Trip to Napa Valley

Napa, CA
Tasted Sunday, January 30, 2011 - Monday, January 31, 2011 by rentmp3 with 1,433 views

Introduction

From January 30 - January 31, 2011, Sameer and I took a trip to the Napa Valley for my 28th birthday. As this was an impromptu, last-minute trip, we didn't make any appointments for tastings, so we didn't get to visit some of the better Napa wineries. We were able to taste at Trefethen, Grgich Hills, Provenance, Hall, Alpha Omega, St. Clement on the first day and Hagafen, Pine Ridge, Goosecross, Baldacci, and Turnbull on the last day. We also stopped at a number of wineries just to look around without tasting (St. Supery, Peju, Beaulieu - tasting was way too expensive, Darioush - gorgeous, Regusci, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars). A few wineries (namely, Pine Ridge, Hall, & Alpha Omega) had some phenomenal wines and a few (Grgich Hills, Hagafen & Goosecross) had some unacceptably bad wines. We stayed at the greatest B&B in Downtown Napa called the Inn on 1st Street and were able to score a few complimentary tastings (hence, the tastings at Hagafen & Goosecross) which were likely complimentary for a reason. Hall and Alpha Omega really stood out as having some of the best wines of the weekend (and Hall had a cabernet that was easily one of the best I've ever had). Provenance stood out as having friendly service and some really decent wines. The folks at Trefethen were extraordinarily gracious and we had a great time there. And Pine Ridge had some really excellent wines and incredible service.

Flight 1 - Trefethen (7 Notes)

This was the first winery of the trip and one of the first wineries on the 29 heading out of Downtown Napa. The wines here were serviceable overall, but I was most impressed with the hospitality and graciousness of our hosts. Didn't find anything here that I would purchase, but had an enjoyable time.

  • 2008 Trefethen Chardonnay 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    Notes of apples and citrus fruits. A little honey, creamy mouthfeel. Very little oak and no butter on this chardonnay.

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  • 2008 Trefethen Quandary 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    A mystery blend of chardonnay, viognier, & riesling. Loads of tropical fruits on the nose and palate rounded out with some citrus notes. A little sweetness that is balanced nicely with some clean, crisp acidity. An easy drinker for a hot summer day.

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  • 2007 Trefethen Chardonnay Harmony 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    A very balanced chardonnay. Typical chardonnay notes of apples and citrus fruits. Very little oak and butter. Not over the top. A little heat on the finish.

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  • 2009 Trefethen Pinot Noir 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    Raspberries and cranberries, white pepper, very light, creamy mouthfeel.

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  • 2007 Trefethen Dragon's Tooth 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    61% malbec, 22% petit verdot, 11% cabernet sauvignon, 3% merlot, 3% cabernet franc. Dark blackberries, dark chocolate, very little oak, dry, good, firm tannins.

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  • 2003 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    From a magnum. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 2% petit verdot. Best of the Trefethen flight, but not overly impressive. Cherries, some dark chocolate notes, little oak, dry, smooth tannins, and a bit dusty on the finish.

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  • 2006 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    (1/30/2011)

    85% cabernet sauvignon, 7% petit verdot, 4% merlot, 4% malbec. A bit disappointing for a reserve cab. The nose was almost non-existent. Very simple, one-dimensional. A bit of black pepper, blackberries, and cassis, dry, decent tannins. Not worth $100.

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Flight 2 - Grgich Hills (3 Notes)

Perhaps the most disappointing visit of the trip? After stopping by St. Supery, Peju, & Beaulieu (without tasting), we stopped here because I had heard good things about their wines. We paid $30 for a reserve tasting of 3 wines! Unfortunately, these were completely over-priced and the Old Vine zin was even offensive at $85/bottle. Couple that with an arrogant and overall unfriendly host and I can safely say I won't be purchasing any wines from Grgich Hills for quite some time. On the plus side, we did get a complimentary wine glass with our tasting.

