Monday, July 16, 2018

Cakebread Cellars Reserve Tasting

Cakebread Cellars Reserve Tasting

We all know Cakebread Cellars with their wide distribution of their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. But, few realize that only three of their 25+ labels actually are in distribution. The rest of their collection of labels are available only at the winery or to wine club members. Hence, Cakebread was one of our shortlist targeted producers for this year's Napa Valley Wine Experience.

After forty years, Cakebread Cellars is still a family owned and operated business. It is one of the early pioneers in the modern era of Napa Valley wines, founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread. The first Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (’74 vintage) was released in 1976 from fruit at the Estate behind the house on Hwy 29 in Rutherford. 

Son Bruce Cakebread joined the family business in 1979 full-time as winemaker after graduating from UC Davis. That year, five fermenters were installed outside the front barn with refrigeration being hooked up the night before the grapes arrived. In 1982, Jack Cakebread purchased the 12 acre ranch adjacent to the original estate site and planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Son Dennis Cakebread joined the winery in 1986 and to this day is responsible for finance along with sales and marketing. That year, Julianne Laks’ 1st year as Assistant Winemaker..

Today, Cakebread Cellars has vineyard properties located throughout Napa Valley and a location in the Anderson Valley. The winery ranches surrounding the production facility in Rutherford are where it all began when the first 22 acre parcel was purchased in 1972.

Over the years, the Cakebread family has continued to acquire additional vineyard parcels throughout Napa Valley and the North Coast. Today, the winery owns 15 sites totaling 1617 acres, 584 of which are currently planted, which allows them to be fully vertically integrated, and to provide consumers with consistent supply of product for their growing array of labels, many vineyard and appellation specific offerings, each with their distinctive terrior.

Cakebread offer a range of tastings at the Estate Winery on St Helena Highway 29 in Rutherford. We chose the Reserve tasting so we could sample what they consider their signature, best wines.Notably, these Reserve or Select wines are only available at the winery or to wine club members.


Cakebread Cellars Dancing Bear Ranch Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

In 1998, Cakebread purchased 200 acres on Howell Mountain and commenced development of these hillside vineyards into what becomes Dancing Bear Ranch. The property got its name from Black Bears the roamed the site and 'danced' amonge the vines tearing them up during the night. The first vintage of Dancing Bear Ranch is released in 2002.

Dancing Bear Ranch is located on the upper slopes of Howell Mountain in the Northeastern Napa Valley at upper elevations ranging from 1450’ to over 1600’ above sea level and a near 360 degree exposure. The mountainous site spans 194 acres of which only 29 are planted. The varietals planted there are all Bordeaux varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The vines there are stressed, being rooted in shallow, rocky soils, ideal growing conditions for wine grapes. With its isolated mountainous locations, the site is home to a wide range of wildlife, including: turkeys, mountain lions, bobcats and of course, bear.

This vintage release is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot.

Robert Parker gave this wine 96 points.

Dense inky black purple color, full bodied, rich thick concentrated but nicely polished and integrated  flavors of blackberry and black raspberry fruits accented by tones of cassis, hints of tar, dark mocha and a touch of cinnamon spice on the lingering tongue coating finish.

RM 95 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2822548https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2822548


Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Benchland Select 2014

Cakebread started producing Benchland Select with the 1995 vintage. This is named for the vineyard sources, two gently sloping western 'benchlands' of Rutherford and Oakville in the heart of Napa Valley.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth polished, elegant, nicely integrated fruits of blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry accented by a layer of mocha chocolate, hints of cinnamon spice and sweet, toasty oak turning to supple, polished tannins.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2624744






Cakebread Cellars Vaca, Red Wine Blend 2014

This was added to tasting flight based on my inquiries about Cabernet Franc in their wines. This is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon & 4% Cabernet Franc.

This is only the third vintage of Vaca, named for the vineyard sources, two of Cakebread's three Napa Valley hillside estates – Doggwood (52%) and Suscol Springs (48%) – on the western slopes of the Vaca Mountain Range, which forms the eastern boundary of Napa Valley. Both are high-elevation sites with steep, angled slopes that provide much sun exposures, and well-drained, rocky, volcanic soils that yield grapes with deeply concentrated flavors. Some of the fruit comes from their Suscol Springs Vineyard, east of the town of Napa. It is the coolest of our three Vaca Range estates. (Doggwood and Dancing Bear are the others.) Its vines are planted in rocky outcrops overlooking the Napa Valley floor. The Doggwood Vineyard is located further north above Conn Dam near Napa’s eastern ridgeline in a warm, bowl-like valley that provides multiple sun exposures. The elevation and thin, rocky soils of these sites naturally limit grape yields and produce small clusters with intense, powerful flavors.

