Tasting Caymus Vineyards 40th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet

This past Saturday I was invited to take part in a virtual tasting of Caymus' 40th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon. Proprietor Chuck Wagner hosted a webcast with his sons and daughter, who are also involved in the family business, making other labels like Belle Glos, Mer Soleil, and Emmolo. Total Wine stores around the country held special tastings too, where their customers could sample Caymus portfolio and ask questions to the Wagners. Since there is no Total Wine around me, I was sent a bottle of cabernet and some background information along with an invite to participate in a brief live tasting.

Caymus was of interest to me because I had sold this wine in retail since the 1997 vintage, up through 2007, and always knew it had a popular customer base. I even recall having a 1999 Caymus one year at Christmas - a gift from my then-boss - and absolutely loving it. Priced at around $55-60, it isn't a wine I purchase for my own consumption so when the chance to re-visit this iconic producer came up, I was looking forward  to seeing how consistent their style has stayed over the past 15 years.

Chuck Wagner gave a brief introduction to his cabernet and how they produce it, along with giving us some of his views on winemaking, vine age, and stylistic choice. It was interesting to hear him say he doesn't believe that older vines make better cabernet, replanting every 15 years, or that great Napa cabernet doesn't have a lot of acidity. He also discussed tannin management and how he likes very, very soft tannins in his wines. This too struck me as odd but obviously for the Caymus wines, it works. Just check their sales numbers!

2012 Caymus 40th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley:
The nose is massively ripe, with notes of blackberry and cassis jam. This holds true to what I remember about Caymus cabernets. Additional notes of cocoa dust, alcohol, and pipe tobacco come out with air. On the palate it's pure sweet, rich, black fruit. A true hedonists cabernet sauvignon. Notes of tobacco and anise come through with some swirling, as well as a sweetness that I suspect comes from a bit of residual sugar. This is like a smooth-riding Cadillac across your palate. It glides through, so cushioned and soft, till the finish. I kept re-tasting the wine to figure out what was going on, but the finish has some sort of burnt quality to it, like burnt wood or burnt sugar. I suspect this comes from American Oak barrels but am not quite sure. Given a few more months, I suspect that burnt quality will settle out. 14.6 abv. $55 SRP.

So there you have it, I re-visited this massive, hedonistic wine. It's a wine I could see Robert Parker giving a high score to, and it's easy to understand why this is so popular with steakhouses. For me, a bone-in New York Strip, medium rare, and a glass of this cabernet would certainly be a fun pairing. I think the meat would help add structure to the wine, whereas the wine's ripe fruit would act as a foil to charred, meaty flavors. That said, after one glass my palate would be screaming at me for something with acidity and structure.

Buy this wine if you love hugely ripe, opulent cabernets. It'll wow you with the ripe fruit and soft, smooth structure.

If you're like me and love high acidity, tart fruit, and loads of minerality, stay away. This is not the wine for you.

Visit the Caymus website here and the Wagner Family of Wine website here.

This was a sample for tasting purposes.

Beau Carufel

Charles Krug Winery New Releases

The lovely folks at Charles Communications invited me once again to a live virtual tasting of wine, this time featuring four wines from Charles Krug Winery in Napa Valley. I'd recently participated in one featuring the Hourglass Vineyards wines and thought that the opportunity to taste more current release Napa Valley wines was too good to pass up. Also, I hadn't tasted Charles Krug wines since my days working in wine retail in San Diego.

The tasting format was similar to before, with me logging onto a website where a live stream was played for all of us bloggers. Peter Mondavi Jr. and winemaker Stacy Clark tasted along with us, answering questions and giving some great background on the history of both the winery and the Mondavi family's ownership. I highly recommend visiting the Charles Krug website for more detailed information.

Below are the four wines we all tasted:

2013 Charles Krug Limited Release Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($35 srp)
A very pretty opening with plenty of ripe tropical fruit, grass, and hints of jalapeno. Broad and expansie across the palate, showing sweet ripe tropical flavors mixed with spicy jalapeno, cut grass, and a leesy richness. The finish is all citrus, a mix of ruby grapefruit and lemon pith. I'm impressed, this is pretty serious sauvignon blanc but has a playful side too. I suggest pairing it with grilled scallops, pesto pizza, and fish tacos. 13.6% abv.

2011 Charles Krug Napa Valley Merlot ($25 srp)
Opens with bright, spicy red fruit before a rich vein of chocolate and blackberries come into play. Further swirling brings out a persistent but welcome note of green pepper, which acts as a foil to the ripe fruit. Smooth and rich on the palate, this brings a light touch that does a good job expressing merlot's feminine side. Plenty of ripe, red fruit and notes of coconut showcase the smart picking decision and American oak while a fine-grained tannin helps build character. Very, very drinkable merlot that begs for red meat or something hot off the grill. 13.7% abv.

2011 Charles Krug Family Reserve ‘Generations’ ($50 srp)
All sorts of subtlety going on here for me. Lots of green pepper initially, but as you get past that there's beautiful cassis and blackberry mixed with oak and baking chocolate. A hint of herb and fennel comes along too, followed by anise. Firm, with plenty of acidity and tannin, this has all the hallmarks of classic Napa cabernet. Blackberry, cherry, and cassis for the fruit. Herbs and bell pepper on the nose, all bound together with firm tannin and plenty of acidity. This wine toes the line between the old school, low alcohol Napa Valley and the newer, riper style that we've seen since the 90's. Impressive. 13.9% abv.

2011 Charles Krug Family Reserve ‘Howell Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon ($75 srp)
On the nose, I believe this could be served to people with the explanation that it is the typical high-end Napa cab aroma profile. Cassis, oak, blackberry, cocoa. They rush out of the glass, followed by black pepper and dried herb. The first word I thought of upon tasting this was "serious". As in, I think this is still a baby and needs several more years to show itself fully. Still, there's a depth and concentration on the palate that left me smiling. 13.7% abv.

Overall the wines were more to my palate than the Hourglass Vineyards selections, though some bloggers did have trouble with the green pepper notes. I welcomed them though, as a foil to the ripeness. Each wine was very well made, showing both balance and accessibility. They just had a rightness to them, a delicious, fulfilling component that I thoroughly enjoyed. Though these wines carry hefty price tags, I believe you do get what you pay for.

Charles Krug Facebook Page
Charles Krug Twitter Account

These wines were media samples.

Beau Carufel

Hourglass Vineyards Blueline Estate New Releases

I recently had the pleasure of tasting through the Hourglass wines, specifically from their Blueline estate vineyard, in a virtual tasting along with a handful of other bloggers. Charles Communications organized the tasting, sending us four 375ml bottles from Hourglass Vineyards. We were joined by Proprieter Jeff Smith and Winemaker Tony Biagi. Tony took over in 2012, so we tasted the 2012 reds and 2013 sauvignon blanc. They discussed the wines, their philosophy, and some Napa Valley history.

The wines we tasted were:

2013 Hourglass Estate Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $40)
Big, rich on the palate, plenty of acid too. Feels like a big wine, but one that is balanced. Tropical and citrus with a touch of pear. Maybe a touch of wood too, showing up as some vanilla notes. Several tastes had me smacking my lips in anticipation of a bite of food. There is a touch of heat on the finish but honestly I was expecting more booziness based on the 14.2% abv so it was a very pleasant surprise. Suggested pairings would be fish tacos, grilled halibut, bbq chicken salad.

