What a blast of a trip. 3 couples returning again from our last visit in 2021. We flew into Oakland on Wednesday the 13th and drove up to Napa that afternoon. We tasted Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before flying home on Saturday the 16th.
For this trip report, I’ve refrained from scoring wines and wanted to give impressions from each of the producers/wineries we tasted at. I’m happy to provide additional thoughts on any given wine, but trying to get this out there before things start to fade.
Wednesday, 9/13
Beta-Jasud (Mody)
- 2021 Placida Chardonnay
- 2011 Montecillo
- 2019 Montecillo
- 2019 Vare
- 2019 Maus
- 2019 Lupina
- 2022 Jasud
Our trip started off with an absolute bang. This tasting was nothing short of phenomenal and can’t underscore how much we enjoyed our visit. Being up on the mountain and finally getting a first-hand view of everything, I was absolutely blown away by what he’s doing, the love and passion he shows for the vineyard, and how down to earth he was. After the crazy drive up the mountain, our group couldn’t have felt more relieved and welcomed. We began our visit in the vineyard and after a few short minutes, our back and forth banter made it abundantly clear we were going to get along just fine.
We started off the tasting with the 2021 Placida Chardonnay. It was a welcomed treat after close to 9 hours of straight travel, and it was just what we needed to get our visit off the ground. As Ketan poured from the bottle, the nose on this jumped out of the glass. It had a wonderful bouquet of meyer lemon, stone fruit, pineapple, and floral aromatics. The chard was a touch high-toned and likely needs to lay down for another year, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed this.
Next up was the 2011 Montecillo. I spent the first few minutes just nosing my glass. As much as the fruit still dominated, the nuances of this wine strutted their stuff and after my first few sips, it was clear this bottle is starting to show signs of secondary development after 12 years. The tannins were in perfect harmony and the wine was pillowy on the palate. Probably a touch lighter than I typically enjoy, but I’ve not had a Beta wine this old before and it was awesome to see what 12 years in the barrel/bottle has done.
After the 2011, we turned our attention to the 2019 lineup of Vare, Montecillo, Maus, and Lupina. To be totally honest, after the first few wines, I became enamored listening to Ketan and nerding out on his winemaking thoughts and general perspective on wine things in general. I probably gave what amounted to many satisfactory grunts or nods of approval as I nosed and sipped my wine, but my adoration for Beta grew tremendously after this lineup. These are special wines and given Ketan’s winemaking style along with the recent vintage, these were open for business far beyond what I could have expected. It would be hard to pick a favorite, but I recall Lupina sticking out slightly above the rest and being more my style.
Finally, we wrapped up the tasting with the 2022 Jasud. I don’t want to bury the lede, but this wine stopped me in my tracks. There aren’t enough good things I can say on this one. This is straight magic in a bottle. Coming in at under 13% ABV, this wine has incredible depth, structure, and precision. It highlights the absolute best of mountain fruit and Ketan’s passion rides sidecar with every sip. It’s a wine that makes you contemplate your wine journey and question how Napa ever strayed to what it is today.
Big shout-out to Gabe for the tomahawk steaks, lamb chops, fresh grilled veg, and the charcuterie spread. We stayed for 3 hours, but could have easily stayed for 8 more. I left smiling and don’t think I’ve stopped since. This is everything you could ever want in a tasting and in wine. Ketan is doing big things and wish him only the best. Can’t wait to see the Jasud story continue to grow.
VHR (Pescheon)
- 2015 VHR
- 2017 VHR
- 2019 VHR
- 2021 Baker and Hamilton
Our second stop of the day took us back to Vine Hill Ranch. On our way down the mountain, Bruce informed us he came down with a bug and that Heather would be hosting us instead. We were bummed to miss Bruce, but we were excited hang with Heather and get some details from Bruce’s better half.
Our visit began in the vineyard walking the different blocks with a glass of bubbles and trying fruit across the vineyard. Quite fun to try fruit, see how the blocks and microclimates impact fruit, and coax out the striking differences from vines planted 10 yds apart.