This was dark inky purple colored , medium full-bodied nicely balanced, rich blackberry, black cherry and plum fruits predominate, notes of leather, tobacco leaf and herbs with hints of soft oak, with fleshy but smooth soft tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2498607

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve 2016


Scenes of Cakebread Cellars and Estate, Rutherford ...

Cakebread Tasting Table

Cakebread Cellars Barrel Room


Cakebread  Cellars estate grounds



Jack and Delores Cakebread's original homestead cottage,
on the grounds of the Estate












Whitehall Lane Cellars Winery Visit and Tasting

Whitehall Lane Cellars Rutherford Winery Visit and Tasting

We hold Whitehall Lane Napa Valley wines dating back to the turn of the century - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Estate and Reserve. We've passed by the Estate and Winery on St Helena Highway in Rutherford dozens of times during our trips to Napa Valley so this trip we decided to visit there during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018.
 
We try to support the family owned and operated producers and Whitehall Lane has been such since Tom Leonardini acquired Whitehall Lane Winery in March of 1993 and has been a hands on active proprietor every since with his wife and their five children. Tom was joined by son Tom Leonardini II in 1994. Tom had the Estate vineyard replanted and bought four additional vineyards including the Leonardini Vineyard. Tom II is responsible for distribution and has been instrumental in increasing sales from 15,000 cases to almost 50,000 cases today. Sister, Katie Leonardini oversees direct sales and hospitality at the winery after college and a career in the financial services industry. They are joined by eldest sibling Kristin who opened the Napa Valley Winery Exchange, a premiere retail wine shop in San Francisco. She assists Katie in public relation and hospitality events at the winery.

Whitehall Lane wines have been recognized in Wine Spectator Magazine's year-end ranking of wines, having been honored an unprecedented three times in five years for producing wines rated among the top five in the world. The winery has also been voted Winery of the Year from the Quarterly Review of Wines and Wine and Spirits Magazine.

The estate and winery in Napa Valley's historic Rutherford appellation consists of approximately 140 acres in seven prime vineyards that include the Whitehall Lane Estate Vineyard, Millenium MM Vineyard and Bommarito Vineyard in the Rutherford Appellation, the Leonardini Vineyard and Fawn Park Vineyard in St. Helena, Oak Glen Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District and Rassi Vineyard in Sonoma.

The flagship and main Estate Vineyard at adjacent to the winery is 25 acres of "Rutherford Dust" and is planted in Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The Millenium MM Vineyard is Cabernet Sauvignon fruit while the Bommarito Vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The Leonardini Vineyard is 14 acres of gravely soil yielding powerful Cabernet Sauvignon fruit and elegant yet intense Merlot grapes that go into the "Leonardini Vineyard" vineyard-designated wine. The Fawn Park Vineyard is on a gentle slope of Eastern hillside and produces intense Cabernet Sauvignon. The 25-acre Oak Glen Vineyard produces flavorful Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

We wanted to focus on Estate and Vineyard Designated Select wines so we had a private estate tasting. This also allowed us to taste some of their limited release vineyard designated select wines as well as some of their flagship signature wines.

The Tasting Flight:

Pre-tasting:
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016
Private tasting, shown left:
Whitehall Lane Las Brisas Carneros Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2014
Whitehall Lane Mancino Lanciatore Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Syrah 2014
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Petit Verdot 2014



Wineflight labels:



 


https://whitehalllane.com/

Scenes from Whitehall Lane Estate Winery and Vineyards, Rutherford

Whitehall Lane tasting room
Whitehall Lane Barrel Room
 







REDD Napa Valley Wine Pairing Tasting Dinner

REDD Napa Valley Wine Pairing Tasting Dinner

We dined at REDD in Yountville and had their Pric Fixe tasting dinner with wine pairing. While there
were six courses with six different wines, they prepared a different course with different wine pairings so we go to sample twice as many pairing selections!

REDD is the project of chef Richard Reddington, formerly of Masa’s and Jardiniere in San Francisco, and Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley. His dishes feature an what he calls 'wine country cuisine' with influences from Asia, Europe, and Mexico. The atmosphere is contemporary elegant yet casual and relaxing, unpretentious for such sophisticated and serious cuisine. REDD is on Washington Street the main street in Yountville with an outdoor court, bar, the dining room and a semi-private dining room.



