Rombauer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This week’s “Wine of the Week” stirred many thoughts about wine reviews and reviewers. That’s sort of a problem as “I be one of them.”

The cause for my trepidation happened when I started looking at reviews on this week’s wine:

Rombauer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Fortunately, most of my research was done AFTER I started drinking the wine. I won’t tally on the reviews except to say that I do understand that wines can have things like bottle variations not to mention a reviewer’s personal taste. It did get me thinking that since reviewers usually know some specifics about a wine (region, grape, vintage, etc.) that another issue may be that one or more factors may enter into “expectations.” The 2016 Vintage in Napa Valley is a good example.

I have high hopes for wines from that region and that vintage; favorable weather being high on the list. So when I sit down with a wine from that vintage do I also set up certain “expectations” for that wine? Am I not expecting to be amazed, swept off my feet and ready to plunk down whatever I need to obtain that wine? So when I see scores that might not reflect certain greatness, I wonder why.

Such is the case for this wonderful Cabernet from Rombauer. From the moment I popped the cork, the wine assailed me with aromas that I could have picked up from what seemed like across the room, rich dark berry fruit that lingered. A few moments and a few swirls to allow the wine to open, and I take my first sip. Again, that darker berry and rich fruit that combined with certain rustic qualities; but not so much as to mask the fruit. Softer tannins create a mellow finish to this medium to heavy-bodied wine. The 16 months of French Oak aging in 80% new oak contributing to that weight. While I do sometimes like wine with slightly more tannin, this effort is worthy of a generous score, easily 92 or 93 in my book. Click here for more technical notes.

Coming up on its 40th Anniversary, and still family run, Rombauer has established itself as a mainstay for quality and consistency, lending itself to appear on practically every wine list out there. Even though Cabernet was the first wine they produced, they are known equally as well for their Zins (see my review of their Zin here) and even more so their Chardonnay.

So this is my review of this wonderful wine.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

Cheers

Ahhh...Back to Normal

Read yesterday’s post if you don’t understand!

Takin' a Break??

Lately I seem to have put down the wine glasses in favor of "other" beverages. Not doing a "cleanse" or trying to lose weight (although there has been barely a time when I didn't think I needed to "drop a few pounds"). Nor has my dinner regime changed requiring me to look elsewhere for the right drink.

No, I think it's just that once in a while I need to "let go" of my addiction (?) to that alcoholic grape juice I so love. Reset my palate, refining my sense of smell by trimming my nose hairs (ugh disgusting), sharpen my focus (although switching from contacts back to glasses a couple years ago has made things much easier), and maybe even tackling my makeshift home cellar again (never thought about how often that's necessary when you have a more limiting space and you're constantly taking bottles out and then trying to insert others in spaces that are not consistent with the current organization).

It has been strange not immediately searching my cellar for that "right" bottle to go with that night's dinner. Sort of an "Out-of-Body" experience even. Asking myself if some strange power has taken over my mind (for the record - there's not much there). Maybe a hypnotic spell cast upon me at some unsuspecting moment. I've been watching a couple of movies on DVD; maybe they inserted an unconscious message promoting abstinence from wine and hinting at beer or hard liquor. I bet if I played them backward I might hear and see that inducement.

How do I break this curse? Seek out professional help? I think not, that could open up a real can of worms! Put a helmet of aluminum foil around my head to protect me from outside "elements!" Possible, but if I leave the house I'm thinking I could get a lot of strange stares (not sure that doesn't happen anyway). Grab the first wine bottle I see and force myself to cut the foil, pull the cork and pour that luscious liquid into one of my many wine glasses? I think we may have a winner!

Don't think, just do! No regards to dinner plans, or even if dinner need be warranted. It'll have to be red as I have an affliction for warm white wine. Keep me in your thoughts as I prepare to do battle against forces I don't even understand. Rain or shine (have no idea how that would impact this) success or failure (that's more like it) I'll keep you informed.

Stay tuned and Cheers!

Pair of Ducks

Boy, I wonder how many times that has been used when people talk about this week’s “Wine of the Week?” Effort, maybe an 8, originality, a 1.

If you didn’t figure it out, I’m reviewing:

Paraduxx Proprietary Napa Valley Red Wine 2014

Described by the winery: “Paraduxx is founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn as the only Napa Valley winery devoted exclusively to making Napa Valley blends.” Since its beginning in 1993, Paraduxx has been assembling blends primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Grenache and Syrah, a white and a Rosé round out the field.

Important to point out, I decided to partake of this bottle sort of “sight unseen.” I can’t “not see” the bottle, but I did drink the wine before setting out to research its roots (not it’s actual roots but the technicals of the wine). I tried (not too hard) to find the genesis of the name, but being owned by Duckhorn (actually the last name of the founders), and owning other wineries with names like: Goldeneye, Migration, Decoy, Canvasback and recent additions of Calera (in late 2017) and Kosta Brown (mid last year), made me think someone creative just came up with it.

