Gala Holiday Family Dinner - BBQ and Fine Wines

 Gala Holiday Family Dinner - BBQ and some extraordinary Fine Wines

The family gathered at son Ryan's for a gala 4th of July holiday celebration featuring BBQ, a selection of craft beers and fine wines and holiday fireworks. Son Ryan carefully selected and smoked and grilled four racks of ribs. We brought four side dishes from Sharko's BBQ - baked beans, cole slaw, creamed spinach and mac and cheese. 

For pairing with the BBQ we assembled a flight of spectacular wines: I brought a special birthyear vintage bottle of Penfolds Grange Aussie Shiraz,  Ryan opened from his cellar a Guigal Côte-Rôtie and Alec brought a Château Pape Clément Bordeaux. 

Prior to dinner we had a selection of chips and dips. I brought a bottle of Rose' that Ryan, Linda and I discovered and acquired at the producer during our visit to the Long Shadows Cellars hospitaly center and tasting room in Woodinville. I also brought a special bottle of birthyear vintage Charles Heidseick vintage champagne.

Ryan prepared incredible BBQ ribs with hand crafted rub, smoked for six hours in home trimmed applewood, then grilled. 

 Erin prepared a festive artfully decorated American Flag cheesecake with blueberries and red raspberries and strawberries. 

 With the appetizers, snacks and cheesecake we opened a celebratory Charles Heidseick 1990 birthyear vintage champagne and a Rose'.

 To celebrate the holiday, Sean put on a fireworks display for the kids. 

Long Shadows Wineries Julia's Dazzle Pinot Gris Columbia Valley Rosé 2017

We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine while visiting the Long Shadows Cellars hospitaly center and tasting room in Woodinville, WA during our  Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour. 

We normally don't drink Pinot Gris or Rose' wines but were captivated by this and found it a unique label for our cellar, perfect for as occasion such as today, especially since Ryan was with us when we discovered this label. 

This is from the Long Shadows collection from vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills appellation of the Columbia River Valley in Central Washington State. 

This is produced and bottled independent of Long Shadows, owner producer Allen Shoup tasked  winemaker Gilles Nicault to craft a dry rosé to share with family and friends. This result, "Dazzle" was an instant hit. The wine quickly affirmed Shoup’s long-held belief that Americans would one day develop an affinity for this food-friendly wine, particularly perfect on a warm summer afternoon.

Gilles set aside a special block of Pinot Grigio and gave it extended time on the vine to develop a bright tint through slow fermentation, then added 2% Sangiovese to the blend for color. Named after Allen’s granddaughter, Julia's Dazzle is light pink in color and offers aromas of strawberry and orange peel. It is a dry style but with sweet fruit flavors and clean sharp acidity creating a light and refreshing finish.

Winemaker's notes: "Fresh and lively with bright aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries and melon complemented by a racy acidity that lingers across a clean, dry finish." 

Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésimé Champagne 1990

Sharing and enjoying this bottle recently, and again tonight with son Alec and the rest of the family, was especially memorable as he was with us when we visited the Champagne wine region in northeast France back in 2006.

This vintage release was awarded 97 points from Wine Spectator and 94 points from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar. 

As written in the recent tasting blogpost, this was a delightful surprise showing and drinking well, meeting all my expectations for this bottle. I was a bit concerned when upon opening and releasing the cork under pressure, the seeming pressure and resulting 'pop' were less than expected. Never-the-less, as hoped, the foil, cork, label, fill level and resulting wine were all ideal, showing little sign of diminution from aging. 

Amazing, impressive with life still left in this 31 year old vintage Champagne. 

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

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2894

https://charlesheidsieck.com/en

@CHChampagne 

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

The wine flight also included the remains of the St Emilion Bordeaux L'Arossee we had left over from the previous evening dinner. 

E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2008

The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the ancient historic village of Ampuis, home of the legendary wines of the Côte-Rôtie. Some of the historic vineyards are over 2400 years old, bordered by small terraced walls dating back to the Roman period. Etienne Guigal arrived in the region in 1923 at the age of 14 and produced over 67 vintages of wine over his storied career. 

Guigal handed over the reins to his young son Marcel Guigal in 1961 when he was afflicted by an illness that left him blind. Over the years, Marcel expanded the Guigal brand and holdings buying out Vidal-Fleury in 1984, the Jean-Louis Grippat estate in Saint-Joseph and Hermitage in 2000, and Domaine de Vallouit in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

In the cellars of the Guigal estate in Ampuis, they produce wines from the great appellations of the northern Rhône Valley: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. They also expanded to produce wines from appellations of the Southern Rhône, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône, which are also aged in the Ampuis cellars.