Our entree courses are pictured below:

Tuna Tartare

Sishimi Hemachi
Diver Scallops


Duck Confit
Alaskan Halibut




Pork Belly
NY Strip Steak


Lamb




http://reddnapavalley.com/


Sunday, July 15, 2018

Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience

Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience

We've been fans of Del Dotto wines since their earliest days back in the early nineties. We started acquiring their wines starting with their inaugural release back in 1993. They gained notoriety when they were featured in the Wine Spectator feature, "Twelve Up and Comers to Watch". We met Dave and Yolanda Del Dotto and then winemaker Nils Venge during several of our Napa Valley wine producer events and winery and vineyard visits. From those meetings, we worked with Dave and Yolanda and Desiree in the earliest days in their web marketing launch.

Del Dotto is one of the largest holdings in our collection. So when they opened their new property, Del Dotto Piazza, it was on the shortlist for our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018.

Del Dotto has grown remarkably beyond their Rutherford Estate at the corner of St Helena Highway and Zinfandel Lane. Their expansion now encompasses seven other appellations. Today, Del Dotto's footprint consists of 437 acres with 121 acres planted of varietals including chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and sangiovese.

Del Dotto are known for extraordinary sensational wine tasting experiences with their Wine Cave tasting as an example. So its no surprise their new Piazza winery culinary experience follows suit. Hence it was our first stop and appointment during this last week's Napa Valley Wine Experience, the Piazza Delicacies wine and food tasting.

The Delicacies food and wine pairing is at the heart of Piazza Del Dotto, embodying Dave Del Dotto’s philosophy that wine tasting should be a complete sensory experience. Delicacies by Del Dotto is a premium tasting of seven wines, 
accompanied by five small plates featuring the very best ingredients from Petrossian caviar and Hudson Valley foie gras, to Snake River Farms beef and vegetables sourced from our Estate garden. The final pairing course of the Delicacies tasting featured Del Dotto port wine with a dessert pairing.

The food at Piazza if crafted by executive chef Joshua Schwartz, formerly of The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon and Bouley. He has  been with Del Dotto for more than a decade and his inspired cuisine has become one of the focal points of the wide array of wine and food events and offerings of the Del Dotto enterprise. 

Every course of our wine and food experience was spectacular, as was the setting, and of course the wine pairings were exceptional!

Our course as shown right featured:

Spot Prawn Tartare with
Cinghiale Sonoma Coast Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Maine Lobster Roll on Toasted Brioche with 
Piazza Fort Ross Seaview Sonoma Vineyard Chardonnay 2016

 Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Mousse
with Cinghiale Sonoma Coast Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

Snake River Farms Wagyu Beef Piccoburger
with House Cured Bacon with
Piazza American Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Raspberry Truffle, Dulcey Semi-Freddo and Garden Berries Buffalo Garden Torte with
Piazza Fort Ross Seaview Sonoma Vineyard Sparkling Brut Rose' 2016

The atmosphere and setting is spectacular, dining out on the veranda looking over the gardens with the vineyards in the distance. 




The extended wines from our tasting flight:





We're VIP members of the Del Dotto Wine Club and holders of a substantial collection of Del Dotto wines. As such we were interested in tasting the latest release vintages of several labels from our collection. Our extended wine tasting flight is shown below:




 

 More to come ...

Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018

Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018

Watch for upcoming posts on winery visits and wine tastings from our just completed Napa Wine Experience 2018.

We visited these restaurants and wineries during our visit:

Wineries - 
Bennessere Vineyards
Plumpjack Cellars

And, dined at the following eateries:

Boulevard Restaurant San Francisco
Brasswood Kitchen and Winery - Calistoga
Redd - Yountville
Sam's Chowder House - Half Moon Bay
Vivace Restaurant - Belmont

Reserve Wine Tasting at Cakebread Cellars

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Bogle Phantom Red Blend

Bogle Phantom Red Blend for Burgers - Oh My!

Summer means burgers on the grill and bbq. What's a wine lover to do? For grand-daughter Marleigh's birthday party, son Ryan grilled burgers and dogs on the grill. I took over this Bogle Phantom Red Blend which was a perfect accompaniment.

My wine snobbery, I'd prefer to call it sophistication, pooh-poohs wines from the inner central valley of California, often released as bulk wines, relegating them to pizza wine, or as in this case, burger wines.

The Bogle family have farmed their property for over a hundred years in Clarksburg in the central valley North Central California. Clarksburg has its own AVA - Agricultural Viticulture Area or appellation. They started growing wine grape on their property of 1500 acres. The area proved well suited for grapes which do well in the fertile soils and climate of warm days and cooling breezes that roll up the valley from the nearby San Franciso Bay. They grow grape varietals Merlot, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah and Riesling. 

