Monday Morning, another beautiful day. Kelly is behind the wheel, and take off back towards Sonoma County for our appointments.
A note about Tim-Tim (a.k.a: Timmy T, Tim-Tom, you stupid piece of shit): At the beginning of this trip, I sat on the floor and very carefully programmed the addresses into "Our Favorites". Now sometimes it can be confusing, as the town borders are kind of funky, un-named dirt roads, no street numbers, etc...). Ergo, he occassionally tries to send us off-roading in our little Avenger and tells us we "have reached our destination" 1/2 a mile shy.
We are rolling thru the beautiful hills and curves of the Dry Creek region, blindly following Tim-Tim's direction, when he directs us to "turn left ahead" on a dirt/mud track thru the vineyard. Luckily, we had recently seen a sign for the winery and took off.
Michel Schlumberger is all organic and sustainable farming (no chemicals, no pesticides, let Mother Nature do her thing and keep an eye on the enviroment around you). We are greeted by Jerry (hospitality), Judd (the financial man), and Mike (the wine maker) and set off for a walk around the property. There are chickens (used for pesticide control) and sheep (used for landscaping and mowing), complete with mobile pens that can be moved about. Sheep are preferred over goats, as goats (a) eat everything in sight and (b) chew the grass too low. There are bird house everywhere, with over 45 species on the property.
We wandered around the property, which is also bordered by "wine creek". Mike and the team keep this area "silt free" and the owner installed a rather elaborate drainage system underground to filter/clean the water before dumping it in the steam. Steelhead and Salmon also rush up and spawn in this creek (Melissa's wine pick" The La Brume Chardonnay)
We unpack the little Avenger, which has developed a brake and power steering problem, and head to Seghesio for a tasting. Seghesio is a very old family operation, with Italian roots going back to the Gold rush in the late 1800's. Great zin's (Melissa's pick: Try the Arneis if you can find it).
After Seghesio, we stroll around the town of Healsdsburg (some alone time, if you will). Kim and I grab dinner, while Kelly opts for Thai food at a later time. We head back to Schlumberger, our accomodations for the evening, where Kelly and I sit on our patio overlooking the western portion of the land and Kim heads for a hike (Stories about Mountain lions don't scare her!).
We sit in our courtyard, eating and drinking until the coyotes STOP making noise (Melissa assumes they are on the move) and hit the sack.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Seghesio Family Vineyards
The Seghesio Story begins in 1886 when Edoardo Seghesio departed his family’s vineyards in Piedmonte, Italy for a new life in America. Like so many immigrants, he was drawn to Northern Sonoma County and the Italian Swiss Colony, to follow his passion for winemaking. The “colony,” as it was known, hired immigrants for three year stints, providing room and board and then, a lump sum at the end of those three years enabling employees to buy land or set up a business in their new home.
Soon, Edoardo rose through the ranks to winemaker. Yet, he yearned for home. The Colony’s manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay and finally, it was his niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain. That young girl, Angela Vasconi and Edoardo were married in 1893. In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, less for the home than the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land. They planted the “Home Ranch” that year to what has become our family’s lifeline – Zinfandel.
Edoardo remained at the Colony while building his own winery in the evenings after work. Upon its completion in 1902, the young couple began Seghesio Winery while raising their five children. In 1910, they acquired additional acreage surrounding the bustling train station in what was then “Chianti, California.” Edoardo, appropriately, planted the 10 acres to the Chianti field blend of Sangiovese, Canielao Nero, Trebbiano and Malvasia. That vineyard, we call Chianti Station is North America’s oldest planting of Sangiovese.
In the years preceding Prohibition, the business flourished and the Seghesio Family gained a reputation for quality wine and their generosity toward others getting their start in this fledgling industry.
Six months prior to Prohibition, and convinced it could not last more than a year, Edoardo made a decision to purchase his former employer, Italian Swiss Colony. The “Colony” with a 4,000,000 gallon capacity winery and its 1100 acres of vineyards were quite a value at $127, 500. As Prohibition prevailed, however, the debt was too much for Edoardo to bear. In 1920, he brought on partners, his brother-in-law, Enrico Prati, and the Rossi Family who were previous owners and at whose request Edoardo came to America. Edoardo sold his shares in 1933.
Upon repeal of Prohibition, the family once again opened the doors of the winery and Seghesio was making a come back. Unfortunately, Edoardo passed away in 1934 leaving the winery and all property to Angela. From then, Angela and her sons, Arthur, Frank and Eugene continued making wines and shipping via the railroad. With their hard-earned knowledge, they added vineyards when they could purchase them without debt. In 1949, they purchased a second winery facility in Healdsburg to enable them to keep up with the growing demand for their wines.
In January 1958, the newspaper headlines read that Sonoma County’s wine industry had lost its matriarch when Angela passed away. Angela’s legacy as an industry leader and a great chef lives on in her grandchildren. Her sons formed a partnership based on the ideals of their parents, family, hard work and passion for the industry.
From the time of Angela’s death until the mid 1970s, the Seghesio Family flourished in the bulk wine business, producing most of the red wine made in Sonoma County. At their largest, 1,700,000 gallons were produced between the original winery in Chianti and the Healdsburg winery. Yet, as the industry evolved, so did the Seghesio family when in 1983, the first wines were bottled under the Seghesio label at the hands of Ted Seghesio, a fourth generation family winemaker.
Ted was the not only the winemaker but sold and delivered wine. In 1986, his cousin Peter Seghesio joined the business and began to set up a distribution network nationwide. By 1993, the Seghesio brand had grown to 130,000 cases of not only the family’s zinfandel and Italian varietals, but also Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc and both red and white table wine. It was in that year that the younger generation was given control of the winery. Fortunately, they too shared a passion for the land and a desire to produce wines they were passionate about. They turned their focus to the vineyards and eliminated all but the wines we grow reducing production to 30,000 cases.
Today, they are proud to passionately produce almost exclusively estate wines, some from those same vineyards Edoardo and Angela first planted in the late 1800s.
Soon, Edoardo rose through the ranks to winemaker. Yet, he yearned for home. The Colony’s manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay and finally, it was his niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain. That young girl, Angela Vasconi and Edoardo were married in 1893. In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, less for the home than the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land. They planted the “Home Ranch” that year to what has become our family’s lifeline – Zinfandel.
Edoardo remained at the Colony while building his own winery in the evenings after work. Upon its completion in 1902, the young couple began Seghesio Winery while raising their five children. In 1910, they acquired additional acreage surrounding the bustling train station in what was then “Chianti, California.” Edoardo, appropriately, planted the 10 acres to the Chianti field blend of Sangiovese, Canielao Nero, Trebbiano and Malvasia. That vineyard, we call Chianti Station is North America’s oldest planting of Sangiovese.
In the years preceding Prohibition, the business flourished and the Seghesio Family gained a reputation for quality wine and their generosity toward others getting their start in this fledgling industry.
