best drinking labels in our cellar, ideal for our red meat selections, a red Bordeaux varietal blend, that is more moderate in the blend than a Cab Sav predominate Left Bank, or a Merlot predominate Right Bank. This is a blend of  57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec sourced primarily from Red Mountain in the Central Columbia Valley.. 

The Cabernet Sauvignon is from Red Mountain Vineyards, manifested in this wine in the structure and textured richness characterized by the grapes from this acclaimed growing region. From the Dionysus Vineyard, Petit Verdot adds layers of complex aromas and flavors. The remainder of the blend is from select Wahluke Slope vineyards. The Merlot brings juicy richness to the finished wine; Cabernet Franc adds a hint of earthiness; and Malbec contributes appealing spice and beautiful color.

This wine fermented in 400-liter wood barrels with wild yeasts. . 

This release was packaged in a painted bottle, while later vintages had the traditional printed paper labels.  

Winemaker Notes - “The 2009 Pirouette offers vibrant aromas of black cherry, violets, and incense that leap from the glass. Ripe currant flavors, hints of black olive, roasted coffee bean and vanilla nuances provide layers of depth, with excellent structure and polished tannins contributing to its lengthy finish.”

This release was rated 95 points and Cellar Selection by Wine Enthusiast, 93 by Vinous, and 91 points by Wine Spectator, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Connoisseur’s Guide. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegantly polished, smoothly textured, a symphony of finely integrated layers of ripe blackberry and black cherry accented by notes of dark chocolate, cassis, spice and a nice complement of oak with silky tannins and soft mouthfeel on a lingering vibrant finish.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated, intense, rich, round ripe black raspberry, blackberry and black currant fruits accented by bright sprites of cassis, dark chocolate, dark spices and herbs, complemented by notes of sweet oak, finishing with lingering perfume, length and seizing tannic grip. 

RM 93 points. 




Saturday, May 10, 2025

Mother’s Day Eve Dinner - BYOB @ Entourage DG

Saturday afternoon Mother’s Day Eve Dinner - BYOB @ Entourage DG

For a pre-mother’s eve day dinner, we had an early afternoon dinner at Entourage Restaurant, Downers Grove, our newest favorite eatery in the western (Chicago) suburbs. We’ve featured Entourage and some of our favorite dishes several times in these pages in recent months, as shown in some of the links below - 

Spectacular dining experience at Entourage Restaurant Downers Grove

Lunch/Dinner Redux at Entourage DG

Prior to our main course, we enjoyed the Roasted Beets and Whipped Goat Cheese Salad - Arugula, B aby Gem with Spicy Pecans, Fennel, Hot Honey and Grapefruit Citrus Vinaigrette. This was delicious - a wonderful pairing of flavors

We have a growing number of favorite go-to entrees as we discover more fabulous feature offerings on their menu. This day, I tried another one of their signature dishes and it was equally fabulous, as my other fave’s. 

I had the Orange Basil Salmon - Orange Glazed with Parmesan Risotto, Shishito, Entourage signature Charred Peppers, and Orange Basil Butter Sauce. It was out of this world - as good as any Salmon dish I’ve had, ever! 

Linda chose for her entree the lunch version of one of her favorite dinner dishes, the Shrimp variant of the Lobster + Shrimp Rigatoni with Tomato, Spinach, Charred Jalapeño with Lemon White Wine and Parmesan Cream with Roasted Garlic Toast.


Like our similar outing a couple weeks ago, I brought two wines for pairing, a red and a white, from which to choose based on our entree selections. With our seafood we opened, BYOB from our home cellar, a wonderful flavorful Napa Chardonnay. 

Hudson Vineyards Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2018

This is from the legendary Hudson Ranch vineyards in Carneros, down at the bottom of the Mayacamas Mountain range that separates Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. Like the legendary ToKalon Vineyard up in Rutherford, this is the source of many notable labels from classic ranked producers. It might be a stretch, but to that point, Hudson Ranch Vineyard is to Chardonnay what ToKalon Vineyard is to Cabernet Sauvignon - source to many premier producers’ labels. 