2012 Hourglass Blueline Estate Merlot (SRP $75)

Showing tart red fruit, balsamic vinegar, oak, and plums. The VA is a bit distracting at this point, though I think there is enough fruit behind it to help. On the palate it shows very traditional Napa-merlot flavors, think blackberry, plum, buttressed by oak and nicely integrated tannin. I like the finish most of all, perhaps, because there's a dusty, spicy element that finishes very cleanly. 91% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. 14.8% abv. Suggested pairings include hamburgers, ribs, and beef or lamb stew.

2012 Hourglass Blueline Estate Malbec (SRP $75)
Think smokey, meaty, blackberry and blueberries. That's this wine on the nose. I like the odd note of grapefruit pith too. It's plenty ripe, showing black fruit, dusty soil, and grippy tannins along with chocolate and a burst of red fruit on the finish. This wine makes me want a fancy bacon cheeseburger, it's also something like 25% petit verdot, so you know it tugs at my heartstrings! 75% Malbec, 25% Petit Verdot. 14.2% abv. Suggested pairings include bone-in steak, lamb, pork ribs.

2012 Hourglass Blueline Estate Cabernet Franc (SRP $135)
I thought of the word "big" right away. I like the richness on the nose, with aromas of violet, chocolate, coffee, blueberry, and cherry. Plenty of oak on the palate, which works with very ripe blue fruit, chocolate, black pepper, and firm tannins. Heat on the finish comes not as a surprise, and I think would be mitigated by food. This is lush, elegant, downright fancy wine. I would age this for years or serve it now after a long decant. If the malbec demands a fancy burger, this cabernet franc demands you serve it filet mignon. 83% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. 14.8% abv.

Overall I liked tasting these wines because it gave me a bit of a glimpse into what is going on in Napa Valley right now. Each wine is unabashedly "Napa", meaning big flavor, structure, and ample concentration. That is not at all a knock though, because in the case of the malbec and cabernet franc, it works. I enjoyed the sauvignon blanc much more than I expected to, but just can't plop down $40 a bottle. Again, no knock on quality, rather, I seek out different examples for my own cellar.

I want to address one thing, as sort of a disclaimer. I don't drink a lot of Napa Valley wines and can probably count on one hand how many producers I actively buy. For this tasting, I tried my very best to taste with context. That is to say that I tasted each wine with the understanding of where it was from, the style which Napa Valley tends to produce, and the vintage. For my friends who love high acid, low alcohol wines with less fruit and more tertiary flavors, these are not for you. For my friends who love rich, concentrated, bigger wines that still have good acid (and plenty of alcohol), I recommend the Hourglass Vineyards spring releases.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Selected Samples From The World Of Wine

Here are some of the wines I've been tasting lately, in no particular order. I don't usually do ratings, so instead of grades, you'll simply see a "recommended" or "not recommended" at the end of each tasting note. I try to link each wine title to the producer, importer, or distributor to make it easy to find locally, but if you have any trouble please don't hesitate to contact me. Enjoy!

NV Carnaval Moscato Brasil: A nose that's all muscat, with accompanying aromas of stale light beer. Peach blossom and tropical fruit dominate. It's plenty fizzy on the palate, as we would expect from the Charmat Method of sparkling. Flavors of Sweet Tart candy and citrus are all there is. 7.5% abv. $13 srp.

NV Carnaval Moscato Red: I wrote "smells like fizzy yellow soda..mountain dew and sprite mixed?". It tastes soapy, also with some flavors of red candy and a lot of sweetness. I bet this would sell like crazy. $13 srp. 7.5% abv.

2010 Tabali Pinot Noir Reserva Especial Limari Valley: Funky, but in a good way. Vigorious swirling helps the funk recede and allows aromas of red licorice, menthol, and earth to come out. It's a bit funky on the palate but I didn't mind because it adds a nice dimension to the otherwise straightforward flavors of red fruit and baking spices. The finish was appealing, medium length with a gentle taper. Firm tannin shows that this wine can stand up to some heartier fare. 13.5 abv. $20 srp. Recommended.

2009 Napa Cellars Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: Aromas of wood, spices, ripe black berry fruit, and wood smoke are immediately apparent. This wine needs some time in a decanter or several more years in the cellar. On the palate there is plenty of acidity and tannin, framing flavors of cassis, plum, spices, and saddle leather. A very straightforward, delicious Napa Valley Cabernet. 13.8% abv. $48 srp.

2009 Bayo Oscuro Syrah Casablanca Valley: Opens with a reductive nose that blows off to show smoked meat, red fruit, damp soil, and mushroom aromas. After settling down in my glass, this syrah reveals red fruit and dusty soil mingling with peppery spice. The tannins are outstanding, integrated yet firm. I thoroughly enjoyed the mouthfeel and feel that this is just now starting to ascend to its peak. 14.5% abv. Highly Recommended. $29 srp.

2009 Chamisal Grenache Edna Valley: A bit odd on the nose, subtle hints of red wine vinegar, strawberries, red soil, and a somewhat jarring medicinal note. This grenache was much better tasting though, with plenty of bright, ripe fruit - think cherries and cranberries, bound up in a mix of white pepper and oak. Lots of firm tannin held the wine together while a vein of acidity lent freshness and lift. Needs air, I suggest decanting for an hour or two. $38 srp. 14.8% abv.

2010 Concannon "Crimson & Clover" Livermore Valley: Tons of ripe red fruit rush out of the glass, followed by aromas of American oak, mint, and campfire. What it may lack in complexity, this Concannon makes up for in juicy drinkability. It's soft and smooth on the palate, with  flavors of strawberry, licorice, and red cherry. Clean, and simple, and very reasonably priced. 50% Petite Sirah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, and 10% Zinfandel. 13.7% abv. $18 srp.

2008 Somerston Wine Company Highflyer "Centerline" California: Another red blend from California, consisting of 81% Syrah, 12% Petite Sirah, 3% Zinfandel, and 4% Tempranillio. Baking chocolate, jammy black fruit, oak, and roasted meat aromas manifest quickly. There is a bit of heat from the 14.8% abv too. This is a big, hedonistic fruit bomb on the palate; jammy black fruit, tobacco, and peppery spice all show up in large quantities. Open a few hours before serving. $20 srp.

2010 Concannon Petite Sirah California: A straightforward nose of jammy cherries and blueberries, earth, and black pepper don't promise much beyond a fun, simple, barbecue red. This is big and soft, with more of that ripe, jammy fruit on the palate. Simple and easy drinking, I suggest opening this when you're all hanging out by a barbecue or fire pit. 13.8% abv. $11 srp. Recommended.

Stay tuned for the next samples list, (hopefully) coming soon!

These wines were received as samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Wine Industry Technology Symposium Live Tasting With @WineTwits

During this year's Wine Industry Technology Symposium, a group of wine bloggers were sent four wines from California and invited to participate in a live, virtual wine tasting. Frequent readers (all four of you) might be familiar with this format, as I've posted recaps of these tastings fairly often over the past few years.

The way a "virtual tasting" works is by having bloggers around the country receive the same wines, then use Twitter and a specific hashtag to talk about each wine. Usually there's a moderator, in this case the fine folks behind the @WineTwits account and website. We talked (tweeted) about each wine over the course of about an hour, with the various participating wineries chiming in to answer questions and give data points.

