Pour Boys Coq-Au-Vin and wine dinner features medley of premium Chardonnays
Passing through Northern Indiana, we stopped to dine with fellow
Pour Boy, Dr Dan. His Linda prepared a new recipe for
Coq-Au-Vin so he pulled from his cellar, and we brought from our's, several wines to accompany dinner.
As is our custom, prior to dinner they served a selection of artisan cheeses, fresh fruits, assorted nuts, and fresh shrimp.
Dan pulled from his cellar a duo of Gary Farrell premium single vineyard designated Chardonnay's from the Sonoma County Russian River Valley. Dan acquired these labels as part of his wine club allocation shipments.
He joined the Farrell club during our visit to the Gary Farrell estate and winery in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County during or Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017.
To complement, pair and compare the dinner and wines I brought from our cellar this premium label bold Napa Valley Chardonnay from Moone Tsai.
We opened and tasted the Chardonnays in order by vintage year, oldest to the youngest, of the three sequential vintages.
An interesting pairing comparison of three different Chardonnays, only by tasting them side by side like this can one truly appreciate and
assess comparing their nuances, character and profile.
There was
unanimous agreement on rating and ranking the three wines. Everyone
selected the Rochioli Vineyard as their favorite, followed by the Moone
Tsai, and then the Farrell Sonoma County.
Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard Sonoma County Chardonnay 2015
Gary Farrell was a pioneer of winemaking in Sonoma County’s Russian
River Valley appellation. He produced his first vintage in 1982, before the Russian River AVA even existed. He crafted that first Pinot Noir from fruit grown in the now-legendary
Rochioli Vineyard.
Over the years, Gary Farrell become somewhat of a legend producing a portfolio of varietal, single vineyard designated wines produced from only
the best vineyards that showcase the unique terroir from the Russian River Valley and across Sonoma County.
Gary Farrell never owned a vineyard but produced
consistently exceptional wines from that first vintage in 1982 by
partnering based on handshake deals with the region's
pioneer growers like the Rochioli, Dutton, Ramey,
Allen and Hallberg families, whose Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay vineyards represented the best of the time and place. Since then, the winery has produced
critically acclaimed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in collaboration with the most esteemed growers in the
Russian River Valley and throughout California’s greatest wine regions.
The nearly
40 different vineyards extend beyond the Russian River Valley and
include grapes from as far north as the Fort Ross-Seaview Vineyard along the
Sonoma coast to the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard in Santa Barbara
County.
Theresa Heredia is the winemaker for Garry Farrell. Theresa found her
passion for wine through biochemistry, earning a bachelor’s degree from
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She became a Ph.D. candidate in
chemistry/enology at UC Davis before leaving the program to pursue
winemaking. At Freestone Winery in Sebastopol, she gained acclaim for
her small-lot, single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir before arriving
at Gary Farrell Winery in 2012. Aside from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Theresa has also crafted Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and a Rosé of Pinot Noir.
Farrell sold his winery in 2004, but his name and reputation
for producing outstanding wines continues under the leadership of
Theresa.
We visited the winery’s beautiful estate and hospitality center that lies just west of Healdsburg, (CA), perched on a hilltop overlooking
the Russian River Valley during our Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017. The inviting indoor space offers stunning views of the
valley with floor to ceiling windows, and there’s an expansive terrace
so guests can enjoy the wines alfresco. The walls are adorned with a collection of colorful artwork.
Tonight, our favorite of the three Chardonnay labels tasted was the Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay. Rochioli Vineyard was
originally purchased in 1938 by Joe Rochioli, Sr. The quest of growing
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the fertile, gravelly soils was continued by Joe Jr. after his father’s passing in 1966. This label is the result of the collaboration between Gary Farrell Winery
and the Rochioli Vineyard that has been in effect for more than 30 years. It is a foundation of the Farrel portfolio of
Russian River Valley wines.
Most of the
Chardonnay blocks are located at the far eastern edge of the estate,
sitting along and above the meandering Russian River. The majority of this blend comes
from the River Block clone 5, planted in 1989. The balance comes from
the Mid-40s Block, a field selection planted in 1993, and Allen Block 1,
clone 15, planted in 1995.
