Oak Knoll District Of Napa Valley Ava
- Climate: Moderate to cool: marine air and fog can remain until late-morning. Late afternoon breezes frequently occur, maintaining slightly cooler temperatures than upper valley. Mid-summer temperatures may reach 92° F and drop to around 50°F at night.
- Elevation: sea level to 800 feet
- Rainfall: 36 inches annually.
- Soils: The valley’s largest alluvial fan formed by Dry Creek creates the defining feature of the district. The northwest area is composed of volcanically derived soils, with stony or gravelly consistency. South and east areas are transitional from gravel to silty clay loam.
- Principal varieties & characteristics: Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon benefit from a longer growing season with slightly cooler temperature, though crop size is typically less than in other AVAs. Elegant style is the common theme with fruit flavors of cassis, tobacco and spice typical to Bordeaux-style reds. Chardonnay showcases flavors of crisp apple, mineral notes and tropical fruit with fine acidity.
Las Jaras Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain
Comedy genius Eric Wareheim is a 50/50 partner in Las Jaras with winemaker Joel Burt, and longtime Tim and Eric fans snap up these wines every year they’re released. That’s why Burt has a challenge for all you “serious” wine lovers: Please, try to get an allocation, so you can see how awesome the wines are. And considering that Burt and Wareheim don’t own a winery and source all their grapes , it gives them a lot of flexibility to do some really cool things, like get into contract for 100% of a vineyard and demand it be farmed to their strict standards. Burt is all about minimal intervention these days, using little to no sulfur additions. And he has mad skills, as seen in a “punchy, weird, and crazy” wine like Superbloom or this fresh and structured 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Mountaina throwback to the lower-alcohol, more restrained wines of California’s past. With ample red and black fruit notes, rich turned earth, dark chocolate, and heady purple florals.
Incredible Bottles That Are Enjoyable Now And Will Age Gracefully For Many Years To Come
Living the wine life is fun and mostly carefree, but there’s also a dark side, where passionate enthusiasts run up against serious collectors. In these moments, wine can turn ugly.
Say you’re at a backyard barbecue, enjoying a glass of Accendo Cellars’ ultra-rare Laurea red that a collector with a big-ass wine cellar poured for you. Everything is rosy. But when you express a desire to obtain a bottle for yourself, the collector stiffens and deadpans, “You won’t be able to get this,” and offers you the smallest burger on the grill.
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You start asking other people at the party where to buy the wine, but suddenly everyone has to get back to somebody on Slack. Well, just wait until you invite them to your own barbecue and pull out a case of that Laureaor Newtown, Goldeneye, Faust, and Cornell, and so many others that you didn’t know about until you found this list.
It’s time to be in the know. Most of these bottles are pricey, some are not-as-pricy, and all are incredible wines that are enjoyable now and will age gracefully in, yes, a big-ass cellar for years to come. Here are 12 wines that serious collectors wish you wouldn’t buy.
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Goldeneye Ten Degrees Pinot Noir
If this 25-year-old Anderson Valley winery isn’t on your radar yet, there’s a good reason. Those who make the trek to Goldeneye through winding Northern California roads, often without cell service, to traipse around the estate gardens prefer to keep it a secret. Winemaker Katey Larwood has conquered the rustic, deeply-structured, heady-spice-driven qualities of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir with this bottling of Ten Degrees. Black and blue fruits notes find rustic earthy notes underscored by vivid, crunchy acidity, leading to a flourish of wildflowers and dried tea leaf notes on a long, supple, finish, culminating in pops of brandied cherry and cedar spices.
Cornell Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Fountaingrove District Sonoma County
When Henry Cornell first set foot on the property atop the Mayacamas Mountains, just west of the Spring Mountain District, on the site that is now Cornell Vineyards, he may not have known that he would propose marriage to his wife, Vanessa, beneath a gorgeous oak tree. But he did know that in order to make the best wine from his chunk of the mountain, he would need one of the world’s finest winemakers. That’s why the Cornells tapped a legend: Francoise Peschon, of Araujo Estate fame. Peschon’s small team of viticultural workers live on the property full-time, which is a rarity, but also shows that the Cornells understand that long-term commitments to the land and community are essential to success. And the results of their hard work are evident in any of their wines, but this 2016 is a real standout. Vivid and layered with cracked black pepper, black cherry, blackberry, and blueberry, silken textures, fine-grained French cedar tannins, and impossibly fresh. Sign up for the mailing list, reach out to the winery, and get to know the Cornellstwo of the most intriguing people to ever set up shop in wine country. If you have a hard time obtaining the ’16, look for the ’17 Cabernet in select high-end retail.
