Continuing the Wine Journey Along the Silverado Trail – New Wines at Steltzner

Hi everybody!  When we last left you, we had just pulled out of the Clos du Val winery, still in a driving rainstorm.  We were going a little bit on the fly, since our original plans to go to the Sonoma Coast had been derailed by Mother Nature.  So we decided to make our next stop at the Steltzner Family Vineyard.  Dick Steltzner has been farming in the Napa Valley since the 1960s, and spent many years as a vineyard manager, growing grapes for other wineries, before finally establishing his own winery in the Stags Leap District.  Steltzner grows more varietals than the average winery, including Malbec, Sangiovese, and Pinotage in addition to the usual Cabernet and Merlot.  Pinotage is an especially interesting choice; it is a grape of South Africa created from the crossing of Pinot Noir with Cinsault, and is rarely grown in California.  On this visit we were unable to try the Pinotage, but there were plenty of other options for us.  After coming in from the rainstorm, we started out with a sunny glass of Allison Rose.  Allison Rose is a rose of Syrah, and is the first rose produced at Steltzner.  The story goes that Allison Steltzner, Dick’s daughter, wanted to make a rose, and Dick finally agreed with the condition that Allison’s name had to go on the label (not the Steltzner name).  We think this rose is a big hit – it’s a dry rose with lots of fruit, but with enough body to stand up to most meals, especially good barbeque.

We tried several other wines, including the Sangiovese.  Sangiovese is the noble grape of Chianti and Brunello in Italy, but has not traditionally performed well in California, with a few exceptions.  Steltzner is one of those exceptions.  We also learned that Steltzner was soon releasing its first even Pinot Noir, which had been a request by the winemaker and finally granted by Dick.  After sharing a few stories with the tasting associate, she remembered that we were the only people at last year’s Vineyard to Vintner event to take advantage of Steltzner’s one time only free shipping offer.  There is nothing like being a unique guest to ensure a nice time in the tasting room, and we were able to try most of the wines being poured that day.  We have always loved the variety and quality of the wines; so being true to ourselves, we joined the club.  As a result of joining, we were recently able to try the new Pinot Noir.  We aren’t typically huge fans of Pinot Noir in general, but this wine was definitely an exception.  The grapes for this wine were sourced from Hendricks Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast, in the Petaluma Gap.  The Sonoma Coast is a cool maritime climate, and receives the cooling breezes that Pinot Noir loves.  The wine is more Burgundian in style than California, but with a fuller body and richness of flavor that we loved.  This wine is only in limited production (441 cases) but makes us yearn that more Pinots were made in this style. 

Even though you probably can’t find the Steltzner Pinot Noir, we highly recommend that you try the Steltzner Claret.  The Claret is fairly widely available, and is very reasonable for its price in the range of $16-20.  The Claret is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, using grapes from both Steltzner’s Stags Leap vineyards, and other vineyards in Napa Valley.  This wine has dark fruit and cedar, with nice tannins to balance it.  We highly recommend you check it out!

Drink what you like, like what you drink!

Bryan & Rachel Gavini

Stormy Weather, Great Wine – a Quest for Primitivo at Clos du Val

Hello Everyone!  We’re continuing to talk about our wine journey through California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys.  After a great dinner at the Silverado Brewing Company with Casa Nuestra friends, we got up early to enjoy some of the amenities of the Wine Country Inn before heading out to start the day.  Even though the day dawned cool and rainy, we decided to enjoy a soak in the Inn’s hot tub and enjoy a hearty breakfast before starting out on the wine trail.  The Wine Country Inn serves up a fabulous breakfast buffet, complete with lots of homemade treats and a waffle-making machine, and it’s a great way to pad your belly before a day of wine tasting. 