Winemaker Notes: This
beautiful offering from the famed Rochioli Vineyard emanates aromas of
lemon oil, honeysuckle, and dried herbs, with underlying layers of
flintiness and fresh cut cedar. The sandy, gravelly riverside soils,
warm sunny days and morning fog yield an intensity and concentration
that is unique to the Rochioli fruit. The palate offers richness that is
classic Russian River Valley, yet possesses energy and vibrancy typical
of our house style - ripe golden fruit, lime zest, nectarine and
lemongrass, balanced by zesty spice, tangy acidity and just the right
amount of phenolic structure. Altogether, these features meld together
to form a wine that is enjoyable today, but also suggest increasing
complexity and elegance with age.
This label was awarded 95 points
by Wine Enthusiast, and
92 points
by Wine & Spirits. It was #1 of the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2017.
The favorite of the three, golden colored, full bodied, rich, round, concentrated, elegant and balanced, bright vibrant apple and hints of peach fruits with notes of floral, citrus and stone fruits, spice and tangy acidity on a tongue coating lingering finish.
RM 93 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2769348
Gary Farrell Vineyard Olivet Lane Vineyard Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2016This is another single vineyard designated Chardonnay sourced from the Olivet Lane Vineyard, located on the Olivet Road in Santa
Rosa, seven miles from Gary Farrell Winery.
The vineyard sits on 65
acres of sloping bench land in the heart of the
Russian River Valley, in a sub-region called the Santa Rosa Plain, in between the
warmer Westside Road region and the cooler Green Valley where warm
summer days are moderated by cool breezes and chilly evening
temperatures, this
unique site is heavily influenced by fog that rolls in through the
Petaluma Gap to the south.
The rolling bench land location with the combination of well drained clay loam soils and east/west vine exposure with long, cool nights, create an excellent environment with optimum growing conditions great for ripening, producing world-class Chardonnay that develop cool-climate characteristics and
impeccable acid at fairly low sugars. The wines from this vineyard
simultaneously express power and finesse, and they do so with tremendous
balance.
This historic property is one of the oldest existing Pinot Noir vineyards in the Russian
River Valley, a former apple, prune and olive orchard. At the recommendation of Dr. Armand Kasimatis at University of
California at Davis, the Pellegrini family planted Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay, developing one of the first vineyards in the region devoted
exclusively to these two varieties.
Planted in 1973 it covers 60 acres, twenty planted in Pinot Noir and forty in Chardonnay, that two-thirds of the vineyard is planted to Wente selection
Chardonnay on AXR rootstock, a heritage selection that
produces some of the best Chardonnays in all of California. The old
vines create natural vine balance, excellent concentration and ample
quantities of natural acidity. The vines are cane pruned, vertical shoot
positioning (VSP) and faithfully tended by Robert Pellegrini for the
past 40 years. The wines from this vineyard simultaneously express power
and finesse, and they do so with tremendous balance.
Besides Gary Farrell, the Olivet Lane Vineyard provides fruit to several wineries sourcing from this vineyard including Merry Edwards Wines, Pellegrini Wine Company, WesMar Winery, Pali Wine Co., and the notable premium producer Williams Selyem.
Winemaker Notes - The
Olivet Lane Vineyard is consistently a benchmark for Chardonnay in
Russian River Valley, and the 2016 delivers without fail. Its’ always
welcome nose of Meyer lemon, crisp apple and Satsuma mandarin fill the
glass alongside the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked butter cookies.
The palate is equally as generous, offering layers of lemon cream,
coriander, brioche and flaky puff pastry, and the supple, lengthy finish
leaves nothing to be desired.
The juice was left
in tank to cold-settle then transferred to 35% new and 65%
one to three-year old neutral French oak barrels and puncheons for
fermentation and aging, where it remained for 9 months on its primary
lees until it was bottled. The wine was racked off the
primary lees only once, just before bottling.
This label was awarded 92 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck.
Straw colored, medium bodied, crisp notes of citrus pink grapefruit and clove spiced apples, stone fruits, white peach, crushed rocks with bright acidity on a long zesty finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2951999
https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com/
Moone Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017
Moone-Tsai is the fulfillment of the vision and dream of Larry Tsai and MaryAnn Tsai, Co-Founders and Proprietors. Larry and MaryAnn started Moone-Tsai wines in 2003, with the dream of making rare and remarkable wines bearing
the finest fruit from Napa Valley's most heralded vineyards. Pursuing this vision, focused on Howell Mountain, Moone-Tsai launched its
distinctive, limited production Cabernets, Chardonnays, and Bordeaux
blends, including Moone-Tsai's signature landmark Howell Mountain Hillside Blend.
