Visiting Williamson Wines
April 29, 2009
The Facts:
Williamson Wines is a Dry Creek Valley producer whose focus is largely (though not exclusively) Bordeaux varietals.Their tasting room is located in a downtown Healdsburg Storefront. Their address is 134 Matheson Street and phone number is 707-433-1500. They’re open daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Most tastings are either $25 or $40, though they offer numerous other options and special packages whose cost varies greatly.
Gabe’s Take:
When I walked into Williamson Wines the first thing I noticed was Dawn Williamson’s accent. Deep in the heart of Sonoma you don’t normally expect Australian wine families. But Dawn & Bill Williamson are an Australian couple that’s been in the US for close to 30 years; for the last 7 they’ve been making wine. And oh what lovely wines they produce.
Several tasting options are available. Each wine, regardless of which tasting is paired with small bites. Most of these are cheese based. However it’s not simply cheese. A Sauvignion Blanc for instance was matched up with Irish Cheddar that had been topped with a combination of spices and ground, toasted nuts. While that might sound hard to wrap your mind, or palate around, it worked. While they worked to my taste buds to varying degrees, most of them worked splendidly. A small piece of brownie matched up with a 100% Merlot was my favorite pairing of the day. As for the wines themselves there were several that stood out to me. A Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from their Estate Vineyard was my absolute favorite of their offerings. It’s well structured with a nice finish and has the potential to age. They make a trio of Bordeaux blends, of which their Meritage, Allure stood out most strikingly. As with the other Williamson Wines, balance was the key.
The Williamson’s and their staff are very welcoming and informative. Each step of the way they speak knowledgably about the wines and the bites they’re paired with. Far from being stuffy, this information is provided in a conversational, easy to understand manner. Reasons for the pairings and interesting combinations are shared freely. What this does is open your eyes to food and wine pairings that go way beyond the red wine with meat thoughts of old and into the current climate where more wine drinkers are ready to experiment. Williamson Wines is providing a unique take on wine tasting and they’re doing it downtown. This is definitely a stop to consider if you’re out shopping, or waiting for your reservation time in town to arrive.
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Passalacqua Vineyard – 2005 Block 18 & 19 Cabernet Sauvignon
April 28, 2009
The Facts:
The 2005 Passalacqua Block 18 & 19 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal. The fruit is sourced from the aforementioned blocks of the TR Passalacqua Ranch in Dry Creek. This ranch is run by Tom Passalacqua, father of winery owner Jason. Production of this Cabernet was limited to 231 cases and it sells through the winery for $65. The 2006 vintage of this wine is the current release.
Gabe’s Take:
During Passport there were many unique tasting opportunities. One of these, at Passalacqua, which really appealed to me was the chance to taste a three year vertical of this wine. Experiencing three years of a wine side by side allows you to do a host of things. Beyond deciding what you like better, there’s lots of comparing to be done. You can see if a wine is consistent from year to year, how the vintage affected the wine, and what impact age has had. Tasting a vertical from a couple of specific blocks is really all I’ve just described and more. When a winemaker selects specific blocks of a vineyard to make a wine, he or she is telling you that those rows of grapes are truly distinct.
2004, 2005, & 2006 are the vintages of this wine I had the pleasure of tasting. Each of them is well made and showing quite nicely. The 2005 however is the one in the trio that knocks me out. Aromas of deep, dark berry and cedar fill the nose along with some touches of vanilla. Throughout the palate there is layer after layer of rich berry notes along with touches of black tea and olive, The finish has dark chocolate characteristics as well as emerging earth and touches of chicory and espresso.
While this wine is quite nice now, it’s really a baby. If you get your hands on this 2005 gem from Passalacqua, my recommendation is to lay it down for about 5 years, more if you’re really patient. You’ll surely be rewarded. If you’re going to drink it now, I suggest decanting it for a couple of hours. In any case this is a gorgeous wine as well as a tremendous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley. Tasting the vertical also showed that while there are vintage variations, it’s a very consistent wine.
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MoniClaire Vineyards – 2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
April 27, 2009
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- Peter & Mary Beth Smiderle
The Facts:
The 2005 MoniClaire Zinfandel is made from fruit sourced at the Smiderle’s Estate on Lytton Springs Road. 2% Petite Sirah was blended in. It was aged in a combination of French and American oak; 15% of it was new. 150 cases were produced and it sells for $24. Their 2006 Zinfandel is also currently available.
