Kelleher, Oakville, Napa Valley, Brix Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Toasty oak marks the nose along with Cassis. In the mouth this wine is supple and the oaky expression continues with a nice thread of acidity.The wine was aged in French oak for 2 years, 50% of which was new and 50% of which was once-filled [...]

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Raymond, Napa Valley, Reserve, Chardonnay 2008 The nose features the smell of fresh oak, stone fruit and a bit of coconut and banana. In the mouth it is smooth and restrained, showing richness without thickness – an elegant Chardonnay. This wine was fermented in stainless, 40% of it was aged in new and one year [...]

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Jayson, Napa Valley, Red 2005 This Bordeaux-style blend is opulently fruity and imminently approachable – no need to let this dawdle in the cellar. Our good friend Richard Trost brought this to dinner last night and we enjoyed it with a roasted pork tenderloin, served with a reduction sauce of pan drippings, white wine, mushrooms, [...]

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Luna, Napa Valley, Sangiovese 2007 This is a light-bodied and fruit forward Sangiovese to tickle the heart of died in the wool New World wine drinkers. I’m a huge fan of Sangiovese but often when I introduce a classic model from Tuscany, a number of people in class will be knocked over by the acidity. [...]

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Paul Hobbs, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 This is a truly delicious wine, showing the polish that you expect from Hobbs. Though it can improve in the cellar it is spot-on drinkable right now.
A good friend shared this with us at Christmas, when we paired it with Magret de Canard, with a reduction sauce made [...]

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This summer we had the opportunity to meet with winemaker Dave Galzignato. Our visit took us from Krug’s historical position in the Napa Valley to its modern incarnation, using a new sorting table to isolate the best of the best fruit, from vineyards that the family has seemingly owned forever.
This is the care that we [...]

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This fall we visited Robert Mondavi with our Napa Valley class. We regained a sense of the historical significance of this winery and its founder while tasting some beautiful wines. Here is a look at their trademark Fumes from the ‘07 vintage.
Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Fume Blanc 2007 In the nose you’ll find lots of [...]

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Swanson, Napa Valley, Estate, Alexis 1999 There’s a great chocolate character in the nose yet the fruit is starting to dry out on the palate. Though past the crest of the hill it still is a pleasure and would work well paired with a thick slab of beef. The grapes behind this wine are Cabernet [...]

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Cliff Lede, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Fresh fruit and new oak leap from the glass when you smell this wine. In the mouth the tannins are polished making this Cab approachable now. The length is great. With time though, the oak will further integrate making this worth waiting 3-4 years before [...]

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Dolce, Napa Valley, Late Harvest Wine 2004 As I usually find with this wine, the emulation of Sauternes is quite apparent. In the nose there is honey, caramel, oak, tropical fruits and volatility. In the mouth the memory of my last creme caramel is rekindled, that richness and that sweetness joined by a thickness, a [...]

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Rutherford Grove, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Estate, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Give this a little about 20 minutes of air when you open it to blow off a bit of reductive character. After that a light sense of citrus will come through. In the mouth this is a very creamy Sauvignon Blanc, feeling lowish in acidity.
The wine [...]

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Hess Collection, Mount Veeder Napa Valley, Estate Grown, 19 Block Cuvee 2006 Unfortunately this bottle is a bit corked. Sourced from their Veeder Summit Vineyard at 2,000 feet, this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Estate Grown, P&B in Napa 14.5% $36 at the winery and a gift [...]

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In this flight we are tasting wines from the 2005 vintage. Each is labeled Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley.
Mount Veeder Winery, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 There’s a good bit of capsicum in the nose with a note of caramel and a very chewy experience in the mouth. The grapes behind this wine include [...]

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Prager, Napa Valley, Noble Companion, Tawny Port You’ll find golden raisins, dates, nuttiness and a sense of the spirit in the nose – but more than that. The fruit character is citrussy, like oranges stuck with cloves and drizzled with brandy in preparation for a cafe diablo.
In the mouth there is chocolate, even more so, [...]

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Conn Creek Winery, Napa Valley, Limited Release, Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 The fruit is flagging in the nose where the sense of spirit has taken over. But the fruit still puts in an appearance when you put the wine in your mouth,  with a sense of cranberries on a spread of velvet. The grapes are 100% [...]