I love Hudson Ranch wines, that represent some of my most memorable tastings. I wrote about Hudson Ranch Carneros Vineyard Chardonnay in earlier blogposts - Hudson Chardonnay at Oceana NYC, having had it this popular New York City restaurant, and again featuring another premium Chardonnay - Napa Valley Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons flight and Carneros Chardonnay, and at another fabulous wine dinner - Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Del Ray Beach Wine Kitchen.
.
I also featured Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah in other blogposts, at another classic Chicago restaurant - Cherry Circle Room dinner features super wine flight, and at home - Kongsgaard Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2002.
Hudson Ranch Carneros has ideal terroir for Chardonnay, ideal well drained soil and a micro-climate with ample sunshine with warm days, and cool nights from the fog and cool breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay.

Hudson Chardonnay is found in bottlings from ultra-premium producers Albert, Kongsgard, Kistler and Ramey to name a few - some of the top rated Napa Chardonnay’s to be found anywhere. Beyond growing wine grapes for the most respected winemakers in Napa and Sonoma, they also provide fruit for more than 30 wineries from the 2,000-acre contiguous property, 

Notably, only 200 acres of the 2,000 are under vines in vineyard blocks planted with twenty different varietals, each carefully matched to the block based on its specific terroir and that varietal’s growing characteristics. In addition to 90 acres of the primary grape varietal Chardonnay, Lee Hudson working with vineyard manager Andres Ureña also cultivates 30 acres of Merlot, 27 of Syrah, 12 of Cabernet Franc, 9 Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 Grenache, 26 Sauvignon Blanc, 4 Friulano, 25 Ribolla Gialla and one of Arneis.

One of these, the Old Master block, Hudson Ranch’s most prized vineyard is more like two different vineyards, with two distinct soil types. It was determined Merlot thrives on the Huichica formation soil, rich in alluvial, bay and river deposits, and Cabernet Franc loves the well-drained, rocky Sonoma volcanic soils that spread across the other half of the block. 

One of those famous producers writes, “What attracts us to this vineyard is the rich history of Lee Hudson being one of the preeminent and pioneering chardonnay growers in the new world. The vineyard is planted in southern Napa where the rolling hills form a micro-valley of their own. These vines are graced by both the Napa heat as well as cool ocean-born breezes from the San Francisco bay.”

Hudson Ranch is the dream and passion of proprietor Lee Hudson who transformed the land into the highly esteemed vineyard it is today. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Lee received his B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Arizona. He then worked with the esteemed Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in Morey St. Denis, Burgundy where he was learned how great grapes from hallowed vineyard sites produce world class, fine wines. Lee returned to the States to continue his graduate studies in viticulture and enology at University of California at Davis, where many of his classmates are now his clients. Lee searched for property from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, before deciding on the Carneros property in Napa Valley, founding Hudson Vineyards in 1981.

Co- Owner, wife Cristina Salas-Porras Hudson had a distinguished twenty-five year career in food and wine, hospitality, and design, working alongside Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Then she spent ten years consulting for Hermes, Slow Food International, Steve Jobs, and Rockfield Japan. She now works with Lee, at Hudson Ranch and Vineyards overseeing their Napa Valley-based business, Hudson Greens & Goods. 

Also a native Texan, from El Paso, Cristina received her BA in East Asian Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a graduate degree in Japanese from Keio University in Japan. She helped to open the renowned Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo, and the art-driven Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, California, as well as co-founding O Olive Oil Company. 

The 2,000-acre Hudson Ranch is one of the most celebrated properties in Carneros. After decades of selling their fruit to other wineries, Hudson began making their own wines in 2004. 

The Hudson Winemaker is Andrew Holve, who most recently served as Head Winemaker for Newton Vineyards. After earning a master’s degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis he gained experience at Ridge, MacRostie, and Patz & Hall.