I tend to enjoy some aspects of virtual tastings, especially when bloggers whose palates I trust are participating. We get to compare notes and really dive into what the wines are about. The other side of virtual tastings is that all too often we get bloggers who do nothing but tweet hyperbolic statements praising every wine. Not only do they look like idiots, it undermines our already-fragile credibility as a group.

Each wine selected has the benefit of being easy to find in grocery stores and BevMo-type outlets, being of high enough production to virtually guarantee nationwide distribution. The sole unfamiliar wine to me was the 2010 Garnet Vineyards Pinot Noir, the rest have all graced my wine glass at some point in the past few years.

2010 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay Livermore Valley: The bouquet is full of lemon cream, tropical fruit, and popcorn butter aromas. To me it smells exactly like I'd expect a traditional California-style chardonnay to smell like. On the palate there's a nice bit of that tropical fruit, some more lemon notes, vanilla, and more of the buttery taste. The acidity is low, or at least, feels low due in part to the malolactic fermentation that this wine saw. Wente consistently makes drinkable wines, and if you're a fan of buttery California chardonnay, I think you'll really enjoy the Morning Fog bottling. 13.5% abv. $11 retail.

2011 Hahn Winery Nicky Hahn Pinot Noir California: Pours a beautifully vibrant ruby color in the glass, a testament to its youth. The nose is full of ripe, jammy cherry preserves, baking spice, some woodsy aromas, and a touch of earth. Cherry jam dominates the palate, providing a soft, rich mouthfeel. The baking spices come out to play a little bit on the finish, which in itself is nice if a bit short. 100% pinot noir, according to the data sheet I have. 14.5% abv. $14 retail.

2010 Garnet Vineyards Pinot Noir Carneros: Loads of raspberry and strawberry aromas followed by a bit of white pepper spices. I think there's a bit of funk here too, some nail-polish remover came out as the wine warmed up. I think this pinot is very varietally correct on the palate, with light red fruit, peppery spice, hints of earthy funk, and lots of acidity. The finish is medium length, tapering off nicely, however, the bottle was open about five hours before the finish got to be any reasonable length. It might need a bit of age or an hour in a decanter before it shows all its facets. 13.5% abv. $19 retail.

2008 Franciscan Magnificat Napa Valley: A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 6% petite verdot, and 2% malbec. This Meritage pours dark, almost opaque garnet. Pepper, wood smoke, cassis, and leather rush up out of the glass. There's a touch of alcoholic heat, nothing more. Lots of ripe black fruit mixed with oak form the primary flavors. Secondary flavors include smoked meat, cocoa dust, and dried spice leaves. A nice long finish shows earth and leather before disappearing in a burst of dried black cherry. This is a 2008, and it shows true to form as a very young wine. Lots of firm tannin that will soften and integrate with age. I tasted this again after six hour and it had mellowed out noticeably. 14.5% abv. $35 retail.



The wines we tasted were all interesting and well made. The Franciscan was very good, and the clear leader of the group. I re-tasted each wine about six hours after I opened them and save for the Meritage, they'd all begun to fall apart. Out of the latter three, the Wente chardonnay held together best, still retaining some acidity and complexity.

The WineTwits crew did a great job getting such a large group of bloggers together and keeping the discussion moving along, but weren't as active with the technical facts and winery-liaison work that I've seen from other virtual tasting hosts. Perhaps that will change in the future, should they do another tasting. Then again, it's not always necessary to constantly chime in if the discussion is flowing nicely.

You can find each winery on social media here:
@Wente and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/WenteVineyards
@HahnWines and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/HahnFamilyWines
@FranciscanWines and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscanEstateWinery
@GarnetVineyards and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GarnetVineyards

and @WineTwits

Thanks for inviting me!

These wines were media samples.

Beau Carufel

Domaine Carneros, by Taittinger

(img src: www.luxist.com)

The wines I'm writing about in this feature were originally to be part of an Easter article, suggesting you pair sparkling wines with your Easter meal. Unfortunately due to a shipping mix-up, the wine didn't arrive in time.

Allow me to clarify though, sparkling wine should be enjoyed year-round. It's always a good time for bubbles.

Fast forward several weeks and I had occasion to open the 2005 Domaine Carneros Le Reve Blanc de Blancs and NV Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pomadour.

Our good friends Lars and Dave were celebrating their wedding anniversary and stopped by on their way home to say hi and catch up. Seeing as we get together all too infrequently, I decided that we were going to open a special bottle of sparkling wine and chilled the Le Reve immediately. Knowing its provenance, I anticipated a wonderful experience for us on that special day.

Domaine Carneros is owned by the famous French Champagne house Taittinger, which was founded in 1734 in the city of Reims. Over the years it has established a reputation as one of the foremost Champagne producers in the world, so when the Taittinger family started Domaine Carneros in Napa Valley, there was considerable expectation put in place. That was back in 1987. Since then, the Taittinger family has always exerted a light touch, allowing CEO/Founding Winemaker Eileen Crane to go about her pursuit of great sparkling and still wines with considerable freedom.

The selection of Carneros in Napa Valley was no accident either, and the region is now home to many of California's most admired pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards. As of now, the estate produces six sparkling wines, all done in the methode champenoise style. Methode champenoise means that the wines are made the same way as in Champagne, with the wine undergoing its secondary fermentation (the one that produces the bubbles) inside the bottle. That's the quick way explain, but there are many other factors that make this method unique when compared to others such as carbon dioxide injection or the Charmat Method.

How were the wines, you might ask?

2005 Domaine Carneros "Le Reve" Blanc de Blancs:
Beautiful aromas of lemon peel, brioche, red apple, and bracing minerality. This is 99% chardonnay and 1% pinot blanc. On the palate it's creamy and smooth while retaining a pleasing lightness. Flavors of cake frosting, golden apple, spiced lemon slices, and a yeasty richness emerge from the bubbles. The complexity is what you'd expect from a wine with this provenance, in a word: impeccable. That said, I'm equally amazed with the integrated flavors, a testament to the vintage and time spent on the lees. After each sip I reflected on how much it felt like a complete experience, so good was the balance. One of the best California sparkling wines you can buy, period. $95 SRP.

NV Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour Brut Rosé:
This wine pours a beautiful rosé color, and when held up to the sun it reminded me of bright, shiny copper reflecting the sunlight. A beautiful bouquet of flavors wafts out of the glass, among them strawberry, brioche, hints of orange zest, and a lovely, delicate potpourri. While not quite at level of the Le Reve, this rosé (58% pinot noir, 42% chardonnay) does have a fine bouquet. On the palate it's light and dry, with plenty of tart red fruit and citrus, lifted by vibrant acidity. Fine, delicate bubbles create a lovely textural sensation that only ends many seconds after you swallow. Again I found the balance of flavors to be excellent. For a brut rosé, this is a wine I'd happily pour for a group of Champagne lovers, blind. At a suggested retail of $45, but available at $35, it's half the price (or more!) of brut rosé Champagnes.




Both of these sparkling wines were excellent, and much to my delight, neither showed any signs of oxidation. This is a testament to good winemaking, as well as perhaps indicative of the committment the Taittinger family has to making Domaine Carneros the best sparkling wine producer in the United States. With wines like these, I suspect they're close to accomplishing that goal.

