Truffles Restaurant & Wine Bar B-Town Wine Dinner

Truffles Restaurant and  56° Wine Bar Bloomingon, Indiana Wine Dinner

We traveled to Bloomington, Indiana for a Indiana University sororiety college reunion gathering. Arriving a day early to meet with long time friends, we dined at Truffles Restaurant and  56° Wine Bar. This sells itself as a "chef-driven eaterie serving a range of foods from classic Steakhouse to International fare". They offer an extensive diversified wine list that is unique on the Bloomington dining scene.

The 56 Degrees Bar Wine Cellar is an ambitious venture for the Truffles family owner Mark Kiang who shares his extensive wine collection, with many selections B-T-G (by the glass), by the bottle, or via an online ordering system, with an option for delivery.

He caters to local wine aficionados with a program to sign up for a monthly wine bundle subscription, and receive bottles of wines selected by the owner himself (or bottles to personal choice). Truffles will then provide recipes and pairing suggestions in the wine package and via e-newsletter.

Remarkably, on the front porch of the restaurant was a display of several (consumed) bottles of extraordinary wines that we hold in our cellar, including one very rare label, indeed. The first that got my attention was the current release of Chateau Pichon Lalande, a label we just had the other evening at our gala Pour Boys Wine Dinner.

 The other bottle that really got my attention was a very rare 'red stripe' label of David Arthur 'Elevation 1157' Napa Cabernet (shown right from our cellar). This particular bottling ran to the end of the spool of labels, to the point that there was a red stripe across the label, indicating to the bottling, labeling machine operator that it was time to add a new spool of labels. Several bottles were labeled with these errant labels in the process before the machine was stopped. The producer went ahead and sold these bottles anyway as a novelty in their portfolio selection. 

We visited the David Arthur Estate and Vineyards, at the elevation of 1157 feet, high above the Valley floor on the eastern slope of the Vaca Range. We hold several of those bottles (shown) in our cellar waiting for an suitable occasion to serve a unique novel bottle. Suffice to say, that bottle had been consumed and none were on offer this evening. (David Arthur visit - http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/).

I took advantage of the offering of the latest current release Caymus Estate Napa Cabernet B-T-G. Interestingly, I had considered the same label earlier over the weekend at the Del Ray Beach Wine Bar from their extensive B-T-G selection. Notably, the price of both offers was within $1. 

Truffles offered a charcuterie and wine selection as well as several wine friendly small plates. I sampled the Pate' with my selection.

Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

I admit the glass of wine I was served was a slight bit 'skunked' from having been open a bit too long or not handled properly such as by a dispenser system. Not wanting to make a scene or disrupt the mood of the evening, I accepted the glass and factored in the state condition into my tasting. 

Caymus generally does an incredible job crafting a consistent signature style in large volume, vintage after vintage. The Caymus profile provides early gratification with approachable easy drinking at an early age, yet is ageworthy for a couple decades, or more in exceptional vintages. The style is dark in color, round with full rich fruit and ripe, velvety tannins. 

We hold a decade of Caymus vintages in our cellar as an easy to please, popular, dependable, and mainstay label for special occasion as well as special guest servings.

We visited the Caymus estate and winery during ou r our Napa Valley Wine Experience in the summer of 2018. 

Caymus sources and blends Cabernet fruit from eight of Napa’s 16 sub-appellations, taking advantage of such diversification to enable them to select the best grapes so as to make the best possible wine in any given year. 

Typical of the Caymus profile, tonight's wine that was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, (setting aside a slight funk most assuredly from the bottle being open and not handled ideally), the ripe black berry and black cherry fruits were accented tones of mocha cocoa, cassis and notes of tobacco and tea with soft smooth lingering finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3456558

Next I sampled another current release Napa Cab. 

Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This is the another label that is from the owners/winemakers associated with Quintessa, from the producer Faust, whose property is adjacent to the west of the estate on Silverado Trail.

Some call this label “Baby Quintessa”, since it has common ownership and geographically is from the adjacent Faust property.

We visited the Quintessa Estate and Vineyards during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2003. It was about this time that Quintessa founder Agustin Huneeus and his wife Valeria, were planning and assembling their family portfolio of wines that represent the finest vineyard estates in California and Oregon, that was announced and launched i 2005.

In addition to the Quintessa estate, the family’s vineyard and winery projects include Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Illumination by Quintessa, an aromatic white wine. In 2009, the Huneeus family forged a partnership with Joan and Walt Flowers of Flowers Vineyards & Winery, pioneering vintners who in 1989, established two extraordinary vineyards dedicated to world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the extreme Sonoma Coast.

In 2017, Andy Erickson, former winemaker for Screaming Eagle, joined as partners on his red blend project Leviathan, which began in 2004, thereby joining the broader winemaking team. 

The winemaking team at Faust is similar to the team at Quintessa (Michel Rolland/Andy Erickson) minus Rebekah Wineburg but with Charles Thomas (Opus One) and David Jelinek (Copain/Prisoner/Groth). The vineyard sources are from the foothills of Atlas Peak in Coombsville. The wine is aged and bottled at Quintessa’s state-of-the-art winemaking facility, taking advantage of the vineyard pedigree and winemaking prowess of the Quintessa team. This received the big score of 94pts.

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

 

Dark garnet colored, medium full-bodied, highly expressive black berry and black current fruits with notes with mocha, leather, oak, hints of vanilla with a pleasant moderate lingering finish.

