Ridge Monte Bello, Clos du Marquis, Darioush Chardonnay highlight Surf & Turf Dinner

Ridge Monte Bello, Clos du Marquis, Darioush Chardonnay highlight Surf & Turf Dinner

L prepared grilled rib-eye steaks and lobster medallions for a wonderful surf and turf dinner. We pulled from the cellar Ridge Monte Bello Bordeaux Blend and Bill brought a Clos du Marquis. For the lobster medallions we tasted Darioush Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Ridge Vineyards are mostly known for their broad selection of single vineyard select Zinfandels from a dozen vineyards across Northern California Napa and Sonoma Counties, but their flagship premier label is this Bordeaux blend from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA (Agricultural Viticultural Area - aka appellation).

 The Monte Bello estate and vineyard sit high above Silicon Valley in the range that separates south San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The historic estate is the site of the legendary vineyard, and an old stone winery built by Dr. Osea Perrone back in 1892, the year of the first vintage release from the property. Today, it houses the production facility and includes a tasting room. The property was purchased in 1959 by four Stanford Research scientists who released their first Ridge Monte Bello label in 1962.  Paul Draper, winemaker to this day, joined Ridge in 1969, took over production of red wines the next year, and became winemaker in 1971.

There are 83.5 acres of vineyards on the property consisting of thirty-three different parcels sitting between 1400 and 2700 feet in elevation, which come as close as fifteen miles from the Pacific Coast, and is therefore one of the coolest Cabernet Sauvignon sites in California. The grapes here typically set, turn color, ripen and are harvested three weeks later than typical Cabernet sites in the hotter Napa, and to a slightly lesser degree, Sonoma counties.

Back in the early eighties, we lived in Silicon Valley and our house was up against the foothills in the tony town of Saratoga, down in the corner of Silicon Valley, below the Santa Cruz viticultural area on the Bay side of the range. Our home sat on what at one time were vineyards, and moreso, apricot orchards, which eventually gave way to the sprawl of development in the bustling high tech region of suburban San Jose.

Monte Bello has been called an American 'first growth' and is known for bold, complex, long lived Bordeaux style wines. While 1998 was considered an 'off' year in Napa and Sonoma Counties, the Santa Cruz AVA, ninety miles to the south was not so afflicted. This was our second to last bottle from a case we purchased on release and based on this tasting, we need not be in a hurry to consume the final bottle.

At seventeen years, this showed no diminution from age and may be at the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve any with further aging, but no need to rush to consume remaining bottle (s).

Dark purple garnet colored, medium to full bodied, initially a bit obtuse and acidic, but softened and opened after decanting and sitting for an hour, full, moderately expressive black berry and plum fruits, complex, nicely polished, accented by subtle tones of  pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, violets, and hints of bell pepper and anise with moderate smooth silky tannins on the finish. It would be overstated to characterize it as 'earthy' but there is a layer of complexity that reflects the storied terroir and reveals the care of 47%  selection and the rigorous thinning that results in extremely selective, low yields of less than 1 1/2 tons per acre. In the classic left bank Bordeaux style, the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 24%, Petit Verdot 5%, and Cabernet Franc 1%.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3557

http://www.ridgewine.com/Vineyards/Monte%20Bello


Clos du Marquis 2004

This is the second wine of the classic Leoville Las Cases St Julien, Bordeaux, one of my absolute favorite Bordeaux and overall wines.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, moderate black currant/berry and black cherry fruits accented by floral tones give way to tones of leather, tobacco, hints of dried herbs and re-emergence of black cherry with moderate tannins on the finish. Not a fair fight perhaps as it was overshadowed against the more complex and bigger Monte Bello.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=92447

http://www.domaines-delon.com/en/leoville-chateau_leoville_las_cases_histoire.html 




Darioush Napa Valley Chardonnay 2008

For the lobster medallion accompaniment I pulled this Chardonnay from the cellar. We first discovered Darioush when Bill and Beth hosted us at a wine dinner at Cress Creek Country Club a dozen years ago and we had the Darioush Cabernet. That was the beginning of our extraordinary wine friendship.

Darioush has since been the feature of several wine dinners, a special winery visit with barrel tasting, and a spectacular winemaker dinner at Everest Restaurant in Chicago. So I favored this Darioush selection for our dinner tonight. I normally don't get excited about a white wine but this was one of the highlights of our surf and turf dinner - a perfect accompaniment to lobster medallions and the salad.

We visited the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2003. Their fabulous winery and tasting facility on Silverado Trail in southern Napa Valley was not yet open but was well under construction at that time. 

We attended the gala Darioush - Domaine de Chevalier Gala Wine Dinner, a fabulous private dinner hosted by Darius & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery and Bernard Laborie of Domaine de Chevalier at Everest restaurant in Chicago in the summer of 2004.