  • 2008 Grgich Hills Zinfandel Miljenko's Old Vines 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    Maybe I missed something here, because this was one of the worst wines of the trip, and at $85, a complete rip-off. Perhaps a bad bottle? Beautiful ruby-red color, like a really dark rose. Was getting absolutely nothing from the nose. Bright red strawberries on the attack, decent acidity, finished quite hot. Very disappointing.

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  • 2006 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Selection 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

    (1/30/2011)

    Typical cassis, blackberries, black pepper. Lightly oaked. A bit hot on the finish. Lighter style for a cabernet. Not worth $135.

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  • 2008 Grgich Hills Violetta Late Harvest 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    Maybe I missed something here, but this was disappointing. Field blend of sauvignon blanc, riesling, and gewurz. The nose was gorgeous with floral notes, honey, a bit heavy. On the palate, honey, apricots, a little nuttiness. Acidity was on the low side which made this feel heavy and cloying.

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Flight 3 - Provenance (7 Notes)

Heard really good things about these folks so had to make a stop. The wines here were good to great and our hostess was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Standouts for me were the cab franc (I love good cab franc) and the '05 Estate Grown Cab Sauv. They were having a cellar sale the day we were here so we were able to taste a number of wines off of that list as well for free.

  • 2009 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/30/2011)

    98% sauvignon blanc, 2% semillon. Very solid sauvignon blanc. Tropical fruits on the nose. On the palate, nice tropical fruits, creamy mouthfeel, medium acidity, sweeter than your typical sauvignon blanc. Solid effort.

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  • 2007 Provenance Vineyards Malbec Peppone 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    (1/30/2011)

    Beautiful purple red color. Loads of black pepper and plums on the nose. On the palate, black cherries, raspberries, black pepper, very smooth tannins, nice finish.

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  • 2007 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Franc 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    I really love cabernet franc and jump at any chance to taste it. 100% cab franc. On the nose, plenty of dark red berries rounded out with some typical green bell pepper notes. On the palate, black cherries, green bell pepper, super long finish, smooth tannins. Delicious!

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  • 2006 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/30/2011)

    100% cabernet sauvignon. Typical cabernet, with notes of cassis, blackberries, black peppers. A little greenness to this. A bit jammy, medium length finish. Very easy to drink now.

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  • 2006 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/30/2011)

    Not as good as expected, but a solid cab nonetheless. Showing a more red berry profile than the '06 Rutherford Estate. Raspberries, cherries on the palate. Solid tannins, medium finish, a little heat on the finish.

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  • 2005 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/30/2011)

    Really great effort. On the nose, cassis, oak, black pepper. On the palate, black cherries, raspberries, oak, little green bell pepper, very well-integrated tannins, very smooth. Beautiful!

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  • 2003 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/30/2011)

    Nose was complex with some barnyard, sulfur action, cassis, oaky vanilla. On the palate, bright red berries, oaky vanilla, bitter tannins, a little heat on the finish. Needs more time.

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Flight 4 - Hall (4 Notes)

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Hall! The tasting room isn't much and it was empty when we went on Sunday. I thought this was a little unusual as some of the wineries making lesser quality wines were packed full of people. Hall clearly has a reputation for making amazing cabernets. Maybe because it's a relatively new winery? Either way, the style of cabernet here is super ripe and jammy. I thought that I might have found this offensive for my palate, but I really enjoyed everything we tasted. Like Provenance, they had a really great cab franc. The '07 Napa Valley cab and '06 Bergfeld were super jammy and ripe with mouth-smacking tannins. The '07 Kathryn Hall cab was absolutely phenomenal and easily one of the best cabernets I've ever had. It wasn't over the top jammy like the prior two cabs. It was rich with huge tannins, but it was also elegant and balanced. I will have to pick up a few bottles of this (can find it much cheaper in retailers than for the $80 price tag at the winery). The wines here were so big and beautiful that we had to order a plate of cheese to pair with them. Our hostess was great and gave us complimentary tasting coupons to Alpha Omega (!!!!) and St. Clement. I'm considering a wine club subscription to Hall now.