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Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District Napa Valley
Founded in 1977 by Peter Newton and Su Hua, Newton is unquestionably the crown jewel of Napa’s Spring Mountain District. Some of California’s greatest winemakers Ric Forman, John Kongsgaard, Andy Erickson, Aaron Pott, and Jean Hoefligerhave crafted these wines today, Alberto Bianchi is at the helm. Although the winery and grounds experienced heavy losses in the Glass fire, estate director Jean-Baptiste Rivail has said that Newton owners LVMH support the restoration of the estate. Best of all, much of the winery’s previous vintages are safe in temperature-controlled storage on the valley floor. And this 2016 Cabernet, if you can get your hands on any, offers a stunning snapshot of why Newton Cabernet is a monument of a wine that stands shoulder to shoulder with the absolute best. A flourish of blackberry and mountain-grown wild herbs lifts out of the class, evolving on the palate, layering in burley and dusty mountain tannins, dried mint, and crushed graphite, cedar spices, and a finish that lasts well into the next sip.
Faust The Pact Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville Napa Valley
Sure, $125 may not seem like a bargain, but considering that winemaker David Jelinek has produced Harlan and Joseph Phelps , it’s a steal. The best place to enjoy it, of course, is at the newly renovated Faust Haus in St. Helena . In the glass, the 2018 Pact reveals an inky red, glass staining color, with aromas of boysenberry, candied raspberry, and red cherry. Lofty purple floral notes emerge on the tight knit, textured palate, unfolding in black-fruited waves atop elongated tannins all gliding toward a salted dark chocolate finish. It’s plain to see why Faust fans want to keep it all for themselves. Pro tip: Call the winery and ask to buy library bottles of the 2011 vintage because it is mind-blowing.
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Medlock Ames Fifty Tons Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma
You need to become a member of Medlock Ames to gain access to their exclusive wines, which you’ll want to enjoy when you book an Olive Grove Experience at the winery in Healdsburg . It goes like this: You cozy up beneath a grove of olive trees with a picnic basket of local Sonoma cheeses, cured meats, fresh bread, chocolates, estate-grown olives, and jams from the winery’s organically-certified gardensand the member-exclusive Fifty Tons Cabernet Sauvignon. Founders Chris James and Ames Morison moved 50 tons of rock to restore terraces for the Cabernet that goes into this blue-and-black-fruited, silky-texture red. Take note: Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega fame began consulting with the 2019 vintage, which means these small production wines are going to fly out the door even faster than before.
Kings Carey Wines Grenache Sta Rita Hills Santa Barbara County
If you’ve had cult-favorite Liquid Farm, James Sparks’ day job, you know he’s got a gift for crafting utterly fresh, pure-fruited Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 2014, he debuted his own Kings Carey label and lent his Midas touch to Grenache grapes from Spear Vineyards, an organically-farmed site in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Sparks’ Grenache bottling will become an instant-favorite after the first sip. Collectors hoard it because it is a sheer joy to drinkit should cost twice the price. The 2017 is profoundly layered, showing a beautiful lucid, vibrant, and shimmering ruby red color, and revealing bright cherry and scorched wild crushed herb notes, complemented by roasted coffee bean, orange zest, and juicy, just-picked wild strawberry fruit leading to a long mineral finish.
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New Names New Wines From Napa
As some readers know, Ive only recently been able to dedicate more time to writing here on Vinography after a number of years of being an entrepreneur and small business owner trying to squeeze in some wine writing around the edges. By virtue of that struggle for time, I have not exactly kept up with new developments in California wine at the level to which I aspire. There was a time that thanks to an endless parade of large public tastings, I was almost sure to hear about new wine projects soon after they popped up.
Of course, gone are the days of 1000 people crowding into San Franciscos Fort Mason to visit with and taste the wares of 200 different wineries. Who knows when well get that opportunity again.
In the meantime, I wanted to see what I might have missed over the past few years in Napa. So I called up the folks at the Napa Valley Vintners Association and asked them if they would be so kind as to give me a list of all the wineries that had joined their ranks in the past 5 years.
When I got the list, which was impressively long, I went through and marked basically every name I had never heard of, and asked if the vintners would see if those folks wanted to show me what they were up to by way of some wine samples.
A while later, the boxes started arriving, and for the past few months, Ive been tasting through the wines in batches, and those that I thought were notable based on my tasting, I have profiled below.
This came as no surprise, but it still hurts.
Duh.
Boich Family Cellar Nvs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Founder John Boich has amassed an enviousportfolio of wines, available through an allocation-only model, from some of Napa’s leadingvineyards, like To Kalon, Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, and Beckstoffer Georges III. His winemaker, Jeff Ames, is no stranger to fans already collecting bottles from Tor and Rudius, his other gigs. This 2017 NVS has pitted collector against collector in a race to obtain an allocation. If any bottles do remain after their official release, they’re made available to people not on the listfirst come, first served, until sold out. Aromas of cookies and cream and blackberry and black cherry liqueur, with crème de cassis nuances, graphite, and purple florals it’s broad and mouth-filling with satiny French oak tannins so precisely integrated you’d be wise to mistake this for a French First Growth.
