AFWE ban me now, I have purchased Rolland (Ovid)

You cannot make this sh*t up.

So I attend a private tasting at Ovid with my best friend, who has been on the list since inception. This is one of his faves. It’s his 50th weekend, I’m just a tag-along. That, and my disaster rental Tesla that is down to fumes after that arduous climb to nowhere. This winery is on the tip of that. I felt so gracious, and needy, as they actually had a charging station at the winery. I know now that I’m hooked. Open the wallet now . . . .

The winery is spectacular. An icon for the wealthy owners and their uber-wealthy customers. I’m like the help. But, I will admit that the “place” is inspiring. Beautiful Napa architecture, a fusion of modernism and old world materials, with a spatial environment that reaches out into the mountainside vineyards. The views are amazing.

As we are getting our small tour, I hear the host mention Michel Rolland. I do a double-take. Wait a minute. Not that I have bought this wine before, but seriously, is “he” here as well? In Napa. Um, it would appear so. Ovid has Rolland as a consultant. I cannot escape the ravages of this man.

The tasting was really well done, lasted about 2.5 hours. Very intimate, just 4 of us and the host. We had very healthy pours, repours and more, of their small range. An intriguing white blend of multiple Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, with Sav Blanc and Semillion as main staples. I enjoyed this white, but will admit to tolerating more modernism in whites than in reds. Rounded melon fruits and crisp citrus, spiced with a little French oak. Wife adored it, so it’s in the “purchase” column. The reds were all babies. We had the 2014 Ovid, their flagship Bordeaux blend, the 2016 Hexameter which is close to an equal split of Cab Sav and Cab Franc and 2% merlot and Petit Verdot, and a 2016 experimental Cab. These are all big Napa fruit wines, bold fruit, with the Franc cutting in with an herbaceous note. The tannins on the Ovid were monumental, this wine really needs 10+ years. The 2016 Hex and the experimental had less tannin but more abrasive new oak, and ironically, less new oak than prior years (down to 50%). The experimental Cab had the ripest of dark fruits among the three, boysenberry, blackberry and some blues. All three red wines exhibited more new oak than I prefer. I will acknowledge that these wines had excellent structure, both acid and tannins. All exhibited earthy tones and some minerality as well.

Hard to justify the cost, but I grabbed a mixed case. It was an “of the moment” purchase. I will have occasion for these wines, but will admit, these are not my style at all. The Bedrock Monticello that I popped this week was far more in my wheelhouse, as far as Napa or Sonoma Cabs go.

Incidentally, all of these wines were head and shoulders above the horrid 2016 Martinelli Zin that I tried while, again, stopping to charge that stoopid EV car. It sported all of its 16.4% ABV, just a lush, torrid, thick, sweet, cocktail wine.

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I’ve been to Ovid twice. It’s a beautiful place and the people were very nice. Also had a cool discussion with Austin, the winemaker, after the winery was sold (not at the winery but at a separate party). He seemed very happy to be in the hands of wine people rather than software/business people.

The wines were not exactly my style but they were very tasty. I bought a few of their Experiment (2013 8.3, I think). The regular Cab was just too expensive.

Not a cheap visit, but unforgettable. I’d recommend anyone visiting Napa to look it up and consider it.

I would have pushed the car rather than stop at Martinelli.

I had no choice! They had the only local charging station. Lol. Felt compelled to buy something since I was sucking their electricity. Made it to Ovid with 18 miles left!

You are right, Ovid is an exceptional place, it’s grounds and the people. These wines are solidly made and with excellent materials, but more of more than what I want, but definitely not OTT. And yes, hard to swallow the price.

Interesting discussion with the winemaker about warming trends. They are scaling back merlot dramatically and using more Cab Franc. They do believe temps have slightly increased and warm periods are longer. They have also toned down the new oak, and admitted that they went full new oak in the past for the Parker palate. I did not ask, that was stated in passing.

Read my post. You had a choice.

Now you know what it’s like posting on the west coast, when only Craig and I are up to respond.

And, you’re much better looking than I imagined. But please, those sock-less loafers? This is California, man.

I have said repeatedly on this forum that I am a very handsome man. By now it has become unassailable gospel. Pics don’t lie. And those loafer are quite stylin! Socks would be the height of dorkville.

No socks, ditch the loafers. You need some quality flip flops out here. But you might not want to take fashion advice from me, I came of age in the disco era lol

I have joined a cult. It is called the ping pong people. We play ping pong all day. I love my ping pong people. Have you met them? They are ping pong people too. Welcome to my ping pong world. I hope you like my people

Baller.

Your tale of changing purchases seems to owe at least as much to Kafka as to Ovid.

excellent

@Roberto–I was on the Ovid list at the beginning; I still have a few I think. We visited once.

[wow.gif] [wow.gif] [wow.gif] [scratch.gif] [scratch.gif]

I think we are seeing signs of EV frustration delirium. Sad case. Will return to the heat and humidity of Orlando be a cure or is this a permanent condition and we will see glowing posts on Troplong Mondot and Lascombes next? Next stop in California Del Dotto???

Might as well buy the Tesla now too so you can relive the total experience when you get home. You can’t take that view back to Florida but you can take the X. [rofl.gif]

In fact skip the airline just take one home on a drive. It would be great to see all the new culture you pick up on the ride through the middle of the country. Just when you think something like the X is an elitist vehicle, I can now see it’s breaking down barriers.

Take it your on vacation.

So how much are we talking about here? At least the fuel costs saved (at California gas prices) made up for it.

Love the wines but prices exceeded wallet quickly. I can’t imagine there are many O-town days where Ovid fits the weather. Ski trip wines?

Austin is a terrific guy.

Sherri S can confirm that there is a Tesla showroom in a mall in Boca.
Crazy

Lol. That’s where it belongs, in the mall plugged in, not on the road.

So the wife is now disclaiming she had no idea how much the wine cost when she said, “ah honey, get it”. Of course, the price list was in front of her during the tasting.

Agreed, I blame this on an EV delirium, coupled with the time differentials and lack of heat and humidity. I was not of right mind.

I just cleansed my palate by officially closing on a case of 2000 Magdelaine this morning. I wonder what the two wines would be like, if mixed. And would my close friend and life coach, Uncle Rollo, approve.

Now that you mention it, in his cycling kit, he does somewhat resemble a giant insect.