  • 2007 Hall Cabernet Franc 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    On the nose, beautiful violets, very light greenness. On the palate, dark cherries, blackberries, little oak notes, sweeter and jammier than most cab francs I've tasted, good finish, little heat on the finish. I feel like this needs a little more time.

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  • 2007 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    82% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 4% petit verdot, 1% cabernet franc. Jammy, fruit-forward, cassis, oak but not over the top, medium finish, bitter tannins, needs more time.

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  • 2006 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    (1/30/2011)

    88% cabernet sauvignon, 6% malbec, 4% merlot, 2% petit verdot. Typical cassis and blackberries notes. Very jammy and fruit-forward. A little green bell pepper hiding in the mix. Very nicely integrated oak. Much smoother tannins than the '07 Napa Valley, very smooth and easy drinking now. Fairly short finish which was disappointing. Overall, great effort!

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  • 2007 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa Valley 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    Wow wow wow! An exceptional cabernet! 96% cabernet sauvignon, 2% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot. Packed full of vibrant raspberries, black cherries, with a little green bell pepper rounding it out. Very little oak. Not nearly as jammy as the '07 Napa Valley & the '06 Bergfeld, but rich nonetheless. Very elegant. Superb tannin structure with a finish that lasts and lasts. Absolutely phenomenal!

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Flight 5 - Alpha Omega (4 Notes)

Another amazing, relatively new winery just down the road from Hall. We had a complimentary tasting for two given to us by the nice folks at Hall. The wines here, like at Hall, were outstanding. Big, rich, yet elegant and balanced at the same time. The sauvignon blanc was delicious and I generally hate SB (the only SB that's been able to please me is the '09 Grey Stack Rosemary's Block). Now I can add the 1155 to that list. The chardonnay was superb with very little oak influence and malolactic fermentation (I generally don't like over-oaked, buttery CA chards). The cabernet and proprietary red were superb and I may have to pick up a couple of those also. Also considering a wine club membership to Alpha Omega.

  • 2009 Alpha Omega Sauvignon Blanc 1155 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/30/2011)

    Loads of tropical fruits on the nose. On the palate, tropical fruits, honey, creamy mouthfeel, just a little heat that spikes on the finish. Sweeter style for a sauvignon blanc. Very refreshing and delicious.

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  • 2008 Alpha Omega Chardonnay 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    Beautiful nose of white flowers, apricots, and citrus fruits. On the palate, pineapples, citrus fruits, a little nuttiness, honey, creamy mouthfeel, crisp acidity. Lovely effort!

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  • 2003 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    Dark chocolate, black cherries, cassis, a hint of greenness, very smooth tannins. Beautiful!

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  • 2007 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    50% merlot, 39% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot. Incredible effort! A great barnyard funk to the nose. Dark berries on the palate, a little jamminess but not over the top, luscious tannins, super long finish.

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Flight 6 - St. Clement (4 Notes)

Our final winery on Day 1 was at St. Clement further up past St. Helena. The tasting room here is quite small and quaint, but has a gorgeous view of St. Helena. The kind folks at Hall gave us complimentary 2 for 1 tasting coupon. The wines here were pretty good, although maybe a bit overpriced for the quality. The Steinhauer Ranch Single Vineyard cab was great and was an extra pour that our kind host gave us in addition to our tasting.

  • 2008 St. Clement Chardonnay Abbott's Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    (1/30/2011)

    Beautiful nose of white flowers. On the palate, melons, citrus fruits, great sweetness, very little oak and butter, great acidity. Nicely balanced wine.

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  • 2007 St. Clement Merlot Napa Valley 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    93% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon. Dark berries, oaky, great tannins, creamy mouthfeel.

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  • 2007 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/30/2011)

    94% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot. Slight barnyard funk to the nose. Lovely black cherries, violets, and dark chocolate on the palate. Seemed a bit hollow with the flavors disappearing on the midpalate and finish. Smooth with ok tannin structure.

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  • 2005 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon Steinhauer Ranch 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    (1/30/2011)

    100% cabernet sauvignon. Wonderful dark chocolate, cassis, blackberries, green bell pepper, slightly oaked, lip-smacking tannins. Delicious!