RM 90

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3693590

 

https://www.huneeuswines.com/

 

Rombauer Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2018

 

Label from 2014

Prior to dinner, with the starter course, and with her entree, Linda ordered, B-T-G, this Rombauer Napa Chardonnay. We know this label well, hold several vintages in our cellar, but had not yet tasted this current latest release vintage. Hence, like the two bottles above, we had not yet had the opportunity to taste the latest vintage, and were able to do so via the B-T-G offering, rather than having to procure a full bottle. Such is the fun, and convenience of such offerings. 

This release was awarded 90 points by both Wilfred Wong and James Suckling. 

The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards in the Carneros region owned by the Rombauer family, as well as that from select growers including the Sangiacomo family, long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations.  The Carneros region has a cool climate with fog and breezes off San Pablo Bay, at the southern end of Napa and Sonoma Valleys where they converge near there. The San Pablo Bay provides ideal conditions for Chardonnay, consistently resulting in beautiful, fresh acidity and the key sense of balance for this ever popular Chardonnay. Rombauer has been producing Carneros-specific Chardonnay since 1990. This 2018 is another example of this classic style balancing bold fruit and lively acidity. 

 

We met the Rombauer National Sales Manager at a producer dinner Vin Chicago Rombauer Wine Dinner at Adelle's Restaurant in Wheaton, IL a couple years ago. 

 

This was pale light yellow with a green hue with notes of peach, hints of pear, honeydew, lychee fruit intertwined nicely with vanilla and spice, turning to soft buttery and subtly spicy acidity on the finish. 

 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3346773

 

https://www.rombauer.com/

 

https://www.trufflesbtown.com/

 

 

 

 

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Del Ray Beach Wine Kitchen

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Wine Kitchen Wine Cellar in Del Ray Beach

The Pour Boys descended upon Del Ray Beach to visit Bob & Gloria in their sunshine state home for a mini-reunion. We held a wine dinner in the private cellar dining room at Wine Kitchen in Del Ray Beach. We dined there on our previous trips to the area and planned a dinner in their cellar private dining room on our next trip into town. 

I first wrote about the Delray Beach Wine Room Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar after our first visit back in 2019. They boast to have "The World's Largest Selection of Wine by the Glass!"  with over 200 hand-selected wines available through their Enomatic wine dispensing machines. Bill and I visited there again when we were in town later in the year and had a Spectacular Wine Cheese Pairing featuring Cliff Lede Poetry 2004.

Rick & Bob with Wine Director Ron Mitchell
in the cellar during our winter visit last year

A major attraction of the venue for serious wine aficionados is their extensive wine cellar of fine wines with a Reserve List of top vintage wines dating back several decades. Most importantly, they offer such wines at close to retail prices rather than marking them up 1.5, 2 or two and a half times retail or more.

The Reserve Wine List includes extraordinary vintage selections of premium and super premium wines including First Growth classified Bordeaux that are also offered at fair market price or current retail prices for such wines, a fraction of what most other restaurants would charge.

With this enticement, we reserved the private dining room for our gathering. Dr Dan and our two Lindas and I flew in from Chicago, and Bill and Beth C drove down from Charleston. 

We selected a flight of extraordinary wines, perfectly paired with the selection of artisan cheeses and charcuterie, our pre-entree selections, our entrees and the dessert courses. 

One of the showcase highlights of the Del Ray Wine Kitchen, beyond the wine BTG (By-The-Glass) selections and the Fine and Rare Cellar Collections, is their Cheese program. The Cheese program is designed and developed by world-renowned Maître Fromager and James Beard award-winner Max McCalman. He was America's first restaurant-based Maître Fromager. Max was honored by L'Esprit Alimentaire (French Food Spirit Awards) in NYC. 

Max is the author of Mastering Cheese which received the World's Best Book on Cheese award in Paris at the 16th Annual Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and was designated a finalist by the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Max has also written two more books on cheese - "The Cheese Plate" (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2002), which was nominated for awards by the James Beard Foundation and by the International Association of Cooking Professionals, and Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best (Clarkson Potter, 2005), an expansive reference on the world's finest cheeses and their wine pairings, which won a 2006 James Beard Award. 

Max personally currated our cheese and charcuterie plates from the incredible selection of over 80 cheeses and a broad variety of charcuterie meats in a Mix & Match offering. In addition to the cheeses were olives, almonds and artichoke hearts. 

Max was so into the cheeses and the whole culinary experience, he made no effort to leverage the opportunity to promote or commercialize his brand. Earlier in the day I asked that he come in and meet us and bring and sign copies of his book which we looked forward to purchasing. We never got around to it. A missed opportunity for all.

The Wine selected was guided by Wine Director Ron Mitchell. 

Our wine flight journey started with this extraordinary white with the cheese and charcuterie selections. 

Kongsgaard Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2016

John Kongsgaard and his wife Maggy are fith-generation Napa natives. They began their Napa Valley wine experience in the 1970s planting The Judge vineyard on the Kongsgaard estate family land near Napa. The inaugural Kongsgaard wines came in 1996. 

Today, in addition to their legendary signature estate The Judge labels, they produce a portfolio of Napa Valley varietal wines - Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño. They craft their wines in their underground winery — a cave dug into the volcanic rock, high on the eastern rim of the Napa Valley where they have also planted their spectacular mountain vineyard. 

My son's and I had the Kongsgaard Carneros Hudson Ranch Syrah for my father-son birthday celebration dinner just a couple weeks ago. This is sourced from the same vineyard as tonight's Chardonnay. 