Winemaker notes for this label: "The hallmark of Chateau d'Ampuis is an unbelievably seductive perfume full of sweet red fruits, black fruits and spices, and an elegance despite the intense concentration of fruit. Chateau d'Ampuis defines what a great wine should be with its beautiful balance, complexity and length."

This was awarded 93 points by Wine Enthusiast who wrote, "In this difficult vintage, Guigal's Chateau Ampuis bottling shines. The kinky nose features exotic notes of celery seed, cracked pepper, hickory smoke and mixed berries, while in the mouth the wine shows ample fullness and intensity without losing any of the silky character that makes Cote Rôtie special. Drink now–2020."

This was an ideal pairing with the smoked BBQ but was overshadowed by the more complex and elegant Grange and the bigger bolder more concentrated and more complex Pape Clement. 

This was dark garnet color, medium-bodied with black fruit and notes of herbs, smoke, pepper and tapenade with soft tannins on a long rather acidic finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1286574 

@DOMAINEGUIGAL

Penfolds Grange Shiraz 1990

This is a legendary bottle from a legendary producer and label. Penfolds and Grange are considered the most famous and prestigious labels of Australian wines dating back to the first experimental release in 1951. At 170 years of age, Penfolds is one of the oldest producers in Australia. They were named Australian Wine Producer of the Year 2014 by the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). Their  flagship wine is this ultra-premium Grange, one of the most prestigious labels in the world as well as from Australia.

This release from the 1990 vintage year, Alec's birth year, was a Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 1995.  I've written more extensively about this release of this label in earlier blogposts.

This was acquired as part of a OWC, (original wood case) upon release and has been held in our cellar ever since. The fill level of this bottle, at 31 years was lower neck, appropriate for its age, while the tissue, label, foil and cork were perfect, having been held in the original wood case in our cellar since release. 

Consistent with earlier tasting of this label, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, elegant, polished, harmonious, perfectly balanced, silky smooth flavors of concentrated black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of vanilla, licorice, spice, black truffles and oak with hints of spice and cedar turning to fine grained tongue puckering tannins on the long lingering finish.

RM 95 points.

Wine Spectator gave this 98 points, James Halliday 97 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 points, and Jancis Robinson gave it 18 out of her twenty point scale. 

James Halliday said it was 'destined to be one of the greatest Granges'. Wine Spectator called it  'magnificent, exotic, a veritable cascade of opulent flavors'. The Rewards of Patience - Fifth Edition (2004) called it Outstanding and projected its Drinking Window from now to 2040. Southcorp Wines said, 'The 1990 vintage was the kind that winemakers only expect to see once or twice in an entire career'.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6295

https://www.penfolds.com/

https://twitter.com/penfolds

@penfolds

Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan Graves Grand Cru Classe 2015

Alec brought this bottle from his cellar, one of a case of this wine he received from his best buddies for his 30th birthday. This is especially memorable and fun to share as I consulted with and advised his friends on selecting this label for this special gift. Its hard to believe or imagine one could serve another bottle that matches or tops the legendary 1990 Grange label above, considered one of the best releases of that prestigious label in history. 

This is one of four Grand Cru Classé wine châteaux owned by Bernard Magrez. He went into the wine trade when he left school at the age of 16, and proclaims he was totally self taught from books and great discipline.

In 1961, when he was 25 years old he traveled to the USA and discovered the super market. On his return to France, he set up his own company, specializing in whisky and port. Selling his port to the French Carrefour hypermarket in France, it became the second most popular brand of port in the country. Over time he expanded the range of spirits eventually capturing the market. 

In the 1980s, he set his focus on top-end wine estates and he acquired Château Pape Clément, the famous Graves Grand Cru Classé, which had been classified for thirty years by then. He then acquired Château Fombrauge, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, followed by Château La Tour Carnet, a Médoc Grand Cru Classé since 1855; and finally, Clos Haut Peyraguey, a Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé. He became the only person to own four prestigious wine estates at the same time.   

He has since acquired vineyards in eight different countries: Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and the US, for a total of 43 wine estates comprising over 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of vines. 

Château Pape Clément is one of the oldest Bordeaux Grands Crus, dating back to the 13th Century. The estate’s vineyard established by Bertrand de Goth, who in 1305 became Pope Clément V, the name subsequently given to the Château. The first harvest was in 1252.  The historic estate and brand were acquired by Bernard Magrez in 1980. 

Château Pape Clément is located in Pessac in the Pessac-Léognan appellation contrôlée within the wider Graves wine region of the Left Bank of Bordeaux. We drove through the area during our Bordeaux wine tour in 2018 as the Chateau and estate are but eight miles from the Merignac Bordeaux Airport.  