For the 2005 Le Reve, I'd suggest pairing almost anything with this wine, short of a steak. I'd have enjoyed some oysters, lobster, caviar, or even more humble fare like fried chicken and french fries. Honestly, the wine would have been amazing even with a pizza. For the Cuvee de la Pompadour, I'd have paired it with grilled shrimp or chicken, anything fried, or even some berry sorbet.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Napa Valley Film Festival Wine Tasting

The inaugural Napa Valley Film Festival  was in November of this year, starting on November 9 and ending Sunday, November 13. Despite being called a "film festival", there is a lot more going on than just watching movies and mingling with famous and semi-famous people. The Festival weekend is packed with concerts, sponsor events, meetings, food/wine demonstrations, and more.

Obviously wine is an integral part of the Festival, and this year the people at TasteLive, CellarPass, and the NVFF teamed up to bring a group of 12 bloggers "to" the event. The 12 of us selected were sent a very expensive (and in most cases, very good) selection of wines from all over the Napa Valley to taste and tweet about using the TasteLive platform. During these live tastings, which coincided with the Napa Valley Film Festival, representatives from each winery would come to a booth or table and discuss the wines with Alan Kropf, the Chief Mutineer behind Mutineer Magazine. These chats were streamed live to us bloggers, and we tweeted thoughts, questions, and general chit chat about each wine.

The events and their paired wines are listed below, along with tasting notes and my thoughts:

Thursday, November 10: Opening Night Gala.
Winery: Robert Mondavi Winery

2009 Robert Mondavi Reserve Fume Blanc To Kalon: Sauvignon blanc aged in oak, 25% new. Previous experience with the non-reserve bottling of the Mondavi Fume Blanc have been disappointing. This was a very pleasant surprise though. I liked the bright citrus and apple aromas tinged with a hint of oak. There's a nice sense of depth to the bouquet. Upon tasting, the oak treatment is evident, as is the dash of semillon added for texture and aromatics. I liked the weighty feel of this wine, and it had a pleasing depth of stone fruit, green apple, and a hint of lychee. Solid minerality for a Napa wine, and at a real-world price of about $30, it's a nice alternative to chardonnay. B+. BUY recommendation.

2008 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: On the opposite side of the spectrum, I've had some amazing cabernets from Robert Mondavi. This was not one of them. I found this cabernet aromatically interesting, with notes of blackberry, cocoa, black dusty earth, and black currant. Unfortunately that beautiful bouquet dies on the palate, where all that's left is firm tannin, dust, bittersweet chocolate, and a hollow finish. While this could just be a function of the lack of age, I tasted a friend on this one and he came to a similar conclusion. How this scored a 93 points from Wine Spectator is beyond me. How the other bloggers salivated over this overpriced cabernet is also beyond me. At $135, it's just not worth the money. B. PASS.

Friday, November 11: Noon: MountainView Hotel, Calistoga.
Wineries: Merryvale Vineyards, Tedeschi Family Winery, Mumm Napa

Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rosé NV: A blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, this was a great way to start the morning off. The pink hue is beautiful in the glass, and the bubbles flow upwards in beautiful pearl chains. The bouquet is a nice mix of tart raspberry, bread dough, and Granny Smith apple. I enjoyed the mouthfeel immensely, a lot of the raspberry flavors gave way to a dry, yeasty note on the mid-palate. The finish was clean and precise, hints of apple and pear trailed off gently. It's not cheap at $36, but it's also very high quality sparkling wine and worth buying for the upcoming New Year's Eve celebrations. B+, STRONG BUY recommendation.

Merryvale Winery 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Merryvale's 2007 cab is 99% cabernet sauvignon and 1% cabernet franc. What that cabernet franc adds, in such a small quantity, is beyond me. This wine spent 19 months in French oak barrels, the breakdown being 70% new, 30% used oak. I like Merryvale as a consistent producer but they've never wowed me. This 2007 echoes that theme. It's a beautiful ruby-brick pour with thin, well spaced legs. 14.5% alcohol by volume is normal for Napa cabernets. Aromatically it's a nice mix of currant, oak, mint leaf, black cherry, and a touch of dried herb. The palate opens with a black cherry and currant mix before transitioning into a tannic mid-palate of earth and campfire smoke. The finish is good, a smooth tapering effect ending with a minty dark chocolate thing. It's good wine, nothing more, nothing less. Expensive at $65, but available at $45 and then it becomes a solid value. B+.

Tedeschi Family Winery 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: I'm somewhat in the minority among most of my California cabernet-loving friends, but I really enjoy the 2005's. The best wines of this vintage take an "old school" approach, revealing bouquets of black cherry, leather, olive, and dried herb. This 2005 Tedeschi is hitting its stride right now, drinking beautifully. There's touch of oak yet it's very nicely integrated and gives the wine a nice tannic structure from the mid-palate back. Those firm tannin and lively acid hark back to the great Napa cabernets of the 70's and 80's, wines which are drinking beautifully right now.  Along with the ripe fruit and leathery flavors, a touch of baking chocolate comes out. The finish is dried herb and a little fleur du sel, very interesting. At $58, I feel it's fairly priced wine. A-, BUY recommendation.

Friday, November 11: 3:30pm: St. Helena Pavilion, Carnegie Building.
Wineries: Ramian, Clif Family Winery, Raymond Vineyards

Savour St. Helena 2008 Ramian Canard Merlot: Conceived as an offering from the Savour St. Helena tasting room, this merlot was made by Brian Graham of Ramian Winery. It pours a dark ruby, indicating a still-young wine. The aromatic palette was straightforward with oak, dark chocolate, ripe red cherry, and a touch of spiced vanilla. Some bloggers went crazy for this wine but I felt it lacked some structure. Merlot can be a beautiful wine, equal parts rich, velvety fruit and firm, embracing texture. While this merlot is good, it's definitely not worth $45 a bottle. B. PASS recommendation.

Clif Family Winery 2008 Kit's Killer Cab Napa Valley: Yes, this is the same family that makes those energy bars, powders, pastes, and whatnot. They got into wine a few years back (2004) and make a nice variety of reds and whites. If you're in St. Helena, you can visit Velo Vino and check out the Clif Family Winery selection. This 2008 red blend is primarily cabernet sauvignon with the balance of 8% merlot, 8% malbec, and 6% cabernet franc. The final blend spent 18 months in French oak barrels. The bouquet is impressive, at once fruit-forward - think blackberry, cherry, currant notes - and yet restrained by a peppery, earthy streak. The tannin is firm throughout, building a structurally sound wine across the palate. More of the ripe fruit balanced by oak, earth, and a touch of leathery character. At around $38, it's a steal. B+, STRONG BUY.

Raymond Vineyards 2008 Reserve Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: According to the tech sheet, this 08 Raymond is 85% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, and 3% petite sirah. Raymond Vineyards is widely distributed and somewhat of a generic, supermarket type brand. Or at least, it was, now a new owner and complete renovation has (hopefully) steered this winery onto a different track. I looked forward to tasting this cabernet in the hopes that it showed a glimpse of what is to come. In the glass it's a bright ruby-purple, a color indicative of youth. A straightforward bouquet of black cherry, cassis, plum, and toasty oak. On the palate, more of the ripe fruit elements woven throughout with some oak and a fine grained tannin. I picked up some heat too, and found that this is 15% alcohol by volume. The 2008 Raymond is drinkable but also falls into the "just another overpriced/oaked/alcoholic Napa cab"category. B. PASS recommendation. $35 SRP.