Our original plan for the day was to catch up with our friends Chuck and Leslie Parker and head to the Sonoma Coast.  We had been very excited about this idea, neither of us having ever been to the coast, but the weather wasn’t cooperative.  It had turned windy and rainy and it was likely that our potential view would be shrouded in fog – not to mention the gusty winds – so we decided to save the coast for another visit.  Instead, we headed down the Silverado Trail to Clos du Val in search of a taste of their Primitivo.  When we showed up at the parking lot in the driving rain, we initially thought that the winery was closed, but the sign said assured us they were indeed open, so we skipped across the lot to the door to the tasting room.

Clos du Val was founded in 1972 by Frenchman Bernard Portet, and its wine qualified to represent the United States in the famous Judgment of Paris in 1976.  While we lived in Bermuda, we frequently purchased the Clos du Val Zinfandel and enjoyed it very much.  We later discovered that the Zinfandel is available to the export market only.  (We made this discovery while at wine tasting in Nantucket, during which we insisted to the guy pouring for Clos du Val that we loved their Zinfandel, while he insisted that they didn’t sell a Zin.  He stared at us in disbelief (probably thinking we’d had a bit too much wine already), but then we all connected the dots and learned that it was only for export, and we all had a good laugh.)  He then told us that Clos du Val was beginning to make a Primitivo, Zinfandel’s cousin, and that it would be available the following year.  The relationship between Primitivo and Zinfandel is similar to that of Syrah and Shiraz.  Same grapes; different interpretation by the winemaker, and Primitivo tends to be made on the drier side rather than fruitier.  Before we left for California, Rachel contacted the winery to find out if the Primitivo would be available for tasting during our visit.  It was not on the standard tasting menu, but we were advised to just ask for it when we arrived, and they would gladly pour us a taste.

We were greeted in the tasting room by a gentleman named Fred and proceeded to share a standard tasting (as we’ve mentioned before, we frequently share a tasting; Clos du Val also has a reserve tasting option).  We made him aware of our quest for the Primitivo and he said that he would gladly pour us a sample at the right point in the tasting.  Fred started us off with the Ariadne, a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc made in the French style of white Bordeaux with some subtle aging.  The wine was bright and fresh, but more full and round than a typical unoaked Sauvignon Blanc.  Bernard Portet is really a master of balance and the wine was perfect.  Sometimes the combination of oak aging and the addition of Semillon can really fatten up a Sauvignon Blanc but this was far from the case.  After some discussion, Fred insisted that we try the Chardonnay since we indicated that many are just too over-oaked and buttery for our tastes.  The Clos du Val had much better balance, with crisp acidity to balance out the more tropical flavors, but the Ariadne was still our preferred style in white wine.  Next came the Carneros Pinot Noir; again we had some discussion about our feelings of Pinot Noir (generally not a favorite of ours).  Fred assured us that the Carneros Pinot Noir was different.  He was right.  On this trip, we began to explore more Pinot Noir from Carneros, and it seems to be more Burgundian in style, which we like.  Pinot Noir requires a cooler climate than California has in many areas, but the Carneros region receives cooling breezes from the Pacific through San Pablo Bay, and so it is a region well suited to Pinot.

Fred also gave us some wine tasting tips.  He explained that it takes three tastes of wine to fully get the flavor:  the first cleanses your palate, the second gives you a good taste, and the third taste shows you everything that the wine has.  We took that tip with us for the rest of the trip.  Since we were having an interactive and engaging tasting, Fred suggested that we compare the Reserve Pinot to the Carneros Pinot.  It’s always fun to do, and we often tend to land on the side of the non-Reserve.  It’s not about price; it just happens.  We really enjoyed the acidity in the non-Reserve Pinot Noir. 

Fred was a font of information on many fronts, and it’s always great when we learn new things while tasting wine.  Fred explained that the difference in the shape between a Bordeaux wine bottle (including Cabernet and Merlot) and a Burgundy (Pinot Noir) bottle is more than just stylistic – the shape of the bottle serves a purpose.  The Bordeaux bottle has a distinct neck and a high shoulder, whereas a Burgundy bottle has a gently sloping shoulder.  A Burgundian-style wine tends to have little to no sediment in the wine; conversely, the Bordeaux varietals generally do, and the bottle is shaped so that the shoulder will catch much of the sediment as the wine is poured. 

