Spending three days of the trip throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma County, there were plenty of sensational wines to be tasted. Standing out were 2008 Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, as well as some outstanding 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir from Littorai's Petaluma Gap area vineyards (south of the areas affected by the wildfires).
In Napa Valley I visited Schramsberg, Chappellet, Pride, Spottswoode, Black Sears, Anderson's Conn Valley, Reynolds Family and White Rock. I was mostly in Northern Sonoma- visiting Littorai, Wind Gap, Joseph Swan, Porter Creek, Jordan and Pezzi King.
For your reading pleasure, below are my "Lucky 13" favorite wines from the 2011 Napa/Sonoma wine trip tastings. I've included any available links to each wine for further pricing and technical info. Cheers!
Winery tour tasting. Loads of aromas- cherry, tobacco, leather, cracked pepper, cedar, red currant, with subtle spice. Profoundly elegant flavors and mouthfeel- silk, tea, black currant, black cherry, leather, cigar box. Seamlessly layered balance. perfect weight and presence. Fine tannins that are firm and gripping. Long finish. Awesome to taste now, but I won't touch this for many years. (I loved+++!)
Winery tour tasting. Alive on the nose with Meyer lemon, wheat straw, and fresh green apples. Rich and silky on the palate, apple butter, subtle caramel notes, and lime. Nicely structured- just the right acid balance. Long finish. Really vibrant and distinct flavors- excellent. (I loved!)
Tasted at the winery. Deep aromas of slate, cherry, tobacco, shoebox leather, and anise. Seamlessly complex palate of leather, allspice, blueberry, cherry, curry, black tea. Silky, round, and voluptuous tannins, tightly stitched and well structured. Very long finish. Very outstanding... (I loved!)
2009 Chappellet Vineyard Chenin Blanc Dry, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery. Lemon, slate, creme fraiche on the nose- with rich honeydew melon, and nutty and tropical notes. Round and silky with a beautiful finish. (I really liked!)
Tasted at the winery. Curry, clove, vanilla, and red fruit on the nose. Red berry, tea, and silk; with velvety tannins and long length. Outstanding feel, flavor, and balance. (I loved!)
Tasted at the winery. Smoky, earthy, spicy fruit on the nose. Silk and tea on the palate, with sweet and eastern spice and bright fruit. Silky round tannins and a long finish. (I loved!)
Tasted at the winery. Mineral, lemon, and honey on the nose. Silky feel, with subtle cream notes and bright apple and citrus fruit. Rich finish, good weight and balance, good length. (I loved!)
Tasted at the winery. Great Syrah nose- gamey, bacon fat, pepper, and black olive were all there. Explodes on the palate with juicy red fruit, along with spice and savory notes. Finishes long with silky tannins and notes of black tea. (I loved!)
Tasting room pour. Shoebox leather, cedar, black pepper, and earth throughout; with emerging black currant and cassis. Silky, with round and firm tannins. Slate and emerging fruit on a lingering finish. This is a huge wine with layers of savory flavors. As the fruit fills in this could be a blockbuster. (I loved!)
Tasted at the winery. Vanilla, cedar, toffee, minerals, currant, and cassis are introduced on the bouquet. A beautiful satiny feel in the palate, with added notes of black tea, iron, red currant, and cherry. Nice weight throughout. Firm, gripping tannins. Big finish with spice and currant. Multi-layered, it's outstanding now and but will continue to benefit with time. (I loved!)
Tasted from barrel at the winery. Notes of vanilla, mineral, and blueberry on the nose. Mineral, black tea, blackberry, and pepper on the palate; along with a pleasing silkiness. Round grainy tannins and full finish. (I loved!) ***link notes are for 2009, 2010 not yet released.
Dark fruit and subtle spice on the bouquet. Very balanced rich dark fruit with integrated clove and vanilla notes. Round tannins and nice finish. Drinking very nicely (I really liked!)
Photos-
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
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