Winery_Times

Last Call For Ghost Block

Hello you guys it is the Limo D again driving the Oakville Crossroad  where Tasting Room Manager Paul Torres just sent out an email from Cult Wine Central!

http://www.cultwinecentral.com 

Hey guys the 750ml are sold out but Paul has 60 1.5 liters left for those that step up. A great treat for the holidays!  This is 100% Organic Cabernet Fruit from the Oakville Rock Cairn Vineyard!  The family has been making wine in the NV for 104 years, you know there is no substitute for practice. 

Tell them Mark sent you, signing off for now the limo needs gas and I am hungry.

Revana And Heidi Barrett!

What a day! Picked up some folks for tour out of Meadowood Resort. They were here from Iowa. Our first stop was Beringer at the outskirts of St Helena. The tree lined drive in front has not changed since I was a boy.  The wine maker here for years has been Ed Sbragia. He makes some very good wines and recently opened Sbragia Winery in Dry Creek Valley just at the dam of Lake Sonoma.

Then it was over to Revana, where I had the opportunity to meet Heidi Barret, the renown wine maker best known for Screaming Eagle.  She is now the wine maker here and also has Amuse Bouche and La Sierna labels available when released (but they sell quickly according to Tom the assistant wine maker).  I got some pictures so check them out!

The last stop of the day was Castello di Amorosa, the 36 million dollar castle Daryl Sattui just completed.  It has 109 rooms and 8 levels, with a swimming pool on the bottom level. The tour is $25 during the week, $35 weekends and $10 more for the reserve tasting. The tour takes 1 3/4 hours to complete and the rooms incredible.  The wines are all Italian style.  After the tour it was back to Meadowood for a clothing change and then off to Yountville and Redd for dinner. They are eating as I sit in the Limo and write this article in front of the Villago Hotel.

Another day in life of the Limo D!

Seavey Wines on Howell Mountain!

I was out at Seavey on Conn Valley Rd Saturday, right at the site of the historic Volber Winery complete with the original stone winery building. Before the advent of refrigeration this was the best way to store and age wine short of a cave.

Mr Seavey greeted us and explained that his wine is rated with Cult status by Robert Parker as of a recent tasting at the Culinary Institute (where he had to donate a case of his wine for the purposes of tasting).  He believes he is priced lower than any others with this status at $85 a bottle and is considering raising the price to $95. His distributors were not happy with that idea as it will make it harder for them to sell they say!  It seems to be a husband and wife operation as Mr Seavey showed our guests around and the Mrs. handled another two guests who happened to just show up in the tasting room.

They make  a Caravina blend ($105)  and a Cabernet '04 ($85). Also available is a Merlot '04 ($38) and a Chardonnay '05 ($30). 

They have built the winery in a style that is very similar to old 19th century buildings of stone construction.  A very pretty spot and not too hard to get to either.

The day was a rough one for me as I had been double booked and the clients were not aware of this change . Then the second car came to extent their tasting time with a nail in the tire and I ran to fix it. This took four stops on a Saturday to find an open shop, so I did not get any pictures. I will have to return for a more complete assessment!

Oh well that is the life of the Limo D, wandering the wine country in search of great wine!

Tour With a Twist, Day Two

As I indicated on day one of this tour, I noticed my client was making notes and keeping the contact information on each winery we attended. 

The second day we decided to do the Napa Valley and they said they would leave the choices up to me. The ladies wanted some bubbly to start, so first stop was Domaine Carneros (which is the Tattinger Champagne house of France's foray into the Carneros).  The  wineery is housed in a French looking Chateau right on the Carneros Highway

This is a busy place and a big facility.  For variety, I decided that next we would go to Cult Wine Central or the Napa Wine Company.  They are the custom crush headquarters for small producers at the Oakville cross road and Highway 29!  These guys are "The Bomb" for making small producers into Cult Classic Legends, they have made many labels famous and the list keeps growing.  The secret is getting in tune with those that do what you want and learning the method that yeilds the results you like and these guys seem to have the incubation process down. In go the grapes and out come the great wines.  This week they released two new Marilyn Wines ; '04 Blond de Noir and '07 Norma Jean (a bright fresh merlot just fermented)!  The clients tasted the white flight and the lower priced red flight.  My mistake . I should have insisted on the top flight.  The problem here is there are so many great wines that they cannot have them all open at once so they must rotate them.  My clients du jour did not join the club and only liked a couple of the wines, the Falcor Merlot and an Adastra Chardonnay. http://www.cultwinecentral.com/  It seems there is always a time people will not like a spot that is usually the hit of the day. It  just shows you how people's tastes all vary. This is why it is so important to come here and taste for yourself, not just read another person's evaluation.

