Much like the Carignane grape, the Cabernet Franc can be easily overshadowed by some bigger name varietals. Yet it’s importance and character is crucial in some of the best Bordeaux (blends) around. And while at times it can easily take a supporting role, the wine by itself is easily able to hold it’s own.

Such is the case (no pun intended) with Peju’s 2007 Cabernet Franc from the Napa Valley, grown at the estate’s Persephone Ranch Vineyard located in Pope Valley. The ’07 spent 16 months in barrel and then was given a chance to take a nap for a year. The wine was just released this month (July).

The wine displays lovely notes of tobacco, a bit of smoke, perhaps off of a wooded plank, as well as a bit of black currant. It’s dark, deep, and a tad mysterious due to it’s large tannin structure. Peju is suggesting the tannins will mellow out in a year. If so, the wine will start to roar right around Christmas time. I imagine that once the tannins settle, this wine will truly sparkle. It has a great potential to do so and can turn out to be one stellar Cabernet Franc. Cellar and drink within about 4-6 years.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com

A staple in the Napa Valley, Cakebread recently released a new Chardonnay into their wine portfolio. The 2008 Napa Valley Chardonnay (they also make an Anderson Valley Chardonnay) was recently bottled and is now available to the world.

The beauquet on this wine is beautiful. I’m delighted that the acidity is a bit higher than what you’d normally expect out of a California (let alone a Napa Valley) Chardonnay. The butter bandit, if he is there, is hiding out on the nose. My initial thought when I took a quick whiff was apples and pears, with a little butter, but not much at all. I imagine this well-balanced nose is due to the nearly 10% of the wine going through a stainless steel fermentation.

The mid-palate displays the typical butterness sensation, but without the characteristic oakiness. The butter is still very mild and melts easily on your tongue. A slight amount of tannins, however they are very very weak. This is partially due to the fact that Cakebread ran the wine through both neutral & new french oak. The oak is needed, but it’s not over the top.

If you’re looking for a great Chardonnay to have before dinner or with a good friend, this wine is for you. You can easily drink this solo, or with food. Closing my eyes, I could see a Fettuccine Alfredo, or any other dish with a cream sauce; possibly cooked oysters with a clam sauce. The small amount of acidity is what works with the thicker sauces.

This wine could use a little more time to lay down. The small amount of tannins present will dissipate in about 6-8 months I’m guesstimating. However, the wine is still ready to drink now.

Enjoy,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com

So out on the Silverado trail I drove, with my tasting partner, Nicole along with me. We had no real plans except to be back at a set hour for dinner at Peju Winery, so we were basically free for a few hours. We tried getting to Joseph Phelps, whom we had heard of, but had yet to go to. Upon arriving, they alerted us to the fact all the tasting times were prior yet offered a splash of wine as a consolation prize. And so off we went to another winery.

Being late in the day, we unfortunately ran into more and more wineries that were closed. That is until we found William Harrison Winery, tucked back off of the road. The road sign was present and nicely visible, complete with hours that were within our time frame. Having never ever hearing about them prior, we decided to give it a shot.

The sign out on the street, in smaller letters, read, “An American Winery”. The unoffical motto seemed to be taken to heart when you step inside. The building, though only built some 20 years ago, seemed like it was erected nearly a century a go. Pseudo wood beams line the ceiling, and a boar’s head and full-sized stuffed Grizzly bear could be seen off to the side of the tasting room. Taxidermist’s rejoice, you’ve come to the right spot.

While the winery has it’s roots firmly planted in American, or rather Rutherford, soil, the winemaking traditions of the Perelli-Minetti family (William Harrison is the nephew of Mario Perelli-Minetti run all the way back to Italy. The father of Mario, Antonio Perelli-Minetti (can you tell this is an Italian Family yet?) was first winemaker in California to hold a winemaking degree.

The degree from Italy. Click on the image to see it full-size.

So how’s the wine?

Great. Their wines truly showcased the terrior and AVA to which they came from. It’s that simple. I’d also say that they are distinctly Californian. The Chardonnay was a small butter bandit, with a little Oak peeking through, but the Apricot shined more than the oak and butter did.