Dave’s Take:
Here she comes now singin’ Moni Moni… MoniClaire Vineyards. Have you been to a winery where you can’t pick your favorite? This is the dilemma here. Each bottle is rich, full, decadent, and elegant, with a finish that goes on and on like a Springsteen concert. This small independent winery has a lot to be proud of. Today I will review their 2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. Stay tuned for future reviews….now where’s my glass?
Effusive raspberry and plum on the nose. The berry fruit continues on the palate then breaks to allow a wonderful earthy cocoa to chime in. Add to this a lengthy zesty finish of black pepper and continued cocoa. Utterly fantastic. This is Dry Creek in a glass.
This wine is not for the faint of heart. It is big, bold, and elegant. Artfully crafted and well structured this is a bottle that will age well and continue to develop more of that earthy cocoa as the years roll by. So for those of you that like a well made big wine you need to search out a bottle of this. For the faint of heart…get a backbone or a bottle of Perrier.
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Visiting Frick Winery
April 27, 2009
The Facts:
Frick Winery was established 1976 and is located at 23072 Walling Rd. Geyserville, CA 95441. Their Phone number is 707-857-1980. Frick opens weekends only 12:00 PM-4:30 PM. They have 11 Acres under vine, and their total case production is 1,800.
Gabe’s Take:
Don’t make the same mistake I made. I’ve been travelling to Dry Creek Valley for 15 or so years and only just made it to Frick this year during Passport. Most galling is that I pretty much always visit Pedroncelli which is about a mile away. With that bit of personal embarrassment out of the way, I’m here to tell you that visiting Frick was one of the highlights of passport for me.
Every participating winery had their theme or slant for Passport. Bill Frick, who for all intents and purposes, is a one man operation (with some help), focused on wine and food pairings. In speaking to Bill it was clear, literally months of planning went into the pairings, and it really showed. Grenache Blanc and Viognier were the first two wine selections and they were matched up with a Tandoori Waldorf Salad. Each of the wines, delicious in its own right, matched quite well with the salad, which was a unique take on a classic. Cinsaut was one of my favorite wines of the day was set against Cambazola cheese on fig bread, accompanied by fresh strawberries. I was tempted not to move any further down the tasting line after getting my lips around that combination. Cinsaut is criminally under-appreciated in California, Bill Frick does an absolutely tremendous job with this grape and really shepherds it to bring out the lovely fruit strawberry characteristics it’s known for. Both Grenache & Counoise were paired with shredded duck wrapped in flatbread. I enjoyed both wines but the Counoise really stood out and made me take notice. It was full flavored and delicate, weaving a fine balance; and really paired well with the duck. Carignane and C2 were wines sourced outside of Dry Creek Valley. They were consistent with the other food friendly, fruit filled, balanced wines I tasted at Frick. Syrah was the final Frick wine and it was paired with pork loin on a cacao corn chip. Both the pairing and the wine were amongst my favorites. The Syrah really stood out when it hit my palate. Black pepper and dark cherry notes are what I remember most.
My bottom line is that the Frick experience was sensational from top to bottom. Bill Frick is a gregarious, articulate, passionate host, driven to produce distinct food friendly wines. His take on the passport experience was well planned and executed. It may have taken me 15 years to finally get to his winery, but it won’t take me very long to get back. I know that without a doubt I’ll be compelled by his wine and hospitality to return on my very next visit. There are many unique tasting experiences in Dry Creek Valley, which is a huge part of the charm. Even amongst them, Frick stands out.
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Ferrari-Carano – 1998 Trésor
April 21, 2009
The Facts:
Trésor is Ferrari-Carano’s proprietary Bordeaux style blend. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot are all part of the mix. The wine was aged in barrel (26 months) and bottle (20 months) prior to being released. Vintage after vintage Trésor is one of Ferarri-Carano’s benchmark wines and perhaps their ultimate expression of the five Bordeaux varietals.
Gabe’s Take:
1998, was it really 11 years ago? I checked my calendar and it was. Controversial, maligned, these are both words often used by critics to describe the 1998 vintage. Every vintage has good, bad, and indifferent wines. The question is was 1998 as disappointing as the reactionary, sound byte craving media wanted everyone to believe? Personally I don’t think so. Great wineries and winemakers produce good wines in tough vintages. Based on the 1998 Cabernet based wines I’ve had in the ensuing years, it’s my contention that many of them simply needed more time than normal to resolve themselves. For the last few years I’ve revisited the 1998 Trésor quite a few times, it was always good, but I also felt it was still improving and headed for its peak. This week I pulled out a bottle, with a sneaking suspicion, in the back of my mind, that it might be at its peak now. Here’s what I took from it.
