Winery_Times

Blankiet Estate Releases 2005

I get these wine releases on almost a daily basis and the things people say to describe their wine can be sometimes silly and other times downright mistakes.  I must however say that Claude Blankiet writes one smoking letter!  Take this statement as an example, "A vintage is the summary of hundreds of micro decisions involving winemaking and viticulture.  Those decisions are based, of course, on experience in anticipation of predicted weather patterns, but with  Mother Nature constantly shuffling the decks, luck can never be discounted."  This is one of the best descriptions of the reality of being a farmer I have ever read!
The Blankiets are not just resting on their laurels, however, they have some of the best staff anywhere on earth to get this process right!  They have brought back David Abreau to oversee viticulture.  Martha McClelland is Winemaker and to assist in blending, famed oenologist from Bordeaux, Michael Rolland! 

To focus, they have decided this will be the last year they offer two wines; one Cabernet based and one Merlot based from their Paradise Hills Estate.  Starting with vintage 2006 they have chosen to pool their resources into one lot and hereafter produce one blend. They will be using all of the wine to make the most ultimate blend that they can possibly create!  Hence from 2006 they will offer only one wine which will include both Cabernet and Merlot as its base! 

Of course the rating people have assigned their numbers once again: around 95 for the Cabernet  and 94 for the Merlot based wine, Rive Droite.  The wine is available in lots of 3, 6 or 12 bottles if you are on the mailing list.  These are big wines which require cellaring and will develop for years to come.

The 2005 Cabernet is priced at $185 a bottle and the Rive Droite (Merlot Based) $125 on a first come first served basis.

Lail Releases its 2005 Blueprint!

The history of the Napa Valley would never be complete without the mention of Inglenook Winery. For almost a century they have been the center of wine making in the Napa Valley.  Inglenook was founded by Gutav Niebaum back in 1879.  He was the great-granduncle of the owner of Lail vineyard, Robin Lail, who along with her husband Jon founded Lail vineyards.

They are about to release their 2005 Blueprint , so named because of Jon's architectural background. This wine has been made by famous winemaker Philippe Melka who has been the winemaker since the beginning in 1995.  It is a blend of  71% Cabernet, 25% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc from  Howell Mountain, Oakville, St Helena and Yountville.  Philppe describes the wine saying it "reveals dark notes of blackberries intermixed with vanilla, cacao and coconuts. In the mouth it is round with a pure attack and good balance, finishing with raspberry and cherry flavors and well-integrated sweet tannins.” The price is $50 a bottle and is available to those in the allocation on 2/1/2008

Wine Tasting Takes Years to Master

Thomas of Vinofictions just wrote a wonderful article on" Finish" which invoked this reaction from me.

I think part of drinking wine is connecting the brain, via the nose with the subject at hand. It does not happen overnight nor without a great deal of work and thought from the drinker. I keep running into individuals that expect, like our society in general, instant gratification.  As if just because they might not detect this or that in a wine it probably does not exist.
Great finishes in wine are what distinguish the outstanding from the mediocre. I was at Revana the other day with Heidi Barrett in the cellar and wandered into the tasting for some clients. The presenter poured some wine and said they felt that their wine had a finish of about two minutes and that is what made it great as one did not have to sip it as often to continue to enjoy it during the evening! I have to agree when one has a wine that has that kind of long finish and it is wonderful, it is an experience which one keeps looking for in wines for years to come.
This year marks 50 years I have been tasting and it has been a continued growth throughout these years. Not only am I more acute in my evaluation but more able to identify the what and where that makes these nuances. I just think some of the less experienced should try and learn more by taking notes and asking questions, and try being less critical of those that have spent years and hundreds of hours learning and growing in knowledge and experience. Some may be a bit full of themselves however their expertise has been gained by years of tasting 1000's of wines and for that there is no substitute!

So what did I do? Ghost Block, Vine Cliff and Del Dotto..

Well let's just hit new stuff or old take your pick.  I have been talking of the Ghost Block which seems to be the new Screaming Eagle of the cult wine crowd.  This is the Napa Wine Company or Cult Wine Central's best Cabernet fruit, voted the winner of "Best of Oakville" and rated 92 across the board by the majors.  Well this  name got me thinking so I decided, on my own time, to visit the pioneer cemetery which Ghost Block borders.  I walked around for about an hour looking at the headstones of settlers that came west and died here back in the 19th century.  These Americans were lead by the original valley settler (after the Spanish) George Calvert Yount who came here in 1831. He was the only one in the graveyard born in the 18th century, 1794!  He was the only American to receive a Spanish land grant. this was Rancho Caymus which stretched from south of Yountville to Rutherford. It was a huge ranch and the original place wine grapes of the modern era were planted!   This guy must have been very tough as both the Wappo Indians and the Spanish decided they did not want to fight with him.  After his death, Rancho Caymus became Inglenook and several other big ranches.  George passed away in 1865, almost 150 years ago, but not before donating the city of Yountville  to be remembered  as his namesake.  Check out his monument there, a picture with a bag on his back and a lot of bravado in his heart.

Now back to the present. I stopped by Vine Cliff which was another early spot that made the Napa Valley famous. Some of the first hillside vineyards on the eastern slopes of the valley were planted there back in the 19th century.  I need to go back and take notes but in general, the Sweeneys have resurrected  the legend and have focused on  just Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet  and Cab Franc  for their wines.   They use a lot of sustainable farming methods and are serious about making the highest quality wines possible.  Their Flagship wine is their Private Stock which is a very select 16 rows of the best fruit of their vineyard.