They eventually started producing wines sourced from their Estate as well as from suppliers across the state. Today they have a dozen labels, sourced from grapes from the estate and a wide range of sites. Their sources include well known high profile wine regions as Sonoma and the Russian River Valley, as well as lesser known areas, not as high profile or as prestigious such as Amador County Lodi, Mendocino, Eldorado County, Monterey, Oakley and Clarksburg. These areas have and are know for their own specialties such as El Dorado and Amador County in the Sierra foothills, known for high quality Zinfandels. The result is quality wines of great value that provide high QPR - Quality Price Ratios.

Bogle is a family operation run by Warren Bogle, President and Vineyard Director who grew up working the fields with his father Chris. He studied agricultural business at California State University, then took over the business in 1997 at the young age of 21. He is assisted by sister Jody who manages Public Relations who also grew working in the fields with younger brother Warren. After a career in Education, and working in the tasting room on weekends, she joined the family business full time in 1999. She has grown the business through her promotional efforts as well as international distribution. They were joined in 2006 by Ryan Bogle who graduated with a degree in Business and Economic and a post-graduate degree in accounting and now serves as Chief Financial Officer of the company.

I keep several Bogle labels on hand for every day drinking, with pizza, burgers and BBQ. This label, Phantom is one of my favorites and is a dependable go-to wine for such occasions that provides great value QPR.

Phantom is a complex sophisticated Red Blend comprised of Petit Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

According to Bogle, which give the Phantom brand its own website, Phantom is "the mysterious apparition of ripe berry and relentless spice, returns to haunt wine lovers."


Bogle Phantom Proprietary Red Blend 2013

Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, complex and concentrated with forward brambly blue and black raspberry fruits with tones of mocha chocolate and a layer of vanilla with hints of pepper, spice and cinnamon on a rich full flavorful finish with silky smooth fine grained tannins.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2385626

http://www.boglewinery.com/

http://phantomwine.com/wines/


Saturday, July 7, 2018

Conundrum California Rosé 2017

Conundrum California Rosé 2017

This is the first Rosé wine reviewed in these pages, and my first in several thousand tastings notes published in my wine journal here and on unwindwine.com.

Conundrum was a project from Chuck Wagner of Caymus legend that has become a major brand with Red, White and this Rose' wine that are sourced from various suppliers throughout California - Napa, Monterey, Santa Barbara, San Benito, Solano and Tulare Counties.

Conundrum was founded in 1989 with Conundrum White, Conundrum Red came along in 2011. Today, Charlie’s grandson, Charlie Wagner II, manages Conundrum and is Winemaker for this wine.

 This Conundrum Rosé is made primarily from Valdigué, a unique and rare grape varietal grown in limited quantities, sourced from near Paso Robles in Central California. The varietal was originally thought to be Gamay until its provenance and pedigree were validated.

This is moderate, light, crisp and refreshing, an ideal summer wine for sunny days on the veranda. Golden, rust-orange, rose colored, light, dry, modest notes of strawberry, hints of pear and tropical fruits with lively acidic finish.

RM 87 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2970209

http://www.conundrumwines.com/wines/



  

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Friday night wine and cheese evening in front of a movie, we chose our favorite casual sipping wine, Shiraz, from the cellar. I pulled this Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. Linda prepared a selection of artisan cheeses, nuts and fresh pear slices. 

Unlike earlier tasting notes where blueberry was predominant, tonight the black berry lead with accents from plum and more red fruit notes. The plum and red fruit notes were more subdued and less sweet than previous tasting according to my notes, the sweeter blue tones subsiding. Perhaps this is due to bottle or lot variation, or aging deeper into the tasting window, or both. The remainder was consistent with previous tasting notes posted back in 2014. "Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, rich, complex, full forward sweet black and blue berry fruits, accented by a layer of mineral and tones of graphite on a lingering tongue coating full tannin finish."



RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=128274

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/09/mr-riggs-mclaren-vale-shiraz-2004.html



Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Prodigo Riserva Sangiovese di Romagna DOC 2013

Prodigo Riserva Sangiovese di Romagna DOC 2013
For casual midweek, holiday eve dining at our favorite neighborhood trattoria, Angelis' Italian, we normally do BYOB but tonight ordered their Tuesday Night Wine Special, this Prodigo Riserva Sangiovese di Romagna DOC.

Decent QPR (quality price ratio) in this casual everyday sipper ... 100% Sangiovese - garnet colored, medium bodied, red cherry fruits with notes of smoke, tar, wood and spice on a modest finish. Best with some tangy Italian sauces with pasta or Italian sausage.

RM 85 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2470300

http://www.angeliscatering.com/