Kongsgaards source the fruit for this label as well as their Syrah from several perfect acres in the Napa Carneros, of which they direct the farming under long-term contracts. They also source fruit from several sites near the winery. They write that "these intensely farmed, shy-bearing vineyards and their traditional low-intervention winemaking produce powerful, graceful wines—vivid expressions of vineyard and variety". Production is limited to what they, along with their son Alex, hand craft in their own proprietary labels. 

This release was awarded 97 points by The Wine Advocate and 95 points by Vinous / IWC (International Wine Cellar). It should be noted that the 2016 Kongsgaard "The Judge" Napa Valley Chardonnay was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Golden colored, medium full bodied, rich, focused, complex, round, decadent fruits of what Wine Advocate calls "nectarine, spiced pears and apple pie... and candied ginger", with stunning sprites of what I struggled to describe as nutty almond and nutmeg with a long smooth sumptuous finish. 

RM 95 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2719612

www.kongsgaard-wine.com

We then moved to a flight of red Bordeaux blends wines that were a perfect pairing with our next courses. This provided a nicely diverse but balanced trio to compare.

From the charcuterie we shared a 56 ounce tomahawk ribeye steak sliced for sharing by the group. 

Château Beychevelle St Julien Bordeaux 2010

We hold more than a dozen vintages of this label in our cellar dating back to the eighties. We visited Château Beychevelle and had a private tour and tasting during our visit to Beychevelle St Julien, Bordeaux in 2019. 

As usual, we were attentive to the tasting order of the wines based on our experience and knowledge of their character, profiles and the vintages. We tasted this first in our flight of three reds. In the end, we were correct in our approach in all respects. 

The Chateau Beychevelle 2010 blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon (54%), Merlot (38%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (3%).

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling,  94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast, 93 points by  Wine Spectator, and 91 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.

Suckling summed this up well, "Beautiful aromas of blackberries, currants and flowers. Very aromatic. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and gorgeous fruit. It's polished and very refined. One of the best Beychevelles in years."  

Wine Enthusiast also captures the style and approach, "Beychevelle's style privileges elegance over weight, and such is the case with the 2010. It's a pure-fruited, ripe and lightly tannic wine, emphasizing a blackberry note."

This was the lightest, and most approachable of the three labels. Ruby colored, medium bodied, soft, nicely balanced, initially slightly astringent on opening (what Stephen Tanzer referred to as 'medicinal'), it opened up and that blew off after 1/2 hour to reveal pleasant black currant and black berry fruits, notes of floral, earthy leather, herbs and hints of plum on the smooth moderate finish. 

 

RM 91 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1358113

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 2011

We toured the estate and grounds of the Pichons, Chateau Pichon Baron and the adjacent Chateau Pichon Lalande (shown left), during our Bordeaux trip to the Medoc, the same trip we visited Château Beychevelle. 

This is another one of our favorite labels that we hold going back more than three decades, including our kids' birth-year vintages, several in large formats. 

Next in the tasting order, despite being from a lesser, lighter vintage, this was bigger and more complex than the Beychevelle. 

Classic Pauillac in its profile and character, dark garnet colored, full bodied, more tight and firm with its structured backbone, complex black berry fruits with notes of smoke, anise and graphite with a firm long tannin laced finish.

This was a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 12% Cabernet France, and 2% Petit Verdot.

This was awarded 95 points and a *Cellar Selection* by Wine Enthusiast,  93 points James Suckling, 92 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark garnet purple colored, full bodied, concentrated with weight and power, rich black fruits with blackberry, dark-chocolate, cassis, spice, tobacco and hints of cedar with firm tannins on a long, intense finish. 

RM 93

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1355736

Peter Michael Les Pavots Sonoma County Knights Valley Red Wine 

Fellow Pour Boy Ernie was not with us tonight. but we toasted him with this super premium Sonoma County Bordeaux Blend that he collects as a member of their club. In retrospect, as I research and write this blog, I see Ernie served this same label to us at our OTBN wine gathering tasting in 2014. 

We hold a few bottles of this in our cellar. 

The 2005 Les Pavots is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot.

This was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

While this was last in our tasting order it might've been best placed in the middle but it was great to compare the Bordeaux and then move to the Californian. 

This was the most elegant, polished and refined of the three wines, more complex, fuller, more round than the Beychevelle, but more approachable than the more powerful brutish Pichon. 

Parker likened this wine more to a Right Bank Merlot based blend, "a sensational wine, with a style that suggests a hypothetical blend of a great St.-Emilion and Pomerol". 

Ruby colored, medium full bodied, smooth and harmonious layers of black berry, black raspberry and currant fruits with notes of tobacco, mocha and hints of anise and graphite on a soft silky tannin laced lingering finish. 

Consistent with my earlier tasting six years ago, "Dark ruby colored, elegant and polished, full bodied with full complex concentrated layers of blackberry, black raspberry and blackcurrant with tones of black tea, cigar box and hint of dark mocha and cedar on a silky smooth finish." At that time I gave this 95 points. 

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=505831

 http://www.petermichaelwinery.com/

 After dinner we had dessert selections, Parisian Beignets, Crispy Pâté à Choux, Cinnamon & Sugar, Salted Caramel, Spiced Ganache, Passionfruit Curd and decadent Double Dark Chocolate Cake, Coconut Dulce de Leche, Sweet Shiraz Jam, Dried Blueberries, Hazelnut Crumble.

With the delicious dessert course we took advantage of the BTG program and tasted two perfect accompaniment dessert wines. 