Andrew works closely with the legendary John Kongsgaard, Hudson’s founding winemaker and current consulting winemaker. 

This 2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is the estate grown label produced, bottled and marketed by the proprietor/grower sourced from some of the best sections of the larger vineyard, some of the original most established and acclaimed blocks that were planted in the 1980s. 

This release was rated  98 Points by FMW. 

Winemaker Notes: “The 2022 Chardonnay showcases a combination of 4 distinct blocks from the Hudson Estate planted to Heritage Shot Wente clone. We hand-select barrels from each site to create a Chardonnay that fully expresses the elegant and balanced style of Hudson Vineyards. The wine is rich with bright acidity and mouthwatering notes of citrus, stone fruit, and brioche.” 

Golden colored, medium to full bodied, bright, rich full round flavors of lemon citrus and stone fruits, hints of apricot and pear accented by notes of brioche with vibrant acidity on the mineral laced finish. 

RM 92 points. 



Friday, April 25, 2025

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Vacationing with fellow Pour Boy, Lyle, and Terry, at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we took them to one of our favorite notable dining spots in the Destin area. 

For special Friday night outing, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I wrote about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost during our visit there last fall, excerpted below. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. this is made up for with a reasonable corkage policy/fee which we prefer anyway, so we can bring our choice of wine for appropriate pairing.

We dined on the deck overlooking the Gulf shore amidst the surf overlooking the beaches, Henderson State Park and the Destin skyline in the distance.

Tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB this ultra-premium Willamette Valley Chardonnay. 

We had with the starter course this delicious Mixed Greens Salad with Mixed Greens, Strawberries, Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette.

Lyle ordered the Lobster Corn bisque which was also delicious. 

The last two times we dined here, we had the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, which was delicious. Tonight, Terry ordered this for her entree with a side of the garlic mashed potatoes (shown). 

For dinner I ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches their signature dish, my favorite selection, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.


Linda and Lyle both ordered the Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc


After dinner, we enjoyed the Crème Brûlée and Carrot Cake with Ice Cream for dessert. 

With the salad and dinner courses, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, this Burgundian full flavored Chardonnay which proved to be an ideal pairing with the starters and seafood selections.

Dusky Goose Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022


This is from producer Dusky Goose, founded in 2002 in the Dundee Hills of Oregon’s premier wine growing region, by native Oregonians John and Linda Carter. 

Dusky Goose seeks to craft premium wines that they hope will rival the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Old World. In addition to their estate Rambouillet vineyard, Dusky Goose sources fruit from some of the Willamette Valley’s most iconic sites including Dundee’s Lillie’s Vineyard and Yamhill-Carlton’s Fennwood Vineyard.

Dusky Goose winemaking was established by founding winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash, an icon in Oregon wine. Today, Hans Van Dale, a native of Santa Cruz, CA serves as winemaker in her legacy, seeking to craft wines that embody elegance, depth, and a sense of place.

Hans brings a wealth of experience having worked with Pinot Noir in Carneros, Anderson Valley, Central Otago, and all of the Willamette Valley’s nested AVAs. Before joining Dusky Goose, he served as assistant winemaker at Andrew Rich Wines. 

Hans oversees the production of both Dusky Goose and Rambeaux Wines at their winemaking facility in Carlton, OR. 

This label is 100% Chardonnay, 82% sourced from the Fennwood Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA,  and the remaining 18% from the Coulee Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It was harvested in two picks to strike a perfect balance—preserving acidity while developing rich, layered flavors. Whole-cluster pressed, it was aged for 11 months in French oak, 42% new, before bottling.

Winemaker notes -  “The nose opens with flinty, waxy aromas, layered with honey and a blend of spices—nutmeg, cardamom, and clove—alongside fragrant orange blossom and honeysuckle. The palate delivers a warm, round entry, lifted by fresh acidity and a crisp, savory-salty finish. Flavors of French toast, caramel, and pear meld with flinty minerality, wet stone, and marzipan.”