As founders and owners, the are entrenched in every aspect of winery operations. They are devoted residents of their beloved Howell Mountain and take pride in sharing wines that bear the "best of the best" fruit
from the celebrated AVA, as well as from other most
prized vineyard blocks across Napa Valley.
Fresh out of Harvard Business School,
MaryAnn set her sights on a career in the Napa Valley wine industry. She helped create some of Howell Mountain's
most acclaimed wines, most notably the establishment of Beringer's
legendary Bancroft Ranch Merlots. In subsequent years, MaryAnn was instrumental in other acclaimed wine
releases and AVAs (including three wines that each received ratings of
#1-rated Wine in the World), she never forgot the allure of Howell
Mountain.
MaryAnn and Larry call the
enchanting Las Posadas district of Howell Mountain their home and have their winery and tasting room operations down the hill in
St. Helena.
MaryAnn Tsai grew up in a spirited Italian family in Boston, Massachusetts. She spent summers helping her grandmother tend a garden
featuring rows of vegetables, herbs, and an especially precious
vineyard from which the family celebrated the rite of
winemaking.
During college, MaryAnn did a study-abroad program at the University of
Angers, France, in the Loire Valley, known for well-crafted wines and inspired
cuisine. There, MaryAnn developed her
interest in wines, which inspired her move to Napa Valley, following graduation from Harvard Business School, to pursue a career in the wine industry.
The legendary Philippe Melka is Winemaker for Moone-Tsai. We're huge fans of Philippe's handicraft as these pages attest throughout. Bordeaux-bred and mentored by the world's most revered winemakers, Philippe is quick
to credit the masterful influences of Delmas and Masclef from
Haut-Brion; Moueix and Berrouet from Petrus; Paul Draper from Ridge; and
Michel Rolland from Chateau Le Bon Pasteur.
Phillippe helped put the likes of Dominus, Hundred Acre, Bryant Family
Vineyards, and Dana Estates on the map for the most discerning Cabernet labels and brands; Robert Parker named Philippe as one of the
world's top nine consulting winemakers.
Moone Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay is sourced from
Bald Mountain, a neighbor of Mount Veeder in the Mayacamas Mountains on the western border of the Napa
Valley. The south-facing vineyard sits at nearly 1600 feet above sea
level overlooking the convergence of both Sonoma and Napa Valleys, as
well as of Marin's Mt. Tamalpais to the south. Cool sunshine is
abundant throughout the growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen
slowly while varietal character evolves completely.
Producers' notes - The 2017 growing
season was marked by ample winter rains, a mild spring, hail in June, and
intermittent waves of summer heat. A third and final temperature spike
prompted picking in early September.The result is a delightfully delicious
chardonnay displaying both richness and resolve. On the nose, the wine
expresses notes of star jasmine and citrus, giving way to flavors that
tempt the palate with a pleasing panoply of lemon candy, grapefruit
zest, tropical fruit, and (wait for it…), a suggestion of bananas foster
and crème brulée. Aged 17-months in 30% new French oak, the wine
demonstrates a pleasingly light acidity to provide a refreshing
counterpoint that balances the wine from start-to-finish. Teasingly
inviting but refined in a way that memorable white burgundies can often
be, the wine conjures up the dulcet tones of Fleetwood Mac’s sultry
singer-songwriter, Christine McVie, who in her memorable hit, "You Make
Loving Fun" compelled many of us who “never did believe in the ways of
magic” to "…begin to wonder why."
This is 100% Chardonnay from Bald Mountain was aged in 30% new French oak (Burgundian) Marcel Cadet, Rousseau, Francois Frères Dargaud et Jaegle (light to medium toast). 570 cases were produced.
This was our second favorite of the three wines - an intersection middling of the two in all respects.
Golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, elegant and balanced stone fruits and spiced apple and pear fruits with notes of pain grille and sweet floral with s smooth polished lingering finish.
RM 92 points.
https://www.moonetsai.com/wines/napa-valley-chardonnay/2017