Dolce Napa Valley Late Harvest 2013

This Dolce Late Harvest White dessert wine is a meal course in itself! Dolce is one the most notable late harvest wines in America, first crafted in 1985 by the partners of Far Niente. Dolce stands as standard bearer. Wine Enthusiast lovingly calls it "one of the greatest sweet California wines in memory". 

Dolce’s 20-acre vineyards are located in Coombsville, east of the city of Napa, and are situated at the base of the Vaca Mountains, which define the eastern border of the valley. The volcanic soil is loose and well drained, and the west-facing vineyard is protected from the prevailing winds so that the damp, morning fog of autumn—a very important factor in the development of Botrytis cinerea—hangs longer amongst the vines, often until midday. A combination of high humidity followed by drying conditions encourages, but does not guarantee, the growth of Botrytis. As the mold develops, its coverage is seemingly random with individual berries succumbing to Botrytis at different rates, if at all. 

With a classic blend of late harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc varietals in the style of a classic Bordeaux Sauterne, Dolce is the only American winery dedicated to producing a single late harvest wine. 

Dolce has produced a wine in every vintage, yet in small, unpredictable quantities; testament to the incredible difficulties presented every year in the effort to make Dolce. "Dolce is an extraordinary wine bred from a combination of sunshine, soil, fog, expertise and dedication; a wondrous luxury, limited by nature to always being a gift of absurd rarity." 

Dolce is a blend of 89% Semillon and 11% Sauvignon Blanc.

Winemaker's Notes: "The 2013 Dolce offers lifted and youthful aromas of orange zest, vanilla bean and butterscotch with subtle notes of minerality and oak-derived spices. The entry is juicy, and Dolce’s signature texture is lively and enduring on the palate leading to a mouthwatering finish. Flavors of orange, pear and dried apricot mingle together with rich caramel notes and hints of minerals that make this vintage a delicious expression of the season’s exceptional ripeness." 

After nearly three years in French oak, this luxurious vintage shows bright stone-fruit aromatics and flavors, elegant caramel undertones and has a texture like silk.

RM 94 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2547948

Fonseca Vintage Port 2016

Winemaker's Notes: "Dense purple black with a narrow purple rim. The nose opens with very fine pure black fruit, a fusion of black cherry, cassis and blackberry jam aromas, with notes of crushed mint, an ethereal fragrance of violets and undertones of ripe tropical fruit. The year has added an additional layer of purity and refinement to the subtle, complex Fonseca fruit character, as well as an attractive minerality. The palate is supported by a vibrant acidity and taut, wiry tannins that provide structure but also texture and volume. The fresh berry flavours carry into the long finish A finely crafted and perfectly balanced Vintage Port."

This was awarded 98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and James Suckling, and an extraordinary consensus 97 points by Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Decanter and the Tasting Panel.

Parker said, " Don't even think of buying it if you aren't prepared to cellar it. The 2030 start date that I have will not be even close to late enough if you want harmony and complexity. To me, this is the best of the three 2016's from the Fladgate Group this issue (Croft and Taylor being the other two), thanks to its pure intensity, but time will tell if it becomes as sexy as I'm sure Taylor's will be. In the meanwhile, Fonseca looks like one of the greats of this vintage."

We're holding in our cellar releases of this label dating back to the eighties, most notably the 1985 vintage, birthyear of son Sean. 

Dark ruby colored, full bodied, dense, mildly sweet with notes of figs, sweet cassis, vanilla, hints of creosote and toast with tongue puckering gripping sweet tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 93

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=2977974

http://www.fonseca.pt/

https://www.thewineroomonline.com/delray-beach

@maitrefromager

@wineroomonline

Max McCalman's works available at DelRay Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar:

Grilled Ribs and a unique Big Red Zin

Grilled Ribs and a unique Big Red Zinfandel wine 

For Memorial Day dinner Linda and son Alec (still bach'ing it for another day) grilled ribs with asparagus and sweet corn. We were joined by son Sean and wife Michelle. 

 
I pulled from the cellar this interesting unique bottling of Zinfandel aged in Bourbon Barrel. I wrote about this last year when we discovered this and served it last winter in a similar setting and wrote about it in this blogpost: Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel.

This was fun and interesting to compare with the unique Dueling Pistols Zin-Syrah Blend that we had left over from the previous evening. The Zinfandel wasn't as big or bold as the Zinfandel which was more focused than the blend was, as I wrote, a bit obtuse and angular. The Zin provided easier sipping, more harmonious with the balanced dinner.

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel 2017

I featured Carpenter Creek Cellars from north central Indiana in an earlier post in these pages when we visited the winery and discovered their wines. They acquire grapes from growers throughout the midwest, California, and also grow some of their own. 

For this Zinfandel varietal selection, they obtained grapes from northern California sources, and aged the wine in used Bourbon Barrels. As I wrote that winter, the result was infusing an exotic smokiness and liquor layer that when combined with the full forward Zinfandel fruits accentuated and highlighted the tangy barbecue wonderfully. 

This label release from Carpenter Creek Cellars features a striking gold label packaging, the first indication that there is something special going on here.

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium-full-bodied, black fruits accented by clove spice, smoke, caramel, vanilla, and hints of black pepper and cocoa. An extraordinary pairing with with the BBQ.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3807095

https://carpentercreekcellars.com/

@carpenterwines

 

 

A Vineyard In Napa by Doug Shafer

A Vineyard In Napa chronicles the founding and history of Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley 

I spent my Memorial Day immersed in the book A Vineyard In Napa by Doug Shafer. I had purchased it a while back but saved it for when I could devote a block of time to sit back, relax and enjoy, as I tend to do when I immerse myself in a book - I read it in the one sitting. It was that good, worthy of the invested time.