Next I took my group to Peju, which is landscaped to the nines and they commented that this property was too commercial.  We tasted and they were pleased but not enough to join a club http://www.peju.com/

So now I took them to the funky winery, Frank Family Vineyards. They are from NYC and New York Times has voted FFV the #2 Cabernet in the nation for the last several years. Everyone always loves their Zinfandel and I thought "I cannot lose now".  Well, the tasting room was packed and a big group was coming in with us on a day everyone else was slow.  This indicates to me how much their wine is loved!  But not by these clients on this day. They were the first in about 20 groups of clients I have brought here that didn't buy at least a case before leaving!  Now I am getting frustrated as this winery wins everything and wows the socks off most of my clients. http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com

For the next winery I decide to go to Stag's Leap at the other end of the valley from Larkmead district where Frank Family is located.  Maybe they will enjoy the subtle wines of Stelzner http://www.stelzner.com which is one of my personal favorites!  For the first time in my memory this winery is closed for the day. Gee!

Next place was one off the beaten path. Van Der Heyden Vineyards, no fluff here. http://www.vanderheydenvineyards.com  They have a winery right out of the 1950's. It looks like a set for that I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel stomp grapes.  Well, Rene is an owner known for his unusual wines and extreme techniques. For example, his dessert wines that are made only every three years as the grapes fail the other two because he requires such long hang times.  His Cabernet was aged 43 months on oak which no one does because of the 25% evaporative loss that goes with that length of barrel aging.  Well, they did not like these either!

At this point I am just surprised as these are some of what I consider the best wines, but, as I have said in previous articles, wine tasting is an individual thing.

Once more into the breach!  Back up to the Oak Knoll district and Trefethen http://www.trefethenfamilyvineyards.com  These guys have been around for many years and are known for their Cabernet, especially a library Cabernet like the 1997!  Finally they like this winery. I felt vindicated and felt I was getting back on course. It is my job to observe and read the client and figure out their preferences and I pride myself on my ability to do this.

One more winery on the way back to the square at Sonoma. Artesa, off the Carneros Highway  http://www.artesawinery.com  This winery appears to be a step pyramid out of the Mayan jungle. Almost all underground, perched above the valley off Henry Road, which looks down on Domaine Carneros and Acacia.  Again these wines were well received and the clients seemed happy now!

Back to Sonoma, the day over.  The male Fab said he was going to launch a magazine soon and had been taking notes for an article.  He also said he would like to use my blog contents for articles for the magazine!  Wow a surprise for me. Now I felt great even though I felt I had not zeroed in well on their tastes.

Time will tell how all this plays out, the Blog marches on. I just changed the theme and look of the blog so see if you like it and I am still tweaking so let me know. 

I remain the Limo D driving the back roads in search of wine, wine my clients will enjoy. The search continues!

Wine Tour with a Twist

The longer I do this the more I am amazed the different reasons clients have for doing a wine tour!

This last tour was again a variation on theme, a last minute call when I just happened to be at base, wine tour in one hour, go, go ,go!

This tour emanated from one of our premiere Sonoma Hotels, The Eldorado on the square in downtown Sonoma.  Some folks from New York, all friends from college in Virginia, two women and one man. 

We spoke, as I always do, trying to get a feel of what they are looking for. They told me they were open but had some recommendations from a friend.  I immediately thought these are good suggestions but are far apart on the map in several instances so I suggested we do the group with the closest proximity.

Enough said, we were off>  Along the way I asked their professions. The man was a intellectual property attorney and the two women were in PR in NYC.

So we went to Mauritson known for their Zinfandels. http://www.mauritsonwines.com They are out in Dry Creek Valley (DCV).  These guys have been in the valley a long time and get some special fruit off their estate and also up in the Rockpile region. Well, the clients tasted the Zinfandel and were impressed with the structure of these wines and the tannins therein.

As we went to the second winery I noticed the fellow was quite organized and had asked for cards and literature from the winery, numbering the receipt.

