Groth 2013 Chardonnay Hillview Napa Valley In 1981, Dennis and Judy Groth purchased 121 acre parcel in Napa known as the Oakville Vineyards, in the heart of the Oakville Appellation. In fact at that time some of their grapes found their way to Silver Oak and other notable Napa wineries. Between 1999 and 2003, almost 50% of their vineyard was replanted and in 2006 they rebuilt the barrel cellars, crush and fermentation areas. The Groth 2013 Hillview Vineyard Chardonnay was produced from grapes grown only in the Hillview Vineyard in Napa Valley, 100% Chardonnay. The 2013 growing season matched that of 2012 and produced a banner crop producing grapes that…
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Patz & Hall 2013 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay I previously reviewed the 2011 & 2012 vintages and found the wines impressive, but the 2012 growing season was longer and cooler allowing the winemaker to pick the fruit at the peak of ripeness. Founded by 4 individuals Patz & Hall is one of California’s premier wineries. I noticed a light straw yellow color and light aromas of fresh fruit, mostly green apples and slightly citrus with floral notes. On the palate, the flavor was somewhat full and rich with layered flavors of peach, green apple and vanilla spice. The wine had a slight mineral taste with light oak, noting that the wine…
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Rombauer 2013 Chardonnay Carneros Koerner Rombauer was born and raised in Southern California, in the small, agricultural town of Escondido, near San Diego. He attended public schools in Escondido and went to the same high school as Joan Ransome, who would later (in 1959) become his wife. Koerner’s first great career passion was flying, and was a commercial pilot with Braniff and flew as a captain along a South American route until the airline ceased operations in 1972. The Rombauers moved their family, two horses, and five dogs from Dallas to the Napa Valley. They purchased 40 acres of hilltop land on the Silverado Trail, near St. Helana, however without…
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Merry Edwards 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Warm weather is here again so it’s time to crack open a Sauvignon Blanc, but not just any Sauvignon Blanc, start the summer with one of the best. One of California’s first woman winemakers, Merry Edwards began her career at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1974. She went on to become the founding winemaker at Matanzas Creek in 1977 and remained there until 1984. For the next decade, Merry consulted for numerous wineries, large and small, in Oregon and many diverse appellations of California. In 1997, family and friends joined Merry to found Merry Edwards Winery, with a focus on producing…
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Cakebread Cellars 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Cakebread Cellars was founded, in 1973, by Jack and Dolores Cakebread and they have an enduring commitment to quality, their belief is that life’s occasions are elevated by good people, good food, and good wine flows through everything they do. The 2012 Sauvignon Blanc was Cakebread’s 38th vintage from Napa Valley, and considered one of their best. The wine is a blend of Grapes: 87% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Sèmillon, and 4% Sauvignon Musqué. In 2013, Cakebread Cellars celebrated their 40th wine harvest, and the second generation of winemaking, and in 1995, the family purchased a 60-acre former apple orchard in Anderson Valley near Boonville and…
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Ferrari-Carano Reserve Napa Chardonnay 2012 One of my absolute favorite California Chardonnay’s is the Ferrari-Carano offering from Sonoma County. Today I will comment on their Napa Reserve 2012 vintage. The Ferrari-Carano Winery was founded in 1981 by Don and Rhonda Carano and is located in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. If you enjoy pairing food with wine, be sure to visit the Ferrari-Carano website where Rhonda has a number of recipes. So if you are adventurous and have a passion for good food and wine, then try some of her recipes. I opened the 2012 Napa Reserve Chardonnay and observed a clear golden yellow color. The 2012 Napa Reserve Chardonnay…
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Darioush 2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Nowhere is the connection between wine and culture more evident than in the history of Persia. Discoveries dating to 5,000 B.C. in the Zagros Mountains of Northern Iran show that winemaking emerged as permanent communities replaced nomadic life and a new age of wine culture began. Darioush Khaledi was instilled at an early age with the winemaking craft of his father, inspired by wine culture in the literary city of Shiraz – in modern day Iran – and the ancient city of Persepolis. He became a lifelong collector, seeking out old world wines infused with tradition and energized by modern technique. Aspiring to the ideals…
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Walt 2012 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir WALT Wines, owned by Vintners Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall, produces premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Pacific Coast’s most distinctive vineyard sites, spanning nearly 1000 miles and including Sta. Rita Hills, Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, and the Willamette Valley. Kathryn’s parents, Bob & Dolores Walt, were dedicated winegrowers who loved the land and each other. Her family produced six different varietals that was sold to several great wineries. For Kathryn’s parents, growing grapes was a shared family vision. In 2009, Hall partnered with Roger and Richard Roessler, brothers who sought the finest vineyard sources along the Pacific Coast to make a…
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Ridge 2012 Sonoma Three Valleys Ridge Vineyards history begins in 1885 when Osea Perrone, a prominent Italian doctor in San Francisco, purchased 180 acres of land near the top of Monte Bello ridge. Perrone terraced the slopes, planted vineyards and constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage in 1982. In the 1940’s, William Short purchased the abandoned winery and vineyards just below Perrone’s property and planted new vines. From there a number of partnerships were formed with the surrounding vineyards, mostly by individuals with Stanford Research Institute credentials, up until 1986 when the Japanese pharmaceutical company Otsuka became the owners. The Ridge team is still more like a group of inspired…
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Frank Family Vineyards 2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon First constructed as the Larkmead Winery in 1884, the building was refinished with native sandstone from the nearby hills in 1906 and still stands tall today. The massive stone edifice is considered an archetype of California’s wine country; it appears on the National Register of Historical Places and is listed as a Point of Historical Interest in the state of California. The Frank Family Vineyards focuses their energies on making superb wines, producing Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Petite Syrah and several distinctively different Cabernet Sauvignons. Today I am tasting their Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I noticed a vivid deep ruby color and concentrated…