The nose of the 1998 Trésor is still quite lively and fresh, possessing raspberry and blackberry notes, underscored by light oak notes. Throughout the persistent palate black cherry characteristics are the most prominent reference point. This wine is full flavored and brings to mind cherry pie. The finish, which is long enough to be noteworthy, has a ton of earth and subtler but emerging mineral notes as well as a wallop of black pepper. This is an impeccably balanced wine with excellent acidity.
Having had the 1998 Trésor on about a dozen occasions I’m happy to report that it’s at the absolute peak of its power and elegance right now. I don’t expect it to improve further but it’ll drink well for about another year perhaps a little bit longer. If you have them, drink them, and enjoy a classic Dry Creek blend at the height of its charm.
Dave’s Take:
I wish I had this wine on my radar a few years ago – I would have bought as much as my wife would allow. Black cherry is definitely the most prominent note; however, throw in plenty of earth and cigar box, a bit of black pepper and cardamom. Balanced and smooth as only a bit of age can bring and this wine is simply terrific.
This was a great bottle to age, but there is the rub. How do you know which wines to age and which you should you drink behind the wheel on the way home from the liquor store? “Honestly officer, I was only trying to maximize the youthful fruitiness of this wine” …why don’t we leave this excuse to the “professionals” and wait until we get home. So here are a few clues on aging potential.
With red wines, high amounts of tannins are an excellent clue, increasing the chances that the wine will improve with age. Often Cabernets and Syrah will fall into this category. Low acidity red wines also do well such as Pinot Noir. Ironically, in white wines or rosés, high acidity will often take the place of the tannins in essence preserving the wine. Perhaps we will do a full article on this in the future, but I hope that these tips will suffice for now.
One last piece of advice, wines often go through a “dumb phase” where the wine becomes sort of muted. Flavors and aromas drop off. I experienced this twice while I was drinking the Trésor. The first time, perhaps an hour after we started drinking…we thought the bottle was done, but half an hour it was back. I tried it again 24 hours later and it was just so so. The next morning (yes before noon) I took a sip again and found it back in full force. Never forget that wine is a living entity within the glass. My wife didn’t like me for the first 4-5 years, I guess I aged well …now I’ve peaked and she still likes me ….just wait until I turn to vinegar. “Honey, I’m home…..”
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Clos du Bois – 2005 Dry Creek Valley Reserve Zinfandel
April 17, 2009
The Facts:
This offering is 90% Dry Creek Zinfandel grapes and 10% Petite Sirah blended in for structure and color. It was fermented dry in stainless steel tanks. The must was chilled to 60°F and briefly cold soaked before fermentation. Following fermentation, lots were pressed off to barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation and barrel aged for 20 months in a combination of French and Eastern European oak (43% new). The acid/pH level is 5.33 g/L / 3.66 and the alcohol is 15.5%. 1,250 cases were produced. The suggested retail price is $20.
Dave’s Take:
I have to commend Clos du Bois for their Sonoma Reserve Series in general. Their concept is to create a series of reserve releases, sourcing their fruit from exceptional single appellations within Sonoma County. My selection today is the 2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. They chose Dry Creek because it is renowned for Zinfandel and so all fruit for this wine comes from this appellation. If you choose to go through this series bottle by bottle, it is almost like a tour of Sonoma – good idea and a good wine.
On the nose I was immediately struck with a strawberry blueberry plum combination. This fruit forward, slightly jammy wine continued this theme on the mid palate adding in a bit of vanilla and oak. Round this out with some black pepper and a lingering finish and there is no doubt that this is a Dry Creek Zinfandel. This full bodied, medium tannin wine will drink well now and age well for 2-3 years. If you want the full Dry Creek / Sonoma experience you’ll pair this with pizza or pasta (but I’m not against a nice steak either). This is a delicious wine with real varietal and regional characteristics – jammy and bold, but not over the top.