The Cabernet Franc did not dissappoint either. I was simply excited to get my hands on this rare single varietal wine. The deep black berries and spice mixed in with the standard smells of black currant were all there on my palate. The part that I found especially appealing was the light to almost no tannins on the tongue.

But the piece dé resistancé was their Cab. At first smell I noted the dirt that was present in it. Harking on it almost smelling almost like a Bordeaux Blend than a Cab, Andrew Perelli-Minetti mentioned that was due to the volcanic soil of Rutherford, or the “Rutherford Dirt” as it was more commonly  referred to. In addition, pieces of dark cherry and a bit of tree bark could also be found.

The winery also produces a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast as well as a Rutherford Red, which is comprised of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec.

The tasting is $7.50 per person, but the experience is priceless. Old California is brought back to life (or at least stuffed in the case of the bear and boar) at William Harrison. Family winemaking is still alive and thriving here.

Cheers,
Haydn

Yes. I do admit that I drool over beautiful Bordeauxs. Some days I’m yearning for a wine that is more complex then a Mensa application. Other times, I want an easy-drinking thrist-quenching kind of wine. That’s were the Pjeu Provence comes in.

This is one of the most unusual wines I’ve had in a while. While the notes are surprisingly simple, the makeup of this wine is anything but. To start, it’s a blend of both red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel, and white grapes: Chardonnay and French Colombard. While it may seem crazy, the result is quite delicious.

To cap off the crazy factor, you’re advised to serve chilled. It’s a hard concept at first to comprehend, putting a wine blended with red grapes in the fridge to chill. But the result is great. And I can some up the feeling in one word— sangria!

You heard me. It’s basically Sangria disguised. Closing my eyes, I could easily picture big blocks of ice floating in this glass. The residual sugar would be real sugar if it were a true Sangria.

The wine has hints of bright cherry and cranberries, that make you want to smile while puckering at the same time. It’s a total fruit forward wine. Easy to drink, easy to enjoy.

For all those Bay Area folks, this wine is going to be great for those Indian summer evenings. The days when the sun starts to set sooner yet it still feels like July. It’s a great transitional wine where you can go from total whites in the summer to the luscious and full-bodied reds in the winer.

Naturally you’re going to want this with some sort of Spanish dish. Tapas, empenadas, maybe even a bit of smoked chorizo. Yet this wine can stand on it’s own and simply sipped as a starter wine.

One cool wine from one of the hallmark wineries of the Napa Valley.

Cheers,
Haydn

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com

Appalachian: Napa Valley
Alc: 14.3%
Haydn gives it: 95 points 

While I do have a general predisposition towards anything that comes out of Napa, exceptions have been made. I have reviewed wines that have been sourced from Napa grapes, but I’ve yet to feature a winery that is headquartered in that region. Yet, whenever I review a wine, I do try, in every way possible, to keep the review objective and to let the wine dictate the direction, not anybody in marketing. 

That being, said, the 2007 Cakebread Chardonnay is simply beautiful. It does retail for around $40, making it not the cheapest of Chardonnays out there. Yet, I’d be willing to forego nearly 2/3 of the California Chards in favor of this one. 

The nose showcases a bit of a vegetal aroma with a twist of peach and pair. A light, very light appearance of oak was present, it seem to soften the wine, not harden it. I was so in love with the aromas it took a bit to actually drink it (and no, I wasn’t going to be spitting this one out)

Following the aromas, the wine continued to showcased bartlett pears and even a little apple. A touch of honey was also there, as if the pear had been lightly coated before meeting with the apple. The piece de’ resistance was the overall mouthfeel of the wine. It didn’t pull, grab, jar, or twist any tastebuds. It simply waved hello, introduced the flavor components and went on it’s merry way. This is what a Chardonnay is supposed to taste like.

The honey component lingered a little bit at the end, but soon all traces vanished on the finish. A stunningly beautiful wine. A big thumbs up to the wine maker. While the price on this wine is set at $40, I do have to say that ever dollar is worth it. Once again, to all of my readers who run for the hills every time someone pulls out a Chardonnay with a US designation, take a look at this wine (as well as Nalle’s Chardonnay) for a truly beautiful experience.

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com