Six months prior to Prohibition, and convinced it could not last more than a year, Edoardo made a decision to purchase his former employer, Italian Swiss Colony. The “Colony” with a 4,000,000 gallon capacity winery and its 1100 acres of vineyards were quite a value at $127, 500. As Prohibition prevailed, however, the debt was too much for Edoardo to bear. In 1920, he brought on partners, his brother-in-law, Enrico Prati, and the Rossi Family who were previous owners and at whose request Edoardo came to America. Edoardo sold his shares in 1933.
Upon repeal of Prohibition, the family once again opened the doors of the winery and Seghesio was making a come back. Unfortunately, Edoardo passed away in 1934 leaving the winery and all property to Angela. From then, Angela and her sons, Arthur, Frank and Eugene continued making wines and shipping via the railroad. With their hard-earned knowledge, they added vineyards when they could purchase them without debt. In 1949, they purchased a second winery facility in Healdsburg to enable them to keep up with the growing demand for their wines.
In January 1958, the newspaper headlines read that Sonoma County’s wine industry had lost its matriarch when Angela passed away. Angela’s legacy as an industry leader and a great chef lives on in her grandchildren. Her sons formed a partnership based on the ideals of their parents, family, hard work and passion for the industry.
From the time of Angela’s death until the mid 1970s, the Seghesio Family flourished in the bulk wine business, producing most of the red wine made in Sonoma County. At their largest, 1,700,000 gallons were produced between the original winery in Chianti and the Healdsburg winery. Yet, as the industry evolved, so did the Seghesio family when in 1983, the first wines were bottled under the Seghesio label at the hands of Ted Seghesio, a fourth generation family winemaker.
Ted was the not only the winemaker but sold and delivered wine. In 1986, his cousin Peter Seghesio joined the business and began to set up a distribution network nationwide. By 1993, the Seghesio brand had grown to 130,000 cases of not only the family’s zinfandel and Italian varietals, but also Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc and both red and white table wine. It was in that year that the younger generation was given control of the winery. Fortunately, they too shared a passion for the land and a desire to produce wines they were passionate about. They turned their focus to the vineyards and eliminated all but the wines we grow reducing production to 30,000 cases.
Today, they are proud to passionately produce almost exclusively estate wines, some from those same vineyards Edoardo and Angela first planted in the late 1800s.
Michel Schlumberger
The special growing conditions of Dry Creek Valley give its wines a character of elegance. The relatively cool growing season nourishes a distinctive balance in the Valley's grapes, ripening them slowly and evenly. The French would say point, or just right. Both red and white wine grapes retain a measure of acidity, lending themselves to making exuberant wines with lively flavors. The red wine grapes also typically have healthy levels of tannins. These are unabashed tannins, and the better cabernets in particular wear them like a nicely tailored suit. Acidity provides freshness and lift; tannins provide immense flavor interest that bring a person back again and again. Both allow a wine to age handsomely. Notched into the western edge of Dry Creek Valley like a small amphitheater, Wine Creek Canyon nicely sets the stage for ripening point. The Canyon juts into the coastal range just at Dry Creek's temperate mid-section, piercing the Valley's western flank. Michel-Schlumberger's rolling benches buttress the Canyon's northern hillsides, and generally slope south, an exposure that gives them a full day's worth of sun. At the same time, vineyards on these benches are closer to the ocean than most-the Pacific is only seventeen miles away. Shortly after five o'clock the ocean air arrives, and during the ripening season Michel-Schlumberger's vineyards are among the first to cool down. At the end of a working day, if you were to walk along the forest at the western edge of our vineyards, you would experience this change of climate firsthand. It is the time of day when the sun has closed upon the horizon and shadows are cast long over the vines. Ahead, on the terraced uplands to the north, grow the treasured Jackson clones of cabernet. Most of those vines are still in sunlight, and should you step out into that light, you would feel the heat of a western day. But here in the shadows a distinctly cool and constant breeze has begun to flow out of the trees and into the vineyards. This breeze feels remarkably like air conditioning. Its noteworthy cooling power goes a long way toward explaining how grapes in this little pocket canyon can ripen fully, and succulently, without losing their composure.On a rare bit of level ground in Wine Creek Canyon sits the white-clad winery of Michel-Schlumberger. On three sides, vineyards are stitched across rolling foothills, and the mission-style structure is nestled comfortably in its surroundings. Wine Creek flows out of the hills and quietly runs by the front of the winery. To one side is a broad shoulder of a bench, ridged along 
the top and fanning out down to the road. There are nearly twenty blocks of vineyards (and an olive orchard) on this shoulder with different exposures and elevations. To the other side of the waterway are a series of knolls surrounding a lake above the winery. Each knoll has its peculiarities, hence its own selection of grapes, rootstock, and spacing. Below the lake is another broad shoulder fanning down to the road. The soil here is "river conglomerate," a particularly rocky soil unique to Dry Creek with superb drainage. Above the lake is the terraced upland vineyard, rising steeply to a saddle on the hill. This vineyard grows in the red volcanic soil of Dry Creek Valley's hinterlands, long prized for premium vineyards. In these red volcanic soils grow our Jackson clones of cabernet sauvignon. This species of cabernet (prosaically known as #6) 
takes its name from a long lost vineyard in the Sierra foothills. In the 19th century UC Berkeley maintained it as an index vineyard. Lore has it that the vineyard lay utterly abandoned after Prohibition, only to be re-discovered by a graduate student researching available plant material in the mid-1960s. The really exciting thing about this wild vineyard is that its vines are pre-phylloxera selections, dating from the mid-19th century. They are free of disease and have never had to undergo modern horticultural remedies such as sterilizing heat treatments. These vines also yield meager amounts of grapes, which almost certainly accounts for their lack of acceptance by the grape growers of yesteryear. But while the quantity of grapes may be paltry, the quality of flavor is exceptional, which is why today the Jackson clones are embraced by California's best estate wineries. The Jackson signature is rich varietal spice and earthy minerality with unusually concentrated, lavish, mouth-filling fruitiness, coupled with surprising clarity and elegance- achieved without numbing levels of alcohol. The various Jackson clones of cabernet, petit verdot, and pinot noir are especially promising, and our vineyards include clones of all three varieties. Over the years Michel-Schlumberger has garnered a reputation for its structured and aromatic merlot. Many of our most recently planted merlot clones grow on Riperia Gloria rootstock. Highly regarded in Bordeaux, this rootstock is quite rare in Sonoma County because it is the most vigor-limiting rootstock available-again, meager grapes with exceptional flavors. As in the past, small amounts of cabernet and cabernet franc are blended with the merlot. To add to this complexity, we have planted petit verdot and malbec to blend for color and spice. The syrah vines consist of several clones planted on both the benchlands and on Bradford Mountain, where these vines share our steep slope with five other varieties. Grapes from the mountain have excellent acidities coupled with depth and intensity of flavor; grapes from the benchlands have broader flavors, more generous and less etched in profile. Small amounts of zinfandel and viognier are blended into the syrah. Much the same as grenache in 
southern France, Dry Creek zinfandel gives broad, spicy flavors to syrah's deep dark density. Viognier lifts the aromatics into a lovely perfume. We are making a small amount of pinot noir from two Jackson clones and four Dijon clones recently made available from France. Ours has none of the green flavors and high alcohol that commonly mar new world pinot noir. Rather, it is a wine of fragrance, filled with flavors of pure black cherry fruit, and finishing with length and elegance. Our chardonnay program has been completely renewed. Gone are the old plantings of the Wente clone, long the mainstay of California chardonnay; replacing them are several Dijon clones and the famous Robert Young clone. In the years to come, we will introduce at least one (possibly two, should distinctions merit) vineyard-designated chardonnay. We hope that it will show the real potential of Dry Creek Valley for this variety. Lastly, we will continue to make authentic pinot blanc from Alsatian clones. Jacques Schlumberger's family comes from Alsace 
and this variety is a natural one for us. Our rendition has always been crisp and spry, redolent of fresh melon. The high-density plantings, growing in some of our coolest terroirs, or growing areas, soon will add a further dimension of flavor to this wine. Terroir, a simple concept of place, is not some marketing idea to which we pay lip service. It is a defining idea for Michel-Schlumberger. We have gone to great lengths to match plant material, spacing, and trellising to specific sites in order to best take advantage of each site's characteristics. We farm these parcels conscientiously and ecologically in order to nourish the ground and their vines. The nuance of a great wine, its heart and soul and individuality, comes from the soil and its vines. One can nudge a wine here and there in the cellar, but the quality and personality come from the vineyard.