The $20 asking price is a comparable bargain, this is a great wine to crack for friends when you want to bring a bottle that has some label recognition, but you also want to bring something interesting and with a story to tell. There is something about Dry Creek in a bottle that is magical. Congratulations Clos du Bois for a job well done.
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Ferrari-Carano – 2007 Petit Verdot
April 16, 2009
The Facts:
Ferrari-Carano is perhaps best known for their Sonoma County Fumé Blanc which is a staple of restaurant wine lists, all over. But that wine, well known as it is only tells a small piece of the impressive Ferrari-Carano offerings. From well known blends, and county designate wines, to single vineyard offerings, Ferrari-Carano has wines with a wide array of intents and purposes. In the short term we’re going to look at three of their more limited offerings. Also look for us to cover other wines from Ferrari-Carano on a go forward basis.
The 2007 Ferrari-Carano Petit Verdot is made from hand harvested fruit. This offering is all Dry Creek fruit and 100% Petit Verdot. This wine was aged in a combination of (35%) new French oak and (65%) older French and Hungarian oak barrels. A mere 462 cases of this selection were produced and it sells directly through the winery for $38.
Gabe’s Take:
It’s rare that a standalone Petit Verdot comes across my desk. Most often this varietal is used in Bordeaux style blends. So the relative scarcity of it, made me anticipate tasting this wine quite a bit. Dark fruit, mainly plum and blueberry dominate the nose. Hints of vanilla are present but they don’t really make a forceful presence until later. The palate is a veritable explosion of continued black fruit, underpinned by solid spice components. Both black and white pepper are prominent on the palate. The finish shows some toasty oak notes, emerging earth, continued spice, a bit of pleasing, lip puckering tartness, hints of bacon fat, and more prominent vanilla. This Petit Verdot has a tannic structure that is both firm and elegant. Terrific acidity frames everything and keeps this wine in perfect balance.
What I like most about this wine is how well it combines rich, mouth-filling fruit and elegance. It’s big, but it’s restrained. It’s elegant but it’s also a little bit boisterous. Decanting this wine for about an hour is my recommendation. If you have the patience to lay this offering down for a few years I suspect short term aging (3-5 years) will only serve to enhance the already enticing earthy qualities. This is a wine worth making an extra effort to acquire.
Dave’s Take:
There is absolutely nothing petite about this Petit Verdot. As Gabe said, the scarcity of this as a 100% varietal had me excited to try it from the onset. I wasn’t disappointed. I liken this wine to a fat lady on a high wire – big, beautiful, and balanced.
The dark fruit, earth and toasted oak are again in my sweet spot. This definitely should age for best results, but I loved it now. I won’t bore you by restating what Gabe had to say, our notes were essentially the same, instead I’d like to ponder a couple of questions. First, why don’t wineries make more of this as a single varietal? Also, bacon fat?????? I know this is in here, as well as with many other wines, but where does it come from???? I like meat with my wine, but please. There must be a secret that is being held tight to the chest. All I can do is warn all pigs to stay as far from Dry Creek as possible. Oh…and one more warning…this single varietal Petit Verdot will probably not be available forever, find it while you can, this one you won’t regret.
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Dutcher Crossing – 2007 Sauvignon Blanc
April 16, 2009
The Facts:
This Dutcher Crossing wine is composed of 94% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon, and 3% Viognier. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Preston Vineyard were both stainless and French barrel fermented but removed prior to malolactic fermentation. The Semillon is from a 20 year old vineyard and fermented in neutral barrels. The Viognier was fermented in stainless. The retail price for this wine is $22.
Dave’s Take:
First I have to say that I have not yet visited this winery, but I can’t wait to get there. I highly recommend that you go to the Dutcher Crossing website and read the short bio on Debra Mathy, the proprietor of Dutcher Crossing Winery, as well as check out her own blog, “Rooted in Dry Creek”. Read about her winemakers also. It is no surprise to me that the wines that are coming from this winery are such high quality. Only the love of this art form can yield such great results. Do you question if this an art form? If you do, then you need to come here and see what you’ve been missing.
It has been a while since I’ve been sooo impressed by a Sauvignon Blanc. I do not like to read the tasting notes until after I get my own first impressions, this wine was obviously special from the very first sip. The winemaker, Kerry Damskey, chose to blend this bottle with 3% Semillon and 3% Viognier -what an interesting twist! At such small percentages I am amazed at the impact.