The Darioush was butter colored, medium bodied, crisp and clean, initially slightly forward overtly acidic with tones of oak, but after an hour it settled down and was smooth, polished and balanced with pleasant  layers of fruit - subtle pear, lychee, melon and slight hint of citrus and vanilla with just the right accent of soft smooth oak.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1081544

https://www.darioush.com/

Linden Virginia Claret Red Wine 2004

Linden Vineyards Fauquier County, Blue Ridge Mountains,Virginia Claret Red Wine 2004

We tasted and purchased this Claret Bordeaux style blend bottle at the winery back in the summer of 2010 during our Virginia Wine Country Tour 2010. Winemaker and proprietor Jim Law (left) and his Linden portfolio were by far the best in class producer of Bordeaux varietals we found from Virginia, most notably 'Hardscrabble', their flagship single vineyard designated Bordeaux blend label. We also tasted, liked and purchased their Late Harvest Vidal dessert wine.

The term 'Claret' dates back to the 1700's in England, and the colloquial reference to red wines from the Bordeaux region of France. Britons were large consumers of Bordeaux wines, although during the times they were at war with France, they switched to and popularized Port, hardy fortified red wines from Portugal.

Today, Claret refers to red wines blended in the Bordeaux style from the classic Bordeaux varietals - primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Another trademarked term (subject to license from the Meritage Alliance) for these wines from the new world is Meritage, as written in this blog on subject.

The connection between Virginia and Bordeaux Claret dates back to colonial times when Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson discovered Bordeaux wine while living in France negotiating support for the American Revolution. Jefferson lived in Paris from August 1784 to September 1789 and traveled extensively through the wine regions of France and northern Italy. He brought back to his Virginia estate Monticello not only French wines but also vines to propagate French varietals in the new world. He spent the rest of his years trying to develop those vines and wines in Virginia.

Linden Vineyards, named for the town of Linden, sitting just 65 miles west of Washington, D.C., produced their first vintage in 1987 and their first release and opening of the winery was in 1988. Law has been honing his craft, working the vines and producing wine in the Virginia Shenandoah Valley since 1981. He purchased the abandoned hardscrabble farm in 1983.

Linden grow their Bordeaux varietals on their eighteen acre premier estate Hardscrabble Vineyard (shown left), and a couple nearby vineyards sitting high up the Blue Ridge Mountains at 1,300 to 1,400 feet with an eastern to southern slope. The vines are from 5 to 25 years of age.

Another vineyard sits high on a bluff above the town of Front Royal in the Shenandoah Valley at an elevation of 600 feet, facing west on light, deep, well drained loam soils, planted in 2000.

This Claret is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Petit Verdot (35%), Merlot (13%), and Cabernet Franc (4%) in the classic Bordeaux style.

We still hold several Linden labels from that trip and based on this bottle, its time to try them, although I expect the Hardscrabble Bordeaux Blend and the Late Harvest Vidal to have longer lives than this label.

At eleven years of age, this is clearly past its prime and nearing the last chapter of its drinking window, but still holding enough to be casual easy drinking with some hearty cheese, dark chocolate and grilled beef. Our first and most recent tasting of this wine from our cellar was in 2008 at which time we gave it 88 points. See Linden Virginia Claret 2004 - April 4, 2008.

Dark blackish garnet colored with an ever so slight tinge of brown setting in, medium bodied, somewhat lean and austere, black berry and black cherry fruit aromatics predominate with tangy fruit flavors giving way to a layer of cedar, black liquor, black creosote/tar tones, and ripe raisin from the diminution of the fruits, with a tangy spicy cherry on the lingering tannin finish.

RM 85 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=446266

http://www.lindenvineyards.com/linden/

Vine Cliff Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Vine Cliff Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Vine Cliff Winery was one of the earliest original Napa Valley operating wineries and vineyards dating back to the 1870's. Vine Cliff was one of the first producers to plant Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley. The 500 acres nestled up against the eastern slope of the Vacas Range of Mountains that form the east boundary of Napa Valley was originally part of the George Yount estate, an early settler in the area and namesake of the village based on his name.

After falling on hard times during the early 20th Century, exacerbated by the challenges of Prohibition, the land sat dormant until it was purchased by Nell Sweeney for her family in 1985.

Today the hundred acre estate remains home to the Sweeney family, Nell Sweeney as Principle and Rob Sweeney as General Manager. The site houses Vine Cliff's winemaking facilities and guest center. The 25 acres planted in vines, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, cling to steep hillside terraces of flat rocky red soil, known as the “Oakville Bench” climbing to 400 feet above the valley floor.