the top and fanning out down to the road. There are nearly twenty blocks of vineyards (and an olive orchard) on this shoulder with different exposures and elevations. To the other side of the waterway are a series of knolls surrounding a lake above the winery. Each knoll has its peculiarities, hence its own selection of grapes, rootstock, and spacing. Below the lake is another broad shoulder fanning down to the road. The soil here is "river conglomerate," a particularly rocky soil unique to Dry Creek with superb drainage. Above the lake is the terraced upland vineyard, rising steeply to a saddle on the hill. This vineyard grows in the red volcanic soil of Dry Creek Valley's hinterlands, long prized for premium vineyards. In these red volcanic soils grow our Jackson clones of cabernet sauvignon. This species of cabernet (prosaically known as #6) 
takes its name from a long lost vineyard in the Sierra foothills. In the 19th century UC Berkeley maintained it as an index vineyard. Lore has it that the vineyard lay utterly abandoned after Prohibition, only to be re-discovered by a graduate student researching available plant material in the mid-1960s. The really exciting thing about this wild vineyard is that its vines are pre-phylloxera selections, dating from the mid-19th century. They are free of disease and have never had to undergo modern horticultural remedies such as sterilizing heat treatments. These vines also yield meager amounts of grapes, which almost certainly accounts for their lack of acceptance by the grape growers of yesteryear. But while the quantity of grapes may be paltry, the quality of flavor is exceptional, which is why today the Jackson clones are embraced by California's best estate wineries. The Jackson signature is rich varietal spice and earthy minerality with unusually concentrated, lavish, mouth-filling fruitiness, coupled with surprising clarity and elegance- achieved without numbing levels of alcohol. The various Jackson clones of cabernet, petit verdot, and pinot noir are especially promising, and our vineyards include clones of all three varieties. Over the years Michel-Schlumberger has garnered a reputation for its structured and aromatic merlot. Many of our most recently planted merlot clones grow on Riperia Gloria rootstock. Highly regarded in Bordeaux, this rootstock is quite rare in Sonoma County because it is the most vigor-limiting rootstock available-again, meager grapes with exceptional flavors. As in the past, small amounts of cabernet and cabernet franc are blended with the merlot. To add to this complexity, we have planted petit verdot and malbec to blend for color and spice. The syrah vines consist of several clones planted on both the benchlands and on Bradford Mountain, where these vines share our steep slope with five other varieties. Grapes from the mountain have excellent acidities coupled with depth and intensity of flavor; grapes from the benchlands have broader flavors, more generous and less etched in profile. Small amounts of zinfandel and viognier are blended into the syrah. Much the same as grenache in 
southern France, Dry Creek zinfandel gives broad, spicy flavors to syrah's deep dark density. Viognier lifts the aromatics into a lovely perfume. We are making a small amount of pinot noir from two Jackson clones and four Dijon clones recently made available from France. Ours has none of the green flavors and high alcohol that commonly mar new world pinot noir. Rather, it is a wine of fragrance, filled with flavors of pure black cherry fruit, and finishing with length and elegance. Our chardonnay program has been completely renewed. Gone are the old plantings of the Wente clone, long the mainstay of California chardonnay; replacing them are several Dijon clones and the famous Robert Young clone. In the years to come, we will introduce at least one (possibly two, should distinctions merit) vineyard-designated chardonnay. We hope that it will show the real potential of Dry Creek Valley for this variety. Lastly, we will continue to make authentic pinot blanc from Alsatian clones. Jacques Schlumberger's family comes from Alsace 
and this variety is a natural one for us. Our rendition has always been crisp and spry, redolent of fresh melon. The high-density plantings, growing in some of our coolest terroirs, or growing areas, soon will add a further dimension of flavor to this wine. Terroir, a simple concept of place, is not some marketing idea to which we pay lip service. It is a defining idea for Michel-Schlumberger. We have gone to great lengths to match plant material, spacing, and trellising to specific sites in order to best take advantage of each site's characteristics. We farm these parcels conscientiously and ecologically in order to nourish the ground and their vines. The nuance of a great wine, its heart and soul and individuality, comes from the soil and its vines. One can nudge a wine here and there in the cellar, but the quality and personality come from the vineyard. Sunday, February 3, 2008
French Laundry...more evidence that we are indeed special.
Chef's Tasting Menu
3 February 2008
3 February 2008
"Oysters and Pearls"Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar
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Salad of Purple-Top Turnips
Ruby Red Grapefruit, Garden Mache, and Sicilian Pistachio Puree
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Confit of Bluefin TunaBaby Artichokes, Wilted Arugula, Sweet Peppers and Nicoise Olive Oil
Marinated Spanish Mackerel
Ginger "Pearls," Red Radish, Perilla and Bonito Vinaigrette
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"Lobster Curry"
Sweet Butter-Poached Maine Lobster "Mitts," Basmati Rice, Cilantro Shoots and Green Curry "Ragout"
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Four Story Hill Farm "Poularde"
Potato Confit, Melted Green Garlic, Glazed Carrots and Black Truffle Sauce
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Snake River Farms "Calotte de Boeuf Grillee"Lilly Bulb Salad, Crispy Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom, Broccoli Puree and "Sauce Japonaise"
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Mrs. Quicke's CheddarSwiss Chard "Subric," San Marzano Tomato Compote and Mustard Seed Emulsion
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Diane St. Claire Buttermilk Sherbet
with Honey-Glazed Cranberries and Spiced Streusel
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Valrhona Chocolate "Dobos"Chestnut Butter, Candied Chestnuts and Brown Bread Ice Cream
Maui Pineapple "Pavlova"Coconut-Pineapple Curd and "Pate de Fruits Exotiques"
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"Mignardises"---
The wines we enjoyed...Lazy Creek Vineyards Riesling and
Radio-Coteau "Las Colinas" Syrah
Heading into the kitchen for a quick tour...I felt like I took pictures of absolutely everything! Especially the chicken and the lobster! Those pictures must be hidden somewhere....
