It was a total pleasure for my wife and me to head out to see Bobby to pick up our Berserker Day orders and taste through a number of his wines.
For those who haven’t been, my advice is just to do it. Bobby makes wine in a warehouse complex on the southern outskirts of Napa. If approaching from the south (like from Sacramento or the North Bay), this would be one of the closest wineries as you head in.
Inside this unassuming warehouse, though, is a beautifully appointed and comfortable tasting room, one which is as inviting and hospitable as any small winery you might encounter in the Valley.
My recall is a bit wanting, as is my ability to write tasting notes, but hopefully this gives you an idea…
Bobby makes wine under three separate labels: Chiron, Black Powder, and Brevity. These have different areas of focus, but he’s obviously happy with what he’s accomplished with all of them.
Some of the wines we tried…
2021 Chiron “Nectar Dance” Chardonnay: A blend from Oak Knoll, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Light, stylish oak profile. Super acidity. A Californian Chardonnay done right. Should be a total winner with food.
2018, 2019, 2021 “Unfamiliar Truth” Grenache: I’m honestly not 100% on my recall of the first 2 vintages (2018/19, or 2019/20?). These are all 100% Grenache, a variety Bobby is really passionate about, each vintage from different vineyards. Tasting these sequentially was really cool, as the lines of similarity (bright rhubarb/berry fruit and a certain savory/crunchy quality) were apparent, but there were many differences that made it an interesting study. All are totally drinkable now, but holding wouldn’t hurt either.
2020 Black Powder Napa Valley Cabernet: A rich, balanced style, great Cabernet fruit up front. Could definitely hold. Would be a great match with a ribeye now, though.
2020 Bolide Cuvee: This is the Combsville Cabernet he offered on B-Day. Unfortunately, Bobby related to us, a number of wineries didn’t bottle 2020 wines themselves out of fear of consumer reticence due to smoke, though a number of those wines are actually totally unaffected, including this one. Our gain, however. Super cooler-region Napa Cabernet. Nice herbal component, lithe and muscular in a good way.
2017 “Spring Theory” Cabernet: 100% Spring Mountain Cabernet. If you like Napa mountain fruit, this is your jam, no doubt. Lots of structure, would do well with some years on its side. It’s delicious right now, but probably would be even better after unwinding a bit.
(?) “Candor” Cabernet: I think this was a 2015 vintage wine…need to take notes or better iPhone photos or something! From a very small, old vineyard. Super old-school, great grip and menthol/pyrazine elements. This one genuinely made me nostalgic.
Brevity 2018 Pinot Noir Mission Ranch, Monterey: We didn’t taste this at Chiron. but I had some just the night before, so I’m including it. I had picked up some of this on last year’s B-Day, and was really hoping it would show up again this year. I was thrilled to see that it did. The B-Day Brevity thread tells you most of what you need to know, but basically this is a delicious Pinot that is drinking great right now. On the dark cherry/orange rind/baking spice side of the spectrum, open from the get-go, just as good the next day. Those who acquired it will be quite happy.
I can only reiterate how much we enjoyed our visit. I would not hesitate for a second to schedule it if you are going to be in the area. He is kind of a one-man show, so advance arrangements are definitely necessary.