This is one of the top labels, Vinous calls it "one of the stars" from this top vintage from Bordeaux. It was rated 99 points by James Suckling, 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 95 points and a Cellar Selection by Wine Enthusiast. This could arguably be the best bottle of Australian wine one will ever taste, at any price, Of course it is also one of the most expensive bottles of Australian wine to be found. 

This was a perfect pairing with the grilled smoked BBQ ribs, however, this wine would be a perfect pairing with pretty much anything! 

This is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, It was aged 18 months in 80% new French oak.

Dark blackish garnet purple colored, medium-full bodied, complex and concentrated yet elegant and polished, perfectly balanced and integrated notes of black currant, black cherry and black berry fruits accented by notes of truffles, cassis, tobacco, hints of dark mocha, spicy clove and graphite turning to smooth polished supple tannins on the full lingering finish. 

RM 96 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2353553

https://bernard-magrez.com/en/le-chateau-pape-clement-2/

 

 

French Wine Dinner Al Fresco at Suzettes Creperie Wheaton

French Wine Dinner Al Fresco at Suzettes Creperie Wheaton 

We booked a dinner outside on the patio at Suzette's Creperie in Wheaton. Attracted by the delectable French cuisine, thoughtful Wine Spectator Best Award winelist, and outdoor dining, we were looking forward to a delightful evening. The final component of an ideal dinner outing was the acceptance of BYOB so I pulled from the cellar a vintage St Emilion to accompany my planned pate' or foie gras. 

We were joined by son Alec and daughter-in-law Vivianna. This was a special outing, partially in light of our fond memories of our spectacular trip together to Provence and the Luberon region of France two years ago. One of the highlights of that trip was a visit to the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine appellation. Suzette's wine list featured several wines from the estates we visited during that trip. 

We dined on the quaint outdoor patio under the tent, likely a remnant of the Covid era, which had much the same feel of the patio garden under the tent as Restaurant Le Savoie where we dined in Marqaux during our trip to Bordeaux during that same trip to Provence.

I had been looking forward to ordering the Pâté and brought the Right Bank Bordeaux wine specifically for the pairing. We also ordered a selection of Appetizers that called for white wine and we chose from the winelist a very special limited release label. 

Chateau La Nerthe Clos de Beauvenir Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2009

 
One of the highlights of our visit to Chateauneuf-du-Pape was a tour and tasting at Chateau La Nerthe where we tasted the special limited release bottle Chateau La Nerthe Clos de Beauvenir. This label is only produced in select vintages with small production of fewer than 250 cases of the special white wine in a release year. 

 

This is a blend of Rhone varietals, 60% Roussanne and 40% Clairette.

 

This was rated 95 points by Robert M. Parker Jr., 94 points by Wine Spectator and 93 points by Vinous / International Wine Cellar.

Golden colored, medium full bodied, expressive complex tropical fruit with  notes of pear and melon with floral tones and hint of vanilla on the finish. 

RM 90 points  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1131991

This special bottle was a highlight to accompany the Sole Meunière entree and the appetizers: Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Red, Yellow & Poblano Peppers in a Creamy Coconut Sauce, Three Cheese Soufflé comprised of Bleu, Gruyère & Goat Cheese, and Shrimp Beignets.

 

Linda and Vivianna both ordered the Sole Meunière served in a butter-lemon Sauce with potatoes du jour & seasonal vegetables. 

Suzette Creperie Sole Meunière

I ordered the Beef Bourgogne Crêpe, made the authentic French way with a bottle or two of Red Wine, braised with mushrooms and carrots for six hours. 

Suzette Creperie Beef Bourgogne Crêpe

Alec ordered the Duck Confit with rich duck jus on a bed of white and wild rice with seasonal vegetables.

Suzette Creperie Duck Confit

All the entree's were delectable, ideally prepared and presented.

Chateau L’Arrosee St Emilion Grand Cru Class 2000

I brought BYOB from our cellar this 2000 l'Arrosee, St-Emilion to pair and enjoy with the pate' and the beef bourgogne entree. 

Chateau L’Arrosee is named for an underground spring located on this Bordeaux estate in St. Emilion.

Founded back in 1868, L’Arrosee belonged to a member of the Council of Napoléon III, Pierre Magne who sold the estate to the French Ambassador to Austria. It was acquired by by the Dupuch family in the early part of the 20th century who produced the wines at the local cooperative until 1956. 