Blue Sky and sunny day
We wake up to an amazing day in Yountville. I head over to Bouchon Bakery for breakfast goodies and coffee, and we get going for the first AM appointment: Steltzner.
Enjoying barrel tastings at Steltzner! We love the '06 Syrah!
At Steltzner we go thru a great tasting in the tasting room (with Kory, a native of Akron, OH) and then head down to the caves to try some barrels. We think the '06s in barrels are even better than the '05s we tried in the tasting room; watch out for this next vintage!
After we leave Stelzner we have a bit of time before our next appointment, so we stop by Robert Sinskey for a quick tour. The tasting room is fantastic, and our wines are paired with tiny courses from the open kitchen set up 10 feet away. Our taster is a native of MA as well, and takes us thru a speed walk of the caves and production facilities. (Melissa's note: if you like shellfish, pair with the Robert Sinskey Abraxus, which is a blend of pinot gris, reisling, gewurtz, and pinot blanc. )
Sinskey's tasting room....
....and their library, deep in the caves!
Off to our next appointment: Duckhorn. Enroute, Kelly just happen to mention her father's offer to treat us to dinner at the French Laundry during our stay (menu and pictures to follow). We figure, what the hell, it's Super Bowl Sunday, call, and get a 9pm reservation for the 3 of us.
We arrive at Duckhorn, and are pretty full of ourselves. We have an appointment for a private tasting and tour, but are once again shuffled in with the yokels from Mississippi and Indiana. We ditch the tour (pictures to follow) and head to a Mexican Cantina (where is the logic in that...9 courses coming soon!) for a lite lunch of fajitas and burritos then back to Mr. Larkin's for the Super Bowl. (Melissa's note: Being trapped in a condo with a Giants fan and a Patriots fan was quite the "Dear Diary" moment. While Kelly's ritual is to sport a "I HATE PEYTON MANNING; ELI SUCKS TOO" shirt and scream at the television, Kim prefers a more passive technique of hiding under the covers of the bed when things aren't looking good for Eli. She can tell by the noise of Kelly and me when she can come out.)
we survived!
After the Super Bowl, we put on our finest digs and walk (it's literally 100 yards from Sean's) to dinner. Kelly will post it all on it's own, but I will say that we walked home at 1:15 am.
Enjoying barrel tastings at Steltzner! We love the '06 Syrah!At Steltzner we go thru a great tasting in the tasting room (with Kory, a native of Akron, OH) and then head down to the caves to try some barrels. We think the '06s in barrels are even better than the '05s we tried in the tasting room; watch out for this next vintage!
After we leave Stelzner we have a bit of time before our next appointment, so we stop by Robert Sinskey for a quick tour. The tasting room is fantastic, and our wines are paired with tiny courses from the open kitchen set up 10 feet away. Our taster is a native of MA as well, and takes us thru a speed walk of the caves and production facilities. (Melissa's note: if you like shellfish, pair with the Robert Sinskey Abraxus, which is a blend of pinot gris, reisling, gewurtz, and pinot blanc. )
Sinskey's tasting room....
....and their library, deep in the caves!
We arrive at Duckhorn, and are pretty full of ourselves. We have an appointment for a private tasting and tour, but are once again shuffled in with the yokels from Mississippi and Indiana. We ditch the tour (pictures to follow) and head to a Mexican Cantina (where is the logic in that...9 courses coming soon!) for a lite lunch of fajitas and burritos then back to Mr. Larkin's for the Super Bowl. (Melissa's note: Being trapped in a condo with a Giants fan and a Patriots fan was quite the "Dear Diary" moment. While Kelly's ritual is to sport a "I HATE PEYTON MANNING; ELI SUCKS TOO" shirt and scream at the television, Kim prefers a more passive technique of hiding under the covers of the bed when things aren't looking good for Eli. She can tell by the noise of Kelly and me when she can come out.)
we survived!
Robert Sinskey Vineyards...
Robert Sinskey Vineyards is an organic farm. This means that all grapes used in making RSV 
wines have been certified Organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers. Robert Sinskey Vineyards is now one of the largest and most progressive organic vineyard operations in Napa Valley. Organic refers to methods of growing that rely on the earth's natural resources. Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls. Organic farmers work to build natural nutrients in the soil, which help fertilize plants without the use of synthetics. Certified organic produce is grown according to strict standards. CCOF annually inspects farms to insure that no harmful chemicals have been used for at least three years and that growers keep detailed records of their practices.
wines have been certified Organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers. Robert Sinskey Vineyards is now one of the largest and most progressive organic vineyard operations in Napa Valley. Organic refers to methods of growing that rely on the earth's natural resources. Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls. Organic farmers work to build natural nutrients in the soil, which help fertilize plants without the use of synthetics. Certified organic produce is grown according to strict standards. CCOF annually inspects farms to insure that no harmful chemicals have been used for at least three years and that growers keep detailed records of their practices. RSV employs a method of organic farming known as Biodynamic. Biodynamics looks at the farm as a whole system of interrelated organisms. The goal is to promote the individual character of the vineyard in order to create unique wines with a sense of place. To illustrate the heart of Biodynamics, we paraphrase this passage from the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association:
"Biodynamics is a science of life forces, a recognition of the basic principles at work in nature and an approach to agriculture which takes these principles into account to bring about balance and healing. Biodynamics is an ongoing path of knowledge rather than an assemblage of methods and techniques.Biodynamics recognizes that soil itself can be alive and this vitality supports and affects the quality and health of the plants that grow in it. One of the fundamental efforts is to build up stable humus in the soil through composting.Biodynamic farmers and gardeners aim for quality not quantity."
The cathedral-like winery, carved into the Stags Leap District foothills, is built of native Napa stone and California redwood. Designed by family friend and architect, Oscar Leidenfrost, the RSV winery is the ideal playground for the perfectionist winemaker. The design allows the flexibility to work with many small lots separately and provides the ideal environment for aging wine in an eighteen thousand square foot network of underground caves.
