Two Burgundy lovers and their weekend in Napa Valley
SF/NAPA
Tasted August 22, 2012 by clayfu with 1,128 views
Introduction
Edson Gonzalez and I had a weekend open so we planned a trip up to Napa Valley to hang out and meet up with some of the locals. We stayed at the lovely Best Western Premier like bosses. We each trucked up a nice handful of Burgundies and also sampled some of the local fare. Here's a list of our adventures.
WOTW: Definitely the 08 Dujac CDLR. Killer freaking wine. Need to get more of it as I only have two bottles left =( Don't know how I'll keep my hands off it!
We made a few stops while in Napa.
1) Napa Valley Wine & Cigar
2) Chateau Segui
3) Envy Winery (Carter/Myriad)
4) Alpha Omega
5) Chateau du Pott
6) RM Headquarters
Flight 1 - Hog Island Oysters @ Ferry Market Place (1 note)
Prior to meeting up with Edson, I met up with a high school buddy for oysters. I ran next door to grab a bottle of wine and saw the PYCM. Ridiculously overpriced at $90 (based on purchasing it for sub $70 in so cal) but a very good start to the trip with a dozen primo oysters.
White
2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs Gains
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
PYCM is absolutely killing it in 2010. From his basic village stuff to this mid tier 1er, he is rocking house. There is this intense bright lemon fruit on the initial attack that just explodes through the palate with boatloads of acidity and minerality. As it sat in the bottle over the hour, the acidity died down a touch (good thing as it was very strong) and the wine started to flesh out a bit but that intensity never stopped. If you love powerful rich big white burgundy, this is it.
Flight 2 - Visiting Napa Valley Wine and Cigar (2 notes)
On our way up the 29, we stopped at NVWC to say hi to Carrie and Randy. Little did we know we'd run into Mr. Piper and pop a few bottles.
Also popped a 2010 Henri Boillot Corton Charlie. I've written a few notes on it already and it's pretty similar. Just really heavy reduction on this bottle but it blew off by dinner time.
White
2010 Kosta Browne Chardonnay One Sixteen
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Not surprising that this wine would have a boat load of vanilla oak on it. Really big pear and apple on the palate that's fleshy and round with a clipped short finish. Didn't change much over the hour.
Red
2009 Anthem Winery Cabernet Sauvignon konrad vineyards
USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
Very big and deeply structured wine. Sweet blue and black cool fruit that balances well with the acidity. The fruit is ripe but it makes sense with the tannins and structure of the wine. Definitely one to hold for a bit to let those tannins resolve but it has the body to hold for awhile.
Flight 3 - Dinner @ Chateau Segui (5 notes)
We originally had dinner plans at Farmstead but after a few people fell through, me, Piper, Segui and Edson decided to just grill up some local steaks. Some great 42 day dry aged Rib eyes to go along with these wines. Too bad on the corked Rousseau =(
We also ravaged a box of It's It, which might be the greatest ice cream sandwich ever made.
Red
2008 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Intensely powerful wine on the palate throwing off a boatload of stem spice and floral on the nose. The acid and tannin are already balanced and runs beautifully along the backbone. There is this very tasty bright fruit that intermingles with the spice. Everything mixed together puts forth this long finish of cool fruit that just lingers on the palate. Must find more.
White
2007 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Pinpoint pure yellow fruit with zinging acid running along the backbone. Tons of minerality rushing all over the finish and picks up a bit of shell on the backend. Definitely needs time as the fruit lifts and that chalk balances in but an enjoyable drink now.
White
1996 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
decanted as the wine was giving up very little but sulfur and reduction initially. After about thirty minutes in the decanter it opened up completely. Subdued honey and lemon fruit on the palate, the chalk limestone was integrated into the fruit to give that little kick to the back end of the palate. The palate while not as rich as the 07, is very full and expansive as the flavors are all expressing themselves nicely at the moment. A touch of hazelnut with the fruit on the finish, so it's leading me to believe that it might be a good time to start drinking up.Really wish I had some oysters as that brine would have killed it with this wine.
Red
2009 The Vineyardist Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Big ripe bold sweet napa cab. Tons of sweet black fruit that's textured and lush on the palate. If you like fruit this is the kind of wine you want. Not sure how it'l develop as it ages, but why wait
Flight 4 - Tasting at Envy Winery (3 notes)
Mike Smith got a hold of me and invited Edson and I up to Envy to taste some of the stuff he's making. Carter and Myriad are firing on all cylinders right now. Big bold wines but balanced with cool fruit. Nothing gobby and fat with minimal oak presence. If you're gonna make a big napa cab why not make it in this style?