The nose consisted of lemongrass, pear, grapefruit and apple. On the palate it was a great floral component, citrus, perfect acidity, and mineral notes through a lengthy finish. Add to this a grassy flair from beginning to end. In this way it very much reminded me of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that are so often praised.
The only thing that will keep me from making this my benchmark Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek is that it is a blend and not 100% varietal. That being said, it is still my favorite so far. Much like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc this wine will pick up a lot of fans from those who don’t drink this varietal and lose a few who do and don’t care for the grassiness. I think the majority will follow me by foot, car, or vintage high wheel bicycle to get a case or two.
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Puccioni Vineyards – 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel
April 15, 2009
The Facts:
Glenn Proctor who runs Puccioni Vineyards along with his wife is the fourth generation to grow grapes on the property. Before starting Puccioni Vineyards to showcase the fruit from his family vineyards, Glenn worked for wineries such as Glen Ellen, Benzinger, BV & Sterling, involving himself in many aspects of the grape growing and wine-making business
The 2006 Puccioni Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel is sourced from two vineyards. One site is the Puccioni Vineyard which features 100 year old vines planted by Winemaker Glenn Proctor’s Great Grandfather, over 100 years ago. The other site is the Buchignani Vineyard planted about 50 years ago by their cousins. 260 cases of the 2006 Zinfandel were produced. The suggested retail price is $28.
Gabe’s Take:
The nose of this 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel is loaded with a quartet of aromatics. Cedar, cloves, allspice and vibrant berry jam notes explode from the glass upon pouring. Throughout the palate blackberry pie characteristics are prominent and mouth-filling, joined by earth, bramble and black cherry reference points. Dusty Baker’s chocolate and an absolute avalanche of black pepper emerge on a long, layered and slightly lusty finish that beckons you back to the glass for another sip. Good acidity and firm but yielding tannins frame this well structured Zinfandel.
Several things stood out to me about the Puccioni Old Vine Zinfandel. It’s accessible from the word go; but decanting and giving it some air really allows its charms to blossom and flavors to explode on your palate. Secondly, certain things on a wine label hold special meaning. For me, when I read Old Vine Zinfandel and Dry Creek Valley on the same label I tend to get excited. Having never had any wine from Puccioni Vineyards, before now, I was curious if it would live up to my label expectations. I’m happy to report that this wine is a textbook example of Old Vine Dry Creek Zin. Sometimes people will ask what Old Vine means, I wish I had a bottle of Puccioni to pour for each of them; it would be a lesson in a glass. Finally, while this wine is drinking quite well right now, I wouldn’t be shy about laying it down for 5 years; it has the structure to age.
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Thumbprint Cellars – 2005 Three Some
April 14, 2009
The Facts:
The Thumbprint Cellars 2005 Three Some is a blend of Merlot (57%), Cabernet Sauvignon (36%) and Cabernet Franc (7%). The Thumbprint Cellars Wines are made by Scott Lindstrom-Dake who also makes wine under the Kelley Creek Label. 333 cases of this Bordeaux style blend were made and the suggested retail price is $43.
Gabe’s Take:
Pretty quickly now, I’ve become impressed with the wines that Scott Lindstrom-Dake is making, and releasing. They are distinct, while also simultaneously maintaining a connective thread of similarity that brands them with a house style. The collective tissue is that Scott’s wines tend to be loaded with rich, big, bold fruit flavors, at the same time that they stay true to the varietals in question and keep a sense of balance and proportion.
Blackberries and clove are the dominant characteristics in the nose of the 2005 Three Some. Throughout the palate, huge, dark fruit notes are prominent and mouth-filling. All of that dark fruit, which is paralleled by copious quantities of classic Dry Creek Dust, provides a wickedly brooding feel to the core of this offering. The perfectly dry finish has plenty of earth, mineral notes, dark chocolate and lingering reminders of chicory, in what is a tremendous and memorable close. This wine is very well structured with firm tannins and good acid structure.
What struck me most about this wine is that while it is a true blend with each varietal shining, the Merlot shines just a little more than the other two varietals. It provides the structure that Merlot can when it’s treated right and made into a serious wine. The 2005 Three Some from Thumbprint Cellars is delicious now, particularly with some air, however don’t hesitate to lay it down for 7-11 years. If you do you’ll be rewarded with a wine that is an even greater sum of its parts than it is today. Another offering, and another solid and impressive effort from Scott.
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