After 45 minutes of walking and talking, Heather brought us back to our favorite yellow ranch in the Valley and had 3 bottles waiting to taste. 2015, 2017, and 2019 VHR all decanted and ready to pour.
I love VHR for many of the same reasons I could say I love the Jasud. The quality of the fruit is off the charts, it’s classically styled, and the structure and precision are second to none. When 80% of what’s in your glass starts in the vineyard, it’s hard to go wrong with fruit from the Phillips’ estate.
Asking me for a favorite in this lineup is like having to pick your favorite kid, but while Heather was team 2017, I was team 2019. All three bottles showed well, but the 2019 was objectively more aligned to my palate. It was more racy and fruit driven, whereas the 2015 and 2017 were a bit more polished and restrained. Some of that is obviously due to extra time in the bottle, but there was not a bad wine in this showing. All a matter of personal preference. As a bonus, Heather had us try a 2021 Baker and Hamilton. It was a pop and pour, but what a wine! Open for business right out of the gate. A fantastic dinner bottle and one I’ll recommend quite a bit to others I know who enjoy quality wine, but don’t want the VHR pricetag.
Thursday, 9/14
Lerner Project (Bevan)
- 2022 Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc
- 2019 Oakville
- 2019 Sugarloaf
- 2019 Houyi Vineyard
- 2019 Armstrong Ranch
- 2018 Armstrong Ranch
The next morning had us driving back up the mountain to Armstrong Ranch to taste through a series of wines from Lerner Project. Lerner Project was a recommendation from a number of great Berserker folks and we are so happy we decided to make the stop. We arrived at 10AM and were greeted by Patrick who set the tone right as we got out of the vehicle. We toured the Lerner house for a bit before making our way out onto their gorgeous deck to get a glimpse of the mountains. It took about 20 mins for the morning fog to lift, but once it did, the views at Armstrong Ranch were simply breathtaking. If this were my morning coffee view for the next 50 years, I’d certainly die a happy man!
After 15 mins learning about the history of the project, we made our way back to the patio section off the house where Patrick poured a 2022 Sauvignon Blanc for the group. This wine was not your regular Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. A bit heavier than a typical Sonoma SB and the fruit dominated with not much minerality to be found. A well made wine, just not my style.
After the SB, we sat down at the table to get a look at 5 different Cabs. A unique, but great element on this tasting was Patrick had a plate with ready-made cheese pairings for each of the wines. We loved this and are already on the hunt for where we can buy locally!
Of the wines poured, the Oakville and Armstrong Estate bottles leaned more masculine, whereas the Sugarloaf and Houyi trended more feminine. The tannins on the Oakville were a touch chalky, but it was plush and blue-fruit dominated, which is certainly in my wheelhouse. It felt quintessential Oakville. The Sugarloaf was a blend and showcased a lot of red fruit and had an Old World feel, likely due to the components of the blend. It was approachable and had power, while still being light on the tongue. The Houyi was a well-made wine with heaps of red fruit and a bit more finesse than the Oakville. My favorite wines of the tasting were the 2018 and 2019 Armstrong Estate bottles. These bordered on hedonistic, without being the vanilla/oak/fruit bombs that are typically associated with that descriptor with today’s Napa wines. I spent the most time with these bottles and while being very fruit driven, the tannins were integrated wonderfully giving a plush mouthfeel, and a lingering finish. It was an energetic wine that felt restrained enough to showcase the estate fruit wonderfully and made you want to go back to the next sip. I loaded up on the 2018 and 2019 estate bottles and these will only continue to get better in the coming years. We also grabbed a few Oakville bottles.
The Vineyardist (Biagi)
- 2022 Sauvignon Blanc
- 2019 Calarcadia
- 2020 Lazy Susan Ranch
- 2021 Notre Mystere
- 2021 Heritage Ridge
We met Julie in the afternoon after lunch at Solbar. We had a slight scheduling snafu on her end and had to arrive a little earlier than anticipated, but once we arrived, it didn’t stop her from wheeling our group around the property in the Land Cruiser at what felt like 50 mph and filling us in on the history of the estate. We got a crash course on everything before heading back to the tasting room, where we had to make the most of things in about 50 mins.