"Biodynamics is a science of life forces, a recognition of the basic principles at work in nature and an approach to agriculture which takes these principles into account to bring about balance and healing. Biodynamics is an ongoing path of knowledge rather than an assemblage of methods and techniques.Biodynamics recognizes that soil itself can be alive and this vitality supports and affects the quality and health of the plants that grow in it. One of the fundamental efforts is to build up stable humus in the soil through composting.Biodynamic farmers and gardeners aim for quality not quantity."
The cathedral-like winery, carved into the Stags Leap District foothills, is built of native Napa stone and California redwood. Designed by family friend and architect, Oscar Leidenfrost, the RSV winery is the ideal playground for the perfectionist winemaker. The design allows the flexibility to work with many small lots separately and provides the ideal environment for aging wine in an eighteen thousand square foot network of underground caves.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Leaving Jordan...so sad.
February 2nd...I have indulged in 3 bubble baths in less than 12 hours. I was up just before 6, and my breakfast was delivered to me in my suite at 7:15. Sadly, there is no firewood left, as I seem to have ignited a small forest last night. It is a bit rainy outside, so I stay in bed watching the news and reading the Wall Street Journal, which arrived with my coffee. Kim came in my room around 8:15, when I promptly announced that I was not leaving until they made me. She countered with moving our 10 am appointment, and I got out of bed.
Bubs and bubs
one of our beautiful suites!
We are being hosted (again) by Alexander Valley Vineyards, for a tour of the facility and lunch with the daughter of the owners. Our tour guide, Toni, was great, and we stopped thru caves in pouring rain. AVV uses something like 12 different barrels from all over (Appalachia, Ozarks, France, Hungary, etc..). Lunch was in the original home on the property, which was a one room abode, with walls covered in animals from a hunt on Kenya.
Melissa, watch out behind you!!!
Melissa, watch out behind you!!!
I've seen many whale bones, but I think this is my first elephant tusk!
The crazy, rotating gravity setup, in a 10-story dome (bomb shelter-esque)
Fancy-ass computers!We wave goodbye to Jessica, and head to Yountville, specifically Sean Larkin's condo, where we will be crashing for the next 2 nights. Sean is on the East coast and was kind enough to offer us his home during this time. We unload the little Avenger, say "Cheers" over a bottle of Jordan Chardonnay, and head into Yountville for a quick bite at Pacific Blues Cafe.
We found lots of Nantucket paraphernalia at Sean's and it felt like homeAlexander Valley Vineyards
Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley was mostly prune orchards and pastures when, in 1962, Maggie and Harry Wetzel purchased a large portion of a homestead built by Cyrus Alexander, the valley’s nineteenth century namesake. Here, in a rural community of family farms and 
ranches, the Wetzel family settled. They raised livestock, cultivated bountiful gardens and restored Alexander’s original home, making it the center of family life. With an eye to their neighbors in nearby Napa Valley, the Wetzels boldly planted premium grape varieties, among the first in the area. Then the family built a small winery.
Alexander Valley Vineyard’s first wine was made in 1975. AVV quickly established a reputation for estate grown wines with distinctive varietal character. Acclaimed for crisp Chardonnay and luscious Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley Vineyards brought recognition to the appellation and became a leading winery in Sonoma County.
Today the Alexander Valley is a prominent appellation known worldwide as the source of elegant, age worthy wines. The Wetzel Family Estate now grows fourteen grape varieties, on diverse sites stretching from the banks of the Russian River up onto the hillsides. Each grape variety is matched to a specific soil type and exposure. Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and
Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and to create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics. Hank Wetzel oversees the vineyard and winery operations, and his wife Linda continues to oversee administration. Now the third generation of Wetzels has joined the winery. Harry Wetzel, IV is assistant winemaker while younger brother Robert is the National Sales Manager.
Alexander Valley Vineyards produces 100,000 cases annually, 17 varietal wines and proprietary blends. Seventy-five percent of AVV’s production is red wine. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon constitute over one-third of total production. Other varietals include Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc.
Cyrus, a limited production, proprietary red wine, named in honor of the pioneer Cyrus Alexander, is AVV’s benchmark, honoring the past while signaling the future.
ranches, the Wetzel family settled. They raised livestock, cultivated bountiful gardens and restored Alexander’s original home, making it the center of family life. With an eye to their neighbors in nearby Napa Valley, the Wetzels boldly planted premium grape varieties, among the first in the area. Then the family built a small winery.Alexander Valley Vineyard’s first wine was made in 1975. AVV quickly established a reputation for estate grown wines with distinctive varietal character. Acclaimed for crisp Chardonnay and luscious Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley Vineyards brought recognition to the appellation and became a leading winery in Sonoma County.
Today the Alexander Valley is a prominent appellation known worldwide as the source of elegant, age worthy wines. The Wetzel Family Estate now grows fourteen grape varieties, on diverse sites stretching from the banks of the Russian River up onto the hillsides. Each grape variety is matched to a specific soil type and exposure. Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and
Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and to create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics. Hank Wetzel oversees the vineyard and winery operations, and his wife Linda continues to oversee administration. Now the third generation of Wetzels has joined the winery. Harry Wetzel, IV is assistant winemaker while younger brother Robert is the National Sales Manager.Alexander Valley Vineyards produces 100,000 cases annually, 17 varietal wines and proprietary blends. Seventy-five percent of AVV’s production is red wine. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon constitute over one-third of total production. Other varietals include Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc.
Cyrus, a limited production, proprietary red wine, named in honor of the pioneer Cyrus Alexander, is AVV’s benchmark, honoring the past while signaling the future.
Palmaz Vineyards
The vineyards grow in more than fourteen unique terroirs at three elevations — 400, 1200, & 1400 feet above sea level and are nurtured by sustainable agriculture. They thrive on the slopes of Mount George at the southern end of the Vaca Range. The foundation for it all is base rock laid down during the Pliocene volcanic age. Geography ranges from steep slopes with shallow nutrient-poor soils, which produce concentrated grapes, to stony colluvial deposits made up of cobbles, gravel, and sandy loam. Variations of soil type, sun exposure, & elevation produce a range of flavors and concentration to create a wine with balance & complexity.The winery’s 24 fermentation tanks accommodate the yields of individual blocks within the estate, vinifying each parcel’s grapes separately to preserve the unique characteristics intrinsic
to the parcels. This provides a complete and pure palette for the winemaker’s art — tasting, appreciating, and blending individual lots to bring balance to the wine.The vineyard is planted primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, plus some small lots of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which are used as blend components for Palmaz wines. The vines are hand pruned and trellised,with production carefully moderated to grow only the finest quality grapes.
Palmaz Vineyards' winemaking and aging takes place within the living rock of Mount George, in a flawlessly engineered maze of tunnels and lofty domes. The height of the wine cave is equivalent to an 18-storey building, providing the vertical range needed for true gravity-flow winemaking. 
Thus, the wine is never subjected to the violent agitation of pumping, which can change the wine’s intra-molecular structure. This gentle treatment allows the finest nuances of flavor to develop naturally—the result is a complex, elegant wine.