This is about the life of John Shafer, a Chicago businessman, and his pursuit of a dream when he decided to pursue a second career by buying a plot of land that included a vineyard in Napa Valley back in the early seventies. He moved his family from their comfortable suburban lifestyle in an adjacent suburb from here, to a remote mountainside farmstead in rural northern California, and set upon developing vineyards, and ultimately, building a winery, a business and a brand.

With no prior experience or knowledge of farming, viticulture or winemaking, over the next forty years, he rode the roller coaster of the evolving Napa Valley wine business, and built an incredibly successful brand and business, one that distinguished wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. called “one of the world’s greatest wineries.” 

The book, narrated by Shafer’s son Doug, follows their dual careers as they lived the history of Napa Valley and the American California wine business. Through it they learned the challenges, travails, science, technology and handicraft of planting and growing grapes, crafting wines, and building a brand and wine business- the three legs of the stool, as they called it.

It follows the history of Napa Valley and the Shafers and the myriad of friendships and collaboration of the many farmers, growers, producers, winemakers, critics, distributors, restaurateurs and others in the trade they encountered along the way and that made the journey with them. 

Its a history book, a human interest story as well as a business book, and a journal of winemaking and marketing, balancing and folding all together in an enjoyable intriguing well paced story.

The only thing missing is a companion parallel wine tasting of the many Shafer wines in the portfolio that are chronicled in the book, ones that we hold in our cellar. The insights and background will add immeasurably to the enjoyment of these wines when and as we explore them. 

John Shafer, now Chairman, has since stepped aside to pursue other interests, and handed over operations of Shafer Vineyards to son Doug, who is President. Together, they were awarded the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional.” The book is authored by Andy Demsky, a Napa Valley–based writer and PR consultant.

 

Watch for references and background as I post tastings of the many Shafer labels in our cellar including a Shafer Hillside Vineyard Reserve Cabernet 1982 (left), the year before they created the legendary Hillside Select brand, a 1989 Hillside Select, and modern era releases of Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay and Relentless Syrah.

Dueling Zin-Syrah Blend for big bold sipping

 Dueling Zin-Syrah Blend for big bold sipping

I was captivated by the peculiar, eerie, almost alarming label ... the whole concept of a gunfight duel at close range. But, then you apply the metaphor to wine and its almost brilliant, two big bold heavyweights fighting it out, although that certainly devolves the concept of harmony and integration or a blend. So it is with Dueling Pistols, a blend of half Zinfandel and half Syrah. One really has to see it to appreciate it, so here it is ...

This blog is as much about branding, marketing and packaging of a wine as its varietal, terroir and resulting flavor profile. Too often, the marketing and branding affect one's purchase decision as much as the latter, the actual wine. 

I saw the label, photographed it, then came home and researched the wine, thought about it, and went back and bought a bottle to try. As I thought about it, this reflects the same tasting profile and character of one of our favorite go-to labels, Venge Scout's Honor, of which we've written about often in these pages. Big, bold, fruit forward, expressive - great for pizza, pasta, burgers - a wine anyone can enjoy - and any provincial or less sophisticated wine drinker will love! Throw in the Venge 'V' and the fun we have serving with our daughter-in-law Vivianna, and you have a 'go-to' wine that we keep around for such occasions. Read more about Scout's Honor in this blogpost - Venge Scouts Honor Trio. and here - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/venge-vineyard-scouts-honor-napa-valley.html.

But a whole brand for this wine, versus just this label? You be the judge. Of course if a judge were involved, he'd settle the dispute and resolve the matter, eliminating the need for Dueling Pistols! They actually have two labels, both the same story and approach - one from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, and the other from Paso Robles.

The producer writes, "Dueling Pistols wines intertwine two competing varietals in a 50/50 blend where each varietal’s fight for power balances that of the other, like the compelling characters that tell the Dueling Pistols story."

This is fantasy! They go to great pains to write a background story setting up the reason for the duel. And go to great lengths to conjure a story about all the other characters on the 'back' label. "No duel is complete without the spectators and everyone has a story to tell. The town physician stood ready, but willing to save neither shooter. The town drunk was there, standing right in the middle, but even he wasn’t about to get between these dueling pistols." 

Dueling Pistols Dual Varietal Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Syrah 2016

The Zinfandel was sourced from older vines in the northern part of the Dry Creek Valley AVA. Dry Creek is the premier Zinfandel region in Sonoma. The Syrah was taken from vineyards in southern Dry Creek Valley. The Southern Dry Creek Valley runs into the Russian River AVA which is a cooler Pinot Noir region. I wrote about the Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels in two recent blogposts, Kinsella Dry Creek Valley Cabernet 2017 and Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2014.

Each block of the Zinfandel and Syrah grapes are fermented separately and then aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (30% new the rest used barrels). The alcohol is a stiff 15%.

The Dueling Pistols Dry Creek Red 2016 is a brand from Terlato Wine Group. Interesting and perhaps notably, there is no record of this label past, later than this 2016.

Winemaker notes: Black Currant, Blackberry, Cherry, Tea, the nose has brooding aromas of dark fruits and black tea with an enticing hint of white pepper. Aged 18 months in French Oak, 30% new. The long ageing allows the two competing varietals to marry well and balance out one another, develop tannin, and build structure.

