Don's Wine Blog

During my blog’s hiatus a considerable number of significant new wineries and bottlings have made an appearance. Recession or not, they just keep on coming. What I find most surprising is that the newcomers seem to fall neatly in to one of two very different categories.

Camp A, makes a less dramatic market splash, even if it gives me gives me the greater pleasure. This group includes mostly mid-priced to lower-mid-priced entries. Often these spring from less-heralded or not yet fully-explored appellations. Just as often the grapes involved are recent plantings of newly-arrived or seemingly forgotten varietals.

Just in the last few weeks, Napa Valley Winery Exchange has introduced the following: a lovely 2008 Sonoma Coast Syrah, from Corkscrew Winery; the delightfully drinkable 2010 Alexander Valley Carignane “Carbonic” (Beaujolais-style, and from 120 year-old vines), from Broc Cellars; a rich and juicy 2009 El Dorado Viognier-Roussanne blend, from David Girard Vineyards; the delicious 2009 Sierra Foothills Viognier, from Naggiar; and outstanding 2010 Tocai Friulano and Cortese offerings, from Mendocino’s new Fatto e Mano winery. Each of these sells for under $25.00, yet each is a wine I could construct a lovely dinner around.

The wines in Camp B reflect a more elevated financial base, although the people behind them seem to be no less enthusiastic. These are “top of the market” debuts. Their price will invariably signal the presence of a celebrated winemaker or a highly-regarded and widely known piece of land. An even more elevated price might signal the presence of both.

Location, Location, Location

With the 2008 vintage Sojourn – a highly-regarded Sonoma producer known best for a fleet of lovely Pinot Noirs – chose to enter the Napa Cab sweepstakes. They launched 4 $90.00ish Cabs, the most easily recognized being a delicious and already highly-rated Beckstoffer “George the Third” entry from Napa. It may not even be the best of the four, but George III is a name we certainly knew.

This month NVWE debuted the 2009 12C Wines Cabernet from the George III vineyard @ $71.95. It is already a joy to drink and is every bit the wine the 2008 Sojourn G3 is. “You chose wisely”, said the old Knight as I lowered the Grail from my lips.

Calling in the Heavy Artillery

Earlier this year we introduced a delicious 2006 Bennet Valley Cabernet from Flanagan Vineyards. This area has neither history nor a reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon, yet the wine was released @ $95.00! It is a lovingly-crafted wine, with pretty oak, polish and all the bells and whistles one could ask Philippe Melka, its famous winemaker, to cram into it.

We all remember Phil, ex-winemaker at Bryant Family. One of Phil’s current day jobs is as chief cook and bottle washer at Dana Estate. Dana makes three Napa Cabs from fine, if lesser-known properties. 2007 was only Dana’s second release, yet all three wines sold out immediately @ $285.00 per bottle. These are extremely tasty Cabs, but it may be Phil’s name that made them so “recession proof”.

Last Thursday I tasted the soon to be released 2009 Bordeaux blends and Cabernets from Capture Wines. Each comes from their Estate vineyards on Sonoma’s little-exploited Pine Mountain.

In the 1990s, Napa Valley Winery Exchange sold zillions of cases of Chauffe Eau Cabernet (@ $20.00) from a Pine Mountain site, and I often wondered what might be done up there by someone who was truly striving for greatness (and had a bit of disposable income).

Thus far, the public has seen Capture as a white wine producer. They produced fine Chardonnay in both 2009 and 2010. Even better, their “Tradition” and “Les Pioneers” Sauvignon Blancs, from the same vintages, have been close to spectacular! Despite this, it is the Capture reds that everyone has been waiting for.

Well, no surprise, the Capture reds are impressive. But after all, they should be. Capture’s winemaker, Denis Malbec, left his day job at Chateau Latour a while back, to seek his fortune in the west. His talents have by now been now widely demonstrated around our local Cabernet country. He knows the plant when he sees it and what the market will bear as well. Capture’s gorgeous flagship wines: the “Harmonie” Bordeaux blend and the top-end “Revelation” Cab will launch at $120.00 and $135.00 respectively.

I personally wish the tight young ’09 Capture reds were to be released a year from now. I know however that farming to make great Cabernet is expensive and that the owners of Capture, Flanagan, C12 and Sojourn may need a paycheck. It is possible that their need is just as pressing as that of the “less well-fixed” folks at Corkscrew, Broc, David Girard, Naggiar and Fatto e Mano. I hope they each find rewards for their efforts.