Thus, the wine is never subjected to the violent agitation of pumping, which can change the wine’s intra-molecular structure. This gentle treatment allows the finest nuances of flavor to develop naturally—the result is a complex, elegant wine.Not once, in the complete winemaking process at Palmaz Vineyards, does the wine come in contact with a pump. It is this extraordinarily gentle handling that gives Palmaz wines their unique “hand-made” quality and rare elegance.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Jordan: We are Special!
Jordan Chardonnay grapes grown primarily in the Russian River Valley are the first varietal to ripen for harvest. They are followed by red varietals that compose the Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon.
The vineyard crews pick the grapes in the cool of the morning while skins are firm. They are placed in 40-pound lugs, which are in turn loaded into gondolas. As the gondolas come into the winery from the vineyard, they are weighed at the scale and samples are taken for sugar analysis and cluster weights. There is a feeling of urgency, excitement and satisfaction in the air.
The grapes are gently removed from their stems in the crusher/de-stemmer. The stems are conveyed into a waiting dump truck that takes them to the vineyards for composting.
After a maximum of one hour of skin contact, pneumatic presses extract juice from the Chardonnay grapes. Cool fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks further enhances the natural aromas and flavors of the Chardonnay fruit.
Grapes for Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested primarily from the estate vineyards in the Alexander Valley - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc - ferment slowly in stainless steel holding tanks before pressing, acquiring the necessary extracts, colors and tannins from the skins.
Both Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay undergo malolactic fermentation in oak casks to soften the natural acidity and enrich the wine. The young wines then age gradually in oak barrels selected from carefully selected regions of France and America. Blending - a tremendously difficult art born of intuition, skill and experience - balances flavor components to complement the distinctive varietal character of each wine.
Jordan wines are bottled at the estate and aged under optimal cellar conditions before their release to market. The exceptional balance and continuity of style of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are recognized and appreciated not just in the United States, but also around the world.
The vineyard crews pick the grapes in the cool of the morning while skins are firm. They are placed in 40-pound lugs, which are in turn loaded into gondolas. As the gondolas come into the winery from the vineyard, they are weighed at the scale and samples are taken for sugar analysis and cluster weights. There is a feeling of urgency, excitement and satisfaction in the air.
The grapes are gently removed from their stems in the crusher/de-stemmer. The stems are conveyed into a waiting dump truck that takes them to the vineyards for composting.
After a maximum of one hour of skin contact, pneumatic presses extract juice from the Chardonnay grapes. Cool fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks further enhances the natural aromas and flavors of the Chardonnay fruit.
Grapes for Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested primarily from the estate vineyards in the Alexander Valley - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc - ferment slowly in stainless steel holding tanks before pressing, acquiring the necessary extracts, colors and tannins from the skins.
Both Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay undergo malolactic fermentation in oak casks to soften the natural acidity and enrich the wine. The young wines then age gradually in oak barrels selected from carefully selected regions of France and America. Blending - a tremendously difficult art born of intuition, skill and experience - balances flavor components to complement the distinctive varietal character of each wine.
Jordan wines are bottled at the estate and aged under optimal cellar conditions before their release to market. The exceptional balance and continuity of style of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are recognized and appreciated not just in the United States, but also around the world.
the view from just outside our rooms...as the sun is going down
Vineyard 29 and Aida
the front door of 29 is at the top of the picture...you literally do walk right into the winemaking operation! they have gigantic wood fermenting tanks, and their own bottling line. fancy.
looking out the tasting room into the caves of Vineyard 29
Holly bemoans the yokels who crashed our tasting; the upside is we get to taste the '04 Vineyard 29 Cab!
About Vineyard 29:
Teresa Norton & Tom Paine came to Napa Valley in '89 to retire– a dream that was quickly replaced by another when they learned their estate was prime Cabernet Sauvignon territory. In a matter of weeks from purchase of the property, they were putting in a 3-acre vineyard under the watchful eye of lauded Vineyard Manager David Abreu and, within a year, planting cuttings from the Grace Family Vineyard, located 100 yards north.
The first release, 250 cases in '92, was warmly received by press and public alike.
The 92-98 vintages were made at the Grace Family winery with Gary Galleron (92-94) and Heidi Barrett (95-98) as winemakers. In 1999, Philippe Melka became winemaker, bringing about an important unification of vineyard and winery interests, as he applies his geological and viticultural expertise and Bordelais background to both the vines and the winemaking process. The '99 harvest was vinified at Miner Family Vineyards while plans were made for a winery and caves on the estate. Late that year, retirement began to sing its siren song again, and Teresa and Tom began considering what the next stage in their life should be. In early 2000, they met Chuck and Anne McMinn, a couple whose interest in the future of Vineyard 29 proved to be as serious as theirs. In a most pleasant transition, Chuck and Anne became the new owners of Vineyard 29 and immediately put the winery and cave plans into motion. Construction is now complete, with the 2002 and 2003 vintages having been vinified entirely here on the estate, and the 2004 vintage underway. The vineyards have also been expanded, with the addition of approximately 2 acres of Cabernet Franc vines, and 1 acre of Sauvignon Blanc. While the 30,000 square foot, 10,000 case winery and cave facility was under construction, Chuck and Anne began thinking about the opportunity to expand yearly production to better utilize the complete hands-on control of their own winery. As fate would have it, an historic piece of vineyard land became available at just the right time. The Aida vineyard, already famous as a source for zinfandel and petite sirah fruit coveted by several well-known winemakers, was 2 miles north of Vineyard 29, in a microclimate unique for the St. Helena appellation, and with soil capable of producing highly distinctive wines with great vineyard character. In January of 2001, Chuck and Anne finalized the purchase of the Aida vineyard, and began upgrading the plantings there to create a "sister" vineyard for 29's home wines. The future of Vineyard 29 now lies in the soil of our estate vineyards. New vine plantings both here at 29 and on the Aida property were harvested for the first time in 2004, allowing for a gradual increase in our production levels from 1,800 cases per year to approximately 3,000. This increase owes itself largely to the 15 acres of vines at Aida, consisting of cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, merlot and petit verdot. The Vineyard 29 estate vines will continue to produce our eponymous cabernet sauvignon on the same scale as in the past. The growth of this property is seen along recently planted steeply sloping vineyards on the southern and western ridges that frame the winery building. The southern ridge was planted to Cabernet Franc in 2000, and the western ridge was planted to Sauvignon Blanc in 2002; both were harvested for the first time in 2004.
Good-bye casa, hello Jordan
February 1st...we pack up our lives at the Alexander Valley Vineyards and move on. Now that Kim's luggage is here, we are having difficulty shoving everything in the truck.
We head into Healdsburg for breakfast, at Center Street Cafe, which is covered diner-style with
comical tin signs (Poop Deck, S.S. Titantic etc...).
After we fuel our bodies we head south to Vineyard 29, where we hook up with Holly for a tour and tasting. We sampled the 4 fantastic wines in the private wine library, which I have decided to build a replica of onto my future home. During this tasting, I was experiencing a bit of a red wine spillage problem; in short it looked like I had been shot on the table. My black Riedel O series spit glass had a crack in it. This will play into a later story as well.