Following the Pinot Noir came the much-awaited Primitivo.  It was just as we had hoped: it had many of the flavors of Zinfandel but a drier wine.  We also tried Clos du Val’s Merlot and Cabernet, which were excellent as usual.  Fred then mentioned that Clos du Val had also made a Petit Verdot, and he gladly poured it for us.  Petit Verdot is a Bordeaux grape varietal but it’s rarely made into a single varietal wine.  We are always anxious to try it whenever we see it, and this one did not disappoint.  Nothing at Clos du Val disappointed that day.  We thanked Fred for sharing his knowledge and experience, purchased the elusive Primitivo and rare Petit Verdot, and headed back out into the rain.

The morning had only started, but we’d already had a great visit with Clos du Val, with some great wine and great company.  We were looking forward to the rest of our day – rain or shine.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!

Rachel & Bryan Gavini

Day 2 in Wine Country - a Night in Our House

Hello Everyone!  We are still continuing on our recent wine adventure in California (actually we’re not still in California, although we wish we were!).  After finishing up a day of tasting and a “snack” at Juanita Juanita over in Sonoma, we headed back towards St. Helena to the Wine Country Inn.  Our first two nights in the valley, we stayed at the Chateau, an inexpensive hotel in the northern part of the town of Napa, just at the edge of Yountville.  We usually try to stay as inexpensively as possible, rationalizing that we’re really not in the room all that much.  But this night we were staying at the Wine Country Inn due to its close proximity to our wine dinner later that evening.  When we arrived at the inn just around 5 PM, there were several people gathered around a tasting table enjoying some wine.  It’s not uncommon in wine country for an inn to offer an evening wine tasting to its guests, and the Wine Country Inn takes it a step further by bringing in a different winery each evening to pour their wines.  That night, Cuvaison was pouring wines for the guests.  We have had Cuvaison’s wines in the past and they are noted for their sustainable farming practices in the Carneros area.  They are particularly known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the cooler climate of Carneros really helps these varietals shine.  We thought that this complimentary wine tasting in the Inn was a great perk offered to guests.  Another thing to recommend the Wine Country Inn is that they will willingly offer to be complimentary chauffeurs to transport you to dinner to a number of different restaurants in the area, so that guests can enjoy their wine and don’t have to drive.  We inquired about this for our dinner at the Silverado Brewing Company, and while they were more than willing to drive us, they pointed out to us that our destination was just next door, a short walk.  We were definitely in a great location for our dinner.

Since we only had a short time before dinner, we decided to pass on the tasting and relaxed in our room for a bit before our Casa Nuestra wine dinner that evening.  Our room was nicely furnished with a fireplace that was packed and ready to go with wood, paper, and matches at the ready for the cooler evenings.  We also had a nice patio that overlooked some gardens and vineyards, and the pool and spa were just down the hill.  Unfortunately for us, we weren’t sure we would have a chance to enjoy many of these amenities, since clouds and cool weather had moved in and rain was in the forecast for later that evening and early in the morning. 

The rain did hold off before dinner, so we made our way through a nice pathway that cut through the Freemark Abbey Winery, and were almost immediately on the doorstep of the Silverado Brewing Company.  The Silverado Brewing Company was founded in 2000 by Michael Fradelizio and Ken Mee, both of whom have worked in wineries before.  We’ve often heard it said in Napa Valley that “it takes a lot great beer to make good wine,” and this place is helping to fill that need.  (We had heard a similar statement from Mike Gilly, our “wine guy” at Blanchards in Jamaica Plain, while at a tasting put on by Frederick Wildman.  It’s pretty common for the wine guys to pour the wine, but drink the beer.  Even we can get “wined out,” and like to have a beer or margarita to break up the wine tastings.)