In 2002, Chateau L’Arrosee was bought by the Caille family who made extensive renovations to upgrade the vineyards and wine making facilities. They hired Gilles Pouquet as consulting winemaker who had extensive experience in St. Emilion having worked at Cheval Blanc, Figeac and several other notable Right Bank properties. 

In July, 2013, Chateau L’Arrosee was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon, the owners of Chateau Haut Brion in Pessac Leognan. They had recently purchased the St Emilion property Tertre Dugay, which they combined with L'Arrosee to form the renamed and re-branded Chateau Quintus.

Chateau L’Arrosee has 9.5 hectare St. Emilion vineyard planted with 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, with vines of an average age of 35 years. The wine is aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months with an average annual production of close to 3,500 cases a year.

This was rated 92 points Wine Spectator. 

Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, red berry and black cherry fruits with notes of floral, earth, herbes de Provence, sweet tobacco leaf, smoke and dusty rose with a moderate lingering tannin finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=32904

The cork separated in half upon extraction by the server using a traditional corkscrew. It was then strained and decanted.

www.domaineclarencedillon.com 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-chateau-la-nerthe.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/restaurant-le-savoie-marqaux.html 

http://suzettescreperie.com/

Italian Barolo for Italian Cuisine

Italian Barolo for Italian Cuisine 

We dined with two of our boys Alec and Sean and their spouses Vivanna and Michelle at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. I took BYOB from our cellar this vintage Silvio Grasso Barolo for the occasion. For our Italian dinner I wanted to take an Italian varietal wine, preferably a Sangiovese or a Nebbiolo, and this was one of the few that we hold in our cellar as most of our collection is comprised of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.

Produced by the Grasso family who have been producing wine since 1927, but Federico Grasso only started bottling all their production since the mid 1980s, when Alessio Federico took over from his father Silvio. 

Grassos farm a total of 14 hectares of vineyards; 6 estate owned and 8 leased in the La Morra, Barolo wine district from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Federico Grasso is backed by his wife Marilena and by his sons Silvio and Paolo. According to Robert Parker, they have  "produced a bevy of sensational efforts over recent vintages."

Despite their small overall production, they produce a dozen different labels, six of which are different  sophisticated, modern Barolos produced in a style noted for avoiding excessive wood aromas as Grasso prefers to use large barrels rather than barriques for maturation, and uses less than 30% new wood even on his single-vineyard bottlings. All the Barolos are 100% estate grown Nebbiolo grapes with this being their entry level estate bottled label.

They also produce several small production single vineyard labels, "Bricco Luciani", which is located just above Molino’s "Gancia" vineyard classic La Morra, which is soft and generous, while the "Ciabot Manzoni" was described as "Godzilla-like" by Parker, "multidimensional, compelling/prodigious... gigantic in scope and stature"; this wine was given 95 points for the 2004 by the Wine Spectator. Notably, all of Grasso's 2004 Baroli were awarded scores between 92-95 points.

This is 100% estate bottled Nebbiolo sourced from a small 4 acre vineyard from vines planted in 1982. Nebbiolo is characterized by aromatic wines with rich tannins and characteristics of old oak, these wines are considered by most to be some Italy's finest. 

Barolo wines are some of the most noble and expensive of Italian wines and are synonymous with the Nebbiolo grape.  The Nebbiolo grape does not travel well and is high maintenance, which is why it has never thrived quite as well elsewhere as on the Piemontese slopes and was not adopted by other wine producing regions. Like its top contender, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo reflects its terroir and displays the subtleties of its environment and sense of 'place' where it is grown.

Silvio Grasso Barolo 2010

This release was awarded 94 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

Analyst notes: "This wine is robust with evident notes of red flowers on the nose. The palate will enjoy significant acid and strong, long, earthy finish. These wines collect well, although consult a specialist to get a hold of of the best vintages."

Dark garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium bodied, complex, concentrated with deep dark berry and black cherry fruits with notes of tobacco, leather, smoke, mineral and floral turning to approachable tannins on the moderate finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1828058

http://www.silviograsso.com/en/prodotti/barolo

Ninety-Plus Cellars Lot 94 Cab w/ steak caprese balsamic

Ninety-Plus Cellars Lot 94 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with grilled steak, caprese and balsamic vinagrettes.

Following the delightful dinner we had the other evening with grilled steak and caprese with balsamic vinagrettes, we did an encore, but tonight pulled from the cellar a hearty robust Napa Cabernet from this private label negociant label. 

Once again, as the other night, a delicious pairing combination where I wrote extensively about this balsamic, steak caprese combo,  highlighting the accentuated food and wine pairing.