After Vineyard 29, we headed back up to Sonoma, to Jordan Winery. Wow. It's something like 1200 acres, and they only farm Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and olives for EVOO. We are shown to our guest suites, which looked like they had been plucked from the Ritz in Paris and plopped down in this Chateau. Kim's overlooked the production facility, while mine and Kelly's sported views of the barrel rooms (locked doors...wise folks). The bathrooms are amazing, and as big as most bedrooms (one suite was larger than my apartment in ACK). Huge bathtubs, down beds, fireplaces, views of vineyards, and cathedral ceilings completed the look. We headed down for the tour and tasting with Scott, and returned to our suites finding bottles of chilled Chardonnay, classical music, and our beds turned down. We promptly met in my suite to toast our lives, which is now a
regular pattern. After we all soaked in our respective tubs, we decided that traveling off the property for any reason would be a waste of this amazing lodging, so we donned our bathrobes and dined on cheese, gourmet pizza, roasted chicken, and 3 bottles of wine, with fires blazing (one in each room, just cause we could!)
We head into Healdsburg for breakfast, at Center Street Cafe, which is covered diner-style with
comical tin signs (Poop Deck, S.S. Titantic etc...).After we fuel our bodies we head south to Vineyard 29, where we hook up with Holly for a tour and tasting. We sampled the 4 fantastic wines in the private wine library, which I have decided to build a replica of onto my future home. During this tasting, I was experiencing a bit of a red wine spillage problem; in short it looked like I had been shot on the table. My black Riedel O series spit glass had a crack in it. This will play into a later story as well.
After Vineyard 29, we headed back up to Sonoma, to Jordan Winery. Wow. It's something like 1200 acres, and they only farm Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and olives for EVOO. We are shown to our guest suites, which looked like they had been plucked from the Ritz in Paris and plopped down in this Chateau. Kim's overlooked the production facility, while mine and Kelly's sported views of the barrel rooms (locked doors...wise folks). The bathrooms are amazing, and as big as most bedrooms (one suite was larger than my apartment in ACK). Huge bathtubs, down beds, fireplaces, views of vineyards, and cathedral ceilings completed the look. We headed down for the tour and tasting with Scott, and returned to our suites finding bottles of chilled Chardonnay, classical music, and our beds turned down. We promptly met in my suite to toast our lives, which is now a
regular pattern. After we all soaked in our respective tubs, we decided that traveling off the property for any reason would be a waste of this amazing lodging, so we donned our bathrobes and dined on cheese, gourmet pizza, roasted chicken, and 3 bottles of wine, with fires blazing (one in each room, just cause we could!)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Barrel tastings...FINALLY!
January 31...Luckily, I slept until almost 6:15, when Tuck texted me forgetting the time change. We got up and going, and headed to our first appointment of the day: Cliff Lede Winery.
Cliff Lede is an amazing design, with stunning views of the Napa Valley floor, in the Stags Leap District. Jack Bitner met us and took us thru the 20,000 square foot cave system (used for barrel storage), and on to our private tasting (the tasting room is on the 2nd floor, overlooking the production area and the vineyards and mountains. The wines are amazing, and we even managed to acquire a bottle of delish Sauvi B for the road. During our tasting, Denis Toner rang Jack to tell him that we were shoplifters and not to be trusted. This became a fantastic pattern, as Denis "phone-stalked" us from Nantucket.
Off to lunch, and since we have decided that (a) we will not eat at French Laundry, but (b) want to eat at one of Thomas Keller's place we shall hit Bouchon. And how. The meal began with us once again toasting ouramazing lives with 3 glasses of Dom. Chandon bubbly. Kelly and Kim shared a house made pate, while I had the soup du jour, Butternut Squash. The pate was amazing, simply amazing. They also had chicken for a main, while I opted for the Quiche Florentine. Now laugh if you wish, but that was pretty much the most amazing quiche I have ever had. The girls have the same opinion regarding the chicken it seems.
Now, to Darioush, which they say is "Las Vegas meets Napa Valley". Well, they would be correct. It is dumping rain, and once again we are stuck with a civilian "tour" (read: we were sat in the corner and given wine). The tour guide told us more about the owner's bank account than the grapes and techniques, and didn't seem to understand that we were not vacationing for pleasure. He did take us into the cellar, where there just happened to be a table of glasses and some candles lite for a barrel tasting.
As we contemplate dinner (and recall our new love for Bouchon) we dash to the Bouchon Bakery for supplies. A loaf of bread, some desserts, and some "Foie Gras dog bones" for Angus and Scout and we are off to the next appointment: Elyse Winery.
At Elyse we get very nervous: the first gentleman we are greeted by doesn't know us. Oh-no...did I screw up the itinerary? Damnit...
Well, actually no. The owner, a lovely gentleman named Ray, came out from his office to take us on the tour himself. We start going thru the bottles that are our for tastings, when Ray decides we are tasting from Barrels. Sweet. We must have tasted 15 wines straight from the barrels. To date, it is the high-light of my trip.
While we are with Ray, Denis Toner calls to warn him of our theivery and tactics (see picture below for confirmation of this fact.) Also, Sean Larkin rings him, a Scot-turned-New Jersey winemaker who is a favorite of mine from the Nantucket Wine Festival. He makes an amazing Cabernet Franc...we make plans to hook up at...you got it....Bouchon.
Bouchon again, there may be a restraining order against us now. We had a fantastic time: Kim, Kelly, me, Ray from Elyse, Sean Larkin, Jack from Miner and Sean's friend Ira (who we are still unclear about his line of work [Kelly: I think he is in the business of spending money on shit]). 2 glasses of 1999 Veuve Cliquot and we were off to Sean's for some Cab Franc, then back to the casa.
Cliff Lede is an amazing design, with stunning views of the Napa Valley floor, in the Stags Leap District. Jack Bitner met us and took us thru the 20,000 square foot cave system (used for barrel storage), and on to our private tasting (the tasting room is on the 2nd floor, overlooking the production area and the vineyards and mountains. The wines are amazing, and we even managed to acquire a bottle of delish Sauvi B for the road. During our tasting, Denis Toner rang Jack to tell him that we were shoplifters and not to be trusted. This became a fantastic pattern, as Denis "phone-stalked" us from Nantucket.
Off to lunch, and since we have decided that (a) we will not eat at French Laundry, but (b) want to eat at one of Thomas Keller's place we shall hit Bouchon. And how. The meal began with us once again toasting ouramazing lives with 3 glasses of Dom. Chandon bubbly. Kelly and Kim shared a house made pate, while I had the soup du jour, Butternut Squash. The pate was amazing, simply amazing. They also had chicken for a main, while I opted for the Quiche Florentine. Now laugh if you wish, but that was pretty much the most amazing quiche I have ever had. The girls have the same opinion regarding the chicken it seems.
