Napa: Cabernet, Traffic, and Magic

Feb 25, 2007 |  Vinquire (14) |  Wine Tasting |  0 comments

So we did the Napa gig this last weekend, and as with anything, there are highs, and lows. We won't waste your time so if you are planning a Napa trip here are the ten commandments (minus 7):

click for winery map

1. Avoid the weekends

I know this is hard, but if you can, try to hit Napa on any day except Saturday or Sunday. Many of the high end wineries aren't even open on the weekend. Additionally, there's traffic and the "disneyland" effect which subtracts from the wine and love of grapes in general.

2. Plan in advance

As in, at least 2-3 weeks out. We thought we had something special going for us, "but .... we're industry!". No matter who you are or who you work for, Napa is becoming (has become?) incredibly exclusive. If you want to taste at the "in" wineries, you need reservations, and you need them at least 2 weeks in advance. Of course many places will take in anyone without a reservation, but if you are a wine nerd then it really makes all the difference to setup an appointment.

3. Bring a suitcase of cash

Napa is expensive, and you'd better bring a friend, like Visa, Mastercard, or preferably something with the word "Platinum" on it. Many places are charging $20 plus for tastings, and if you want to eat at one of the many amazing restaurants, then you need some deep pockets.

Ok, the postives!! Please friends, the facts are in and regardless of money, crowds and cash, Napa delivers. Big time. The cab, the cab and ohhh... the cab! I have a smile on my face just thinking of the tastings .... big, bold, well balanced, and just fun yummy juice. Definately worth it!!

We tasted at Hall, Sawyer, and Honig. Yup, barely scratched the surface.

Hall

This was random. We initially were aiming for V. Sattui, and yet something about the jam-packed parking lot and wal-mart feel made us do a huge u-turn. Upon driving across the street, we stumbled upon Hall. And thankfully ... they proved their worth. We tasted their 3 standard releases, a sauv blanc, merlot , and cabernet sauvignon. Pretty uninspring, but the reserves were a different story. Hall has two reserves to be tasted and we recommend forgoing their 2nd tier wines and going straight for the real deal. Kathryn Hall "Sacrashe Vineyard" Cabernet is it. Smooth yet structured and in general, a fabulous cab. Doesn't need another day of cellaring, just do it, tomorrow. The Kathryn Hall cab was our overall fave of the whole trip. Hall's second reserve cab is a monster, and frankenstien needs at least another 5 years in the lab before he's ready for drinking. Don't get us wrong, it's a winner, but it needs some time.

Sawyer

Defines what Napa used to be and what we all wish it was -- a barn. Down home backcountry and rustic, this converted barn is now serving some quality wines. We weren't blown away, but nonetheless, we had a great time with the ambiance and layed back servers who really care about your opinion and their wines. We tasted their sauvignon blanc, bordeaux blend, and cabernet sauvignon.

Honig

Without a doubt, the most confusing wines the Vinquire crew has dealt with. Honig single-handedly calls into question the entire 100 point scale. While their sauvignon blancs were straightforward (and good!), their cabernet is a personal preference. If you like smooth, oaked, vanilla, easy drinking cabs... then brother, you need to visit Honig tomorrow. However if you crave complex, structured and bold cabs, then give it a miss. It was impossible to score these cabs, tasting notes had ridiculous musings like "88-93 points, do you like yellow tail" on them. Go figure. Maybe give it a go and then let us know what you thought?? Help?

And that's all she wrote. Napa is the new-world's answer to the old-world's wines. Watch out for the traffic and enjoy the ride.

-V

Wine Tasting

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Santa Barbara County Wine Tasting

Feb 12, 2007 |  Vinquire (14) |  Wine Tasting |  0 comments

We (Vinquire's John and Andy) did a quick stopover in the Santa Barbara wine region last Tues/Weds attempting to re-create some of that Sideways magic. There's a few appellations in Santa Barbara County, but we focused on Santa Ynez Valley because it is packed w/ wineries compared to the Santa Rita Hills or Santa Maria appellations.

We started off in town, doing tastings of dubious value from various storefronts... which quickly proved to be a futile attempt at getting some good juice. Although our host at Alexander & Wayne was kind, gracious, and fresh from New York, the wines didn't stand out. So we trucked on and wound up at the Los Olivos Tasting Room & Wine Shop which is not a winery but does "represent wineries in the area that don't have tasting rooms". Well apparently they don't have tasting rooms for a reason because the wine was horrible as was the service. Onto greener pastures ....

The countryside! So obviously this is where the real juice is, and after we warmed up to that basic tenet of wine tasting, we were off to taste the real stuff.

Tastings of note 2/6/07...

Fess Parker

Was dead when we showed up but quickly rallied a crowd -- coincidence or vinquire mojo?? Had a great time tasting, and the wines were generally of a high caliber. Andy really appreciated their 05 Chardonnay "Ashley's Vineyard", I agreed except it had a bad case of the "vanishing finish". Their 05 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir was excellent as well.

Firestone

We really had a great time here. Snuck in right before the door was closed and had the place all to ourselves. Flashed our not-so-pearly whites and a business card, and our lovely host even poured us the 03 Ambassador, their high-end Bordeaux style blend. Needless to say, it is a stupendous effort and created a wonderful closing to our tasting day.

Morning wine tastings are not always the most enjoyable thing, but with such a limited amount of time, we decided to try and regroup, and do the A.M. sip and spit. We were glad we did...

Tastings of note 2/7/07...

Foxen

Of Sideways infamy, this place has it together. It is pretty much a shack on the side of the road, but they've clearly focused there efforts on what counts. The wine is outstanding. Our host was clearly excited by all things wine, and between hefty pours and inciteful conversation, Foxen definitely was our favorite winery of the trip. It is safe to say that everything on the tasting menu is exceptional -- highly recommended for any Santa Ynez trip.

You could easily spend three days doing tastings across Santa Barbara wineries, but duty called (aka vinquire.com) so we were off. Thanks Santa Ynez for the wonderful Pinot Noirs and hospitality. We will be back soon!

Wine Tasting

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