Saturday, November 12: Noon: Yountville Wine Pavilion, V Marketplace.
Wineries: Chiarello Family Vineyards, Jessup Cellars, John Anthony Vineyards

John Anthony Vineyards 2010 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc: From another relatively small producer, we bloggers were sent a sauvignon blanc and a cabernet to sample for the NVFF. My own sauvignon blanc preferences lie with Sancerre and Bordeaux blanc, but California is perfectly capable of producing delightful examples too. The 2010 John Anthony version pours a pale straw into the glass. Aromatically it's powerful, with notes of tropical fruit, lemon, pineapple, and limestone. On the palate, a lively acid bolt cuts through the massive weight of 15.3% alcohol, rendering this one almost palatable. Problem is, this doesn't feel like sauvignon blanc, rather, un-wooded, hot-vintage chardonnay/semillon blends. It's the kind of texture I expect from a crappy Australian white wine, not a Napa Valley sauvignon blanc. C+, PASS recommendation. $20 SRP.

John Anthony Vineyards 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: I was gun shy after that sauvignon blanc, but this cabernet sauvignon impressed me. While it's still young, as evidenced by the clear ruby-purple it pours, there is a lot to be hopeful for. I liked the aromas of wood smoke, leather, ripe blackberry and cherry, as well as the dusty earth. The bouquet was very well balanced with each flavor complementing the next. This '07 had a nice palate presence too, with lots of ripe berry fruit up front that segued into the firm tannin, leather, and dust notes I was hoping to find. Again the balance was impeccable and this is a great example of a lush, rich, layered Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. It hits the price point fairly and is worth seeking out. A-, STRONG BUY recommendation. $56 via the winery, as low as $45 on wine-searcher.com.

Jessup Cellars 2009 Juel Napa Valley Estate Grown: Another red blend from Napa Valley, this time from the talented hands of Rob Lloyd, winemaker at Jessup Cellars. This one is 52% merlot, 28% cabernet franc, 13% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petite sirah and then 1% petit verdot. While this 2009, bottled in August, isn't released yet, I suggest you get in line. This wine is fantastic, full of black cherry, smoke, ripe berries, dusty earth, and in a nicely integrated if somewhat strong package. Given 10-15 years, this wine will sing. Right now it's bold and dark, I picked up the green herbal note of the cabernet franc right away, along with a dose of tea-soaked leather, chocolate, and ripe blackberries. The finish was long and lingering, like taking a ride down a dusty dirt road full of spices, vanilla, and firm tannin. As the 2009 Jessup Juel ages, those flavors will continue to integrate into a delicious package. A-, BUY recommendation. $90 suggested retail.

Chiarello Family Vineyards 2008 Roux Old Vine Petite Sirah: I am still in the awkward phase of my relationship with petite sirah and it feels like middle school. I like it, I want to get to know petite sirah better, but I am shy and unsure of myself. Do I shake it's hand? Furtive glances have confirmed it's interest in me, I think. Maybe this '08 Chiarello Family Vineyards example will be my first kiss. It's pouring a dark garnet, opaque purple juice, into my glass. As my buddy Chas says, this is purple drank! Beautifully intense aromas of plum skin, cracked peppercorn, dark, loamy soil, and mint. I was worried that this petite sirah would be all tannin, but it's got so much dense ripe fruit and rich, layered texture that it balances the intense tannins extremely well. I'd love this Chiarello wine with something meaty, a t-bone steak. B+, STRONG BUY. $46 suggested retail price.

Saturday, November 12: 4:00pm: Oxbow Napa Wine Pavillion, Napa.
Wineries: Swanson Vineyards & Winery, Saintsbury, Pine Ridge Winery

Swanson Vineyards & Winery 2009 Napa Valley Pinot Grigio: The series of tastings so far have had two other white wines, the rest being reds. I was pleased to see Swanson throw in their 2009 pinot grigio. In my opinion, if you're gonna drink California pinot grigio, this one is the best out there. The 2009 comes in at 13.6% abv, not at all bad. It's fermented dry and sees no oak or malo-lactic fermentation, rendering this as pure as you can get. I was impressed with the bouquet, think lime peel, summer flowers, white peach, and a little melon. On the palate the texture comes from vibrant acidity, flowing along the lines of citrus and floral notes. The melon picks up on the mid-palate, continuing through the finish, lending some weight to a nice, clean closing. B+, STRONG BUY recommendation. $21 suggested retail but I found it as low as $15.

Saintsbury 2009 Lee Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir: I hear a lot of people knocking Carneros pinot, saying that it cannot express the grape properly. I think in this case, Saintsbury proves them wrong. This pinot spent ten months in French oak with only 29% of the wine in new barrels. I like the color, it's a clear ruby that reflects the light very nicely. In what I would term a traditional Careneros pinot noir bouquet, I detected strawberry, cola, raspberry, baking spices, and just a hint of oak. This procession of aromas carried over very nicely on the palate, ending with a burst of red fruit and tobacco that I thoroughly enjoyed. 2009 has been heralded as a standout year for California pinot noir and this is no exception. The price point is about what I'd expect to pay. A-, BUY recommendation.- $45

Swanson Vineyards & Winery 2007 Oakville Merlot: I'm not even sure it's worth putting up this review, the winery has just released their 2008 vintage Oakville merlot. However, someone took the time to ship me a bottle so I may as well share my thoughts. I have always been a fan of Swanson wines and this is no exception. It's got all the things you want in a merlot, namely ripeness AND structure, and none of that overly-ripe fruit taste that so many poorly made California merlots have. Aromatically it's all plum, blackberry,  red cherry, and oak. The oak isn't overwhelming though, and on the palate it contributes a balancing effect versus the firm tannin. Everything is nicely integrated, from the blackberry and cherry notes, the oak, a touch of dusty earth, and the fine-grained tannin keeping it all together. A wonderful wine and at a real world price of $26, one excellent deal. B+, STRONG BUY recommendation. Suggested retail price: $38

Pine Ridge Winery 2007 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon: Seventeen wines into this series of tastings, we hit the end, with a cabernet-based blend from the iconic Stag's Leap district. Pine Ridge has been around for a while and consistently makes excellent, if expensive wines. The 2007 is a blend of cabernet, merlot, petite verdot, and malbec. It's a wine to sit on for a long, long time. I think 15+ years isn't out of the question. The aromas rushing out of the glass are gorgeous, cassis, plum, blackberry, sour cherry, spicy oak, and textbook dry earth. Each taste seems to bring a new flavor, be it ripe berries, subtle oak notes, earth, old baseball glove, or even a hint of eucalyptus.This is a marvelous wine that will only get better with time. It's not cheap, with a suggested retail of $80, but a little digging will find it for $50 or less. A-, STRONG BUY recommendation.

I was happy to get the invite and participate in this series of tastings, we got to try some average wines but also some fantastic bottles that I would gladly purchase at my local wine store. Tasting along with eleven other bloggers was a good experience too, because being able to see what others taste in a wine can only help your own palate develop. While I wasn't ecstatic over seemingly every bottle we were sent, I think that out of the small sampling we tasted, it's clear that Napa Valley continues to produce outstanding wines every single year.

These wines were blogger samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

California Cabernet's from Chateau Felice, Krutz, Wente, and Rodney Strong.