Flight 5 - Tasting at Alpha Omega (6 notes)
Jean put together quite the spread. They converted part of their former barrel room to a tasting area that was gorgeous. The winery knows how to treat its guests. There is even complimentary valet!
What I enjoy about the wines at AO is that they aren't obsessed with doing just pure cabernet. Not shy about blending in merlot, PV, CF into the wines and it brings out a really nice balance where in almost all the wines you pick up earthy tones you'd typically think of from Bordeaux. The 2010's are built to last as the tannins and acid are very powerful and should drink well for a really long time.
Red
2010 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard - North
USA, California, Napa Valley
Right before bottling. Guess they split up the To Kalon this year between North and South. The north is LIGHT years ahead of the south. Has this beautiful texture to it with ripe tannins and sweet dark fruit with a touch of cigar. Really nice to-kalon, might be my favorite of the trip.
Red
2010 Alpha Omega Era
USA, California, Napa Valley
Recently bottled. I really enjoy the Era everytime I have it. The blend of grapes is very well put together as it's a big wine with opulent blue fruit but it throws off spice, cedar, violet flavors on the palate to give it layers of complexity as the acid helps give it that nice purity on the palate. Still a bit tannic but a really good drink.
Red
2010 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Just prior to bottling. Chocolate, dust, red fruit and a touch astringent from the under ripe tannin. I think as it matures I can see the fruit balancing out the tannin a bit better and being a very tasty drink as the tannins are a bit strong right now.
Red
2009 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red
USA, California, Napa Valley
I think of this as a slightly more "obvious" ERA. It has all that nice 2ndary characters of cedar, tobacco that the ERA has as well as the big bold fruit, but it shows a bit more oak, alcohol and harshness. Not as close knit on the palate. Needs more time than the ERA
Flight 6 - Party up at Chateau du Pott (6 notes)
Aaron Pott hosted a party where each person had to bring a bottle of Domaine Du Vieux Telegraphe and their own bottle. Had a guy come up and cook a MEAN seafood paella. The one negative was that quite a few couples came in bringing wine not according to the party guidelines... oh well. I can't say I was terribly impressed by the Vieux Telegraphe and I had quite a few more vintages, just none of them really inspired any memorable notes. The two burgs we killed outside with the paella as we met a few other burg lovers.
Aaron hosts a killer party for 80 people. Largest Paella pan I've ever seen, live music, kids swimming, people putting up tents.. man is a champ.
Red
1997 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted as if it was going downhill. The fruit was a bit tired and started to taste stewed with a weak floral aftertaste. Dried tannins on the backend. Not sure how it was stored as the label was pretty beat down. I'm sure there are better examples of this wine.
Red
2006 Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Big big wine. Rich sweet black fruit on the palate that's structured and deep and a hint of that CDB earth. Some grainy tannins on the back that need to resolve but it has that burly structure that so many 06's have. The fruit is tasting great right now, in a much better position than the Chambertin. I think with time you'll see the wine become a touch less brutish and the mouthfeel to be lighter but it drinks really well right now.
Flight 7 - Crashing the RM headquarters party (4 notes)
A little birdy told us that there was a house in Callistoga on Saturday night that had the executive chef from (*) Solbar catering a small party for a certain superstar winemaker. A near full keg of beer, tons of wine opened with a bunch of great food.. nothing like it to cap off the night. Got to meet Chris Maybach, who was an absolute pleasure to hang out with and also got to raid TRB's cellar. The highlight of the night was probably when one of the RM interns grabbed the bottle of 93 Bachelet Corbeaux and started to empty a giant glass for himself and Mr. Segui grabbed the bottle from him and said "no". Gave the kid his first lesson in tasting fine wines.. no pouring 8 oz pours for youself ;).
Red
1998 Claude Dugat Charmes-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Very nice wine, sweet dark berry fruit mixed with gamey meat (as much as burgundy can be gamey) and mossy forest floor. Tannins are resolved now and the acid is clear and precise leading to a nice cool texture that runs through the palate.
Red
1993 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Oldest Bachelet I've had and really shows how much the flavor profile from Bachelet has changed. As one of the prior notes stated, very austere and fading fruit and the dominating flavor on the palate was this savory meaty fruit that just tasted tired. Not that typical dark brutish fruit I was expecting from this wine.
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Come to papa! Popped into the decanter (for all 15 minutes before it was drained) and the moment it hit the decanter the bouquet just exploded with rose and red fruit. On the palate it had this deep almost savory earthiness to it but it was mixed in perfectly with the strawberry, leather and gritty tannins. I love it when a wine is in that perfect place where the savory elements and sweet elements meet right in the middle. Like a great sea salt caramel ice cream ;)
Closing
We departed the next day for SFO, munched on some dimsum in SF and chalked up another great weekend of wine and friends!
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