If you’ve read our past blogs, you’ll remember hearing about the Casa Nuestra winery.  We first discovered Casa Nuestra on our trip to Napa Valley in 2005, and have really enjoyed being connected to the winery and being members of their wine club.  Casa maintains a fairly small wine club, which often has a waiting list.  But by keeping their club at a small size, you get great service, and are treated like members of the family. Each of our wine club shipments comes with a smiley-face on the box, great wines, informative notes, a recipe or two, and a nice note from Stephanie. 

Coming down the driveway at Casa, you pass by the vineyards and arrive at the small tasting room.  There is a good chance that you’ll be greeted by Trigger, Buster, and Bubba, the Black Lab reception staff.  Likewise, both Nava and A.P., who make up the weed abatement staff (and are honored as such by Casa’s Two Goats Red wine, the subject of one of our earlier blogs) are likely to be in the nearby field.  (We are also looking forward to meeting the newest addition to the staff, Romeo the cat.)  We love the comfortable, laid back farming environment, and on top of that, they really know how to make great wine!  During one visit, Stephanie pointed out the amount of volcanic obsidian that is all over the place, and we found a few nice pieces in the parking lot to hang onto as souvenirs.  It is this volcanic quality of the soil at the St. Helena estate which is just one of the unique components of the wine. 

When we heard about the Casa wine dinner, we were really excited to have the chance to attend.  This wine dinner is hosted each year by the Casa team as a celebration of the wines and a chance to share them with their extended family, the wine club members.  A good crowd had already gathered at the Silverado Brewing Company when we arrived.  Rachel was immediately welcomed by Katrina Kirkham, the wife of owner and co-founder Gene Kirkham, and presented with a glass of Tinto Classico, one of Casa’s field blends.  Bryan meanwhile made his way to the tasting table, and was greeted by winemaker Allen Price and the complete Casa Nuestra selection.  We find that one of the best ways to start a meal or happy hour is with a refreshing glass of white wine, and Bryan decided to try out Casa’s off-dry Riesling.  We love a nice chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc during the warm days of spring and summer, but one of the best aperitif wines really is Riesling.  Casa’s Riesling is made from old vines on the St. Helena property and has less than 1% residual sugar, so there is a hint of sweetness to it, but it is well-balanced, filled with flavors of exotic fruits and finishes crisp and cleanly.

We spent the rest of the pre-dinner festivities chatting with Stephanie, her husband, and other members of the Casa family, and then settled into our assigned table for dinner.  We were seated with owner Gene Kirkham and his wife Katrina, in addition to well-known wine columnist Dan Berger, and other guests.  When we first met Katrina earlier that evening, she immediately mentioned that she had read our recent blog post about “Goats and Wine,” and that she enjoyed reading it.  Stephanie also told us that was why she had seated us at the same table as Dan Berger.  As humble wine fans, we were starting to feel a bit famous! 

The dinner started out with a few words from Gene.  He was asked to give some words about the winery, and he talked about the early beginnings and the concepts of field blends.  He told the story about how his family first acquired a vineyard with an assortment of plantings, not all of which were exactly known.  All they knew was that these vineyards made two types of wine: “a nice-a red” and “a nice-a white.”  We knew exactly what that meant, because Bryan’s grandmother had mentioned many times that her father always made a barrel of red wine and a barrel of white wine for everyday consumption.  Sometimes, all you need is that glass of “nice-a wine.”  After the initial welcome, the most unique wine of the evening was poured, a 1987 Chenin Blanc.  Yep, that was a 1987 Chenin Blanc – a 23 year old white wine.  As we talked about in a previous blog, Casa has been well-known for producing some top-notch Chenin Blanc, and without a doubt, to have one from 1987 is very rare.  The wine was a deep golden color, almost tawny, and had aged to develop flavors of apricot and honey, but yet still retained some of the acidity to hold it all together.  It really was a rare treat and a significant contrast to the 2009 Chenin Blanc, which was a pale, crisp wine with more citrus flavors.  This comparison made us think back to a statement by John Sharpe at New World Wines in Bermuda, that Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley can be “dumb” wines in their early years, but after five years can really age to something quite special.  Casa’s Chenin is great drinking now, but we are thinking of holding these wines a little longer to age a bit and develop more.  This was really a great learning experience.  The two Chenin Blanc wines were paired with a Dungeness Crab salad with avocado, mango, watercress, cilantro, and a Meyer lemon Dijon Vinaigrette.  It was a yummy combination.