Case production was 400. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Golden straw colored, medium-bodied, full and round with crisp soft acidity, aromas of sweet floral, citrus fruits with flinty wet stone, roasted nuts, cardamom and a clean crisp elegant finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4584471

https://shop.duskygoose.com/product/2022-Chardonnay

https://www.hendersonparkinn.com/dine/beachwalk-cafe/



Friday, April 11, 2025

Signorello Hope’s Chardonnay BYOB at Entourage DG

Signorello Hope’s Cuvée Chardonnay BYOB at Entourage DG

We dined Friday afternoon early dinner at Entourage DG (Downers Grove). This week we ordered one of our favorite entrees, a replay of our recent Entourage dinner selections as featured in these pages in an earlier blogpost,.

Entourage DG, one of the our favorite go-to eateries with its great menu, ease of parking, great service, and reasonable BYOB policy. 

We have several favorite menu selections, both beef and seafood, so we’re routinely challenged on which wine we want to take BYOB, if any, for our dinner pairing. And, of course, we don’t know what the Specials will be, so, tonight we brought a red and a white to cover all contingencies on dinner entree selections. 

Linda opted for our perennial favorite dishes, the Entourage signature Miso Marinated Chilean Seabass with Broccolini, Charred Peppers, Shiitake Mushrooms and Black Truffle Risotto, Yuzu and the new offering approach, Lemon Butter Sauce. 

As I wrote in a previous post - Spectacular dining experience at Entourage Restaurant Downers Grovethat this was extraordinary, delicious in all respects, the fish artfully prepared and served hot, and the Black Truffle Risoto was spectacular. We love it all, the harmony and synthesis of the many artfully crafted robust flavors. 

Hence, I selected the Daily Special, a seafood dish, Hawaiian Wahoo, with which I asked they substitute the truffle risotto as the accompaniment. 

Based on our seafood entree selections, we opened BYOB from our cellar this ultra-premium Napa Valley Chardonnay, one of our favorite vintages/labels from a favorite producer. 

Signorello Hope's Cuvee Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016

As posted in an earlier blogposts, we discovered and acquired (the then current vintage release of) this wine during our visit to the Estate on Silverado Trail in Southeastern Napa Valley during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2013. At that time I wrote about this label: "I am predominantly a red wine drinker and while I enjoy an occasional glass of white, most often with appropriate food, I don't normally get excited about a white wine. This chardonnay was the exception,  memorable and special."

We're getting down to the last few remaining bottles of the label that we've acquired over time and we look to refreshing our inventory with more, from the current release. 


(Former) Signorello Estate overlooking vineyards 
and valley floor.

The Signorello winery sits at the very southern end of Napa Valley and has 43 acres of vineyards, including some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in all of Napa Valley - fruit from 37-year-old vines goes into his Hope’s Cuvée.

The magnificent Estate was destroyed in the fires that engulfed much of sections of Sonoma and Napa in 2017. Fires came down the foothills to the property that sat up the hill back from the highway.

The fire reached the winery and completely destroyed the hospitality center that also housed offices, a wine lab and a family residence upstairs. The adjacent  crush pad and stainless steel tanks survived intact along with the barrel cellar and equally if not most importantly, the vines of the adjacent vineyards. 

In the wake of the destruction from Napa Valley’s October 2017 Atlas Peak Fire, Ray Signorello vowed to rebuild. We're relieved to read about the Phoenix of Signorella Estate, rising from the ashes, literally, and being rebuilt, even grander and larger than before. Signorello said he viewed the tragedy as an opportunity to do something new and exciting and is rebuilding with a larger fermentation facility, wine caves and a stunning expanded hospitality center. 

The winery has kept almost all of its team employed as an interim step toward returning to normalcy and they have been operating out of a modular building was brought in to serve as a temporary hospitality center.