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Stags Leap District Ava
- Climate: Moderately warm with afternoon marine winds acting as an “air-conditioner” to cool the warmer air radiating off the bare rocks of Stags Leap itself and the surrounding hillsides. Mid-summer temperatures can reach 100°F , but more regularly are in mid-90° range .
- Elevation: Sea level to 400 feet .
- Rainfall: 30 inches annually.
- Soils: Volcanic gravel-loams on the floor of the valley, with rocky hillsides, and low to moderate fertility due to hard clay subsoils.
- Principal varieties & characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot: Distinguished by lush, velvety textures and fine perfumed cherry and red berry flavors, supported by soft tannins. Sauvignon Blanc: Round and ripe, yet retains excellent citrus and apple flavors.
- Climate: Due to elevation and prximity to San Pablo Bay, it is the coolest of all the Napa Valley AVAs. The air mass that passes over Carneros cools another 10 degrees by the time it rises to the AVA..
- Elevation: 850 to 2130 feet .
- Rainfall: 35 inches annually.
- Soils: Volcanic in origin, with basaltic red color, shallow with limited water retention, so irrigation is often essential.
- Principal varieties & characteristics: Pinot Noir: Bright berry and cherry fruit with great acidity. Chardonnay: Crisp, floral, aromatic, with distinctive pear-mineral flavors and bright acidity.
Cirq Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Meet anyone who has managed to obtain an allocation of Michael Browne’s CIRQ wines, and they’ll be happy to share a bottle. But ask how to get on the list, and they’ll distract you: “Oh, look, a family of quail!” Browne is, of course, the Michael Browne of Kosta Browne fame, and CIRQ is his second act, along with newly released CHEV . Both labels, made in tiny quantities, will be housed under Browne’s new estate in the heart of the Russian River Valley, slated to open this year. Get on the list! In the meantime, his newly published Pinot Rocks book is available on Audible . Just 950 cases were made of this 2018 Russian River Pinot, which offers lifted aromas of candied cherry, and a walk through dense redwood forests after a light rain, violets, black truffles, and juicy, mouth-filling black raspberry, blood orange, cedar, and pine spices.
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Crescere Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Planted in 2003, Platt Vineyard sits five miles from the Pacific Ocean in Sonoma and has long been a source of world-class grapes for iconic producers like Ramey, Littorai, and Red Car. When Crescere founder Joe Reynoso got his hands on a few tons, he knew just what to do. This savvy son of a Mexican migrant worker from the Central Coast hired Philippe Melka when he launched his label in 2016. This is only the second release, and talk about an absolute stunner. Out of a markedly heavy bottle comes a surprising, almost translucent ruby-color, and heady aromas of clove and blood orange, cinnamon spices, and juicy bing cherry, grapefruit zest, and feathery wispy tannins on a long, long finish. “Varietal typicity, site specificity, purity of fruit and great texture with energy,” is what Reynoso says you should expect of his wines. This Pinot proves it. Also, only 45 cases were produced.
La Pelle Cabernet Sauvignon Ceniza Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley
Pay attention to any new wine label Maayan Koschitzky starts, because the 41-year-old rising star is not going anywhere. Born in Israel, Koschitzky came to America in 2011 with his wife Dana and a newborn. At 7:00 a.m., the day after their plane landed, he was due for work at Screaming Eagle in Oakville. By 2015, he felt it was time for a change, and luckily for us, the winds funneling up from San Pablo Bay blew him slightly north, to St. Helena, where he joined Philippe Melka’s team. Today, Maayan is the Director of Winemaking for Atelier Melka, overseeing nearly 30 brands all with SRPs above $100. In 2016, he launched La Pelle in partnership with Silverado Farming Company. The wines have been an instant hit with a strong mailing listeven the Melkas buy Maayan’s wines. This Ceniza Vineyard Cabernet is imbued with the hallmark freshness and acid lift that is classic to Coombsville-sourced grapes, coupled with deep, dense flavors of cherry liqueur, cassis, and perfumed red florals atop very long, fine-grained tannins, and goes down just a little too easy. Pro tip: look for two other Koschitzky projects, Aileron and Brilliant Mistake.
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Pomorum Wines Napa Valley Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
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Where To Taste
Tasting rooms are scattered along the main street and on the outskirts of town. Downtown,Maldonado Vineyards is a small -grower-turned-producer. It makes big, bold Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Pinot Gris. Also downtown is newcomer Picayune Cellars, a project borne of two friends that focuses on small-lot, affordable wines. Out of town, Hourglass conducts tastings of its estate bottlings by appointment. Venge Vineyards, which can be visited by appointment, focuses on single-vineyard Cabernet, among other wines. South of town,T-Vine Winery makes less acclaimed varietals like Grenache, Carignane and Charbono. Along Dunaweal Lane, visit Twomey, Silver Oaks sister property, where Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are a focus. Farther south is Larkmead Vineyards, a stellar place for small-production wines try the Tocai Fruilano. Neighboring Frank Family Vineyards is in the original Larkmead winery across the road, the third-oldest in the Napa Valley.
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