I've written often in these pages the Ninety-Plus Cellars story with their negociant wines or surplus wines acquired and private labeled, often at high QPR below market prices. They offer a broad selection of labels from the wine regions around the world, often at great value. Occasionally, they offer extraordinary wines at affordable prices for everyday drinking. Ninety-Plus label or Lot # is often due to excess supply or other reasons.

When I last tried this label a year ago, I wrote that it was uninspiring and leaving much to be desired. Having modest expectations, tonight this was very enjoyable and ideally suited to pair with the grilled steak, caprese and selection of artisan cheese.

Wine collectors understand the axiom of pricing wine for the occasion ... every day wines, once a week wines, once a month wines and once in a lifetime or special occasion wines. Only the privileged few need not worry about budgets or costs of their beverage choice du jour.

I bought this wine for such an occasion as tonight, respectable drinker at a moderate price for a midweek dinner.

Lot 94 is part of the Ninety-Plus Cellars' popular Collector's Series wine brand. It is a full-bodied Napa Cab from highly-regarded vineyard sites in the distinguished Rutherford AVA, a good value when compared to the Napa Cabs produced from such sites.   

When I last tasted this last fall I rated this 90 Points and wrote, "The 2017 is a top flight Cabernet, sophisticated, complex and enjoyable for early gratification, drinking now, and may likely improve further with 2 to 5 years of aging or more as it is not equal to the 2015 which was a bit better integrated and polished."

Ninety-Plus writes of this label, "the fruit is picked from vines situated on the east side of the valley in a vineyard that was first planted in the 1890s. Upon alluvial and volcanic soils these densely planted vines produce Cabernet Sauvignon that makes some of the best wine in Napa. This is an all-star Cabernet with an elite pedigree."

Consistent with my earlier tasting, "While I echo the negociant's (Ninety Plus Cellars) tasting notes on this release: "Deep crimson in color with lavish aromas of black currant, mocha, and savory herbs with trailing notes of tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied and well-rounded with soft edges and a lively dose of bright cherry fruit that unfolds into a smooth finish," this lacked balance and polish I hoped for pleasant high QPR everyday sipping. The fruits were a bit obtuse and forward with a somewhat flabby less approachable profile."

RM 88 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/09/90-lot-94-2017.html

https://www.ninetypluscellars.com/

Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Domaine Chandon sparkling white wine with Isola balsamic vinagrettes on beefsteak toast points and caprese salad - for ideal summer casual dining!

Readers of these pages know I am not a big Pinot drinker. I admit I don't have the palette or discrimination for a Pinot Noir like I do Bordeaux or Rhone varietals. 

Never-the-less I picked up several bottles of this moderate priced every day drinker for casual sipping during the summer when its more approachable than a bigger 'heavier' weightier wine. 

That said, I opened this casual Pinot sipper with some caprese - mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil from our garden, topped off with balsamic vinagrette dressing (s), and it was spectacular - a wonderful and delightful pairing! 

This is another example where the appropriate pairing of food and wine accentuates the enjoyment of both. 

In addition, we had toast points with slices of the tomahawk rib-eye steaks from the other evening, which were equally delectable - also topped with the balsamic! We love this combination. 

This pairing was accentuated further by the adding a touch of both chocolate and raspberry balsamic vinagrettes. These are from the brand Isola (shown below), imported from Italy, these balsamics originate from Modena, Italy.  

These are imported by Isola Imports, which began in 1957 as a small Italian grocery store, a modest little storefront in the heart of Chicago, operated by Italian immigrant John Nitti. As he shared a taste of Italy with his family, friends and neighbors, word spread quickly about his wonderful store and his customers clamored for more. His products enabled the whole neighborhood - and beyond - to experience uniquely authentic Italian cuisine. 

John and his wife Janet moved back to Italy, where they traveled its diverse regions - from Sicily to Venice, and from Rome to Napoli, searching for authentic artisan specialty culinary products. Today, they are joined by their children, Jay, Michael and Lisa in their family owned and operated import and distribution business in the Archer Heights neighborhood of Chicago, bringing a range of products from across Italy to Chicagoland . 

Isola Imports was born in 1992. Isola means 'Island', referring to the numerous regions of Italy. each with its own identity with distinctive flavors and products. Isola import products can be found across the Chicagoland grocers: Whole Foods, Mariano's, Pete's Fresh Market, Tony's and Sunset Markets.

While we might serve this accompanied by a 'big red', in the heat and humidity of summer, the lighter, softer, more approachable Pinot Noir was ideal. 

As shown, wife Linda accompanied her's with sparkling white wine from Domane Chandon, another modest inexpensive every day sipper, ideal, and delightful for the occasion and for this pairing!