About a month ago I took part in a tasting of four California cabernet sauvignons withTasteLive and group of fellow wine bloggers. I've been fortunate enough to participate in other TasteLive events, the format being that select bloggers around the country are sent samples to taste and talk about, live. TasteLive's website allows each blogger to log in and appends each tweet with hashtags relevant to the tasting.

For the wineries and PR groups, TasteLive represents a great way to spread each brand across a huge chunk of the wine-drinking, new media-using demographic. It's also a smart way to build background buzz about wines and/or regions that the PR groups are trying to build awareness for. For us bloggers, well, let's face it, we get free wine to taste and talk about..Things we already love doing to begin with.

The event last month was titled "Luscious Hedonisms", and was intended to showcase four different cabernet sauvignon growing regions in California. We were sent these bottles of wine a few weeks before the tasting, then on October 11, we all gathered at our respective homes and swirled, sniffed, and sipped our way through some expensive wine. I think some of us spit too, though I confess to not spitting a couple of the wines. The lowest priced bottling was around $49, the highest coming in close to $75. Those are, of course, suggested retail prices.

Here are the wines:

2007 Chateau Felice La Craie American Celebration: From the Chalk Hill AVA, this is actually a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc. It's what we here would call a "Meritage", "we" and "here" being totally irrelevant of course. The Chateau Felice is tight upon pulling the cork, but soon reveals aromas of leather, plum, baking chocolate, and herbs. Out of the four wines, I feel it had the most tannic presence, but backed up the firm tannin with gorgeous flavors of cassis, black cherry, baseball glove, and a bit of dusty oak. I rated this wine a B+, it's very, very good and worthy of your cellar. Suggested retail: $50. Alcohol: 14.3%


2007 Krutz Cellars Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon: Ok, first off, why the hell would Krutz even want to send a bunch of bloggers a 95 point (W.E.) cabernet sauvignon? It's suggested retail is $75, so the score:price ratio is right (for once). This was by far the best wine of the tasting, and you can find it for $65 at good retailers. The bouquet is all Napa mountain fruit, brimming with cassis, black cherry, herb, dark earth, and hints of vanilla. Despite four years of age (two in bottle) this wine is still a bit tannic which only means it needs more time in your cellar to become even more delicious. Gorgeous plum and blueberry, vanilla cocoa, dry desert herb, and leather all balance out very nicely on the palate. Wonderfully integrated despite it's young age, the Krutz Stagecoach has many years left. I gave this wine an A and STRONG BUY for those who want a cabernet that reminds us why Napa Valley is one of the best places on earth to grow that varietal. 14.8% abv.


2008 Rodney Strong Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon: Another $75 srp California cabernet sauvignon, this time from Alexander Valley. Wine Spectator rated this a 93 points, so we have another highly rated wine given to a bunch of bloggers. And again, I am somewhat baffled. That said, I'm more than happy to taste and talk about wines with high scores. Unfortunately, I disagree with the 93 point rating, mine is closer to a B+, or 87/88 points. This smelled of ripe blueberries, sweet red cherry, and oak. After a few hours I was able to detect some bits of minerality but they were lost behind the over-extracted fruit flavors which themselves had to contend with massive amounts of vanilla oak. The palate left me feeling much the same, this wine feels big and tastes intense. More of the ripe berry fruit and a big dollop of vanilla oak are battling it out. I think with time this might mellow out and allow the intriguing mineral element to come play but for now, it's just not my thing. PASS recommendation, especially at $75. 15.5% alcohol. (wow!!)


2007 Wente "The Nth Degree" Cabernet Sauvignon: The last wine of the evening was from Wente, a producer I generally avoid because I've always found their wines to be heavily oaked and lacking structure. Their winery is located the same area they get their fruit from, the Livermore Valley AVA. The 2007 The Nth Degree was heavily oaked as usual, but luckily there was also some firm tannin that acted to restrain the vanilla and cocoa flavors of the oak barrels. Like the Rodney Strong, I smelled a lot of vanilla, cocoa powder, ripe berry fruit, and the barest hint of minerality. Across the palate, more of those extracted berry flavors and vanilla oak, framed by the tannin I mentioned before. Luckily the Wente cabernet is also balanced nicely, so those of you who enjoy a California cabernet sauvignon that is made in the style that California is now departing from need not despair! The suggested retail is $60, teetering on the edge of the "overpriced California wine" precipice. I feel the quality is high, but it's too extracted and still too oaked for my palate. B+ and a PASS from me. If you want this style, don't pay $60 a bottle, despite the obvious quality here. 14.3% alcohol.

Tasting four brawny California cabernet's is one thing, but tasting them in a realistic setting means that you need food to accompany the wines! Cabernet and steak go together like Beau and Burgundy, so it was time to cook up three pieces of tri-tip. Becky was in town helping me pack for my move to Oregon, and my buddy Justin came over because he likes free wine and to hang out. Here are some pictures of our meal:

Tri-tip steaks marinated with a spicy Cajun sauce for a few hours, then put into my cast iron skillet to broil in the oven. I could have gone with rib-eye or New York Strip but those are pricier options and these were the perfect size, one for each of us.

Some people wonder why steak or red meat pairs so well with tannic red wines, one of the reasons for this is that tannin binds well with proteins in red meat, creating a nice synergy of texture and flavor. Another reason, the actual taste of good beef, a "meaty" taste, pairs with flavors like herb, earth, and even spicy black fruit.

Here you see the tri-tip steaks fresh out of the oven, ready to be enjoyed with the different cabernet's. When I pair steak with wine, I tend towards reds with firmer tannin levels opposed to fruitier reds like merlot. Cabernet fits that bill perfectly - if you pick correctly. Forgive the rant, but too many California (Napa Valley in particular) cabernet's are so fruity and over-extracted that their flavors completely overwhelm any food you try to pair with them. As a result, I look for cabernet from Washington state, Mendocino and Lake Counties, the Sierra Foothills, and France. That said, the Krutz paired brilliantly, as did the Chateau Felice.

I have to confess, I reduced the mushrooms in the 2007 Krutz Cellars cabernet, which was so good that I knew it would ensure the mushrooms were awesome.

They were, and spooned onto the steaks created a delicious match of flavors. Again sticking with the more tannic reds of the tasting, Chateau Felice and Krutz, earth flavors found in mushrooms are complementary to those wines.

I wish I had the finished meal to show you, plated and all, but I don't. That's a major fail on my part, but I can leave you with this: the meal was damn good.

Cabernet Sauvignon is versatile, it can grow in many places on this planet and the finished wine can run the gamut from austere to overly sweet and tasting of vanilla sawdust. My tastes run towards the former, and lucky for me and those with palates like mine, there is a shift towards more restrained styles going on in California. Each wine we tasted was high quality, of that there is no doubt, unfortunately the latter two were simply over-made wines. They aimed for a flavor profile that is increasingly out of sync with today's wine drinker. Time will tell if in future vintages, Rodney Strong and Wente's top offerings begin to resemble those of producers like Krutz, Round Pond, and Elizabeth Spencer.

The TasteLive event itself was a lot of fun, even if I wasn't able to tweet as much as I'd hoped. Juggling hosting duties, taking notes, and interacting with people on Twitter and TasteLive was a daunting task, one that I need to work on. That said, I want to thank the TasteLive folks and the winery representatives for taking the time to get this all up and get us bloggers the wine, as well as sticking around to answer questions and give us good data on what we were drinking.

These wines were media samples for tasting purposes.

