Would not have been ready to go back to Napa just to taste. Would not have wanted to just ride a bike everyday without any tasting. Luckily I had an opportunity to do both one one trip. Didn’t take any real detailed notes so this will be a broader impression…
Friday
SFO at noon. Drove to Saintsbury for first tasting - Saintsbury. Tasted Chards and Pinots - some I had before and some new ones. No Vin Gris this time.
2021 Sangiacomo, Green Acres Cl. 809 Chardonnay
2021 Sangiacomo Old Wente Chardonnay
2021 Pratt Vineyard Pinot Noir
2021 Roberts Road Pinot Noir
2021 Sundawg Ridge Pinot Noir
Next- Schrader had a release party that happened to fall on exactly the right night. Apparently they have never had a tasting room so this was a first for them. Serendipitous. Lots of wines. May have forgotten one of teh 21s here, but I think this is pretty close:
2020 Robert Mondavi the estates fume blanc
2021 double diamond red blend
2021 double diamond cabernet
2021 mt veeder Cabernet
2021 Schrader mb
2021 Schrader ccs?
2019 HWC
2016 Schrader rbs from 3L
2013 old sparky from 6L
2006 ccs from 3L
Saturday
Matthiason. Fun tasting with Derrick. Lovely, unique wines that made me want to taste more. Joined club. Hulet Syrah was a standout. Lean wines with a lot of character. Got lucky with the late harvest this year - lots of activity everywhere.
When Cathy needs to turn left onto 29, you let her in. Making a huge assumption here but seems likely.
Stopped by Calafia - neat tiny winery discovered last year because we stayed next door. Managed to catch Randle even though we didn’t have an appointment - said quick hi and bought a few bottles to take with us. Really enjoy their Rose.
Rivers-Marie with Frank. Still love Bearwallow Chard. As a non-Pinot lover, really liked Summa (and quite a bit more than Summa old vines I tried last year). Had recently ordered Panek and was happy to confirm it was my favorite of 3 cabs. Vidovich Lane was interesting and had definite potential. On the nose what came to mind was mowing over a fresh patch of clover. Vegetal, minty. Still prefer Panek.
2021 Bearwallow chard
2021 platt chard
2021 summa Pinot
2021 Calistoga cab
2021 panek
2021 vidovich lane
We were staying in Fairfield almost next door to Bally Keal - really wanted to stop there but ran out of energy and had Etna Bianco and some other things where we were staying.
Pine ridge sparkling chenin/viognier
2022 tenuta tascante buonora
2021 Calafia Charbono
2021 Calaria verdelho
2022 Calafia The Princess Rose
Sunday - day 1 of Backroads trip.
Oakville grade, Ottimo lunch with mediocre wines. Wanted to visit Cami for tasting, ran out of energy. Olabisi with dinner (tasted there last year).
Monday - day 2 of backroads
Biked from Pope valley down to valley floor. Pestoni Family winery at lunch. Not impressed with wines. Varietal reds didn’t taste as expected - all kind of similar, could have been Zinfandels.
2022 sauv blanc
2020 Sangiovese
Cab 2019 Rutherford?
Merlot 2019 Rutherford?
Skipped afternoon ride, borrowed a cruiser bike in Calistoga instead, rode up to Tamber Bey. Really loved “Sans chene” chardonnay but everything was good. Joined club. Took a bottle of Deux Chevaux for dinner.
2022 Sans chene Chardonnay
2022 SB
2019 cab
2019 cab deux chevaux
2021 rabicano
Tuesday - Day 3 of backroads
Windsor to Sebastopol. “Lunch” was beer tasting at Crooked Goat, then wine tasting at Pax with some small bites. With a friend, two different tastings, managed to taste a lot of wines. I believe my favorites were Lyman ranch Chenin and “the vicar”.
2022 Trousseau Gris
2022 Vermentino
2022 chenin blanc Lyman ranch
2022 blanc party
2021 Chardonnay Sonoma coast
2022 chenin blanc alder springs
2022 Pinot blanc Dutton ranch
2020 the vicar Grenache Mourvèdre
2020 Syrah grizzly peak
Occidental to Bodega bay. Hard but rewarding ride.
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