The adjacent Darioush property nearby the sits at the valley floor closer to the highway and similarly situated properties were untouched. 

Signorello "Hope's Cuvée" Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave the 2015 release 98 points and said, "The best Chardonnay I have ever tasted from Ray Signorello has to be the 2015 Chardonnay Hope’s Cuvée." Vinous gave it 91 points.

Perhap’s due to nearly a decade of aging in our cellar, tonight's tasting was the best experience we’ve had of this label. 

This Hope's Cuvée Chardonnay was full bodied but nicely balanced and polished for very pleasant drinking. It is bursting with flavorful fruit with layers of peach and poached pear giving way to hints of honey, almond, nutmeg, vanilla and creamy soft spicy oak. There is very pleasant full mouth-feel with rich texture on the palate with a long lingering finish of sweet mellow oak.

Rich golden butter colored, full bodied, rich and concentrated but silky smooth, elegant, balanced and polished, caramelized citrus, honeysuckle, white peach, pear and melon notes with a touch of almond and brioche on a harmonious finish.

RM 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2806461

https://www.signorelloestate.com/

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Family Holiday Gathering brings out flight of varied reds

Family Holiday Gathering brings out flight of varied reds

Son Alec and D-in-law Vivianna hosted an end of summer party for friends and family featuring yard games, food and wines. 

Alec prepared a beef tenderloin which he served on French bread with horse radish sauce, and pulled pork from a fourteen pound pork shoulder. 


Prior to the meats, there was a broad selection of chips and dips, artisan cheeses and charcuterie. 

Linda prepared a cheese board with fresh honeycomb and pears with a selection of artisan cheeses we picked up at the local farmer’s market that morning. 

I took from our home cellar a vintage Syrah from our ‘V’ collection producer Venge Vineyards, a play on the ‘V’ insignia on the label for Vivianna, which was a great complement to the pulled pork and bbq.

Venge Vineyards Stagecoach Vineyard Block 1-4 Syrah 2013

This is one of five vintage releases that I obtained as part of a vertical collection at auction of this single vineyard designated label. 

I wrote about the 2015 release of this label earlier this year in these pages … 

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Venge and Beau Vigne wines with intimate family dinner

This post actually featured two different producers’ Syrahs from two vintages from this vineyard. 

 Venge Napa Valley Stagecoach Vineyard Block 1-3 Syrah 2015

This is from one of our favorite producers, Venge Vineyards. We’ve been collecting Venge wines for three decades and hold a deep and broad collection of their wines. 

We’ve visited Venge several times over the years and are delighted they’re thriving under next generation Kirk Venge who has expanded the portfolio significantly.  

Today, two of our favorite wines in the Chardonnay and Syrah varietal are Venge labels. 

This is a big tongue puckering rich forward style we love and consider it a perfect pairing with BBQ such as tonight. 

This is a distinctive, unique single vineyard designated label from the Stagecoach Vineyard, which the producer proclaims “continues to produce Syrah of unparalleled quality. The Syrahs from that mountain vineyard really shine from the steep, rocky terroir of the location”. 

Stagecoach is one of the Napa Valley’s largest and leading mountain vineyards located near the Atlas Peak AVA at an elevation of around 1,700 feet above sea level. The soil is very rocky and topography very steep. Temperatures are warm in the midday and cold at night. This diurnal effect makes for a balance of vibrant acidity and fruit structure that is concentrated and focuessed. “Block I-4” is referenced in this bottling because of its very high elevation relative to the rest of the Stagecoach Vineyard.

Venge Vineyards Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah Block I-4 2013 was awarded 96 points by The Wine Advocate, 94 points by Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by Wine Spectator. 