Beau Carufel

Cornerstone Cellars' Stepping Stone Red Rocks!..And it Does!

Throughout this summer I've explored some of the wines from Cornerstone Cellars and their Stepping Stone label. This blog marks the last of the wines I received in the sample shipment from a few months ago. The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! was something I'd been looking forward to tasting, yet also holding off until the occasion was worthwhile. Since the vast majority of wine drinkers (me included) aren't looking to drink their wines in a sterile environment, tasting and evaluating wine in such an environment can be a bit counterproductive. That's why I'll often open a sample with food, to gain a better sense of how the wine interacts with other tastes, textures, and flavors. Recently, the occasion to open the 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! was appropriate.

Backing up a bit, here's a list of the Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Cellars wines I've tasted to date:
2010 Stepping Stone White Rocks!
2010 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé
2010 Stepping Stone Riesling
2010 Stepping Stone Sauvignon Blanc

The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! is a blend of zinfandel and pinot noir, perhaps one of the odder blends you'll ever see. When doing background for this blog feature, I sat back and shook my head when I learned of the blend here. My fear was that the two varietals would clash, creating a disjointed, unpleasant wine.

(img src http://www.cornerstonecellars.com)

Luckily, the 2009 Red Rocks! was anything but disjointed. It's also not for the faint of heart or those seeking "subtle, light wine". Clocking in at a whopping 14.9% abv, this is a textbook "big, juicy, intensely ripe" red blend. I smelled a lot of ripe blackberry and black cherry preserve on the nose, along with vanilla toast, indicating some time spent in oak. The tell-tale heat from the high alcohol crept in but wasn't too distracting, to me that was a pleasant surprise.

Tasting the Stepping Stone Red Rocks! evoked memories of my mom and/or grandmother cooking a Finnish summer berry dish in the kitchen. Basically, you boil ripe strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and sugar, as well as a touch of corn starch, to create a sweet berry compote. The aromas of fruit in the kitchen were often very intense and sweet, two characteristics to describe the flavor of the Red Rocks! If you're looking for a pairing, think smoked spare ribs, marinated tri-tip, or Sloppy Joe sandwiches. They'd all play well against the sweet black and blue berry fruit, toasty vanilla oak, and bits of spice that pop up on the edges of your tongue.

Does this wine sound good to you? For me, serving it with barbecue-sauce drenched ribs was awesome, and I made sure to back up those intensely sweet, ripe flavors with a side of cole-slaw. The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! is a powerhouse of a wine, and somewhere along the way I think the pinot noir just gives up, letting the zinfandel work it's magic. That turns out to be a good thing, allowing more focus on ripe fruit and spice.

For around $15 a bottle at the Cornerstone Cellars website, this is a great deal on an outstanding summer barbecue wine. It's well made and fits into a style that a lot of us enjoy with heavy, hearty foods. You can order the Red Rocks! via the website or find it at some fine stores in and around Napa Valley.

This blog feature wraps up my tastings of the Stepping Stone by Cornerstone lineup, thanks go to Craig Camp for sending me these bottles to taste. I had a good time tasting and sharing them with you, and it's proof positive that a winery who produces very high end wines can also have a viable, high quality second label that comes in at a very, very friendly price point.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

2007 Elizabeth Spencer "The Guardian" Cabernet Sauvignon. A Stunner.

I've struggled with what words use for this blog post for about two weeks now. Conveying the impact of a sublime wine experience is difficult, something only the best wine scribes can effectively accomplish. Luckily we live in an age where such scribes are out there on the internet and in print, thus easy to find and read. If you're at this blog I fear you've mis-navigated. Before you leave however, read on to find out about the best red wine I have tasted so far this year.

Although it's not the best way to start the a new pargraph, I admit I'm left at a loss for the appropriate words to convey how much the 2007 Elizabeth Spencer cabernet impressed me, satisfied me, and touched the happy place deep within each wine geek's soul. It's not often I can freely write about how amazing a wine is, there are constraints to most of the blog posts I write, be they self-imposed or comprised of externalities.

In June I was happily tweeting on a glorious day. Bacchus was smiling, Becky was visiting, and I believe there was delicious wine or some great craft beer open and being enjoyed. Out of the blue, a winery I'd been following tweeted at me that I was their Follower of the Month or some such thing. At first, being the jaded, skeptical, even cynical (no, not really) blogger that I am, the word "scam" popped into my head. I even sent a Twitter DM asking if they were for real. Lucky for me, they weren't kidding.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines, based in Rutherford in Napa Valley. I had heard the name talked about by some wine-collecting friends but never tasted their wines before. A producer of some very good repute, by all accounts. The winery makes a lot of different wines, all in small lots. Cabernet sauvignon and franc, syrah, pinot noir, merlot, grenache, petite sirah, chardonnay, chenin and sauvignon blancs, and a rose of pinot. For a smaller winery, this is one of the most impressive lineups I have ever seen.

Allison at the winery was kind enough to send down my prize, a bottle of their 2007 E x S "The Guardian" cabernet sauvignon. She very smartly packed it in a two bottle shipper and enclosed an ice pack. Little touches like that let me know a winery has smart and caring people working there.

As you can see from the bottle shot, there's also that neat little bit about ten barrels being made. Or, a few hundred cases total production for this cabernet. My intent was to stick the bottle in my cellar and forget about it for a few years, but alas that wasn't to be. I was sent samples of some other very exclusive wines including the 2009 Seghesio Costiera pinot noir, and decided to open them at one big tasting with some wine-loving friends from work. This would give them a chance to taste true upper-tier wines, examples they might not otherwise get to taste.

Before those wine-loving friends of mine arrived though, I felt the weight of responsibility upon my shoulders to ensure that each of the four wines was in fact ready for my friends to taste and enjoy. Therefore I pre-tasted all of them and took notes. While one was cooked in transit and will be written up after I get another sample bottle, the remaining three were out of this world. The Seghesio has already been written up, the Hedges Red Mountain will be up soon too.

2007 is considered a great vintage in Napa Valley by the critics, from Wine Spectator to Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast. The growing season was superb, a small crop and ideal ripening conditions led to a huge collection of wonderful wines. The 2007 E x S "The Guardian" is no exception.

Pouring a deep, dense garnet, almost no light shines through this cabernet sauvignon. Despite (or in spite of) the nearly four years of bottle age, all the signs point to a still-young wine. The color is marvelous, hinting at what might be something truly delicious waiting to be experienced.

After a few whiffs my notes consisted of: "Dark chocolate ran full speed into a wall of old leather sitting in a vat of plummy reduction sauce! I love the cassis, dark chocolate, and tobacco secondary aromas, can't get enough of those. There's even a touch of bretty funk, and green pepper playing in a dust storm here. WOW!"

Impressive, no? The only changes I made to the above notes were to correct the punctuation. What you see is the verbatim olfactory experience that I had that afternoon.

At first sip the E x S cabernet is intense, full of muscular tannin and a wall of earth, but once you ascend that, there's a beautiful tapestry of ripe fruit flavors. Cassis, blackberry, and cherries are all supported by the continuing undercurrent of firm tannin. This wine is amazing.  The way it is so bold and strong before giving way to a rich, velvety smooth mid-palate is a testament to quality fruit and a talented winemaker. I loved how deep or thick the wine felt as I swirled it around, and the finish was magnificent. Lots of ripe fruit and dark chocolate that tapered off with such supreme elegance. In a way, sensual is perhaps the best descriptor I can think of because you want to know every facet of this cabernet and you want to experience every flavor, nuance, and texture you can.