Ferrari-Carano Pinot Noir Anderson Valley  2018 

The Farrari-Carano estate and winery sit on Rock Rise Mountain on the east side of the Alexander Valley, high above the town of Geyserville at an elevation of 1,000 feet. This is where they produce their red wines. They produce white wines at another location. 

This Ferrari-Carano Pinot Noir comes from their three ranches in Anderson Valley, up in Mendocino County, north of Sonoma County, two hours north of San Francisco up Hwy 101. Located just off the coastal region of Mendocino County, Anderson Valley and the adjacent Mendocino Ridge are in a sparsely populated area near the small town of Boonville, population 700. The 15 mile long Anderson Valley was formed by the Navarro River watershed and is surrounded by steep, forested slopes as well as rolling hills dotted with picturesque vineyards, farms and orchards. 

Ferrari-Carano purchased the Sky High Ranch vineyard property, already planted to Pinot Noir grapes, sited on the Mendocino Ridge high above Anderson Valley. The vineyard is surrounded by towering redwoods and dense forest. Sitting at 1,500-foot elevation, the steep slopes of Mendocino Ridgeover sit above the cool fog line.

They produce two Pinot Noir wines from this area – a single vineyard designated label, Sky High Ranch Pinot Noir, and this Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Anderson Valley is known as an up-and-coming appellation with ideal terroir for growing Pinot Noir grapes, good drainage and a microclimate of warm sunny days and cool, foggy mornings and nights.

The year 2018 was very good with ideal weather conditions for the vines. Spring produced great set, and average rainfalls led to normal to above‐normal yields. Consistently warm temperatures during the summer months without any drastic heat spikes or rain events allowed for longer “hang time” for the grapes, which led to fully ripe flavors.

Winemakers' notes for this label: "Aromas of pretty raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, a touch of rose petal, and cola notes fill the senses followed by vibrant flavors of red fruits that jump out on the front palate, while the mid-palate turns to blackberry, plum and spice notes. The finish is fruit driven with lingering flavors of cherry and a spicy touch of toast. A velvety texture and bright acidity create a naturally- balanced wine."

Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 92 points while Wine Spectator gave it 90 points.

The wine has aged for 10 months in 20% new French oak barrels before bottling.

This was dark ruby red, medium bodied, with rich, expressive full black-cherry, plum and pomegranate  flavors with dusty rose, clove spice, cola and smoky oak with smooth velvety tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 90 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3806032

https://www.ferrari-carano.com/wine-release/2018-ferrari-carano-pinot-noir-anderson-valley-2/

https://www.ferrari-carano.com/

https://www.isolaimports.com/

@FerrariCarano 

 

Trio of Big Reds for a hearty wine tasting

Trio of Big Reds for a hearty wine tasting ....  

As posted in the previous blog, our dinner wine tasting extended into the evening and we were joined by more family, friends and neighbors which allowed us the opportunity to break out several more wines to taste. 

Lang & Reed Two-Fourteen Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2014

I've seen this label many times over the years but admit I belive this is my first initiation to a wine from this producer. I must say I was impressed and will pay more attention to this label in the future. I am a fan of Cabernet Franc and will put this on my watch list for expressive wine drinking from a producer who appreciates and focuses on the varietal that is normally reserved for a but fractional part of the Bordeaux blend.

This is produced by Tracey & John Skupny, who started Lang & Reed Napa Valley in 1993 with the goal to explore the distinct charms of Cabernet Franc and to craft wines that are both expressive and enjoyable to drink.

Their wine experience spans nearly a half century working in the restaurant trade in Kansas City as wine stewards (sommeliers). They pursued their passion for wine and moved to California in 1980, eventually settling in Napa Valley in 1984.

They were intrigued with the distinction of Cabernet Franc, one of the noble varietals from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux wine regions of France. Cabernet Franc is a foundation key varietal in Bordeaux red wine blends, included to contribute aromatics and robust flavors to round out and extend the tasting profile of the blend.  

In 1993, Lang & Reed Napa Valley was born with a focus on Cabernet Franc. Named after their two sons, J Reed and Jerzy Lang, Lang & Reed Napa Valley is family owned and operated. Through their winemaking, their wines tell their family story of a life dedicated to family working together to craft artisan wines.

Through exploration and investigation of all things ‘Cabernet Franc’, they selected Clone 214 that originated in the Loire Valley of France, home to some of the worlds’ most renowned Cabernet Franc vineyards and producers. 

In 2007 they selected the Sugarloaf Vineyard in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley, located on a hillside slope with ideal rocky soils with moderate temperatures and cooling breezes that emanate from the nearby northern reaches of San Francisco Bay. 

