Walking tour of tasting rooms on Lincoln Ave Calistoga, Ca 1/28/2011

Without ever touching a car or truck, Jeff Smith of Dusinberre Cellars fame, and myself spent the whole day hoofing it from tasting room to tasting room. Good work if you can get it. The last stop was the front porch of Dusinberre on Berry Street, which is a bonded winery, and a home. These tasting rooms are extraordinarily friendly and informative. As usual we tasted everything that was not nailed down. And, of course no spitting.

• 2009 Kenefick Ranch Pickett Road 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This is a pretty special wine. It would especially have approval with the "anything but Chardonnay" crowd. This is kind of a white Rhone blend Napa Valley style. It is at least 50% Viognier which gives it tremendous fruit forward body and mouth feel. There is also 25% Grenache Blanc which provides a vibrant, crisp, Granny Smith apple acidity. The 25% Marsanne brings a rich, spicy, pear component. These varietals are mostly barrel fermented for a creamy richness. The end result is a real treat. As you would expect from this combination, the nose is very aromatic, with floral and fresh fruit components. We have some real fruit complexity here with mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, melon, pear, green apple, and honeysuckle. There is at least as much balancing acidity as I have ever experienced with a wine this full and rich. Almost full bodied, but still very crisp and fresh. Big fruity finish.

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• 2005 Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Franc Caitlin's Select 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  We tasted this in the winery tasting room, where the person pouring told us to expect Maraschino Cherry. It was the most obvious Maraschino Cherry I had ever smelled or tasted in a wine. I'm a big fan of Cabernet Franc from California. When done right, I love that taste and smell of dark chocolate, red raspberry, and black pepper. To my palate, this one is almost textbook. Color is very dark. Nose is aromatic in an earthy, cocoa, violets, and vanilla way that so much says Cabernet Franc. This one has small amounts of 3 other of the Bordeaux red grapes blended to round things out. There is a surprising amount of black cherry fruit on the palate and finish. This one is already 5 years off the vine, so we have some pretty well integrated oak and alcohol. Great balance. Sliky tannins. Big finish with anise, black cherry, dry tannins and some leather.

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• 2007 Kenefick Ranch Merlot Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

  This is a special Merlot. The ranch is located in some of these most prime grape growing real estate in Napa Valley, right on the valley floor, just off the Silverado Trail before it ends in Calistoga. I'm sure these are almost "old vines" with ridiculously low yields. There is 14% Cabernet Sauvignon added for texture. The aromatics are impressive with everything from flowers to spice and fruit and mocha. The texture is concentrated and rich, while only slightly past medium bodied. We get blue and red fruit perfectly integrated with a spicy mid palate, balanced acidity, and rounded tannins. The best Merlot I've tasted in close to a year.

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• 2008 Solovino Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Every once in a while, despite thinking you know everything, if you listen carefully enough, you can learn something. At the Rios Wine company tasting room on Lincoln Street in Calistoga, this happened to me. We just walked in off the street, and knew we were in a special place. There was almost too loud Mexican music. The staff were full of joy and very festive. So their first pour was this Sauvignon Blanc and the tasting notes mention Meyer lemon, and clementines as part of the flavor profile. Of course I have tasted Meyer lemons, but never a clementine. I have tasted several thousand Sauvignon Blanc's without either of these 2 fruits being mentioned. There is more to this story, but lets get to the wine. Even though it was already 2 1/4 years since crush, it was still vibrant and lively. You could just taste and feel the extra time, effort and love these people put into their product. Lots of fruit, and lots of acid. Balanced. Pretty big for a white wine. May have seen some oak. Very nice, great experience.

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• 2007 Solovino Chardonnay 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  We tasted this at the winery tasting room in Calistoga. They told us to expect brown sugar, caramelized apples, and lemon meringue, and that is exactly what we got. I have never heard Chardonnay described quite so explicitly. I've never had one quite like this. They barrel fermented the wine for a rich creamy smoothness. There is definitely some lees treatment. They had the foresight to maintain some very crisp Granny Smith Apple acidity. This may be acceptable for PC crowd that won't come within 5 feet of a Chardonnay. Very nice spicy peach flavor. They did a very nice job with mouth feel and integration, everything works harmoniously in a quite distinct way. There is a little butter with the lemon finish.

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• 2006 Solovino Mixto 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  I tasted this wine at their tasting room (on a walk no drive tasting day in Calistoga) along with all their current releases. This one jumped out as distinctive for several reasons. Two of those reasons were their written description mentioning balsamic, and huckleberry. I don't think I have ever heard the description for balsamic on a wine, and unfortunately I can't perceive huckleberry. What I did perceive is what I am beginning to understand as "Rutheford Dust" which to me is kind of an iron, mineral, lead graphite taste and feel to the tannins, and at the end of the fruit. With a little imagination, I can catch the spicy earthy grip of balsamic lingering behind this dust. This is a pretty big wine that is still quite elegant and tasty. I suspect the extra bottle age has helped the blend integrate.

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• 2006 Solovino Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This very much tastes of it's roots in the Oakville Rutherford area. Has that graphite, earthy aroma backing up the blackberry, dark cherry, violets, and vanilla on the very typical Cabernet nose. Rich, ripe blackberry, plum and raspberry fruit backed up with some of that awesome chocolate flavor. There are some noticeable non fruit enhancing flavors like tobacco, pepper, and various brown spices. Very well put together. Possibly even a bargain for this much wine at $42. Almost full bodied, but still elegant and light on it's feet. Full throttle tannins. Nice oak integration. More mocha/cocoa chocolate and dark cherry, caramel, and charcoal on the finish.