The 2007 E x S "The Guardian" cabernet sauvignon is the best red wine I have had so far this year. Tasting it reminded me of just how amazing the cabernet grown in Napa Valley is. Drinking this cab reminded me of why I drink wine, in a never-ending quest to find more of these moments. Moments that enrich my life, create a sense of perspective, and add texture to me as a person.

If you're looking for a bottle, visit the Elizabeth Spencer Wines website. It's suggested retail price is $60. However, if you want to purchase some of this outstanding wine, use the code "beausbarrelroom" and receive 10% off your purchase, as a thank you from Elizabeth Spencer Winery!

This wine was a gift from the winery, I received no compensation for this post.

Beau Carufel

2010 Stepping Stone White Rocks! (It does!)

After tasting the 2010 Stepping Stone Riesling, 2010 Stepping Stone Sauvignon Musque, and 2010 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé, I feel like I'm getting to know the Stepping Stone wines a bit more. Granted, I wasn't a fan of the sauvignon blanc but I loved the riesling and rosé. Their combination of high quality and great price are proof positive that Cornerstone Napa Winery is doing it right with their second label.

For this, the 2010 Stepping Stone White Rocks!, we're exploring a blend of chardonnay and muscat, two grapes that can stand on their own quite well. When blended, I honestly have no clue what to expect here. Chardonnay runs the gamut from dry and steely to lush and oaked beyond all recognition, whereas muscat often becomes a sweet, light, perfumed wine that is surprisingly versatile. To blend them is certainly an exercise in daring, the risk here that I'll be tasting a washed out, overly sweet, flabby glass of liquid nastiness.

Then again I know the Cornerstone Cellars and Stepping Stone wines fairly well, so I have some faith that this will be an intellectually stimulating exercise at the very least. Or simply, this wine shouldn't suck.

As a mission statement for the Rocks! wines, the Cornerstone website says this: "Inspired by the blends of southern France, each vintage of Rocks! is a new creation weaving the characteristics of each vintage by interlacing the personalities of each variety selected. The style of our Rocks! wines will flow with the vintage as our goal is not to replicate a certain taste profile, but to make the most interesting wines possible each vintage."

(img src:http://www.cornerstonecellarblog.com/) 

A nice golden straw color appears in my glass as if by magic, but it's really just me pouring a "taste". All in the name of research of course. As usual, this wine (and all other white wines) get to sit out and warm up a few degrees before I review it. The White Rocks! coloration reminds me of sauvignon blanc that's been aged in oak barrels. It's not dark yellow like a chardonnay or sweet riesling, yet there is more here than with a translucent pinot grigio.

The bouquet can best be described as a mish-mash of stone fruit, summer flowers, wet rocks, and green apples. Ripe peach and nectarine comprise the two most prominent aromas, but the light flower scents helped to balance out the sweetness of the fruit. There's a nice mineral element too, I kept imaging wet limestone or wet chalk. Again something to contrast the ripe peach/nectarine that seemed to dominate. And yes the green apples were awesome, cleaning up the entire bouquet and wrapping it in a neat package for me to ponder. It's obvious that the team at Cornerstone paid attention to detail when blending this white wine.

So how does it taste? Great! Clean fruit flavors and vibrant acidity make the 2010 White Rocks! a very enjoyable, refreshing wine. Think of a chardonnay stripped of the oak and malolactic fermentation, all apple and nectarines. That wine would have a certain lightness yet retain a nice sense of depth. Add in that muscat and there's a richness through the palate, part sweet and part soft, taming some of that acidity while allowing a nice balance to be struck. I guess I should point out something that did disappoint, though it's nitpicky. On the front-palate this wine does struggle a bit with it's identity. I got the sense that the juicy (in a lip smacking way) acid wanted to come first but the sweet muscat fruit flavors weren't letting that happen. Still, that's about all I could find wrong.

Cornerstone's 2010 Stepping Stone White Rocks! would pair well with a fresh summer salad of baby lettuce, spinach, candied cherries and crumbled feta. You could also work with a grilled, herb-marinated chicken dish to create a traditional southern California summer dinner.

At $15 suggested retail price, it's a QPR home run and for those of you looking for white wines that remain light and dry, yet come with a bit of sweet fruit, this is your wine! I give a B and a STRONG BUY recommendation. Check out the Cornerstone website for where to purchase this delicious wine.

This wine was a media sample generously provided by the winery.

Beau Carufel

2010 Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, A New Release.

You can definitely tell it's summertime in Wine Blogger Land, most of us are getting lots of sauvignon blanc samples. In this blog I'm going to feature the 2010 Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc from you guessed it, Napa Valley. The Napa Cellars brand is relatively new, I believe I tasted this label's selections at the Family Winemakers tasting in March of this year. That being said, the 2010 sauvignon blanc was released in June so it probably wasn't part of the lineup.

The fruit is sourced from some of the warmer regions of Napa Valley, those being Rutherford, Calistoga, and St. Helena. As such, we can infer that the 2010 Napa Cellars will be a richer, riper style when compared to an offering from New Zealand or France. This blogger still isn't sure if he likes the Napa Valley expression as much as that of Sancerre or even Marlborough. Still, to continue to offer wines that you, gentle reader, might be interested in, I happily accepted this sample.

Right away the nose is filled with tropical fruit, freshly cut grass, and just a hint of lime juice. I smelled loads of passion fruit and guava nectar with a hint of pineapple. A veritable "fruit salad" if you will. While some professional (read: paid) critics decry that way of describing wines, if a wine smells like tropical fruit, I'm gonna post it.

The fruit salad aroma set isn't a bad thing, I think winemaker Joe Shirley did a good job balancing those sweeter fruit aromas with the grass and lime notes that temper any tendency towards over-ripeness. He strove for balance and very nearly achieved it.

As usual, I let the Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc warm up a bit before I tasted. I found it to be typically Californian, lots of sweet tropical fruit balanced out by a drying acidity. There was a fun theme of grapefruit and guava at play with just a bit of something like orange blossom too, which I found fascinating. Despite being fermented in 100% stainless steel, there's a familiar rich body that I associate with Napa Valley grown fruit.

That "Napa fatness" lent itself to a bit of a sloppy finish, with the wine seemingly confused as to what it should do. On one hand I wanted a clean, crisp finish befitting the varietal, yet the Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc seemed to get flabby on the mid palate before just vanishing. The flab I attribute to the 14.3% alcohol, and my familiar refrain is "that's too much!!!".

On a hot summer day, eating lighter foods, the last thing I want is a sauvignon blanc with as much alcohol as a Napa Valley cabernet or (nowadays) a Cotes du Rhone. That right there is my biggest gripe with the 2010 Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc. It did shine with the nicely balanced tropical fruit and citrus elements but just fell apart on the finish, perhaps because of that high alcohol creating too much flabby weight. I suppose that's just how I experience a lot of Napa Valley sauvignon blanc. This is a solid wine, a B- and a BUY recommendation if you're into the more "full-bodied" style. If not, I don't think you will enjoy this wine, that's just how it goes. At around $15 the 2010 Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc is very affordable and the QPR is solid, if unremarkable.

This wine was sent as a media sample for review purposes.


Beau Carufel