Next we picked up some food at the DC country store at Lambert Bridge and Dry Creek Road.  Armed with food we decided to picnic at Lambert Bridge Winery http://www.lambertbridge.com one of the oldest wineries in DCV and sporting one of the best picnic grounds.  Upon tasting they were interested enough to join the club, declaring they like almost all the wine!  Their pick of the bunch was their Blend or Cuvee which is their flagship and just happened to be open as per a tasting the night before.  Lambert is so popular they rarely have their best wines available to taste as their wine club gobbles them up before they get to the tasting room!

Our third stop was Bella up at the end of W. DC road, the former Meeker Vineyards site, another Zinfandel destination!  Http://www.bellawinery.com Big River, Lily Hill, and Hillside Old Vine, these are all great wines but after the Lambert Bridge , they were poorly received by these clients. Remember this is a very subjective experience and everyone has different tastes.

To finish this day we went to Yoakim Bridge which just happened to be open as they are usually closed Monday!  http://www.yoakimbridge.com/  This winery makes small lots and has a very special Zinfandel made from their 40 year old head pruned dry farmed vines on the Estate.  Virginia was there as she and Dave own and oversee every detail of their winery.  They both are graduates of California Culinary Academy and are as passionate about their wines as their food!  Another hit ! My clients immediately signed up for the club here too! The flagship here is their Three Valley Cuvee and it was the pick of this day for outstanding wines!

There is a hitch to this story but I will wait to let the cat out of the bag until my next installment or day two of this wine tour! 

Visit our web site www.limosamerica.com  as my winery list is evolving. Soon to be search able and over 900 wineries. By far the best anywhere!  This will be the best place to search for and find that wine you heard about!

Tony Coturri Estate Zinfandel!

I was up to see Tony Coturri this afternoon, he was busy making wine, A Cabernet!  I brought some clients to see if they liked his wines, I hoped they would.  Well, they loved them and bought the Zinfandel, his newly released '05 Estate.  Big grape nose, young full fruit very berry and jammy with a lingering finish.  I believe it will develop more with age many flavors that will separate and refine.  Great now but needs more time to fully devolop!

They also bought his Sangiovese which I feel is fabulous.  He explained Sangiovese needs to be dropped as it over produces fruit.  If half the crop is dropped the remaining fruit is very much more concentrated.  I have heard this before.  They also bought his Pinot Noir which is from old vines and another very concentrated wine, not a wimpy Pinot but rich and full.

Well Coturri fans support Tony by ordering wine at http://www.coturriwinery.com    or calling the winery 707.525-9126!

Tell Tony, Mark Marino sent you!

Napa is Still a Small Place!

Do you know who was the first man to be awarded a 100 rating on a wine from Robert Parker?
It was over 20 years ago, in 1985, and his name is Nils Venge, it was a 1985 Cabernet.
Today Nils makes wine for about five different places, Del Dotto, Plumbjack, Keenan, Moss Creek and Bacio Devino
Well, I left one out, and this one is his a small winery on Oakville Crossroad, Saddleback Cellars!
These are some great wines and they are priced below what they could be!
Chardonnay, Viognier for the white wine people. Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel for the red wine people.
This is another must not miss winery, just remember I told you.
http://www.saddlebackcellars.com Mark V. Marino wandering the wine country!

Wine Adventures Continue!

I am a servant to my clients in that I am at their service.  I have, as most of you heard, a searchable list of about 900 Wineries between Napa and Sonoma counties.  This list is always growing and changing.  My clients are always introducing me to new ones! This week I had an opportunity to get to a few more exclusive destinations!  The longer I do this the more I am amazed at the difference between one wine maker and another.

Elyse is a winery on Hoffman Lane just South of Yountville, headed by Ray Coursen who got his start at Whitehall.  He has been on his own since 1987, when he produced his now famous Morisoli Zinfandel for the first time, producing 287 cases.  Ray has a passion that extends to his wine and is typical of great anything.  If one is to be great, one must love what they do!

Ray produces 21 wines from what amounts to his front yard and garage.  Fermentation bins are lined up all around the house and in the front yard.  This is a winery not to be missed. http://www.elysewinery.com/

Vineyard 29 is located just North of St Helena on Highway 29 at 2929 address, hence "29".  Well, this is the opposite of Elyse, which is a passionate yet modest operation.  At 29 there has been no expense spared and the facility is quite literally incredible. It is yet another underground scientific bunker which uses gravity flow and is state of the art.  Aida is their flagship wine and a Zinfandel ($75).  Their Cabernet is great too but second at $50. They do have a reserve Cabernet which is also excellent!  These guys require an appointment as does Elyse so call ahead and schedule a tasting.  http://www.vineyard29.com/

Constant Diamond Mountain is at the top of Diamond Mountain, 2121 is the address as well as the elevation.  Freddy Constant greets you at the gate with his Swiss Army vehicle which he says is the first in the valley. He is serious about his being #1!  He charges more than anyone else to taste his wine ($100) which he will not mention if you buy wine, a 6 bottle minimum.

