Tour - Napa 2012
Napa, CA
Tasted Friday, November 16, 2012 - Monday, November 19, 2012 by Wine Gent with 773 views
Introduction
4 days self guided tasting tour of about 40 different Napa Valley and Sonoma wines. Visited higher quality cellars / wineries as recommended by friends / colleagues and critically acclaimed.
Observations - Area is very commercialized; wines are often over priced due to the history of the winery and marketing hype; wines are not necessarily priced reasonably by their intrinsic quality. Some good wines with reasonable prices can be found in some smaller wineries.
2010 Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel Napa Valley 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
Rich, fruity bouquet and taste. Moderately long finish that is smooth. Would be nice with Gouda cheese. Still just a little young, so needs a little more aging. One of best Zins we tasted on Napa trip. Immediately was on the purchase list when we tasted it at the Rombauer Winery.
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2011 Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay 92 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(11/19/2012)
Fragrant bouquet, smooth and tasty finish, with buttery overtones that are balanced. Tasted at Rombauer Winery on Napa trip. Immediately was on the purchase list when we tasted it at the Rombauer Winery.
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2009 Peju Province Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
66 pct cab, rest petit Verdot, Syrah, merlot. Berry, cherry, vanilla, some tobacco and earthiness in bouquet. Same in taste, with a little pepper. Nice smooth finish. One of better Cabs tasted throughout the Napa Valley. Will allow to age a little more. Tasted at Peju Winery on Napa trip. Experience with the tasting at the winery was bad. The winery employee who poured for us was just trying to sell wine - was rude, arrogant, not helpful, just a salesman. Almost asked for a refund for the bad tasting experience.
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2005 Peju Province Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve 85 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(11/17/2012)
Tasted at Peju on Napa trip. Experience with the tasting at the winery was bad. The winery employee who poured for us was just trying to sell wine - was rude, arrogant, not helpful, just a salesman. Almost asked for a refund for the bad tasting experience
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2007 Peju Province Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Rutherford 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(11/17/2012)
100 pct cab. Dry. Tasted at Peju on Napa trip. Experience with the tasting at the winery was bad. The winery employee who poured for us was just trying to sell wine - was rude, arrogant, not helpful, just a salesman. Almost asked for a refund for the bad tasting experience
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2011 Peju Province Winery Sauvignon Blanc 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Napa valley grapes. Sweet, light, mild finish, apple, floral blossom. Tasted at Peju on Napa trip. Experience with the tasting at the winery was bad. The winery employee who poured for us was just trying to sell wine - was rude, arrogant, not helpful, just a salesman. Almost asked for a refund for the bad tasting experience
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2009 Peju Province Winery Zinfandel 80 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Watery taste. Tasted at Peju on Napa trip. Experience with the tasting at the winery was bad. The winery employee who poured for us was just trying to sell wine - was rude, arrogant, not helpful, just a salesman. Almost asked for a refund for the bad tasting experience
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2005 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
(11/16/2012)
Softer finish than 2009, which indicates aging helps. $210-over priced! Tasted at Stags Leap on Napa trip.
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2009 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
(11/16/2012)
100 pct cab. Vanilla bouquet. Taste cherry, raisin, vanilla. $210-over priced! Tasted at Stags Leap on Napa trip.
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2009 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
(11/16/2012)
100pct cab. Bouquet black currant, rose petal, berry, spice. Taste berry, spice, jam. Nice finish. Favorite at this winery. $125-over priced! Tasted at Stags Leap on Napa trip.
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2009 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fay 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/16/2012)
100 pct cab. Bouquet berry, black pepper. Taste blackberry, plum, grassy. Similar to private reserve FAY. $95-over priced! Tasted at Stags Leap on Napa trip.
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2010 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay Golden Rectangle 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
(11/16/2012)
Private reserve. 70 pct cab, 30 ptite verdot. Bouquet tobacco. Taste black pepper, cherry, oak, mild finish. Young, needs aging. Over priced! Tasted at Stags Leap on Napa trip.
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2008 St. Supéry Malbec 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Estate. 95 pct Malbec, 5 cab. Bouquet vanilla. Taste slightly sweet, spice, vanilla, clove, tomato, flavor builds. $50-over priced! Tasted at St Supery on Napa trip.
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2008 St. Supéry Élu Meritage 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Estate. Bordeaux type. 60 pct cab, 29 merlot, 7 Malbec, 4 petit verdot. Bouquet spicy, nutmeg, cinnamon. Taste sweet finish, bitter middle, peppery, cab like, flavor builds. $65-over priced! Tasted at St Supery on Napa trip.
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2007 St. Supéry Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Estate. 76 pct cab, 16merlot, 1 Malbec, 3 cab franc. Bouquet cherry, cinnamon. Taste cherry, pepper. $30-over priced! Tasted at St Supery on Napa trip.
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2011 St. Supéry Virtù 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Bordeaux type. Grapes-semillion, Sauvignon blanc. Bouquet pear, peach, apricot, chemical. Taste soft finish, orange, lemon, better than their Chardonnay. $30-over priced! Tasted at St Supery on Napa trip.