This new world climate combined with this old world Loire Clone 214 is the basis for Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc, the only known bottling of this unique clone in California. 

Winemaker notes: "This is the eighth vintage of the Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc and, true to type, this wine shows a persistent purity of aromas and flavors.  At first scent, this wine shows a nice burst of raspberry and blueberry, with a top note of violet and  a  backdrop  of  savory  herbaceousness.    The  palate  is  medium  bodied  with  beautiful  Cabernet  Franc  purity,  texture,  and  length.    Though  very  appealing  for  immediate  pleasure,  the  structural  elements  will  allow  this  wine  to  age  gracefully for the next 7 to 10 years."

This is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc, the Loire Entav Clone 214, sourced solely from the Napa Valley Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. The wine is aged 16 Months in French Oak Barrels. 849 Cases were produced. 

This was rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator, 92 Points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 Points by Wine Advocate. James Laube of Wine Spectator says its "Best  from  2020  through  2030.”

This was a big hit with the crowd, all around - dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, forward full expressive ripe dark berry fruits with tangy spice and herbs, notes of tea and hints of cedar and oak with a moderate tannin lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2536985

https://langandreed.com/

 Domaine Des Chirats Sonoma County Rockpile Vineyard Syrah 2013 

As posted in these pages back in April, this is produced by Jeff Cohn, former winemaker at Rosenblum Cellars, in collaboration with Yves Cuilleron from the Northern Rhône, third generation proprietor of Cave Cuilleron, founded by his grandfather Claude Cuilleron in 1920. Yves took over in 1987 from his Uncle. The 150 acre estate produces over 430,000 bottles of wine annually. 

Jeff Cohn and Yes Cuilleron teamed up in 2013 to produce this wine in the historic Northern Rhône style from fruit sourced from Cohn's Rockpile vineyard. Through their collaboration they have crafted this wine in the style of a Northern Hermitage or Côte-Rôtie.

Fruit for this label is sourced from the Rockpile vineyard in the Rockpile appellation in Sonoma. Cohn calls it "a special place for Syrah". Sitting at 2010 ft. elevation, 20 plus year-old Syrah vines are grown above the fog line allowing for plenty of sun to reach full ripeness. The vineyard gets its name from the rocky soil that stresses the grapes resulting in richness and concentration. Jeff began working with the Rockpile Vineyard over fourteen years ago.

Cohn strives for elegant and complex wines and he believes the craggy soil of the aptly named Rockpile produces some of the most complex and distinctive minerality in all of California.

The 2014 vintage of this wine was rated 95 Points by Robert Parker.

Definitely more of a Northern Rhone style, this was preferred by Mandy, moreso than Linda who opts for the more expressive approachable fruits of a new world style. 

Dark purple garnet colored, full bodied, complex and concentrated but polished and elegant, blueberry and blackberry fruits with notes of floral, anise, meaty bacon fat and spice, crisp acidity with firm but approachable tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2320444

https://www.jeffcohncellars.com/

 

TOR Kenward Family Wines ROCK Hommage Allan Hudson Vineyard Syrah 2013

A previously unknown, undiscovered label, I picked up the last two remaining bottles of this rather obscure label at Binny's and wrote about this Hudson Vineyard Syrah back in December of 2018.

This is the style and profile of Syrah that we favor, dark inky purple, full bodied, concentrated forward black and blue berry and cherry fruits with bright acidity accented by tones of anise, graphite, leather and hints of pepper with a long tongue puckering finish with firm but soft approachable tannins. This was almost over the top for some of the crowd but was a crowd-pleaser none-the-less.

Not as sweet, polished or balanced as some of favorite, preferred, standard bearer Napa Syrahs, but tasty and pleasant drinking in any event.  

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2126714

 

 

 

 

Napa Reds and Sonoma Chardonnary for Surf & Turf dinner

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

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

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

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

Our wine flight with dinner .... 

Nickel & Nickel Stiling Vineyard Russian River Valley Sonoma Chardonnay 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RM 90 points.

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

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

https://nickelandnickel.com/

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

Yates Family Vineyards Flower Merlot 2005

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RM 91 points.

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

http://www.yatesfamilyvineyard.com/

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

Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

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

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

 

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

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

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

RM 92 points.

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

https://www.laderavineyards.com/ 

Earlier tasting blogposts: 

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

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

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

I feature these in a follow on post. 