The vineyards are planted and maintained for low yields, sacrificing quantity for quality. This approach gives Vine Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon that famous Oakville terroir character, powerful fruit flavor and low tannins, classic Napa Valley wines, approachable on release, but capable of developing exceptional complexity with bottle age.

When we visited neighboring Darioush Winery during our Napa Wine Experience back in 2003, when they were still building their magnificent winery visitor center and tasting rooms,. we did a private barrel tasting with wnemaker Steve Devitt, formerly wine maker of Vine Cliff. Looking back, it occurs to me this bottle may have been crafted by Steve during those earlier years.

Tonight this was a perfect accompaniment to grilled strip steaks, grilled onions and peas, with dark chocolate souffle dessert.

Dark garnet color, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of earth, tobacco, cedar, leather and smoke and hints of floral on an oaky tannin finish. The fruits may be diminished somewhat giving way to the non-fruit flavors due to age perhaps suggesting its past the prime of its drinking window.

RM 89 points.  I suspect this warranted a point or so higher earlier when a bit younger.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=49811

http://www.vinecliff.com/

Venge Vineyards "Scout's Honor" Napa Valley Red Blend 2013

Venge Vineyards "Scout's Honor" Napa Valley Red Blend 2013

We first discovered Venge wines when we met patriarch and legend Nils Venge back in the mid 1990's. He was consulting winemaker to several of Napa's emerging and established labels and was also producing several labels under the Venge Family brand, mostly Bordeaux varietals, and this proprietary blend based on Zinfandel. He also produced a Sangiovese, which was also released by Del Dotto for whom he was consulting winemaker at the time. We still hold some Venge Penny Lane Family Reserve Sangiovese 1998-2000 that we acquired at the Oakville Winery. We also still hold one remaining bottle of Scout's Honor red blend, named for the family golden lab from the 1998 release. 

Nils Venge left the family wine and spirits business in the 1960's to study viticulture at UC Davis in the early days of the emerging craft before the 'fine' wine business was established in America. In 1976 he managed to purchase 17-acres of vineyards in the Oakville District that was planted in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Nil's honed his craft as a winemaking pioneer and earned legendary status when he crafted the first California wine to receive a perfect 100 point score from emerging influential reviewer Robert Parker with the 1985 release of Groth Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet. 

With the same care, attention and creativity that Bordeaux and Bordeaux blend Meritage producers apply to Cabernet Sauvignon, Nils applied to Napa Valley Zinfandel in this blend created as a tribute to his faithful k-9 companion, Scout. Scout's Honor is a unique blend of  Zinfandel (71%), Petite Sirah (15%), Charbono (10%), and Syrah (4%). While the blend may vary from year to year, the result is a full bodied, bold expressive fruit forward wine that throttles the Zinfandel bramble fruit with breadth and depth of complementary fruit forward varietals.  

We met with Nil's and son Kirk during our Napa Wine Experience in 2002 when they were developing their Calistoga Rossini Ranch property. They partnered in the family venture as well as in the consulting winemaking business for other Napa producers. Kirk Venge took over the primary winemaking duties and oversite of the family business in 2008, the fourth generation Venge in the wine and spirits industry. Following in the footsteps of his legendary dad, Kirk has emerged as one of the emerging up and coming winemakers in Napa Valley. He has been making wines for several premier wineries including Igneous, Beau Vigne, and B-Cellars.

Venge changed up the vineyards significantly with the 2012 release of Scout's Honor, with more “old-vine” plantings providing the foundation for the blend, accented by Altas Peak mountain Syrah and Calistoga and Yountville fruits. 

The result is full bodied, forward, rich, concentrated bold wine with expressive red and black berry brambly fruits, a firm layer of charcoal/creosote that gives way to tones of sweet mocha chocolate with a dusty floral finish on the smooth balanced gripping tannins. 

RM 92 points.

This is a must wine to keep in the cellar - perfect for bar-b-q ribs!

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1825719

http://www.vengevineyards.com/

Black Diamond Pinot Noir 2013

Black Diamond Sonoma County Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2013

I discovered the 2011 release of this wine and thought it provided a good QPR - quality price ratio, a rare find in a sub $20 Pinot Noir, hence I picked up this follow on vintage. The '13 is not as smooth, polished or as flavorful as the '11 but has a similar tasting profile.  Not bad for an every day Pinot but not a best buy selection.

Interesting that their earlier label (below) featured a filled-in solid diamond, the latest release actually shows a skier against a modish starburst backdrop.

Dark garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium light bodied, tones of bing cherry, raspberry, hints of cinnamon spice and vanilla with a slightly tangy oak on the lingering acidic finish.

RM 86 points.
 
