• California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa,  Petite Sirah,  Sonoma,  Syrah

    Cellar Selections

    Elyse Winery 2016 GlenLyon Vineyard Sonoma County Syrah; 2014 York Creek Vineyard Napa Petite Sirah Continuing on with my Elyse Winery visit, see my November 1, 2019 review of their 2018 California Rose & 2015 Sonoma County Chardonnay and November 15, 2019 review of their 2014 Korte Ranch Vineyard Napa Zinfandel, 2014 Morisoli Vineyard Napa Zinfandel &2014 Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel together with some of its history. After thirty years of stewardship, Ray and Nancy decided that it was time to retire. What began as a casual conversation over dinner evolved into the next chapter for Elyse Winery. In October 2018, Ray and Nancy Coursen sold Elyse Winery…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Malbec,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selections

    Spring Mountain Vineyard         2008 Elivette                                    2005 Elivette Continuing on with my Spring Mountain Vineyard visit, see my November 12, 2019 review of their 2006 & 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon and its history. Spring Mountain Vineyard is an 845-acre estate on the eastern slopes of Spring Mountain in Napa Valley. Only 225 acres of the estate are planted to vine, representing 135 discrete hillside vineyard blocks with many soil types, exposures, and microclimates. A substantial portion of the vineyard is planted in densities of over 4,000 vines per acre and trained…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Malbec,  Napa,  Petit Verdot,  Pinot Noir,  Weekend Selection

    Weekend Selection

    Joseph Phelps Vineyards 2016 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Pastorale Vineyard I recently wrote about Joseph Phelps Vineyards having its roots dating back to 1973, see October 25, 2019 review of Joseph Phelps 2016 Napa Sauvignon Blanc & 2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Pastorale Vineyard. While many of the early Joseph Phelps wines were made with grapes from the Home Ranch in St. Helena, Joe also sourced fruit from outside growers. But as the winery continued to grow and he traded earlier efforts in Riesling and Chardonnay for Cabernet, Merlot and other red Bordeaux varieties, he began acquiring vineyard land in the Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, and…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa

    Cellar Selections

    Heitz Cellars 2014 Linda Falls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Marths’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Continuing with my Napa adventures, see my previous Heitz Cellars post on October 22, 2019. Today I will discuss 3 of their outstanding Cab’s. In April, 2018, Heitz Cellar entered an exciting new chapter as this rich legacy was passed into the hands of the Lawrence family, whose deep roots in agriculture and commitment to the same core values of fine winemaking made it a perfect match. The wines are made with an unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100% Napa Valley fruit, and a commitment to the sustainability of Napa…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selections

    Hall Wines 2015 Eighteen Seventy-Three Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Bergfeld Cabernet Sauvignon Continuing with my Napa adventures, see my previous Hall Wines post on October 29. Today I will discuss 3 of their wonderful Cab’s. Since first working in her family’s Mendocino vineyards, Kathryn Hall dreamed of a place to showcase fine wines alongside expressive art and masterful architecture. The Halls acquired the historic St. Helena Bergfeld Winery in 2003 and re-opened as HALL St. Helena in July of that year. With a rich history spanning 150 years, HALL St. Helena’s location was once the home of the Napa Valley Co-Op, producing 40% of Napa Valley’s…

  • California,  Napa,  Sonoma,  Weekend Selection,  Zinfandel

    Weekend Selections

    Elyse Winery 2014 Korte Ranch Vineyard Napa Zinfandel; 2014 Morisoli Vineyard Napa Zinfandel; 2014 Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel In 1987, Ray and Nancy started the Elyse brand with 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard , which is still a cornerstone vineyard source for the winery. After a decade of nomadic winemaking at various custom crush facilities, in 1997 they purchased a small winery and vineyard on Hoffman Lane, the home of Elyse Winery and tasting room. Since then, Elyse has blossomed into a portfolio of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah focused on pure expression of fruit. Continuing with my Napa adventures, see my previous Elyse…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Malbec,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selections

    Spring Mountain Vineyard           2006 Cabernet Sauvignon              2011 Cabernet Sauvignon The new Spring Mountain Vineyard was once three separate properties each with its own vineyard and winery:  Spring Mountain Vineyards “Miravalle” 257 acres, Chateau Chevalier “Chevalier” 120 acres, and Draper Vineyards “La Perla” 435 acres.  The upper most property on the estate, La Perla, was founded in 1873 by Charles Lemme and expanded by the Schilling Spice family.  Originally 285 acres it had the first Cabernet Sauvignon planted on Spring Mountain.  The old winery remains today along with much of its original equipment and horse drawn carriages and wagons.  Immediately…

  • California,  Chardonnay,  Exceptional Red,  Exceptional White,  Merlot,  Monterey County,  Napa,  Pinot Noir,  Santa Lucia Highlands

    Exceptional Selections

                      2017 MerSoleil Silver Chardonnay   2017 Emmolo Napa Merlot 2017 MerSoleil Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir In 1971 Charlie Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery. If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in Napa Valley and move to Australia. Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards. The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of…

  • California,  Carneros,  Cellar Selection,  Chardonnay,  Napa,  Petite Sirah,  Syrah

    Cellar Selections

                 2017 Napa Carneros Red Shoulder Ranch    Shafer 2016 Napa Relentless Shafer Vineyards traces its beginnings to 1972 when John Shafer left a 23-year career in the publishing industry and, with his family, moved to the Napa Valley to pursue a second career in wine. After purchasing a 210-acre estate in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District, the Shafer family faced the arduous task of replanting the existing vineyards, which dated to the 1920s, and terracing the steep and rocky hillsides, eventually expanding vineyard acreage to its current 50 acres. From a modest beginning of 1,000 cases in 1978, the winery has grown steadily until…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Merlot,  Napa,  Sauvignon Blanc,  Weekend Selection

    Weekend Selections

                                              Hall Wines 2017 Napa Sauvignon Blanc;          2014 Hall Ellie’s Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Walt Hall is the proprietor of Hall Wines and has been involved in the California wine industry since her family first purchased a vineyard over thirty years ago. She has had a distinguished career as a successful businesswoman, community activist, and also named as the United States Ambassador to Austria. Kathryn Hall and her family have been grape growers in Mendocino County since 1972. The Walt family owns 63 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in the Redwood Valley and has sold their grapes to such wineries as…