This was awarded 92, 91 and 90 points respectively by The Tasting Panel, James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck. Wilfred Wong gave it 90 points and called it 'full textured, delicious... powerful, finely balanced ..." Well, three out of four, perhaps ...  Cellartracker reviewers gave it 92+ points, but the fix is in ... don't trust the results when four of the six are the same reviewer, and one of the remaining two is "The Drunken Cyclist"!? Hah. "See you at dawn."

As the name exclaims - a duel, not harmonious, integrated or elegant - rather almost obtuse and angular, dark ruby colored, full bodied, concentrated forward fruits of ripe sweet blackberry and black raspberry fruits giving way to black licorice, notes of cognac and finishing with vanilla and almost cotton candy sweetness on the full finish. 

RM 89 points. 

At a similar pricepoint, I will opt for staying with Venge Scout's Honor, same big bold profile, but more craftsmanship in blending a more harmonious, integrated yet complex, interesting wine.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3370864

https://www.duelingpistolswine.com/

 

Tomahawk Rib-eye and Napa Cab Dinner

 Cowboy Tomahawk Rib-eyes and Duo of Napa Cabs Dinner

Saturday night holiday weekend dinner, son Alec, bach'ing it for the weekend, joined us for grilled Cowboy tomahawk beefsteaks and a duo of Napa Cabs. 

Linda prepared perfect Pittsburgh style bone-in ribeyes and I opened two diverse Napa cabs, a classic Grgich Rutherford and a Piazza Del Dotto. 

 Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

As part of proper cellar management, consuming bottles that are at or nearing the end of their drinking window before they deteriorate, I pulled this 1998 vintage cab, the last of that vintage in our cellar, I believe. I've written often in these pages about the 1998 vintage that was a lackluster vintage overshadowed by the much hyped '97 and the follow on '99. Yet, for many years, the 98's were drinking very nicely, moreso than the much-heralded '97's that needed more time to open and reveal their true potential. And, they represented great values relative to their surrounding vintages. 

I have written in these pages before about Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, a legend in the wine world and Napa Valley. He gained international recognition at the celebrated 'Paris Tasting of 1976' known as the Judgement of Paris, the historic blind tasting by a panel of eminent French judges did a comparison tasted of notable French wines opposite selections from upstart California Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked to learn they had chosen the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich,  as the finest white wine in the world. The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world. The story chronicled in the book 'Judgement of Paris' and is told in a fantastic pop culture movie 'Bottle Shock'.

Thirty two years later, in 2008, 93 year Mike Grgich was was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame in honor of his many contributions to the wine industry. His hallmark is a sporting blue beret. My earlier post chronicled his whimsical 'Blue Beret' label designated Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Alas, after two decades, this last '98 represents the end of the drinking window for this vintage, it will certainly diminish from here on. 

This bottle actually was holding up well, showing only slight diminution from age with the garnet color losing its luster and that Rutherford Dust layer starting to overtake the fruits slightly. 

The ageability of this vintage was diminished by the somewhat austere fruits with lack of firm structure or backbone. At this point the fruits were hanging on but moderate. 

Showing its age, the label was soiled, but the fill level, cork and foil of the bottle were near perfect for the age.

This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Wine Spectator wrote about this label: "Well-balanced (for the vintage), austere and dry, with cedar, black cherry and green plum flavors that are appealing and complex. Turns tannic on the finish."

K&L, the respected and notable Bay Area wine merchant wrote, "the resulting flavors are a complex fusion of herbs, cherries and red currants. One of the riper 1998's we have tasted. Superb for the vintage!" 

Garnet colored with a ever-so-slight cloudy gray-brown hue starting to set in, medium bodied, balanced black cherry and plum fruits are starting to be overtaken by notes of cedar, wood, herbs and black tea with tannic acidity on the moderate finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=25700

https://www.grgich.com/ 

Piazza Del Dotto Napa Valley American Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

As with the bottle above, practicing cellar management, I pulled the oldest of the several vintages we hold of this label. 

We tasted and acquired this wine during our visit to Piazza Del Dotto during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018 and the spectacular Del Dotto Delicacies Food and Wine Experience. We also tasted and acquired other variations of this bottling during our Del Dotto Napa Valley Cave Tour Barrel Tasting during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2017.

In contrast to the aged 1998 release above, this label is probably drinking at the apex of its drinking window now. I selected this as a perfect pairing with our grilled steak dinner and it proved to be right on!

Winemaker notes - Ripe red plum and baked almonds on the nose lead to oak-influenced clove and sweet tobacco with subtle layers of Mexican chocolate.  The first impressions on the palate burst with black cherry, black raspberries, stewed strawberries and rhubarb with a touch of pink peppercorns and kiss of oak with a long, clean finish.  

As I have written in previous blogposts, this American Oak bottling is part of a series where Del Dotto feature specific oaks in several of their bottlings including their classic Connoisseur Series.

This was an incredible perfect pairing with the the grilled steaks. 

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, well balanced, bright vibrant integrated black raspberry and blackberry fruits, polished and elegant accents of clove spice, tobacco leaf and hints of bitter dark mocha and sweet oak turning to tangy smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2258002

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/07/del-dotto-piazza-delicacies-food-and.html

www.deldottovineyards.com/visit/piazza

@DelDottoWine 

Flinders Run Southern Flinders Ranges Shiraz 2005

Flinders Run Southern Flinders Ranges Shiraz 2005 

Hanging out for the holiday weekend, we opened our cellar for a tour to our new neighbor Mandy and her friend, colleague and guest Megan. She had professed to love big bold fruit forward wines, as we do. So, I pulled from the cellar a favorite big Aussie Shiraz for her to try for with the fresh garden salad and smoked grill dinner she and husband Chris were hosting/serving for the evening. 