Next on the menu came a wild mushroom risotto that was paired with the 2007 Tinto St. Helena.  Tinto, as we mentioned in the past, is Casa’s field blend, with many different but complementary grapes.  We were also treated to a 1999 Tinto and again were impressed with the wine’s ability to age and hold its balance and acidity.  We talked about the Tinto in our blog about Goats and Wine, but the 1999 had developed more chocolate and cocoa flavors as well as deeper plum and blackberry flavors when compared to the younger 2007.  At the table, Bryan discussed with Dan Berger about the comparison with the South African Goats do Roam line, and the use of co-fermentation rather than blending the nine varietals that make up the Tinto.  The field blend of Refosco, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Zinfandel and others perfectly fit the earthy flavors of the mushroom risotto.

During the course of the dinner, we had some additional words from Gene, who introduced some of the alumni staff from Casa Nuestra.  It really is that special kind of place that even when people move on to work at other jobs/wineries, they still have a connection to Casa.  In fact one of the alums that we ran into was Chris Burton, who is currently with Trinchero.  Our dear friend Chuck Parker introduced us to Chris when he was working the tasting room at Trinchero in 2009, and had just returned from Afghanistan.  Chris had great news that he had just gotten engaged, and was due to be married in June.  Both being military guys, Bryan and Chris swapped a few quick stories and experiences.  (Bryan thinks that usually these types of stories are swapped over beers, but on this night, it was all about the wine.)

Later in the evening, Gene’s son Martin was asked to introduce both his mom Cody, who was for a long time Casa’s only support staff, and also the current staff at Casa.  All of these folks who put their heart into making wines to enjoy and create memories with were received with much applause.  The main course that evening was a classic pairing of Casa’s 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and roasted filet mignon with chanterelles, asparagus, polenta, and crispy fennel.  There is nothing like a hearty Cabernet with all of the oak, earthiness, spices, vanilla, and cherries that has mellowed in the bottle, especially paired with an earthy dish such as the filet.  But of course the wine didn’t stop there; given that this was a wine dinner, there is always plenty of wine, and there was also bottle of the Cabernet Franc for the table to enjoy.  We love the earthiness and aromas that are in Cabernet Franc.  During the conversation and eating, we hadn’t noticed that Gene had slipped away from the table, only to return at the entrance in large dark sunglasses a yellow silk shirt holding a guitar.  Gene is a huge Elvis fan, and the Ghost of Elvis was now in the house.  We were treated to a short medley of Elvis tunes before Stephanie joined him in a duet of “Me and Bobby McGee” with some backing from the attendees.  It was a great feeling to enjoy the music and fun of the evening while sipping some of Casa’s 2009 Late Harvest French Columbard paired with Meyer Lemon Cheesecake.

We have always loved dessert wines, especially the apricot and honey flavors that develop from the Botrytis, which is also known as “noble rot.”  Late in the harvest season, the combination of cooler weather and moisture start the fungus growing, but then the weather dries out and a fuzz develops on some of the grapes, which transforms the flavors.  This is the noble rot.  If the weather maintains consistently wet or humid, another kind of botrytis (grey rot) develops and the bunches are lost.  The development of botrytised wines requires special conditions and intensive care, and therefore these wines are only produced in limited quantities.

The night truly was a special evening and reminded us of times when we have family get-togethers and the stories come out as well as the music from the likes of Abba and The Carpenters.  Good friends, family, wine, and music go together.  That night we did feel like we were in Casa Nuestra – Our House.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!

Rachel and Bryan Gavini