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Flight 7 - Hagafen (11 Notes)

This was the first winery of the second day and one of the first we hit on the Silverado Trail. This place was recommended by our innkeepers at the Inn on 1st Street and we had a complimentary tasting coupon for two. Hagafen Cellars is the only winery that produces Kosher wine in Norther CA. Our hostess was really friendly and we tasted through the extensive current releases. Our hostess informed us that the Prix reserve wines are served at the White House. We even tasted a sparkling wine (that happened to be one of the stand outs) that wasn't on the current release menu. Overall, Hagafen had some of the lowest rated wines of the weekend. My most common note about their wines is that they were hollow, lacking fruit, or the fruit just simply disappeared on the mid-palate. They generally produced wines that were lighter bodied than typical for the varietal. I think Hagafen's white wines were much better than their red wines with the sparkling wine, roussanne, and the '10 Estate Riesling being the standouts. I would pass on all of the reds that we tasted. At the very least, their wines are, for the most part, reasonably priced for the quality. I would have been curious to try the Prix reserve wines for comparison.

  • 2007 Hagafen Brut Cuvée 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

    (1/31/2011)

    78% pinot noir, 22% chardonnay. One of the better wines from an otherwise disappointing flight of Hagafen wines. Really nice light pink color. Loads of chalky minerality on the nose and palate. Citrus fruits, good minerality, crisp and clean acidity, very refreshing.

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  • 2008 Hagafen Roussanne Ripken Vineyard Lodi 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi

    (1/31/2011)

    90% roussanne, 10% marsanne. On the nose, oak, butterscotch, creamy. On the palate, citrus fruits, butterscotch, creamy mouthfeel, great acidity, dry.

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  • 2010 Hagafen Rosé of Syrah Don Ernesto 85 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, watermelon, strawberries, rose petals, very pretty. The palate was completely disappointing. A little strawberry, light and refreshing. However, there really isn't much fruit here. The mid-palate and finish are completely hollow. Too much heat showing on the finish.

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  • 2008 Hagafen Pinot Noir Napa Valley 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Black cherries, smoke, cedar, vanilla oak. A heavier style pinot.

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  • 2007 Hagafen Merlot 84 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Strawberries and raspberries, oak, light bodied, high acidity, very hollow on the mid-palate and finish. Starting to see lack of fruit structure as a component of many Hagafen wines. Disappointing effort.

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  • 2007 Hagafen Syrah Napa Valley 84 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Purple red color. A nice barnyard funk on the nose. On the palate, dark berries, lighter bodied for a syrah. Another hollow wine from Hagafen with the fruit falling apart on the mid-palate and completely gone by the finish. A little heat on the finish. Another disappointing effort.

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  • 2008 Hagafen Crescendo Don Ernesto 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Pretty nose with a nice chalky minerality. On the palate, dark red berries, light to medium bodied, good acidity, disappointingly short and weak finish.

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  • 2007 Hagafen Cabernet Franc 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Green bell pepper, black pepper, black cherries, dry, decent tannin structure, light to medium bodied. Easily the worst cabernet franc of the weekend.

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  • 2007 Hagafen Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    A little barnyard funk on the nose. On the palate, blackberries, very dry, good tannins, quite light for a Napa Valley cab, hollow mid-palate.

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  • 2009 Hagafen Riesling Devoto Vineyards 87 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Lake County

    (1/31/2011)

    A nice chalky minerality to the nose rounded out by pretty white flowers. On the palate, citrus fruits, sweet but nicely balanced. Prefer more acidity.

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  • 2010 Hagafen Riesling Napa Valley Estate Bottled Napa Valley 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Beautiful nose of mango and tropical fruits. On the palate, tropical fruits, mangos, sweeter than the '09 Devoto Vineyards, good acidity. Liked this one the most out of the Hagafen flights.