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• 2009 W.H. Smith Pinot Noir Naked Pinot 89 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

  The no label bottle may be a marketing gimmick, but the wine is not. This is Pinot for those that love the taste of Pinot, in the same way that Zin lovers, love Zin. We don't want to age our wines for 6 years then decant over night to drink them, we want Pinot now, and this one delivers. Not very dark. True Pinot nose. The major fruit character is ripe plums. There is very little of all those non fruit aroma and flavor nuances to interfere with our fruit. Just enough acid to keep the palate cleansed. Not getting a lot of oak or tannins. In some ways I want to give this a 100 point score. My best compliment is that next time I go there I am going to buy a case.

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• 2008 W.H. Smith Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  During 3 full days of tasting in Napa Valley, this is the only tasting room that presented us with a Pinot Noir. Of course the grapes were sourced in Sonoma. The owners have a passion for Pinot, and it shows. This wine is not dark, but full of flavor. Elegant, almost delicate, this is why we drink Pinot Noir. Cherry and strawberry flavors. Not quite medium bodied. Silky, low key tannins. Sneaky acidity, that covers up the alcohol. Just fresh Pinot flavor all the way to the finish.

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• 2006 W.H. Smith Cabernet Sauvignon Purple Label 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  We tasted this at the winery tasting room in downtown Calistoga. They described it as black velvet, and they were right. It is always an adventure to drink Cabernet, from a winery whose owners and managers are unashamed Pinot Noir lovers. This wine was purple, so much so, that the glass, and my teeth were purple. It is big, but at the same time soft, I might say feminine. It is rich and heavy while maintaining it's grace and elegance. There is huge blackberry and all the other dark fruits, but it is not a fruit bomb, and so well balanced, that forget all the analysis, just sip and enjoy. The finish lasted for several minutes.

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• 2009 OnThEdge Winery Sauvignon Blanc Frediani Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  They decided to barrel ferment this Sauvignon Blanc, and I agree with their decision. These obviously are not wimpy grapes, and are nicely enhanced by the softness and richness evident from being fermented in neutral barrels. Just slightly more golden than typical. Honey, lemon and straw on the nose. The tropical fruits, most notably guava are focused and layered. There is a light touch of creaminess, that only enhances the sharp fruit. Balanced acidity. A little more than medium bodied. Tropical fruit, lemon and a really nice honeysuckle on the finish.

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• 2002 OnThEdge Winery Zinfandel 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This shows some of the strength, power, and character available from a a well made Napa Valley Zinfandel. Here it is over 8 years since crush, and this wine is very much hanging in there. Napa Zins always seem to have less of that fruit forward style, and more of a Cabernet Sauvignon structure, and this is a prime example of that. The sun drenched, high elevation, old vine vineyard probably contributed also. Still plenty of ripe, dark, brambly fruit, but it has matured and settled. There is a big spice component on the lips. that continues all the way to the finish. Just the beginning of some secondary flavors like black licorice and tar. Very balanced. Still staining the glass red. Cigar box and tar on the finish. Good stuff.

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• 2007 OnThEdge Winery Charbono Frediani Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Calistoga seems to be a hot bed for Charbono. There are several prime vineyards in the area, by definition "Old Vine" Several wineries produce one, and seem to have learned how best to release the characteristics of this grape. This one has all the ingredients for success. An established, high altitude, sun drenched vineyard. An experienced winemaker, and a very good vintage. The bright fruits just jumps out of the glass. As black in color as a wine can get. Only medium bodied, this is as elegant as a wine this dark can get. Loads of ripe black cherry, backed up with blueberry and rhubarb. This would not be Charbono without some of that weedy, herbaceous rusticity. Balanced, integrated. Solid. A real treat.

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• 2003 OnThEdge Winery Cabernet Franc Frediani Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  The wines from this winery are quite ageable, and this one is proof. Already more than 7 years old, the dark black sweet cherries still dominate the flavor profile. The secondary flavors of caramel and cola only help. Just slightly heavier than medium bodied, there is still some richness from judicious use of oak. We can still evaluate some of that elevation grown, single vineyard intensity. Balanced, and tasty. The finish has some brown spice, black cherry, and a small amount of mature tannins.

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• 2007 Dusinberré Malbec 100 Percent 90 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Lake County

  We don't get that much of a chance to drink California Malbec, so this was a real treat. There are several Lake County growers who grow all 5 Bordeaux varietals, and for all we know, Malbec may have found a mini home away from home in Lake County. This is a very nice wine. The Dusinberre style is total balance, nothing jumps out as overpowering, harmony is the word. On the nose and on the palate, we caught some of those flavors and aromas we have learned to discern from the Malbecs we get from Argentina. Kind of a blueberry boysenberry combination of fruit, with a hint of graphite. There is a touch of violets on the nose. Let's just say the mid palate is adequate plus. Very nice touch with oak. Civilized acidity. Grapey leather, vanilla, and blueberry finish. Nice job.

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• 2007 Dusinberré Petite Sirah 100 Percent 90 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County

  Another winner from Dusinberre. This is a complete balanced Petite Sirah that avoids all of the down side characteristics we sometimes find with this grape. The tannins are perfectly ripe and very smooth. The alcohol is very well integrated, despite this being relatively young wine. There is none of that rough rusticity. Just a well conceived, well made mouth full of wine. True to the varietal, we get big blueberry fruit. Well past medium bodied. There is some pretty substantial oak, that is just starting to harmonize. If this wine is any indication, possibly Petite Sirah is another variety that grows well in Lake county. The acid is balanced, giving every indication this wine could age for many years. The finish is quite civilized with some dark fruit, a nice touch of earthiness, maybe some leather, and vanilla.

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