Wine Bloggers Napa Tasting (Mira & Hourglass)

• NV Barboursville Vineyards Brut 80 Points

  USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Orange County

  Aromas of white flowers and lemon zest. On the palate, there's a strong crab apple flavor, lemon peel and some chalk. Tangy, with a bit of a tin flavor on the finish. All estate fruit, 80% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir.

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I was excited to taste the portfolio of Mira, a new-ish project from former Robert Mondavi winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez. The syrah and cab were really nice, while the whites left much to be desired.

• 2010 Mira Winery Sauvignon Blanc 70 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Smells decent, with sweet tarts, grapefruit and a kick of mixed herbs. On the palate, this wine is quite strange. It's got an oily body, not enough acid, and thin green fruit flavors. The thickness is abrasive, yet it lacks depth in the flavor department, except for this spicy green apple flavor. It's not faulted, just not very good. 95% fermented and aged in stainless steel tank, 5% in new French oak barrels for 9 months.

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• 2010 Mira Winery Chardonnay 77 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  This chardonnay has unique and distinct aromas of sage and fennel on top of the green pear notes. On the palate, medium acid with sharp green pear flavors and a flavor that reminds me of the bitter part of a green apple core. Alcohol lingers onto the finish. Disappointing. 100% stainless steel barrel aged on the lees for 12 months. No malolactic fermentation, but perhaps it could've used some?

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• 2010 Mira Winery Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch 81 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Aromas of raspberry jam and toasted marshmallow. On the palate, this pinot noir is low on the tannins, with medium acid. The bright raspberry fruit is dashed by some serious oak. The wine seems too thin to handle the oak, leaving me with a rich, toasted chestnut flavor on the finish. Overall, it's a perfectly fine pinot noir, I just wanted a little more depth and concentration on the palate. This wine is aged for 12 months in 100% French oak barrels, 75% new. I'm no winemaker, but I imagine they could've dialed down the new oak to 25% and gotten a more balanced wine.

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• 2009 Mira Winery Syrah Hyde Vineyard 86 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Dark purple colored in the glass. After three somewhat disappointing wines, smelling this wine got me excited. Tons of black plums, ink and charcoal (somewhat reminiscent of a Barossa shiraz in this context), but then comes a sweet, honey-baked ham aroma that I really enjoy. A bite of alcohol lingering on the nose is my only concern. On the palate, this wine is really extracted with a lot of plum reduction sauce, vanilla bean and green peppercorns. Very compact and inky, with a bit of heat. I think this needs time to settle down and unwind, but I like it for its slightly wider range of flavors than your average Napa syrah. If tasted blind, I definitely would've guessed Australia. Aged 18 months in 100% French oak barrels, 5% new.

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• 2008 Mira Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Gushing sweet cassis on the nose, along with milk chocolate-covered blackberries and a hint of green pepper. Very pure and silky on the palate, with a really nice balance between tannins and fruit. Toasty oak accents the cassis and blackberry flavors. Kicks of tobacco, peanut shell and green pepper linger onto the finish. Hedonistic and rich, but it shows a bit more secondary flavors than Iw as expecting. Very suave. By far the best wine in the flight.

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I had the pleasure of tasting four Hourglass wines with some other wine bloggers in DC while we were connected via video stream to owner Jeff Smith and new winemaker Frank Biagi. All four wines were tasted from half bottles as we listened to Jeff and Frank talk about their wines.

• 2010 Hourglass Merlot Blueline 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  On the nose, this merlot shows seriously focused and deep aromas, waves of red berries and plums, dark roasted coffee along with some lavender. On the palate, this wine is incredibly silky and pure. Good tannic structure, but they're balanced with rich cassis and blackberry fruit. Notes of vanilla bean and hazelnut add complexity. In spite of its boldness, this merlot maintains elegance and even some tanginess from the acid, which is quite a feat considering the massive 16.5% alcohol! The complexity and purity of this wine put it in an entirely different category. There are Napa merlots, and there is this particular Napa merlot, which has to be one of the best New World merlots I’ve tasted in a very long time… like two years… no joke. 83% merlot, 17% cabernet sauvignon, aged 19 months in a blend of 40% new and seasoned French oak. SRP: $75.

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• 2010 Hourglass Cabernet Franc Blueline 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  I’m always a bit skeptical of Napa Valley cabernet franc, but Hourglass has made a truly awesome one from their Blueline Vineyard. Aromas of graphite, dried hay and savory herbs accent the rich blackberry and black plum fruit. The first thing I notice on the palate is the tangy acid, which is backed up by elegant tannins. Tobacco and tar mix with sage meets black pepper. Blueberry fruit meets toasted oak. Very elegant for a Napa cabernet franc. Some mineral notes linger with the rich fruit and chocolate shavings on the finish. This wine (like all the other Hourglass wines) needs time in the decanter and/or five years of aging to show its full potential. 94% cabernet franc, with 3% cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot, aged for 19 months in French oak, one-third new. SRP: $135.

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• 2010 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  On the nose, this cab is pure darkness. Intense blackberry and cassis, with mocha, caramel and a hint of rose petal. Dense on the palate with focused cassis and plum fruit, highlighted by mocha, toast and chestnut. Much darker and deeper than the 2010 Blueline merlot and cabernet franc. Tinges of black cherry soda and loam carry the hedonistic finish. 15.5% alcohol. The depth of this wine is impressive. 100% cabernet sauvignon, aged 19 months in French oak, 45% new. SRP: $125

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• 2010 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  From the estate vineyard, this cabernet is dark and dense on the nose, full of all sorts of berries and caramel. Creamy and rich on the palate with silky tannins and medium acid. Full of cassis, fig paste, mixed berries, root beer and caramel. Toasty, but not overwhelming. Very sexy and balanced despite the intensity and youthfulness of this wine.

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