The tasting room was spectacular. It was a beautiful setting with astounding views. Overall, I’d say I appreciated these wines quite a bit, but only wished they were better priced or we would have bought more. I didn’t get nearly enough time with these wines or I would have a better memory/write-up, but we liked the Calarcadia enough to buy a few, along with the Notre Mystere. The 2020 Lazy Susan was the odd one out in the group. It was either in an awkward phase or the fruit was pulled too early in 2020, but it certainly lacked the energy and depth as the other bottles. The ‘dry farmed’ Heritage Ridge was my 2nd favorite of the tasting, but my wife preferred the Notre Mystere, so that’s what went on the order form. Would love to visit again in the future and spend more time with these wines.
Friday, 9/15
Tench Vineyards (Melka)
- 2022 Estate Sauvignon Blanc
- 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2019 Bromfield
We arrived at Tench Estate where Margaret greeted us and spent about 20 mins telling us about her family’s history in Napa, her path towards now stewarding the Tench Estate, and getting some insights into her production facility and program. We took another 15 mins touring the property and gazing out at the nearly 70 acres on their estate, including Screaming Eagle in the background.
After the tour, she led us to a set of patio tables on her family’s deck attached to the house overlooking the vineyard. She started our tasting with a 2022 Sauvignon Blanc that was absolutely wonderful. It was as if New Zealand and Oregon had a baby SB bottling. It was light and elegant, with a beautiful combination of fruit and minerality. It was sunshine in a glass and perfect open to our tasting. After the SB, we shifted next to the 2019 Bromfield bottling, which is a blend from estate fruit (I believe merlot, cab franc, and cab sauvignon). If there was ever a wine made for fall, this was it. It had a hint of spicebox/star anise, and felt like a perfect red wine for sitting around a fire. It was well balanced, had a moderate weight, and the finish was great. Lastly, we rounded things out with the 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a fantastic wine and it was remarkable in it’s balance. It was the Goldilocks of cabernets. It wasn’t too much or too little of anything. This wine wouldn’t stand-out in a tasting of heavy hitters in Napa, but it’s not a wine that is meant to. This bottle showcases the estate beautifully and we were happy to purchase.
Wheeler Farms (Kinsman)
- 2022 Kinsman Eades Sauvignon Blanc
- 2019 J.H. Wheeler Farms VHR
- 2019 J.H. Wheeler Farms Missouri Hopper
- 2019 J.H. Wheeler Farms Beckstoffer G3
Our last stop of the trip took us to Wheeler Farms. We tasted through 3 different bottles of J.H. Wheeler wines, including VHR, Missouri Hopper, and the Beckstoffer G3. All three wines were beautifully made and showcased their respective vineyards masterfully. Too many positive acronyms to tag on these, but not much more you can say when you take 3 top notch vineyards, with a vintage for the ages, and have one of the best in the business at the winemaking helm, these are 3 homeruns. For my palate, I’d take the VHR first, G3 second, and MH third. We purchased the VHR and left the others for another day.
As things were wrapping up, Nigel Kinsman swung by with a surprise bottle for the group. He graciously offered up a sneak preview of the upcoming Kinsman Eades Sauvignon Blanc, which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon fruit. It could have been the fact it was our last wine of the visit, or the fact we had a lot of wines already that day, but I’m positive this was the best white wine we tasted during our entire trip. I am looking forward to this one quite a bit and if you get the offer to purchase, don’t hesitate backing up the truck. When it’s 90F next summer in Wisconsin, I wouldn’t mind a bathtub full of Nigel’s Sauvignon Blanc.
And that’s a wrap on this trip. Hope to make it out again in a few more years, but couldn’t be happier with the wines we tasted. Our only downside on the trip is we didn’t didn’t get to connect with a few friendly faces that would have made our trip, but will have next time to look forward to!