He specializes in Cabernet but also has Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot available.  This is one of the greatest tasting venues in the valley or in this case above the valley!  Tasting is conducted in the pool house which looks out at Mount St Helena and Calistoga below.  This is yet another incredible spot and a must for those that regard wine and the vineyard experience.  This is as good as it gets!  Apointments again a must, I can get in if you cannot. It helps if you have sold their wine previously!

http://www.constantwine.com   I remain Mark V Marino

Next Day: A Sonoma Wine Tour!

I picked up a NYC banker and took him on a wine tour of Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley (DCV  & RRV)!

Our first stop was on Pinot Row. Arista is another great Pinot Noir destination. http://www.aristawinery.com They are pouring a Gewurztraminer and two Pinots at the moment and have a following that purchases their releases as fast as they can make them!  Their fall shipment is sold out and their spring Shipment will be quickly.

Down the road to Porter Creek was the next stop. http://www.portercreekvineyards.com They are small and modest in appearance but lacking nothing in quality as their list of NYC restaurants attests to and my client expounded about!  He was very impressed with their restaurant list, most of which happen to surround his residence in NYC!

We next went to Hartford Estate, known for their Chardonnay and Pinot. My client bought wine there and was pleased with their offerings.  This winery is in a beautiful spot, just outside of Forestville on the road to Gurneville or just off it on Martinelli Lane.

We then went over to Lynmar Winery at Quail Hill Ranch, http://www.lynmarwinery.com another Pinot, Chardonnay destination and a beautiful facility.  They enjoyed sipping wine on the terrace and throughly enjoyed themselves!

Next they wanted some food and a friend on the phone said J so we traveled over to J and they ate the fabulous finger food J is gracious enough to provide their tasters. http://www.jwine.com

To top off the day they wanted to stop at De la Montanya, a harvest fair winner again, and recommended by the fellow at Porter Creek. http://www.dlmwine.com   Their flagship wine is a Cabernet-Zinfandel blend that people rave about. My clients concurred the blend was the star of the day.

All done for the day. I returned them to the Les Mars Hotel in Healdsburg and went home for the day, another day in the life of the Limo D, Mark Marino.

Another Day in the Life of the Limo D

Today the tour begins at the North end of the Napa Valley at the newly completed Solage Resort just outside of Calistoga!  The goal; great Cabernet. Our first stop was the top of Diamond Mountain at Constant Diamond Mountain www.constantwine.com This property is at an altitude of 2121 feet above sea level. It is warranted to be the highest vineyard in the Napa Valley.  Started in 1895, it is also said to be the oldest and with an annual production of 888  cases is is also claimed to be the smallest. Well, this is what it says on the label!  I am not sure about any of this but I will say it has some dynamite wine available, which might be more important than the last three claims. They make a Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a Syrah.  All are excellent and worth the long drive up the mountain.  Peter and Mary Constant are the owners and love their special spot on top of the world.  Their wines are as special as their vineyard!

Next, one of my favorites stops: Frank Family Vineyards. Dennis has been there since 1982 and I remember him from those days of Hans Kornell. I once brought the Porsche Club there back in 1988. The place has not changed since then, although they are currently remodeling and the old tasting room will soon be gone, only a memory.  I will miss it as I have been going there since my childhood, back in the days of Joe Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe, whose pictures still hang in the tasting room.

I have spoken of these guys before but they have several small production Champagnes, a wonderful Chardonnay, a Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and of course their Cabernet.  The regular Cabernet is one of the best for the price, their reserve is one of the best anywhere and the Winston Hill is a fantastic Bordeaux blend!  http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com

Plumbjack was the next stop, http://www.plumbjack.com This is a huge corporation but you would not know it by the winery. It is very homey and looks like the old Napa Valley. Wine is made in small lots and the winery is a most popular destination! The parking lot is a madhouse and people are rabid for this wine, members are alloted 6 bottles a year and clamor for more with a frenzy!

Our last stop after a lunch at the Rutherford Grill was Trefethen http://www.trefethenfamilyvineyards.com This is another big Cabernet destination. My clients purchased their library 1997 Cabernet which was an excellent year!  The winery was preparing for the member's crush party, setting up tables for 250 to eat and drink and celebrate the harvest. Another year come and gone.

