After several months of planning we finally made it out to visit some awesome people out in Napa
Day 1- Fait Main- We tasted through the 22 Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, 22 Las Piedras, 23 Tierra Roja and 24 Corrigan
- The 22 Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper was the favorite out of the lineup. I certainly think that the drink sooner concensus with the 22’s is very accurate they are showing very well right now and most of these had only been open a few hours.
Day 2- Palisades Canyon, Mowe, Roy Piper
Palisades Canyon- I’ll start this off by saying if you haven’t tasted with Steve & Felicia at Palisades it is an absolute must. There property is absolutely stunning and they are all around amazing people. Their hospitality is unmatched. What we thought was going to be a short visit turned into 4+ hours of hanging out and chatting. Steve walked us through the vineyard and explained everything about their dry farming techniques, philosophy behinds it all and how everyone is now getting on board and slowly changing the way they farm in the valley. Felicia also made sure we had big farmer hats and plenty of water to beat the heat and give us some shade as we toured the vineyard.
We tasted through the 22 Cab Sauv, 22 Petite Sirah, 23 Chenin Blanc and a new release of the Rose of Petite Sirah..( We should be finding out more about this last wine later)
22 Cab- Showed very primary loads for red and blue dark fruits but everything here was in balance with grippy tannins on the finish. Again goes to show that great winemakers can make stellar wine in a not so perfect vintage.
22 Petite Sirah- Noy many notes on this one however we do recall it being outstanding and a favorite of the group
23 Chenin-…WOW…WOW..This was an absolute rockstar. Loaded with bursts of lemon, grapefruit, apricot all followed by a welcoming burst of acidity that kept you going back for more. This was the best Chenin I have ever tasted and I know the Chenin gets lots of praise here on the board and I can certainly see why
Rose of Petite Sirah- No formal notes here because at this point we were are all joking and chatting with Steve
Mowe- We were welcomed at the wonder property of Dustin and Renee. Let me just say it is absolutely stunning. We chatted with Renee when we arrived and she told us the story of the property and how they cam to aquire it. Again this was a visit that just felt like you were sitting down with old/ new friends. They are so welcoming and hospitable and can also show you the coolest cork tree ever. We tased though the 23 Cab and Sauv Blanc. I think it was the 23, we were so busy chatting I completely forgot.
23 Cab- Absolute stunner loaded with dark stone fruits, blueberries, crushed cherries and finishing with a touch of graphite and the smoothest tannins ever. Agan this old stly Napa Cab is what does it for me.
Sauv Blanc ( Can’t remember vintage)- This is an epiphany wine. Loaded with notes of grapefruit, lemons, freshly cut grass and the best mouth watering acidy you can ask for. I can’t wait to taste this again with some age on it. This was an oh sh*t wine as we all looked at each other and our jaws dropped to the floor. I will never let a release go by where this is not in my cart and you shouldn’t either.
@D_Mowe you are also the unofficial “Cork God” of Napa. Everyone speaks so highly of you and of course they use your corks. Thanks for an amazing visit.
Dinner with Roy Piper at Angele- As everyone says if Roy asks you to squeeze in dinner you absolutely do it. He bought the 24 Cab to share with us and it was just a pop and pour. Roy did work on coaxing it out of it’s shell as dinner moved along. I do remember upon Roy’s first taste the reaction was sh*t this is good. He told us he is his worst critic. There weren’t many formal notes here as we were just enjoying each others company and listening to Roy’s amazing stories on Napa, the wine business changing Napa trends you name it. Roy doesn’t know it but I nicknamed him the " Mayor of Napa" he’s such a great guy and everyone knows and loves Roy and talks about him with such respect. For all of those who purchased the 24 you are in for an absolute treat and man once this things has some time under it’s belt it will wow us all. Also we may be getting something special later down the line… @Roy_Piper
Day 3-Rivers-Marie, Dicostanzo, Sown
Rivers Marie- No formal notes here as we tasted though the 23 Cabs, Pinots, and Chards and this was a requested favorite from the wives. I did pick up a few extra 23’s that I missed on release. I was really hoping they’d be pouring some of the 24 Cabs since the release just opened after we got there . Our host Ami was great.
Dicostanco- We were welcomed by @Erin_Di_Costanzo and it felt just like meeting with an old friend. We talked family, wine business you name it. We tasted through the 23 DI CO Chard, 22 DI CO Cab, 23 Caldwell Cab, and the 23 Montecillo. I absolutely love how they are making wine in the “Old Napa Style” this is the style that made me love Napa Cab in the first place. Erin thanks for a great visit. @Erin_Di_Costanzo
23 DI CO Chard- Full of a honeyed citrus components, pear, and honeysuckle followed by an lively finish.
22 DI CO Cab- Not many notes here by me but it was enjoyed enough that our party left with several bottles. Again back to the 22 vintage and that great winemakers put out some super solid 22’s.
23 Caldwell- Loads of dark crushed raspberries, hints of graphite and a spicy peppercorn pop. This was one of my favorites
23-Montecillo- Loaded with notes of blood orange, currants, and a herbaceous spicy black pepper note
24-Montecillo- Erin was kind enough to taste this right ahead of the release and wow it was amazing for a new release. This made the new release decision a no brainer for me. Again for those who received the email you’ll be extremely pleased with your purchase if this is on your list.
Sown- This was a very peaceful drive up Mt George it visit Andrew’s lovely estate. This was a super informative tasting hearing about the beginnings of the Sown brand and the love and love and labor that goes into the the wine. The cave there is absolutely beautiful and was a welcome break from the Napa heat. We tasted the 23 Cab and heard the wonderful story about the Sown label. Andrew is awesome! @AndrewG
23 Sown Cab- Coming in at a refreshing 13.6% this to me is what Napa is all about, being able to taste the purity, and all the components of the mountain fruit without being overwhelmed by alcohol and tannins. Again this is the perfect style for me . I’m super excited with the direction the wines are going and the bright future ahead for the team at Sown. This was such an enjoyable visit that I grabbed a magnum to add to the cellar.
Day 4- Realm, Kinsman Eades
Realm- The drive up the mountain to Pritchard Hill was absolutely beautiful. It was definitely a white knuckle drive as you move though the windy roads with no K-rail though. I think our host Tyler knew this because he had welcome wine waiting for us at the top. The Realm team spared no expense with the property and it is absolutely stunning. The consensus among our group was this was the most beautifully designed property they had ever seen. Our host was extremely knowledgeable on the Realm history so we could all nerd out together talking about that. We tasted though the 25 Fidelio, 23 Houyi, 23 Farella, and 21 Bard.
25 Fidelio- Bright, Crisp, Refreshing everything you want in a 100% SB..I know the prices for some domestic SB has crept up over time but I can see why. Absolutely worth it
23 Houyi- This was my favorite wine of the tasting for those of you that have it tucked away you’re in for a treat down the road.
23 Farella- No formal notes here but it was the wife’s favorite so we left we some.
21 Bard- No formal notes but this was enjoyed by all and it was good to revisit as I have some tucked away.
@scott.becker what you and the team are doing there is absolutely amazing. Definitely a repeat visit when we are back in Napa.
Kinesman Eades- No formal notes here at all as we were hosted by the man Nigel himself and just enjoyed his company and hearing their amazing story…The wines were phenomenal . We tasted though all of the SVD’s Hiro and the whites. For those of you with Standing Orders get those cards ready…LOL
We finished our trip with an out of this world dinner at Enclos in Sonoma…Reservations can be super hard to get as it booked out in 5 minutes in May when I made the reservation. It is a must try if you’re looking for a meal of a lifetime.