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Flight 8 - Pine Ridge (7 Notes)

One of the standouts of the trip for me. The tasting room is gorgeous and our hostess was so friendly, gracious, and helpful. I mentioned that I enjoyed chenin blanc and that I had heard they made a decent chenin blanc-viognier so she added this to our tasting. The wines here are high quality although I'm not sure some of them are a good value for the price. Our hostess also added a couple of cabernets to our tasting that weren't on the menu. Guess it pays to taste on a quiet Monday in January. Standouts here for me were the Tessitura, a malbec-cab blend, and the two extra cabernets she poured (the '06 Oakville and the '07 Stags Leap District). I felt like the '06 Onyx might have been a little corked, although I didn't mention anything as I wasn't sure and Sameer didn't notice anything funky about the wine.

  • 2009 Pine Ridge Vineyards Chenin Blanc Viognier 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg

    (1/31/2011)

    Beautiful white flowers and citrus notes on the nose. Citrus and floral on the palate, creamy mouthfeel, crisp acidity.

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  • 2008 Pine Ridge Vineyards Chardonnay Dijon Clones 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    (1/31/2011)

    Really pretty nose with white flowers, toasted bread, and cream. On the palate, citrus fruits, yeast, very little oak, and no butter. Lovely.

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  • 2007 Pine Ridge Vineyards Charmstone 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, some oak, caramelly components, a little jammy. On the palate, cassis, blackberries, oak, quite balanced, really nice finish, easy drinking.

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  • 2007 Pine Ridge Vineyards Tessitura 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Syrah-cab blend. Based on the descriptions below, I must have had a good bottle. On the nose, black pepper, dark berries, oak. On the palate, black pepper, a nice chalky minerality, and very chewy tannins. Needs more time.

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  • 2006 Pine Ridge Vineyards Onyx 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    (1/31/2011)

    Malbec-cab blend. On the nose, plums, dark berries, cocoa powder. On the palate, a nice chalky minerality and great chewy tannins. Had a sort of off-taste and I'm wondering if this was a flawed bottle.

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  • 2006 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, sulfur, cassis, blackberries. On the palate, dark berries, great tannins, beautiful finish. Lovely wine.

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  • 2007 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, dark chocolate, cassis, and blackberries. On the palate, dark berries, nicely integrated oak, big velvety tannins. Fruit falls off a little on the mid-palate for me. Drinking really well now. Beautiful, very long finish.

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Flight 9 - Baldacci (5 Notes)

I called Baldacci to see whether we could stop by for a tasting, as we were recommended by our innkeepers at the Inn on 1st Street. We were told (by our innkeepers) that we would likely get a free tasting since they referred us, but we ended up paying for two tastings. The wines here were pretty average on the whole. Inoffensive but we felt that most wines here were probably to be drunk with food and not by themselves. As with Hagafen, I felt like a number of these wines were hollow, lacking fruit and structure. Many of these were also lighter in style than typical for their varietals. The gewurz was probably the most perplexing for me as it had a huge, beautiful nose that completely missed on the palate. Definitely the biggest disconnect between the nose and the palate out of all of the wines this weekend. The best part about this winery was that it was a very quiet Monday in January, with temperatures in the high 60s, low 70s with the sun shining bright. We sat out on the patio tasting our wine with a gorgeous view of the vines, an adorable farm dog named Libby, in the most peaceful, serene setting imagineable. I could definitely do this everyday (except maybe with better wine).

  • 2008 Baldacci Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Elizabeth 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    (1/31/2011)

    Very pretty strawberry and rusty nail on the nose. On the palate, strawberries, a little smoke, light, refreshing, good acidity. Seems a bit hollow with the fruit falling away on the mid-palate.

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  • 2007 Baldacci Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Four Sons Stags Leap District 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    (1/31/2011)

    97% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc. Red berries, jammy on the nose, very light for a Napa Valley cab, slightly bitter tannins, medium finish. Fruit completely falls apart on the mid-palate to the finish. Disappointing.

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  • 2007 Baldacci Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label Stags Leap District 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    (1/31/2011)

    100% cabernet sauvignon. Blackberries and cassis on the attack. Changes to raspberries and cranberries on the mid-palate. Little oak influence. Good tannins, albeit a little bitter at this point. Needs more time. A bit simple for a cabernet at this price point.

