I was reluctant at first to post this recap, because the last thing this message board needs is another summary of one’s exploits in The Valley. But then I realized that I have learned a great deal from reading these types of posts, and wanted to share some of my (very limited) wisdom that has been gleaned by frequenting Napa. Hopefully there are a couple nuggets that helps the next guy/gal. So, here we go…
FRIDAY
After a quick trip up to San Fran for work, the GF and I headed up to Napa this past weekend. First stop per our tradition was to stop at Domaine Carneros. There’s just something about starting off the weekend drinking some sparkling, and outside of Schramsberg, DC makes the best in the Valley (IMO). We tasted through a flight of the Le Reve bottlings, their top flight offering. If memory serves, we enjoyed the 2009 Late Disgorged, 2011, 2012, and the 2013 Rose. All were solid, but the 2011 really stood out. Such freshness, acidity, and a decent alternative to the bubbly over in Francais.
Next up was a trip to visit with David Beckstoffer at their corporate headquarters. Also joining us was Amanda McCrossin (the head Somm at Press), where we got to preview the 2016 Kata and 2016 Kata Ghost Dog. Both were delicious, and I couldn’t believe how balanced they were for such young wines. Having never had the latter, which is comprised of 50% CS and 50% Petit Syrah, I was very impressed. Both are worthy adds to anyone’s collection.
Quick stop at Hog Island Oyster (at Oxbow Market) for a glass of champs, people watching, New England clam chowder, and the grilled cheese.
Memento Mori’s new tasting room was up next with Genevieve acting as our lovely host. She is arguably one of the coolest people in all of Napa. We tasted the full 2016 lineup- Napa Blend, Dr Crane, and Las Piedras. All were exceptional, but the Las P really stood out. This is a classic wine in the making, mark my words. Arguably WOTW.
Compline for dinner was next on tap to meet up with some friends. I had heard great things about this place (its next to Archer Hotel in downtown Napa), and it met my expectations. Great wine list, great food (get the hanger steak), and top notch service.
Saturday
arrived and it was off to Archetype in Saint Helena for brunch. For anyone going there, get the lemon ricotta pancakes, and thank me later.
Our visit with Josh from Addax Wines at Brasswood was awesome. Such a cool guy and their wines are solid. Of note was the 2016 Red Blend (mix of Sugarloaf Merlot and Tench Cabernet). They didn’t have the 2016 Tench to taste which was a bit of a bummer, but seeing Russell Bevan in the mix during harvest was cool.
Down the street to visit with Erin DiCostanzo was next on the itinerary. Spending time with her for the first time, and by the end it felt like we had known her forever- super nice and her husbands wines live up to the hype. Tasted the 2014 Farella, 2015 Farella, and 2016 DiCo. All were excellent, but the 2014 Farella spoke to me. Such an elegant, “old world” wine that will only get better with time. If you don’t know about this label, you should. As some may know, Massimo was the assistant at Screagle and broke out on his own. Truly great wines with an amazing QPR to boot.
The last tasting was with Bruce and Heather Philips at Vine Hill Ranch. What a beautiful estate, tour, tasting, and the nicest people I have met in a long time. No joke- two hours spent with them flew by, listening to the stories and admiring their passion for what they are doing there. The 2016 was nice, but I fell in love with the 2015.
After getting several reco’s for dinner, we settled on Miminashi in Napa. A Japanese styled Izakaya spot, we had about 6-8 small dishes and all were excellent. The place was buzzing and I’m pretty sure I may have seen Benoit there.
Well, that’s all I got. I’m sure I bored most of you to death, and I’m okay with that, but hopefully this helps assist others in planning their next trip to The Valley. Cheers all…