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1957919

La Sirène de Giscours

La Sirène de Giscours Margaux 2005

L prepared a tantalizing English Pub stew with a beef bourguignon and carrots in breading, which begged for a dark earthy complex Bordeaux. Picked this up and pulled from the cellar following the Giscours off-label last week as a point of comparison.

This lacked the sophistication, complexity and balance of a Grand Cru, but a top year such as 2005 provides the opportunity to dip into the lesser labels for more affordable (QPR - quality price ratio) every day enjoyable drinking. At $35, this is not necessarily an every day wine, (for most of us), and isn't necessarily a great buy at that price-point. I suspect it is less so in lesser vintages.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, huge floral front, firm tightly bound black fruits give way to leathery creosote layer. Initially flabby and lacking balance or polish, after an hour a firm tannic backbone set in and held together the modest black cherry fruit and black olive on a lingering tangy spicy oak finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=410171 

Laird Family Estate Flat Rock Ranch Malbec

Laird Family Estate Napa Valley Flat Rock Ranch Malbec 2011

I was not aware of Laird Family wines until Linda brought home this bottle gifted from co-worker Lizzie, who hails from Northern California and enjoys their wines as one of her favorites.

Ken Laird was a third generation tobacco farmer growing up working the fields as a youngster with his grandmother, great uncles and cousins back in South Central Virginia not far from the North Carolina border. After studying to be a mechanical engineer in New York City, Ken returned to his family farming tradition by moving west and buying seventy acres of prune trees in Napa Valley in 1970.

As the story goes, Ken decided to develop the orchard into a grape vineyard. Knowing nothing about viticulture, he called the vintner and producer Robert Mondavi. After walking the property together, the two men discussed soils, vines, yields, irrigation, and proper pruning. Mondavi agreed to finance Ken replanting the property 50% Gamay and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, guaranteeing to pay Ken "the highest harvest price paid in the Valley,” for the Cabernet. With that deal, Ken returned to his passion and his family farming heritage.

Today, Laird Family Estates consist of thirty different properties spanning the length and width of Napa Valley, most sourcing fruit for other Napa winemakers, while fruit from one third of the vineyards go into Laird Family Estate labels, including this estate bottled Malbec.

With Ken Laird is daughter Rebecca who serves as General Manager. Winemaking is overseen by Paul Hobbs, consulting winemaker and Julian Gonzalez, winemaker, who since 1994, has worked for Louis M Martini, Chateau Potelle, Vine Cliff, Paul Hobbs Winery, Mi Sueno Winery and Paul Hobbs Consulting.

In 2000, while working at Chateau Potelle he was promoted to cellar master at Vine Cliff, and four year later, to assistant winemaker at Paul Hobbs Winery. In 2007, he was appointed consulting winemaker at Paul Hobbs Consulting.



Laird Family Estate Napa Valley Flat Rock Ranch Malbec 2011

Winemakers notes:  Deep red-violet appearance gives way to a rich bouquet of black current, cigar box, and blackberry. Rich juicy palate with leathery tannins, notes of roasted coffee beans and red plum with just a hint of eucalyptus.

What a pleasant surprise, we were not expecting this complexity and depth of fruit in a Malbec.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black currant and black berry fruits accented by tones of tobacco leaf, leather, expresso and hints of cedar with moderate lingering tannins.

RM 90 points.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1935478

http://lairdfamilyestate.com/wines/2011-flat-rock-malbec/ 

Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Conway Family Wines Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Consistent with earlier blog post. Consider this a Negociant wine since, according to the wine producer, it is sourced from a "number of the finest, well regarded vineyards within Napa AVA’s of Rutherford, Atlas Peak and Pritchard Hill, with each one contributing their unique characteristics to our blend".

According to the producer's release, "the dark fruit notes along with distinctive and pleasant chalky sagebrush notes greet your nose at first. This Cabernet has as plush an entry as we’ve seen in a lot of years. A round, soft, mouth filling wine that shows a smooth backbone of tannins and balanced acidity. The finish wraps up nicely with a lingering reminder of the mature dark fruits, ever so slight a hint of new oak, and the ever present palette of flavors that make Cabernet so sought after!"

This has incredible QPR - quality price ratio, at its price point below $20. The wine producer lists it at $39. 

Opened for casual wine sipping with cheese but its sophisticated enough to be worthy as a perfect compliment to grilled steak dinner. We left half the bottle and it was even better the next day.

Slightly obtuse upon opening but softened and become more balanced and approachable after about an hour. Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, full fruit forward black raspberry and cherry fruits with a layer of spice and hints of graphite and tea, turning to tones of mocha with nice balance and smooth polished tannin finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1517213

http://www.conwayfamilywines.com/