Once sampled, I then found myself immediately wanting to get to the bottom (of the wine, not the bottle itself). Reason being; is that while I thoroughly enjoyed the wine, I did notice a slightly different flavor to it that made me realize that this wasn’t a “typical” red blend (Bordeaux, Claret, Meritage whatever you call them these days). Once online and scouring the website, I see right away my reasoning for questioning the wine. Zinfandel! I’m so used to the Bordeaux varieties that it didn’t occur to me prior to drinking that this grape might be in the mix. For the technical notes, click here.

Much like a Bordeaux style wine, it carries weight as well as subtleties, a little blackberry fruit and a rustic edge from the 18 months of predominantly French Oak aging, a 50/50 mix of new and one-year-old wood. While the Cabernet was dominant, that 30% or so of Zin produced a palate-pleasing wine that should still have a few more years.

While this still is the winery’s flagship wine, it should be noted that as I leaped through their website, it was obvious that they have developed many more blends, some of the single-vineyard status. That may leave me with the dubious challenge to drink through a few more to see, and taste, what else lay in store!

Cheers

Small But Mighty

Being one of the smallest regions in France for many years, Alsace is the home to some of the mightiest of wines. For many a year, I have sought out wines from this region, knowing the quality of the wines produced. As a lover of white wines, it is certainly a region one cannot overlook.

90% of all wine production is white wine, with seven main varietals: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, and one primary red grape, Pinot Noir. There are only 3 AOC’s; AOC Alsace (74%), AOC Cremant d’Alsace (22%), and Alsace Grand Cru AOC (4%). Alsace produces 31% of all white wine in France.

Why the wine lesson? I recently attended “Alsace Rocks” in Chicago. It was an event that I couldn’t miss. The opportunity to sample some of the finest wines as well as those wines meant for early consumption. It also availed itself by having in attendance some of the winemakers from some exceptional wineries. One of the best features (for me anyway) was the “Soil Station.” Wines from various areas of Alsace categorized by the soil on which the vines are planted, thus giving you a side-by-side comparison. Dare I not overlook the Crémant d’Alsace Lounge, a cornucopia of sparkling wines both white and roses.

I could not do justice to try and give you a review of only a few wines. This was an experience! A total culmination of wonderful wines across many price points as well as varietals. One other interesting factoid is that most Alsatian wines are 100% the designated or listed varietal. There is some blending allowed but wines are so designated on the label through specialized notations.

During the seminar we were treated to older wines, starting in 2001 and retreating to 1998, 1979 and finally 1976. Much like their counterparts throughout France, Alsatian wines have the makeup to age, gracefully and with distinction.

One last item of note, the bottle shape. So many people see the tall thin bottles and associate that with sweet wines alone. Nothing could be further from the truth. The shape is actually mandated in Alsace and most of the wines are considered relatively dry. Sort of a “don’t judge the book by its cover” kind of thing.

With Summer fast approaching (actually it is either yesterday or today), the wines of Alsace can be a beautiful accompaniment to lighter fare and outdoor enjoyment. I suggest starting with a nice Pinot Gris or maybe a Pinot Blanc, their flavors light and lively versus Riesling or Gewürztraminer where flavors become bolder. Either way, if you get a chance to sample ANY of the wines from Alsace, I suggest you do so. I think you’ll find some new friends.

Cheers

Dancing Hares Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Like Alice falling through a rabbit hole to begin her journey, a certain “wonderland” happened back in 2004 when the original owners of a 30-acre plot of land at the base of Howell Mountain began making Bordeaux styled wine. Then in 2016 Tuck and Boo Beckstoffer bought 20 acres of that property and the winery. Throughout the adventure, there was no looking back and was certainly no dream; or maybe it was a dream come true!

Gaining exemplary notoriety for the wines produced, Dancing Hares and their second wine, Mad Hatter, under the guidance of such names as David Abreu (Vineyard Manager) and consultants Michel Rolland and more recently, Philipe Melka, released the newest wine of Dancing Hares for 2016, the first under the Beckstoffer ownership.

A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.5% Petit Verdot, and .5% Merlot the wine sees 22 months in oak with 70% of being new barriques. From the first whiff, the wine puts forth a renaissance of aromas which continue onto the palate of dark black and rich fruit followed by sultry spice notes. This full-bodied wine still offers a certain softness even at its young age that will only continue to evolve and be fully engaged and integrated if you can stand the wait. In my case, it was the next day!

Not easy to come by, but if you find it, don’t hesitate, just like Alice, you’ll find the wine saying “Drink Me!”

Cheers