Now, to Darioush, which they say is "Las Vegas meets Napa Valley". Well, they would be correct. It is dumping rain, and once again we are stuck with a civilian "tour" (read: we were sat in the corner and given wine). The tour guide told us more about the owner's bank account than the grapes and techniques, and didn't seem to understand that we were not vacationing for pleasure. He did take us into the cellar, where there just happened to be a table of glasses and some candles lite for a barrel tasting.As we contemplate dinner (and recall our new love for Bouchon) we dash to the Bouchon Bakery for supplies. A loaf of bread, some desserts, and some "Foie Gras dog bones" for Angus and Scout and we are off to the next appointment: Elyse Winery.
At Elyse we get very nervous: the first gentleman we are greeted by doesn't know us. Oh-no...did I screw up the itinerary? Damnit...Well, actually no. The owner, a lovely gentleman named Ray, came out from his office to take us on the tour himself. We start going thru the bottles that are our for tastings, when Ray decides we are tasting from Barrels. Sweet. We must have tasted 15 wines straight from the barrels. To date, it is the high-light of my trip.
While we are with Ray, Denis Toner calls to warn him of our theivery and tactics (see picture below for confirmation of this fact.) Also, Sean Larkin rings him, a Scot-turned-New Jersey winemaker who is a favorite of mine from the Nantucket Wine Festival. He makes an amazing Cabernet Franc...we make plans to hook up at...you got it....Bouchon.
Bouchon again, there may be a restraining order against us now. We had a fantastic time: Kim, Kelly, me, Ray from Elyse, Sean Larkin, Jack from Miner and Sean's friend Ira (who we are still unclear about his line of work [Kelly: I think he is in the business of spending money on shit]). 2 glasses of 1999 Veuve Cliquot and we were off to Sean's for some Cab Franc, then back to the casa.
Elyse Winery...our favorite so far?
+
While I am researching a bit online to add the background from many of these posts, I cam e across Elyse's webpage, and couldn't think of a more fitting addition to the Elyse post. Ray Coursen, the owner/winemaker, was an amazing wealth of knowledge for the 3 girls from Nantucket, and really did a great job with us. We can't thank him enough....
"Welcome, I’m Ray Coursen, winemaker and owner at Elyse Winery in Napa Valley, California. My wife Nancy and I run the winery and these are our children, Elyse and Jake. Before you look around the website and see what we’re up to now, I’d like to tell you how we have gotten this far.
In 1983, when Nancy and I were both working in Cape Cod restaurants, I asked Nancy when she’d be ready to move to California. I had a dream of learning to make wine. “Tomorrow,” she said. I worked the harvest that year at Mount Eden Vineyards in Saratoga, starting at the bottom, picking grapes and digging ditches. After the harvest, we moved to Napa Valley and worked at a B&B. Nancy ran the place and I tended the gardens and planted a vineyard. I then worked at Tonella Vineyard Management, where the owner taught me why you need to prune, trellis, train, and generally coddle grapevines, and the vineyard workers gave me on-the-job-training.
Next I worked at Whitehall Lane Winery. Though I started in the tasting room, the winemaker, Art Finkelstein, took me under his wing, put me in the cellar, and eventually promoted me to winemaker. Art taught me that the secret of great wines is in the blend. In 1987, we started Elyse Wines with 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard, which is still one of our primary fruit sources. For a decade we were nomads, buying grapes and crushing at various custom crush facilities, and then in1997, we finally bought a small winery on Hoffman Lane.
What will you find in a bottle of Elyse or Jacob Franklin wine? I make wines that I want to sit down and enjoy – juicy, rich, voluptuous wines. I like a little oak, but I don’t want it to be overpowering – I want to taste the fruit. I love wines that pair well with food. A meal without wine is eating; a meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event. It’s what wine is about.
When I make a wine, my tastes and techniques will influence the process, but what’s most important is the fruit. The fruit dictates what the wine will be. We’re fortunate to work with an amazing group of growers and vineyards, whose fruit keeps taking us to wonderful places. We started out making Zinfandel, then expanded into Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. No doubt those will continue to be the focus of our winemaking, but now we’ve made a tiny quantity of Chardonnay, and soon we’ll be releasing our first Pinot Noir. What wines we make after that will depend on the fruit that’s available, because I just can’t say no to wonderful fruit.
- Ray Coursen"~~~pulled from www.elysewinery.com by Melissa
While I am researching a bit online to add the background from many of these posts, I cam e across Elyse's webpage, and couldn't think of a more fitting addition to the Elyse post. Ray Coursen, the owner/winemaker, was an amazing wealth of knowledge for the 3 girls from Nantucket, and really did a great job with us. We can't thank him enough...."Welcome, I’m Ray Coursen, winemaker and owner at Elyse Winery in Napa Valley, California. My wife Nancy and I run the winery and these are our children, Elyse and Jake. Before you look around the website and see what we’re up to now, I’d like to tell you how we have gotten this far.
In 1983, when Nancy and I were both working in Cape Cod restaurants, I asked Nancy when she’d be ready to move to California. I had a dream of learning to make wine. “Tomorrow,” she said. I worked the harvest that year at Mount Eden Vineyards in Saratoga, starting at the bottom, picking grapes and digging ditches. After the harvest, we moved to Napa Valley and worked at a B&B. Nancy ran the place and I tended the gardens and planted a vineyard. I then worked at Tonella Vineyard Management, where the owner taught me why you need to prune, trellis, train, and generally coddle grapevines, and the vineyard workers gave me on-the-job-training.
Next I worked at Whitehall Lane Winery. Though I started in the tasting room, the winemaker, Art Finkelstein, took me under his wing, put me in the cellar, and eventually promoted me to winemaker. Art taught me that the secret of great wines is in the blend. In 1987, we started Elyse Wines with 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard, which is still one of our primary fruit sources. For a decade we were nomads, buying grapes and crushing at various custom crush facilities, and then in1997, we finally bought a small winery on Hoffman Lane.What will you find in a bottle of Elyse or Jacob Franklin wine? I make wines that I want to sit down and enjoy – juicy, rich, voluptuous wines. I like a little oak, but I don’t want it to be overpowering – I want to taste the fruit. I love wines that pair well with food. A meal without wine is eating; a meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event. It’s what wine is about.When I make a wine, my tastes and techniques will influence the process, but what’s most important is the fruit. The fruit dictates what the wine will be. We’re fortunate to work with an amazing group of growers and vineyards, whose fruit keeps taking us to wonderful places. We started out making Zinfandel, then expanded into Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. No doubt those will continue to be the focus of our winemaking, but now we’ve made a tiny quantity of Chardonnay, and soon we’ll be releasing our first Pinot Noir. What wines we make after that will depend on the fruit that’s available, because I just can’t say no to wonderful fruit.
- Ray Coursen"~~~pulled from www.elysewinery.com by Melissa
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