Dark inky black garnet/purple colored, full bodied, complex, powerful deep concentrated savory blackberry and black plum fruits accented by notes of anise, black pepper, hints of bacon fat, clove spice creosote, camphor, vanilla and graphite with a long tongue coating finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3223878

Winemaker notes - The body is full with soft, dark, tarry, slightly sticky tannins. Delicious wire to wire. Fresh, juicy and ripe. Blackberries, black plum, an array of purple fruits, black licorice to the core of anise, deep sweet tarriness, light pepper, dark spice, limestone minerals, big vanilla, cinnamon, clove, some nutmeg, cigar, tobacco, leather, crushed rocks, sandstone style minerals, underbrush with lavender & violets. Lovely round acidy. The long, rich, lush, ripe, well balanced finish is persistent and absolutely delicious.

https://www.vengevineyards.com/

Ryan brought from his home cellar a medley of wines, white and red, including this Spring Mountain District Red. 

Fantesca “All Great Things’ Hope Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2014

We featured and wrote about this label and branding in earlier blogposts in these pages back in April, 2023 - Family birthday dinner at Son Ryan's features a flight of big red wines

This was served by son Ryan at grand-daughter MacKenzie's birthday, when Ryan and D-inlaw Michelle hosted a gala family celebration dinner. 

With dinner Ryan served from his cellar several vintage premium wines including this interesting label from Fantesca. “All Great Things”, Freedom 2009.


What great fun it is to share our wine interests together and experience the convergence of our respective cellar collections in producers' labels such as this one.  We've both have amassed a collection of Fantesca Napa Valley Spring Mountain District wines - Ryan most recently, collecting their ultra-premium special labels, while our collection goes back to the inaugural release and the ensuing early years. 

We first met producers Dwayne and Susan Hoff when they acquired the Spring Mountain property in St Helena in February 2004 and Fantesca was founded. Dwayne visited us in Chicago during one of his early promotion tours for the 2004 release of Fantesca Cabernet in 2006. 

The Fantesca Spring Mountain District estate with 10 acres of vineyards were originally a historic 19th century vineyard with ties to Charles Krug, the property's viticulture didn't survive Phylloxera and prohibition and was reclaimed by the surrounding forest for more than 70 years. 

The historic vineyard was reclaimed and replanted in 1997,and the new estate erected.
 We hold a vertical collection of more than a dozen vintages of Fantesca with their classy etched bottles, one of our favorites that we hold for special occasions and for special gifts.

In early 2008, Fantesca signed on veteran winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett, whose Napa Valley resume includes winemaking stints at Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, and her own La Sirena.

Fantesca All Great Things …

The "All Great Things" series of labels is Heidi Barret's annual Bordeaux blend produced for Fantesca - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The grapes for this red wine come from mountainous vineyards on the eastern side of Napa Valley, in contrast to the western side where Fantesca's estate vineyards are planted.

Fantesca Estate and Winery Napa Valley "All Great Things - Freedom" 2009  

That first tasting was the inaugural release of the series, which is inspired by the words of Winston Churchill:  “All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.”  
 
Each vintage release commemorates one of those notable words from the legendary Churchill quote - freedom (2015), justice (2016), honor (2011, 2017), duty (2012, 2018), mercy (2013), and hope (2014) - this one christened the (first) "Honor" release. 

Previously, the previous fall, Ryan served another of the labels, ‘Honor’ from the 2011 vintage. 

Fantesca Estate and Winery Napa Valley "All Great Things - Honor" 2011   

This was the third release of the series, which is inspired by the words of Winston Churchill. 

Hence, tonight’s label that Ryan brought was the ‘Hope’ label from the 2014 vintage release of the series.

Fantesca Estate and Winery Napa Valley "All Great Things - Hope" 2014 


Winemaker’s Tasting Notes - “All Great Things “Hope” is a dark ruby color in the glass. The aromatics are bright with ripe blackberries, black cherry and toasty French oak. The grapes for this red wine come from mountainous vineyards on the eastern side of Napa Valley, in contrast to the western side where Fantesca’s estate vineyards are planted. All Great Things “Hope” is big, bold and ripe. It’s quite delicious with spicy jammy fruit flavors, a touch of vanilla, and compact silky tannins. This wine is nicely balanced and should age well for many years. Enjoy!” - Heidi P. Barrett, Winemaker
Bottled 7-21-16

All Great Things “Hope” is a dark ruby color in the glass. The aromatics are bright with ripe blackberries, black cherry and toasty French oak.