As I have written in the past in this blog, this review from back in October, 2014 I wrote, "Favorite Aussie Shiraz - Flinders 2005 Aging Gracefully".

I raved about this wine when I discovered it several years ago and have featured it numerous times since in this blog. When I discovered this wine downstate in a local wineshop, I purchased some, then went back and purchased the remainder, then found and purchased more on-line. When I convinced local mega-merchant Binny's to obtain some more, I cleaned out their allocation too. At fifteen years, we still hold a half dozen bottles and continue to enjoy this big bold fruit filled Shiraz. Amazingly, tonight, it exceeded expectations and tasted as well as any remembrance I have of this label. 

Regretably, as I have noted in the past, this came on the scene with this and one other vintage release, then disappeared, not to be seen again. According to their website, it appears to still be in production, but its not to be found in distribution in Chicagoland, or in the on-line wine community.

Indeed, the Flinders Run website (http://www.flindersrun.com.au/) states, "We knew from the first trials of the 2001 and subsequent 2003 vintages that the Flinders Run wines were going to be something special, but nothing prepared us for the overwhelming success, we would experience with the release of the 2005 Vintage. Subsequent vintages have been crafted in the same careful manner exhibiting a consistency in flavour and style and most importantly capturing the elegance of region climate and above all varietal character."

That 2005 vintage got a raving 95 point review from legendary wine critic Robert Parker, 92 points from Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and 91 points from Wine Spectator. Parker wrote,"Purple/black in color, the wine exhibits a big, brooding bouquet of pain grille, pepper, Asian spices, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied (15.2% alcohol), super-rich, plush wine with layers of spicy black fruit flavors, excellent balance, and a long, pure finish. For a wine of this size, it is remarkably light on its feet. Give it 2-3 years to more fully evolve and drink it through 2020. This is quite a debut for Flinders Run!"

Winemaker's notes: "The 2005 Shiraz was aged for 18 months in French and American oak hogsheads with 50% new French oak staves. Purple/black in color, the wine exhibits a big, brooding bouquet of pain grille, pepper, Asian spices, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied (15.2% alcohol), super-rich, plush wine with layers of spicy black fruit flavors, excellent balance, and a long, pure finish.

At fifteen years, this wine is ending its prime drinking window and starting to show its age as the intense fruit flavors are taking on a burnt raisin tone. Warning our neighbors and their dinner guest that this is not for the feint of heart, they dove in and loved the intense ripe raisin fruit tones and firm structure and gripping tannins.

I wrote about Flinders Run producer Emanuel Skorpos in an earlier blogpost. 

I recounted to the tasters that my recollection of the two vintages of this label, was that we liked the 2005 more than the 2006, being more approachable, more polished and balanced, while the '06 was bigger, more brooding and bold, but less polished or in no sense elegant. I selected the '05 tonight, dutifully to work off the older vintage, but also to test my recollection of it being my favored of the two, and to monitor its aging.

Consistent with our last post of this label,  Deep dark inky purple, "more subdued than the bigger '06, it retains all the nuances and character it exhibited in its youth - nicely balanced, polished, and flavorful. While the fruit is not as big and bold as its follow on vintage, the '05 still holds full, dense, complex layers of blue and black berry fruits, accented by licorice, hints of black pepper, and tones of black tea and what Parker refers to as 'pain grillé' which is the French word for 'toast'."

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=421985

http://www.flindersrun.com.au/

Oliviero Toscani OT Toscana IGT 2012

 Oliviero Toscani OT Toscana IGT 2012

This was an intriguing offering from WTSO - Wines Till Sold Out - the on-line merchant, a unique blend of Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. WTSO offer deeply discounted specials in various quantities that invariably sell out quickly, hence the name. 

The producer Oliviero Toscani is known for Super-Tuscans, sourced from their estate in the coastal hills near the Italian coast, south of Livorno in the commune of Marittimo. The commune is in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about 70 kilometres southwest of Florence and about 50 kilometres southeast of Pisa. 

Oliviero Toscani bought a small farm in Casale Marittimo in the sixties and spent the next three decades acquiring more land, planting olive trees and raising horses, pigs and Angus cows. In the late nineties, he was inspired by friend and legendary winemaker Angelo Gaja to plant vineyards. He developed a amphitheater-shaped vineyard at 350 meters above sea level with a breathtaking view on the Tirreno Sea. 

His son, Rocco, was born and raised on the farm but went off to study abroad and pursued a career as a photographer. He returned to his roots and Tuscan home in 2014 and eventually took over managing the estate, vineyards and cellar, focusing on producing wines that optimize the strengths of the vineyards and their distinctive terroir. 

This label is from the Monteromboli Vineyard, twenty-two acres of rolling hillside with iron rich, generous, intensely red soil of medium texture. It was planted with Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in 2001. It is situated 220 to 350 meters above sea level, with orientation and exposure to the South-West.

The Mediterranean climate consists of mild winters, rainy autumns and springs, with warm and dry summers.

This is a Super-Tuscan, as such, an Italian wine crafted from Bordeaux varietals, albeit with a Northern Rhone Syrah in the mix. The blend is 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot. It was aged for 12 months in Slavonia oak barrels and eventually rested for about 36 months in bottles.