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  • 2009 Baldacci Family Vineyards Gewürztraminer Frederich 85 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (1/31/2011)

    Beautiful nose of white flowers, apricots, smells a bit jammy, a little heat. There is a huge disconnect between the nose and palate here. Was expecting an explosion of flavor on the palate. Fruit profile was mostly peaches, however, the fruit here is quite flabby. There is a nice creamy mouthfeel to this. The acidity is lower than I would like and there is too much heat coming through on the finish. Not a fan.

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  • 2009 Baldacci Family Vineyards Chardonnay Sorelle 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    (1/31/2011)

    The nose was a bit acrid, a little challenged, had a little oak. On the palate, bananas, apricots, creamy mouthfeel, low to medium acidity, medium body, little oak and no butter. A little disappointing effort.

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Flight 10 - Goosecross (8 Notes)

Another complimentary tasting coupon, another disappointment. The best wine here was the Tempranillo but it didn't have much competition. Our host, who was a little strange, opened a cab franc for some others in the tasting room and we were able to try this. A terrible example of cab franc that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Most of the wines here were disjointed and tasted really cheap. Our host made some quip about the fact that their Estate Chardonnay made them famous and if you don't agree, then there's the door. I was ready to go because if that was the chardonnay that made this winery famous, I didn't have much hope for the rest of the lineup. Our host also offered us the '05 Howell Mountain cab and the '08 Muscat Canelli. I didn't like either, and it is really hard to screw up a sweeter, dessert-style wine. The muscat was lacking in acidity and was one-dimensional. For the price of that muscat, I could buy a beautiful Sauternes. The most interesting thing about this winery were some of the novelties, such as the chocolate-coated wine bottle (that actually was a real bottle of wine - as our host put it, lick and sip) as well as the personalized wine bottles. I guess being gimmicky is important when there isn't quality to back it up.

Flight 11 - Turnbull (8 Notes)

We ended our final day with a tasting at Turnbull, again with a complimentary tasting coupon for two. The wines were ranged from average to very good, with the standouts being the '07 cab and '06 Leopoldina cab. The one thing I had wished about this tasting was that our hostess would have stopped talking while we were tasting. A little information is great but she kept on and on about the wine even though I was clearly trying to concentrate on tasting.

  • 2009 Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, lemons, peaches, a little chalkiness. On the palate, citrus fruits, nice minerality, a little hot.

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  • 2006 Turnbull Merlot Oakville 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, rose petals and honey. On the palate, strawberries, good structure, really great chewy tannins.

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  • 2007 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    76% cabernet sauvignon, 13% syrah, 5% cabernet franc, 4% merlot, 1% petite sirah, 1% petit verdot. On the nose, cassis and oak. On the palate, blackberries, jammy, finishes with strawberries, long finish, great tannins.

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  • 2008 Turnbull Old Bull Red 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    48% cabernet sauvignon, 24% syrah, 22% merlot, 6% cabernet franc. On the nose, black cherries and oak. On the palate, dark red berries, oak, good firm tannins.

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  • 2007 Turnbull Toroso 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, oak and a little heat. On the palate, red and black cherries, ok tannins, slightly bitter, medium length finish.

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  • 2007 Turnbull Petite Sirah 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, a little barnyard sulfur funk and some oak. On the palate, cherries, raspberries, oak, black pepper.

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  • 2006 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, red berries, oak, black pepper. On the palate, redder berries than the '06 Leopoldina, a little too jammy, decent tannins.

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  • 2006 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Leopoldina Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (1/31/2011)

    On the nose, dark chocolate and black pepper. On the palate, strawberries, lighter style for a Napa Valley cab, good chewy tannins. Not worth the $90 price tag.

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Closing

I had a wonderful time visiting the Napa Valley, really my first time as my previous trip was with my parents a few years ago and I was into wine at that point. When I am brave enough to venture up to Napa again for a day trip, I will definitely plan ahead and make reservations at some better known places (Phelps, Caymus, Opus One, Far Niente, Jarvis, David Arthur, etc).

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