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2007 St. Supéry Cabernet Sauvignon Dollarhide Estate 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
100 pct cab. Bouquet weak, cherry, strawberry, banana. Taste dry finish, moderate pepper. Similar to Stags Leap cab tasted on trip. $85-over priced! Tasted at St Supery on Napa trip.
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2011 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 82 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
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2011 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 80 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
$24-over priced! Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2011 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley 80 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
$36-over priced! Their "flagship" wine. No finish-flat. Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2010 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve 85 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(11/19/2012)
$55-over priced! Taste honey, pear, soft finish. Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2010 Cakebread Cellars Pinot Noir 85 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
(11/19/2012)
$49-over priced! Bouquet complex and pleasant. Taste acidic. Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2009 Cakebread Cellars Merlot 50 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
$54-over priced! Very poor. Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2009 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
$60-over priced! Taste pepper, cherry, moderately acidic, long finish. Tasted at Cakebread on Napa trip.
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2009 Rombauer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
88 pct cab, 10 cab franc, 2 petit Verdot. Taste sweet, soft. $42-over priced! Tasted at Rombauer on Napa trip.
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2008 Rombauer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Selection 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/19/2012)
100 pct cab - 7 different Napa grapes. Taste elegant, no pepper, soft finish. $65-over priced! Tasted at Rombauer on Napa trip.
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2008 Rombauer Vineyards Merlot Carneros
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(11/19/2012)
Average. Would not buy! Tasted at Rombauer on Napa trip.
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2009 V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Vittorio's Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
Complex bouquet and taste. Best wine tasted at V. Sattui. $46-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2008 V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
97 pct cab, 2 petit Verdot, 1 cab franc. Better than V. Sattui Cab Preston Vineyard. $35-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2011 V. Sattui Winery Riesling White
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
(11/18/2012)
Sweet and syrupy. $25-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2011 V. Sattui Winery Pinot Noir Sattui Family
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(11/18/2012)
100 pct Pinot. Bouquet is complex and smoky. Taste is complex, smoky, with minor tobacco undertone, almost no finish. Young-needs aging. Wife liked it. $32-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2009 V. Sattui Winery Zinfandel 35th Anniversary Selection
USA, California
(11/18/2012)
Lodi and Napa grapes. Bouquet and taste of cloves, smoky. Young-needs aging. $28-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2009 V. Sattui Winery Zinfandel Ramazzotti Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
(11/18/2012)
Would be good with food. Wife liked it. $36-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2010 V. Sattui Winery Syrah Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
More like a Zinfandel than Syrah. $35-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2009 V. Sattui Winery Zinfandel Mounts Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
(11/18/2012)
Napa grapes. Better than V. Sattui 35th anniversary Zin. $37-over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2008 V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Preston Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
100 pct cab. Better than V. Sattui Napa Cab. $49-way over priced! Tasted at V. Sattui on Napa trip.
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2009 Frog's Leap Rutherford 80 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(11/18/2012)
90 pct cab, 10 cab franc. Sharp taste and finish. Very disappointed with all Frogs Leap wines tasted in this flight. $75 - ridiculously over priced! Tasted at Frogs Leap on Napa trip.
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2010 Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
93 pct cab, 6 cab franc, 1 merlot. Sharp taste of meat and chemical with sweet finish. Very disappointed with all Frogs Leap wines tasted in this flight. $42-over priced! Tasted at Frogs Leap on Napa trip.
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2011 Frog's Leap Chardonnay
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
Bouquet apple, pear, butter, stone. Taste lemon, apple, pear, vanilla, mineral. Very disappointed with all Frogs Leap wines tasted in this flight. $26-over priced! Tasted at Frogs Leap on Napa trip.
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2009 Grgich Hills Violetta Late Harvest
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/17/2012)
Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Bouquet apple, pineapple, lemon, butter. Taste melon, pineapple, honey, butterscotch. Somewhat disappointed with all Grgich wines tasted in this flight, given all the hype. $85-way over priced! Tasted at Grgich on Napa trip. (Bottled 4/2011. Released 3/2012. In French oak barrels 18 months. 2,118 cases produced.)
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2010 Frog's Leap Zinfandel 83 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(11/18/2012)
Bouquet floral, cinnamon, cigar, spice. Taste acidic, plum, violet, clove, oak, chocolate. Very disappointed with all Frogs Leap wines tasted in this flight. $27- over priced! Tasted at Frogs Leap on Napa trip.
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2008 Grgich Hills Chardonnay Carneros Selection 90 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(11/18/2012)
Bouquet and taste apple, pear. Soft butter finish. Somewhat disappointed with all Grgich wines tasted in this flight, given all the hype. $75-way over priced! Tasted at Grgich on Napa trip.
Historical side note - Grgich produced the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that beat the French wines in the famous 1976 contest which is the basis of the movie "Bottle Shock".
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2008 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Selection 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville
(11/18/2012)
96 pct cab, 2 cab franc, 2 petit Verdot. 1959 vines are part of the hype. Bouquet earth, mineral. Taste cherry, violet, sweet, soft finish. Somewhat disappointed with all Grgich wines tasted in this flight, given all the hype. $150-ridiculously over priced! Tasted at Grgich on Napa trip. (Bottled 6/2011. Released fall 2012. In French oak barrels 27 months. 797 cases produced.)
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