I also revisited Caymus Winery who has released the special select 2004, apparently last October and it is now $165 a bottle up from 2003 when it was $150.  I took pictures too. Remember you can go there and purchase wine but if you want to taste you must make an appointment between 10-4 and not with no more than a party of ten as that is their limit.

The next place I want to mention is the new Del Dotto Tasting room.  Wow that Dave Del Dotto is an amazing individual!   First he does things right.  His new tasting room is way beyond anything else in the valley for visual impression.   At the same time he is the most humble person and always there and approachable if you want to speak to him.  Most people that meet him do not realize he is the owner as he is so low key and  soft spoken.  The people I brought spoke with him and afterward I mentioned did you enjoy meeting Dave and they said what?  They did not realize he was Dave Del Dotto they thought him just a tasting room guy.  I did not take any pictures of his cave as he asked me not to. He feels it is not ready quite yet!  Wow, it makes all other caves in the valley look crude and unfinished!  The marble in the tasting room is incredible and the columns and countertops are fantastic.  The wines are as excellent  as his efforts to make them. I asked  him if he had showed it to Francis Ford (his neighbor) as Francis would be embarrassed by the comparison. I mean that sincerely and I have seen both and more than once!  Dave has a Cabernet and Cab Franc which are both excellent!   I took many more photos - check them out at the winery_times 4 album!

Wow Too Many Wine Tours!

Where do I start, I did about five wine tours in five days! 

Well, this is what I love being here in the area for! Helping others that love the wines get to the best spots (based upon what they are after)!

This week was intense and is still not over. I am most interested in helping folks that are experienced in wine and are knowledgeable in what they want, as this is my forte.

I want folks that will come out year after year, some as often as quarter after quarter and stock their cellars with the best wine available for them.
People often ask me "Mark what do you like? " My response is that this is not important, what is important is what you like!  My preferences are not what others should focus on, wine is an individual and a subjective thing!  People that go out and rate wines are great, but if you can come here, why waste your time. This is their opinion which is fine but if you are  here and able to taste the wines , then figure it out for yourself! 

So, if you come here and tour with me then lets take advantage and go taste lots of wine based upon your thoughts. We will see what YOU like!  Wow, what a concept.  This is my focus and I cannot tell you how many have been surprised at their choices given this (their own) criteria!

I need to help make a commercial for Ford cars in the morning so I will have to wait to share some of the wineries visited this week, thanks for reading and check back soon..

Twisted Oak's Jeff Stai Wins Menu for Hope Tour!

I am happy to announce a  fellow  Blogger, Jeff Stai,  from the fabulous Elbloggotorcido has won my donation to Menu for Hope, a wine tour in the Napa Sonoma area.

I am so pleased a truly serious wine person has won the prize!

I want to thank Pim of Chez Pim for her commitment  and work  to put together  this great charity which raised $91,000 ! 

I want to thank the Great Alder Yarrow  for his fabulous Blog ,Vinography , for the invitation to participate and the encouragement to blog in the first place!

It is an honor to be part of such a Noble cause and I hope we raise twice as much money next year as we did this year! 

Black Coyote Receives a Nod From Parker

Our old friend Robert Parker has assigned a 91 rating to Black Coyote Cabernet '04. This is a Stag's Leap Cabernet.  Stag's Leap is known for soft tannins, the wine was made at the Judd's Hill Winery and bottled at the Robert Percota Winery.   

The wine sounds very promising , Parker says  black currants, licorice,  underbrush??? and oak.  He says it will age for 12 to 15 years!   (707) 252-2292 to order.

Ghost Block Pre Sale Call From Paul

Paul Torres called me this afternoon and 150 of the club's 200 six packs sold yesterday.
If  you want to order Ghost Block 2005  Paul has asked that you contact Napa Wine Company through their wholesale web site  Bonded #9   . Please tell them that Mark has sent you!
Remember that the charge will not be applied until the wine is shipped some time in April hence Paul is calling it Pre Sale!

Ghost Block Pre Orders!

Well fans, as promised, Paul Torres has decided to give those in the Cult Wine Central wine club  a chance to to place a 2005 Ghost Block Pre  Order!  The production will be similar to the 2004 which sold out quickly so this may be a sign for those who want the 2005. Put in your order before this vintage is gone!  Again the wine will be offered at $55 a bottle and the charge will not go through until the wine is shipped, which is slated for April.
This wine is named Ghost Block for the fact that the vineyard overlooks the Pioneer Cemetery in Yountville where the early settlers to the valley are buried.  In fact this is also an ancient Indian burial ground!  It is said the ghost of George C Yount wanders  the area from time to time hence the name Ghost Block! 
200 six packs have been set aside for the wine club members and I am not sure if you need to join to place a pre order but call Meghann Iredell at 945-1213 or email her at miredell@napawineco.com if you are interested!

The Man Behind Ghost Block

Those guys over at the Napa Wine Company never rest.  I am waiting to hear the news about Ghost Block being offered for futures but the holidays have held me back.
Meanwhile, the mind behind Ghost Block,  Paul Torres has come up with a couple of new ideas.  He will focus on the overall strategy and new label development while Ozzie Gallegos will step up to be the tasting room manager, way to go Ozzie!

The cool thing for those that are not here on a daily basis is that they are going to start offering wine to club members in 2 packs, as available, on a monthly basis starting in February !  People can then get a monthly rather than quarterly shipment from Cult Wine Central.

I haven't seen Paul since before Christmas so I am not sure if the Rock Cairn Cabernet is still available  but this is the same fruit that other producers are marketing at twice the price.  It is getting very hard to find a top quality Cabernet in Napa Valley for under $50 (remember this is $45!)

Stay tuned as I should have more news on the Ghost Block this week!