Its interesting that Rocco studied photography and he uses photography metaphors in comparing it to winemaking. "It may sound weird but making wine is not that different from taking a picture. I’ve grown up among images, and I’ve always been fascinated about the similarity that exists between these two forms of art."

 

Rocco Toscani says about photography: “Taking pictures is not about considering reality as an object, but making reality become an object. It is about putting dimensions back together: relief, movement, emotion, idea, meaning and desire to make everything real. Wine is about concentrating all in one bottle: vintage, nature, light, wind and experiences. We aim to find a balance among vines, tastes, smells, tannins and acidity. It is a matter of mixing a good amount of sensitivity and rigor in addition to a healthy kick of craziness. Everything matches. In taking pictures one can tell reality through sight. In making wine, one can tell reality through taste. Both arts are surprising and captivating."

 

Continuing the photography metaphor, he selects the three primary colors for his labels and releases the wine in all three. Furthermore, his logo is like a optical lense focus element on the colors and image as if not quite in, but coming into focus. 

This exemplifies the resulting style and character of this wine. We like big bold expressive wines and this one promised that, being a blend of grapes with those characteristics. It seems like each are competing to express themselves resulting in a cacaphony rather than integrating into a symphony of flavors.

 

Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, a bit disjointed, complex, bright expressive flavors of blackberries, black cherries and black currants accented by white pepper, spice, earthy herbs, game and hints of mocha on a moderate tannin medium length, acidic finish.

 

RM 89 points.  

 

While the listed release price was $56, WTSO offered it at the deeply discounted price marked down to $20. Notably, while the promise of a Super Tuscan with the distinctively unique blend was intriguing, it's value price was closer to its discounted price than list. At that, its a great, fun, 'pizza' wine for bold pasta or cheeses, or burgers.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3195088

https://vino.toscani.com/

Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape 2019

Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape 2019

Colleague and wine buddy Michael alerted me to the Kirkland Signature private label wine bottlings from big-box warehouse retailer Costco. Hard to belief perhaps, but they are actually the largest retail wine merchant in the world. They sell a select offering of popular well known producers as well as lesser known brands. They also market their own private label portfolio under the Kirkland Signature brand and label. Kirkland is the Costco brand named for their hometown in suburban Seattle where they are headquartered.

This week's visit to Costco was the first time I noticed the Kirkland Signature Brand in this Chateauneuf du Pape (CdP). For several years they offered a  Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape that was produced by Chateau de Nalys through the 2016 release, up until the producer of this Kirkland wine for many vintages, was acquired in 2017 by well known Rhone producer Guigal.

The change in ownership may have resulted in a missed vintage release in 2017. In any event the 2018 vintage Costco Chateauneuf du Pape was attributed to a new different producer. The wine was previously made by Domaine de Nalys, as it was displayed on the front label, but was replaced with "Cuvee du Terroir des Papes" with the 2018 release. The back label indicated the new winemaker was Guillaume Gonnet, who makes a number of wines under his own label, including several from CdP.

Owner and winemaker of his family’s Châteauneuf du Pape estate since 2006, 'Guillaume Gonnet Vigneron', was created by Guillaume and his Australian wife Kelly. Guillaume Gonnet wines are the realization of their dream to pursue the potential of Southern Rhône grape varieties in varing terroir in the South of France.

Before joining his family as third generation winemaker, Guillaume travelled the world working in some of the most famous wineries in Bordeaux, Burgundy, The Napa Valley, New Zealand and finally in Australia where he met his future wife.

Seeking to craft their own wines they set out to sought out distinctive “terroir” to showcase their wines to expression all of the environmental elements that affect the quality of the grapes and, ultimately, the characteristics of the wine.

Guillaume Gonnet wines were the realization of their dream to pursue the potential of Southern Rhône grape varieties from the varying terroir in the South of France, when they purchased their own plots in Chateauneuf du Pape in 2015. 

With their vines, and selected parcels, Guillaume produce wine that reflects their philosophy for winemaking - Minimal interference with the “terroir effect”, and striving to obtain the right blend of Southern Rhone varieties - Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre, to attain complexity, balance and soft, elegant tannins, practicing an approach to aging using very little wood influence.

Today, Guillaume and Kelly produce a range of wines representing a number of appellations in the Southern Rhône including Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Village, Lirac, Cairanne, Tavel and of course, Châteauneuf du Pape.

Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape "Cuvee du Terroir des Papes" 2019

The varietal breakdown in the blend of this wine is composed the primary required Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietals, 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault.

The Costco wine writer/blogger writes that this 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, created by Gonnet, represents the four terroirs of Chateauneuf-du-Pape; river stones, limestones, clay and sand. While rated as a good wine, it is noted as not the same caliber as the 2018, or the 2016.  "It ticks just a small notch below."

The Costco reviewer writes, "The 2019 vintage pours a medium ruby in the glass; earthy nose, coffee grounds, some dark berry fruit. The wine is medium plus in body with good flavor, mostly dark fruit, blackberry, plum, anise; it is spicy and peppery in the finish with nice acidity.'

'This is a good wine but perhaps just a little disjointed in its youth. While the 2018 was given 90 points, the 2019 was rated 88 points."

They cite that this is great value at around $20 since CDP's often cost $35 and more. I found it appropriately priced at this point.

I found this garnet colored, medium bodied, but the blackberry and plum fruits showed tangy acidity but were a bit flabby and offset by a slight green pepper note with muted tones of anise, spice and tobacco. It was best represented with creamy mozzarella cheese.

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3955099

http://www.guillaumegonnet.com/