Hourglass Winery: Time Well Spent
Just recently I caught an article about the best caves in Napa Valley. The very first picture was of the cave at Hourglass Winery. “I’ve been there and have the same picture!” (That picture is below.) Yet that was not the purpose of the visit, it was for the wine. While the beauty of the valley is breathtaking, the wine, in my opinion, is a good part of the heart and soul of it. The winemaker of Hourglass is Tony Biagi, who continues to produce lovely, svelte wine of all varieties.
Access and arrival to the tasting is a bit scarred. The Glass Fire in 2020 had an impact on the production site, so the great beauty lies underground. Met by Marie outside, we had the pleasure to enter the cave and were seated in what you see below. It was a serene and quiet space where the wine itself spoke volumes. Our hostess took us through the wines, starting with the Sauvignon Blanc and progressing through the lovely reds. The standouts were the plush and velvety reds that make a bold statement of “Drink me!” Yes, each sip of the Cabernet called out for more; and this is a label I would highly recommend. The tasting included Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet as single varietal wines. Each was done with finesse and smoothness that is a calling card of the winemaker.
Wayfarer Pinot Noir — The Road to Take!
I recently opened a Pinot Noir that literally stopped me in my tracks. The sweet fruit aromas wafted from the glass and the flavors sailed on through the finish. The aromas and flavors were so compelling that it truly deserved my full attention. The finish sailed on for over a minute and left me really wanting more. It was truly beautiful. This Pinot Noir was a standout.
Wayfarer Vineyards is the baby of Jayson Pahlmeyer who truly has a passion for Burgundian wines. The vineyard itself was brought to Jayson’s attention by Helen Turley and planted by David Abreu. It is located in the Sonoma Coast hills less than five miles from the ocean and bears some gorgeous fruit. The proprietor of the winery now is Cleo Pahlmeyer, Jayson’s daughter.
Rivers-Marie: First Class Wine and Service
Located in the quaint town of Calistoga, Rivers-Marie is a must visit. That is a bold statement yet the wine, the tasting room and the staff are all worthy of that. First and foremost, this is the home of Thomas Rivers Brown’s personal label. He is one of the most highly regarded winemakers in the valley. His credits are wines such as Outpost, Schrader, Maybach, Mending Wall, Pulido-Walker, Hestan, and so on. He has twenty-five 100 point scores for the Cabernets he has crafted and, simply put, that is a record in the valley. All this alone should lead you to taste his personal label wines that do not disappoint.
Secondly, the staff that support this winery are top notch. They are professional, learned and talented. The space is open and expansive as you sit in a wide open space with glass doors at both ends of the tasting room. You can see out to the back which is a private farm (in process of updates). There is a live wall which brings nature in, and all is done in very comfortable seating.
Taking It to “The Hilt”
By definition, the hilt means “in full.” That is exactly what I discovered when tasting the Pinot Noir “The Hilt” from Santa Barbara. The wine is silky and smooth with rich, lush flavors. Given that experience, I wondered how I had missed the opportunity in the past. Nonetheless, I am glad I found it. The Old Guard is the bottle I tried first, and I was wowed by the depth of flavor and how long the finish sailed on. This was a real treat to discover!
Pinot Noir presents challenges and to drink it done so masterfully is a treat. The vine itself is a difficult partner and can fall flat. It has been called the heartbreak variety since it is a frail vine and subject to many diseases and mutation. Its clusters are usually small and challenging to evenly ripen. So what makes it appealing? It can provide subtle depth of flavors and an array of notes to accompany the fruit flavors of Cranberry, Cherry and Raspberry. Its high acidity and low tannins profile make it a wonderful partner for many meals. When you find one like The Hilt, it really makes for a fabulous dinner.
“Zoom In” on Winemaker Julien Fayard
This coming Saturday, April 25, there is an opportunity to sit at home and engage with one of my very favorite winemakers, Julien Fayard. Please read on for details and how to RSVP.
Julien has 20 years of winemaking experience starting in Provence, to Lafite Rothchild and Smith Haut Laffite prior to coming to Napa. Once here in the states, he worked along side Phillipe Melka. Many folks describe his work as bringing French finesse to making Napa wine. He has a deft touch in bringing great wine to life as a reflection of the grape and terrior.
Through the Eyes of the Winemaker: Featuring Bob Bolan
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Bob Bolan, the winemaker for Bremer Family Winery. These are unique opportunities to learn and see wine through the lens of the winemaker. What do they see? What do they consider in making wine that is a joy to drink, share, and remember? It also allows for an appreciation and understanding of what brought them to this passion. It is a real moment to capture new insights and understandings.
Bremer is one of the fine wineries on Howell Mountain near Saint Helena within the Napa Valley. Rich, textured, deep flavored Cabernets are the hallmark of this AVA (American Viticultural Area). The Howell Mountain AVA is unique in that one of its defining characteristics is altitude. To be included in this AVA, your vineyards must be above 1400 feet. Most vines in this AVA are planted between 1400 and 2200 feet. This is real mountain fruit that provides great depth of flavor.
Giving Thanks
Cheers to all of you on this Thanksgiving holiday. May your holiday season be spirited and sparkling. Thanks for your support and for following Diana’s Wine Blog!
Keplinger: A Favorite!
This is exciting news! For years, I have followed and loved the wines made by Helen Keplinger. My first taste of her wine was the 2006 Red Slope, a Grenache based wine that I can still recall. It was lush with mouth watering fruit – so much so that I needed to join the mailing list. It was a great decision!
I’ve written about Helen’s wines several times in the past out (check it here and here). The challenge has always been how to introduce the fine art of her winemaking to my friends. There was no tasting room, and the busy schedule of Helen and her husband/business partner, DJ, made it hard to schedule a tasting. The wait is over. This is the email they sent me! Read on, and…
Summer Sippers
Bright, crisp, and clean with floral and fruit notes that rise up from your glass and beckon you in for a sip. The wine hits your palate and washes over it with refreshing, bright, stone fruit notes and mouthwatering acidity. The wine speaks to you like a welcome friend of summer and leaves you with a cool respite from the heat.
We have rolled into summer with a rush of heat. The temperature is rising with record heat in some areas. Refreshing white wines are on the list of items to buy to help cool off and lighten the spirit.
Kutch Wines’ Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: A Good Discovery
Kutch Wines is a small production, artisan winery in Sonoma. I found their wines through reviews and wanted to check it out for myself. Again, I use the wine critics as resources, not as gospel. Given the number of wineries in Napa Valley (500+) and in Sonoma County (400+), it would be near impossible and costly to spend time visiting every winery, even if I could. Many do not welcome visitors. With that said, setting out on a Pinot Noir day with my good friend Eric, we journeyed to Kutch.
The address took us to an industrial area of warehouse style buildings with many small production sites. Our host this day was the associate winemaker, Joanna Wells. Kutch is a two-person production, and Joanna is a very capable associate in the enterprise. This is a small 1000-case total production. Joanna has worked with Jamie Kutch for over 6 years and clearly is very dedicated to the winery goals. Many times when visiting wineries, you rarely get someone as knowledgeable and involved with the wine to lead you through a visit. This was a rare treat.