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard and St Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard and Chateau St Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay

As part of a gala family reunion dinner, the ladies opted for white wine rather than the flight of Napa Valley Reds that we served with the beef tenderloin dinner. I pulled from the cell this Venge Brown Ranch Vineyard Napa Chardonnay. From Venge Vineyards, with its conspicuous "V" logo and branding, we have fun with this label serving it with our daughter-in-law Vivianna. 

 We also served a Chateau St Michelle Washington State Chardonnay. This is another brand and label we have fun serving with our two daughter-in-laws, Michelle. 

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017

Readers of these pages know we've been fans of Venge wines for decades and have featured them many times including highlights of visits to the Venge Family estate in Rutherford during our Napa Wine Experience 2002, and visit to the Venge Vineyards, Rossini Ranch up near Calistoga. 

Of course, legendary winemaker Nils Venge is known for Napa Cabernet. As son Kirk has taken over the reigns of Venge Vineyards, the portfolio has expanded and now includes several Chardonnays from Sonoma County as well as this one from Los Carneros. This Venge offering is from the Brown Ranch Vineyard in the Napa Los Carneros AVA District off of Old Sonoma Road, down at the bottom of Napa Valley where the foothills of the Mayacamas Range reach down to the flatlands just above San Pablo Bay. The area is ideally suited for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with the cool breezes wafting in from the bay.

We acquired several bottles of this label a while back and I liked it a lot, such that when we went back and bought more, we also acquired the follow on 2018 vintage release.  I wrote about this wine in an earlier blogpost at that time back in April 2019. 

This was golden straw colored, medium full bodied with big round mouthfeel, bright notes of green apple, tones of pear and citrus with subtle highlights of rich creamy caramel and light butterscotch, honeysuckle and floral, round acidity on the tangy finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3211986

 Chateau St Michelle Washington State Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2018

We also opened this Chateau St Michelle Chardonnay. Chateau St Michelle are one of the largest producers of white wine (Riesling) in the world. They are Washington State's oldest winery dating back to 1912, and have  been fundamental in the development of wine production in the State and the Columbia Valley. 

We visited their spectacular Chateau with its unique craftsman-style architecture and the 105 wooded acre estate complete with amphitheatre for summer concerts during our Seattle Wine and Dine - Washington State Wines Tasting in Woodinville, Woodinville Wine Experience in 2018. 

Chateau St Michelle has an extensive, broad portfolio of wines from their Columbia Valley regional wines to appellation specific, single vineyard designated specific, premium, ultra premium and a broad selection of specialty bottlings. Celebrating more than 50 years of winemaking. Since then, we have combined Old World winemaking 

Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one for red and one for white. The whites are made at the Chateau in Woodinville, WA, while the reds are made at the Canoe Ridge Estate winery in Eastern Washington.

This Chardonnay is from their Columbia Valley Collection of entry level mass produced brand of varietal wines sourced from the Columbia Valley where Chateau Ste. Michelle owns 3,500 acres in the Columbia Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA). The distinctive wine region is separated from Seattle's rainy, marine climate by the Cascade Mountains that collect the rain. The resulting terroir of the arid dry valley basin in the center of the state has limited annual rainfall of but 6-8 inches. Summer daytime temperatures hover in the mid-80's under sunny skies; cool nighttime temperatures in the fall protect the grapes' natural acidity and provide perfect conditions for ripening. The resulting grapes can be managed by vineyard managers through irrigation to develop intense aromas and flavors and distinctive character Washington state wines. 

At a fraction of the price of the Venge Chardonnay above, this provides a high QPR, quality price ratio such that we keep this on hand for everyday easy drinking and casual sipping. 

Linda likes this wine a lot and often prefers it to the more complex, fuller bodied, heavier Venge character and tasting profile. 

I first wrote about this release back last winter when I wrote about its "Good QPR in this easy drinking casual sipper." I gave it 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3528771

https://www.ste-michelle.com/

@SteMichelle

 

Beautiful! Aromas of pear, golden apple and pineapple along with a hint of honey and oaky spice. Full bodied and smooth on the palate with vibrant ripe fruit, and more warm oak and spice notes. Enjoy with scallops or other rich seafood dishes.

From the Columbia Valley, Washington wine region, Chateau Ste. Michelle 2018 Chardonnay is fantastic value under $20. Both the Chateau Ste Michelle itself, and vineyards, date back to 1912 Wine grapes for this 100% Chard were sourced from select sites throughout the Valley, with 6 months sur-lie ageing in a mix a of both French & American oak barrels.

Buttery on the nose with fresh pear, vanilla and toasty toffee aromas, full-bodied and smooth on the palate with ripe orchard and tropical fruit with buttery caramel on the finish. Enjoy with a roasted chicken. - Community Wine Reviews