Similar to and consistent with the earlier releases, Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, smooth, elegant and polished with bright black fruits with floral notes of and subtle notes of spice, mocha, tobacco and leather with smooth moderate tannins on the finish.

RM 93 points.
 
 

Alec served a selection of beverage include white and red wines, highlighted perhaps by this popular  ‘crowd pleaser’ premium Napa Cabernet - Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Following our serving of the 50th Anniversary edition of this label at our recent (50th) anniversary celebration dinners, which we featured extensively in this recent blogpost, Gala Family Anniversary Celebration Dinner, Alec opened #49 from the previous 2021 vintage. This was more approachable than the almost obtuse 50th release. 

Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Our estate visit and tasting at Caymus was one of the highlights of our Napa Wine Experience in 2019.

Indeed, Caymus is a crowd please, a well known iconic benchmark California wine for those who like their reds big, bold, silky and smooth, with decadence and full-bodied flavor. 

Equally notable, Caymus typically provides early gratification, ready to drink upon or soon after release. Yet, it also ages well, certainly for a decade or more. I still recall memorable bottles from 1994 and 1996 that we held and enjoyed from our cellar a dozen plus years later. It’s typically said to be best served at between 5-10 years. 

What is perhaps most notable about Caymus, is that they consistently deliver all this in large quantities with large production, sourced from estate vineyards as well as a large collection of contract grower sources from across the region. As such, Caymus is not estate bottled, or even appellation specific, rather, it is Napa Valley designated, but nothing more (granular). 

Winemakers notes for this release show why I call this a ‘crowd-pleaser’ wine - “ Dense purple/black color. Extravagant and voluptuous aromas of black cherry, mountain blueberry, cassis, and licorice. Richness and density are the name of the game in this Cabernet of exquisite purity and density, which is filled with a hedonistic mix of crushed-black-fruit preserves, sweet crème de cassis, eucalyptus, and sweet spice, all carried on the silken tannins that Napa Cab fans know so well. A monument to Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now–2030.”

“This wine are farmed in a range of Napa’s sub-appellations – from Coombsville to Calistoga – with fruit from the valley floor creating lushness and the hillsides providing backbone. Diversification enables us to make the best possible wine in a given year, featuring layered, lush aromas and flavors, including cocoa, cassis and ripe berries.”

RM 92 points.

And for an ideal comparison pairing/tasting, Alec opened one of his favorites, another popular crowd pleaser wine, what some might call ‘poor man’s Caymus’, given its QPR - quality price ratio, at a more affordable price points. 

Austin Hope Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 

Family-owned since 1978, Hope Family Wines were traditionally a producer of Rhône varietals in the heart of Paso Robles. Austin joined the family business in the 1990s and created his namesake label in 2017, continuing the tradition of big Rhône styles, but he always felt like Cabernet Sauvignon could be the star of Paso.

Winemaker Austin Hope created this namesake Cabernet Sauvignon starting in 2017 sourced from Paso Robles, in the central coast of California where Cabernet Sauvignon has emerged as the region’s number one varietal with over 40% of plantings.

While viticulture in the region dates back to the 18th century, legendary winemaker and consultant Andre Tchelistcheff first recognized Paso’s potential for Cabernet Sauvignon in the early 1960’s. 

This is created in the concentrated, over-the-top style of big reds like Caymus, Papillon, and Prisoner, but can be had for a more affordable price, consistently delivering high QPR - quality price ratio. 

Winemaker notes - “Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon can be mesmerizing, with rich aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, graphite, toasty oak, vanilla and spice. The structure, balance and unbridled opulence of these wines impress from first sip to last.”

RM 91 points.