The clients were staying in San Francisco at the Fairmont Hotel so it was off to the the city to drop them there, another day in the life complete!

What a Week! Bouncing Around the Wine Country!

This is the life, or this is the life?  I thought you guys might like a snapshot of life in the limo.  Monday; pick up a party of eight in downtown Sonoma. Objective; Sonoma Valley tour!  First stop Valley of the Moon Winery and Gary Heck's (of Korbel fame) property!  The first sight is a beautiful liquid amber tree in the parking lot (refer to my photos for a visual).  Nice wines at reasonable prices. For example, Cuvee of the Moon (the flagship wine) at $35. Pretty much something for everyone; 2 whites, Pinot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Cabernet, even a sparkler of course! www.valleyofthemoonwinery.com  Check them out!

Next stop, a real discovery: Eric Ross, at the entrance to Glen Ellen on the Sonoma side!  Wow. Dennis in the tasting room is not to be missed!  The wine is equally worthy of the time to check it out.  There is Chardonnay and Viognier from Saralee Vineyard for the white wine people.  Then some interesting reds. A Carignane, Feeney Ranch Zinfandel, a Syrah from Catie's Corner Vineyard, two Ports; one Zin based, one Zin-Syrah based. www.ericross.com

Next stop was Kaz, who (name of the owner is the same as the winery) always says he is Sonoma Valley's smallest winery.  This is a good thing because it is always easier to make good wine in small quantities.

If you can get there on a day Kaz is working, it is worth the stop. He is another rare bird and worth the price of admission!

Kaz has a selection of various varietals and a couple of blends as well as several ports.  He is the maker of a white port that is as rare a bird as the owner these days.www.kazwinery.com 

Next, the newest tasting room in the valley.  It is in the Kenwood Center in front of the post office, a joint venture between Mike Muscardini and Ty Canton.  So far I have only tasted the Muscardini Sangiovese, which is excellent and will just get better.  It was one of those bottles that just got better and better the longer it was open and it was a shame to finish it.  Chocolate and fruit, wonderful balance, rich and luxurious, just a fantastic wine that will age into fabulous wine!  www.muscardinicellars.com

Back to the hotel and done for the day. Tomorrow; the next days wine tour!

I am the wine educator, thanks for reading Mark Marino!

I Have a new cult wine, Holloway Cellars!

You guys like hillside fruit?  How about clone 337.  How about goulding clay that is the red dirt, known for great cabernets?

The fruit is grown at 2200 feet by the famous Beckstoffer family. Most of this vineyard is machine harvested but not the fruit for this wine, it is hand picked at night, brixs were 25.5% ( old school)!

Throw in a little little cab franc, malbec and petite vedot for flavor, on the skins for 3 weeks and finally age 18 to 22 months in French and American oak!

The result: fantastic Cabernet! Only 148 cases made, hence cult wine status. Oh you want the name? Holloway Cellars, oh yeah I said that in the title!

Well, I have to say it is very nice now but I dare to project it will develop. With it's fruit to acid balance it should go for years. Mitch, the winemaker, says 6 to 8 on the safe side but decades is the reality on the other hand.

Let me know if this is of interest to you, send me an email if you need assistance with anything doing with wine as this is my objective!

I can tell you the result is one great cabernet!  Mark V Marino

Hey! Discounts for the slow season!

I have so much to be thankful for, and the clients I have are at the top of the business list!  Wow, so many bright and successful individuals. Well here is a chance for me to give back to all of you.  For those of you who read this blog I would like to extent a thank you discount on any wine tour booked with the secret password between December 1, 2007 and January 31st, 2008! 

Here is the deal. Book now till December 1 for a trip Dec. 1 through Jan. 31st and receive 1 free hour on a 5 hour tour or 2 free hours on a 8 hour tour (Sunday through Thursday only).  If you come in through San Francisco we will pick you up at the Larkspur Ferry for your tour or we can pick you up at your hotel. ( Hours start at the ferry if you choose that option.)

Let me know your wishes. I will get you to where you want to go but give me time to get the appointments. Book now for difficult to get into wineries. 

Our tours are designed for you experienced taster's but fear not. We can do anything you want, just ask. Do not be worried about a lack of experience or a desire that is different (like big fountains or pretty places). We have heard and done whatever you would like for a long time!

So book now for then! www.limosamerica.com the secret password is Mark Marino!