ROY PIPER WINES
A pleasure to see Roy again after 3 years. Here’s another guy who it was fun to discuss the “what changes in 6 years” question, because Roy at present is only making one wine. That is something that he does hope to change, with 2 more Oakville vineyard sources coming online for him, and a hope to get to 500 cases, but he also wants to stay focused and “compact”, if you will, and will continue to look at mailing list as his main base for sales. He cites PV as a single he wants to make but recognizes he’d almost need a brand new customer base for it. He is starting to think about leaving his wines a little less time in oak. Roy is another who cites educating and taking care of his clientele as things that are important to him. He also notes $100 + Cabs are beginning to be a commodity and he feels there may be a reckoning.
There was only the one wine to taste, but fascinating it certainly was. My compensation for that was that I might be the first person to have tried the new vintage in bottle, a mere 3 weeks old.
2016 Roy Piper Cabernet
14.6%, 97% CS with 3% Petit Verdot. I believe Moulds, Farrella and Houyi vineyards are the sources. Roy does a 15% bleed-off, then 20 months in 70% new oak, Bousset barrels. Aromatically, this sure wakes you up. Big spices presentation with nutmeg, allspice and clove, to buttress underlying plum fruit. Shockingly, this is already really good. The flavour is iron framing very beautiful blue and black fruit. Gains an attractive bitter twinge and depth with air.
We try a second pour from a different-shaped (Zalto more of a pinot-shaped) glass, where Roy shakes the wine a little. Gives much more beef blood in the nose and it’s remarkably more feral and aggressive on the palate vs. the finesse and sophistication in the normal Cab glass. Fascinating!
One of the reasons I was short on wineries today was this first of two friend-based visits. This one was lunch with one of my long-time and very close friends, Stephanie DeMasi. I was thrilled to catch up with her and find out what’s been going on in her life—mostly good things. Steph is the marketing director (and I believe part-owner) in Juslyn and I was relieved and happy to hear that main owner Perry Butler is fully back to health. No trip out here is complete for me without seeing her—we’ve known each other for 12 years now.
MATTHIASSON
I was happy to meet up with Jill again, having seen her at FallTacular earlier in the year. Even better, she had timed my tasting to coincide with an absolutely charming sixsome from San Diego, 3 couples (all friends) who were celebrating their 20th, 19th and 3rd anniversaries. We had a blast chatting and trying the many fine wines. They are at about 8,000 cases total. Steve popped out near the end and it was great to speak to him as well.
2017 Matthiasson Rose
From Dunnigan Hills, it’s a GSM blend. 11.5%, strawberry and unripe pomegranate. Tasty and crunchy, very light. Done Provencal style, 12 hours of skin contact and all stainless.
2015 Matthiasson White
The fine blend of SB (55%), Ribolla Gialla (25%), Semillon (15%) and Fruilano (5%). 12.9% alc. 25% new oak for about 8 months. Bouquet throws off a little sweet pea, gingery aspects, white fruit. Very nice play and freshness here with some salinity and lemon/lime.
2016 Matthiasson Harms Chard
25 year vines, all Dijon clones. 12.2%, spends 8 months in oak. Rather luminous in the sniffer, butterscotch and peach among the detectables. On the tongue, definite lightness and citrusy aspects.
2015 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla
This is estate fruit now—they grafted from Vare vineyard over to theirs. Has that fine oxidative lightly sherried nose that I am so fond of in the Gravner version. Rather pretty, replays with perfume and floral accents added.
2015 Matthiasson Spring Hill PN
Petaluma gap. 12.4%. This has a very neat leather and saddle character to the nose. Clearly still developing, very robust sour cherry, raspberry and cranberry.
2014 Matthiasson Cab
13.1% Initial redcurrant bouquet, then some blue fruit shows up and a rather curious citrusy twist. Black licorice a bit later? On the palate, herbs and cassis are the primaries, some leather here too with plenty of structure.
2013 Matthiasson Red Hen Merlot
Fun to try this, something with a little age on it. Only 90 cases. 13.7%. Rather masculine scents of dark cocoa, plum and sweet cedar. Wow—that is tan-nic. Acidity to match it and still unripe cranberry with a dash of orange peel I think. Cellar-dweller for some time to come yet.
This was a fun, relaxed tasting with Jill regaling us with stories about the “Ribolla party” that has become an annual event for those who are making wine from that variety in this corner of the world.
EVENING WITH RANDY AND CARRIE BOWMAN
I only had the briefest time last time through to zoom in and say hello. I was much happier to have an evening with Randy and Carrie. I found out a lot more about their earlier history and how they set up their store. I also got to play a little for them on their electric piano and listened to some fine tales from Randy about some of his many handmade guitars. It was a nice way to relax in the evening, finishing up with, of course, some San Francisco Giants talk. I had brought the 2009 Arcadian Francesca’s PN along with Roy’s wine and some leftover 1155 SB from AO and the Halcon Syrah from Myriad and it was fun to have them taste through everything. They are great people and another reason to be glad I had enough time in Napa this time to see them.