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La Jota Vineyard Co., Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 The nose if full of brown spices, cinnamon and cloves with a sense of minerality, candy and a spirituous character. Unfortunately the wine is drying out, a bit past its best days. Produced and bottled in Angwin 14.5% $60 for the [...]

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Atlas Peak, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 The nose features sweet and toasty oak with a sense of brandied berries warmed on the stove. In the mouth the wine is chewy and tart, craving a piece of red meat. Produced and bottled in Napa 13.7% $85 at the winery, a gift to the [...]

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Robert Craig, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose combines the best of California’s fruit with Bordeaux’s leafiness. There’s cherry and vanilla with bay leaves and cigar box. In the mouth it is super dense, with the acidity to make the fruit shine and a comparable amount of chewy tannin – very nice. [...]

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Nickel & Nickel Winery, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, Vogt Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 I find an effusive sweetness in the nose, a signature ripe character that I consistently associate with the wines of this estate. There’s Cassis and vanilla, toasty oak and chocolate. In the mouth the black currant flavor is vibrant, with obvious structure [...]

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Trinchero Winery, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Chicken Ranch Vineyard, Merlot 2005 Give the wine a bit of air for 10 minutes or so to blow off a bit of funk. Then the plummy fruit combines with the wet forest floor and a bit cedar in the nose. In the mouth plums and raspberries come through [...]

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Folie a Deux, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This is a Sauvignon that smells quite pretty, blending flowers with citrus fruits. In the mouth the citrus story continues, with some thickness and a little viscosity – nice. The grapes are all Sauvignon and the winemaking was all in stainless steel. Produced and bottled in [...]

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Pride Mountain Vineyards, 56% Sonoma County, 44% Napa County, Merlot 2007 In the nose you’ll find tons of sweet oak and brown spices. In the mouth it is very smooth, suppleness defined, while at the same time very dense and possessing great length – very nice.
In addition to the Merlot 6% of the blend is [...]

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Winemaker Chris Millard had an opportunity to visit with our Napa Valley class to describe the wines that he is crafting at Newton. On top of the mountain overlooking St. Helena, he has an extraordinary amount of fruit to select from, giving him the luxury of selling off the lots that don’t make the grade.
Newton [...]

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Kendall-Jackson, Napa Valley, Stature 2001 There’s a nice ripe structure to this wine, giving it chewiness and the acidity to frame the still quite youthful fruit – nice. The grapes behind this Bordeaux blend are about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1/3 Merlot with a little bit of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cab Franc. The wine [...]

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Atlas Peak, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 In the nose there is caramel and tobacco with red raspberries and vanilla.  In the mouth this wine is quite youthful, with significant grip and acidity. Produced and bottled in Napa 14.5% $85 at the winery, a gift to the class from the SFCWC Atlas [...]

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Pope Valley Winery, Napa Valley, Eakle Ranch, Merlot 2006 The nose if full of oak and chocolate. In the mouth the wine is supple with plummy fruit and plenty of acidity to make it a refreshing – an elegant wine.  This wine has the acidity and restraint a Francophile could love yet the ripeness to [...]

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Napa Cellars, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This Sauvignon is clean, moderately concentrated, laser-like with acidity and has a touch of creaminess. 5% of the grapes are Semillon and the fruit was sourced from Calistoga, St. Helena and Rutherford. Malolactic was suppressed and the wine was made entirely in stainless. Vinted and bottled in St. [...]

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Merryvale, Napa Valley, Profile 2006 The nose features sweet new oak, bay leaves, fresh cherries and cherry pie. In the mouth the wine is dense and tightly wound – just packed with flavor. There’s lots of cherry fruit accented by vanilla and ripe tannins. The palate is completely filled in and the length is great, [...]

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Merryvale, Napa Valley, Starmont, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 There is a bright sense of satsuma and grapefruit through and through with a nice touch of capsicum. The wine is crisp, with a little petillance, very fresh and very long – nice. 4% Semillon augments the Sauvignon and 70% of the wine was fermented in French oak, [...]

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Hess Collection, Mount Veeder – Napa Valley, Estate Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 There’s a minty character attached to the black fruit and plenty of acidity. The structure of the mountain is apparent but again, like other wines we’ve tasted tonight, the tannins are fully ripe and not gripping – very nice. Estate Grown, P&B in [...]

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