An Autumn Visit to Caldwell Vineyard

On a beautiful November afternoon, we made a visit to Caldwell Vineyard. Nestled in the hills of the Coombsville region, just east of downtown Napa, the drive up to the property was nothing short of breathtaking. Once at the top of the hill, the view of the valley was patterned with vibrant, autumn-colored rows of vines. Although many people favor the luscious green vines they see while visiting wine country in the summer, there is a special aura in the rows of red, yellow, and orange leaves that fill the landscape.

Unlike most wineries where you drive up to see a beautifully architected tasting room, we pulled up to the property only to think we had taken the wrong turn. We arrived only to see the winery workers throwing grapes into the destemmer, while others sorted through the grapes. In the midst of being convinced that we were in the wrong place, we were greeted by a man in a tan straw hat. Unsure if this man was one of the winery workers; I asked him where the tasting room was located. He proceeded to tell me that this winery has no tasting room, but then asked if I wanted to help out the workers. To my pleasant suspicion, this man was no winery worker, but John Caldwell himself.

After John laughed off his gag, he took us over to the destemmer to introduce us to the workers and tell us a little bit about what they were doing. For his top of the line wines, John uses some unique methods that are not only rare in this day and age, but expensive as well. First, the grapes are destemmed and sorted through a vibrating table to remove any raisins. Next, the grapes are hand-crushed by two workers at the far end of the sorting table. Afterwards, the grape must is put into oak barrels for fermentation.This is a very expensive alternative to machine-crushing and fermenting grapes in vats.

Another interesting part of John’s process is that he uses native yeast, as opposed to cultured yeast, for fermentation. Native yeast has a higher risk of spoilage and is highly unpredictable, but can also provide tastes and aromas that cultured yeast cannot. John has taken a considerably risky move and created some truly great wine.

After exploring the heart of his wine process, John took us over the tasting table that had been setup up outside overlooking the vineyard. A tasting at Caldwell is a tasting one does not soon forget. The table was beautifully arranged with plates of local farm cheeses, Spanish chorizo, and various breads. My absolute favorite of the cheeses was the Shropshire Blue cheese, which is pasteurized cow’s milk with vegetable rennet.

Next up, the wines arrived. In addition to the selection of Caldwell wines we were about to taste, we had another unexpected treat. Winemaker Drew Neiman (Neiman Cellars) was also there to join us with his bottles to taste. Both John and Drew conducted our informative wine tastings while telling us stories of their journeys into the wine world. John is quite the jokester, and with every story of his was a playful laugh at the end. His contagious positive attitude and sense of humor made our tasting session both intriguing and incredibly entertaining.

While John was in conversation with the others at our table, I spent some time getting to know Drew and his winemaking. I was extremely fascinated by the fact that Drew is a one-man operation and controls every aspect of his wine process. He pays precise attention to every part of the chemical process in which he creates his wine. When asked why he doesn’t use any assistance, he jokingly replied that if anyone is going to screw up his wine, it'd better be him.

After a few hours of wine and our enjoyable chats, we concluded our tasting. Although this might be the longest tasting I have ever been to, it went by much too quickly. Nothing is better than enjoying some remarkable wine in the presence of some genuinely wonderful people. Whether you are an experienced wine drinker, or a newbie to the scene, a visit to Caldwell is an experience that will leave its mark with you forever.

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My two favorite wines from this tasting…

Caldwell Rocket Science, 2008

This incredibly complex wine is full-bodied with strong oak, high tannins, and medium acidity. With strong aromas of plum, black cherry, and leather; this wine is powerful from the second the glass is in your hand. The remarkable combination of tastes includes black berry, black cherry, cloves, black pepper, licorice, tobacco, minerals, and forest floor. After the first sip, the only way to describe the experience is that this wine is purely Rocket Science.

Neiman Cellars Syah, 2007

This is a full-bodied wine that is highly tannic, with medium to high acidity. Its inky plum color is enhanced with the distinguishing aromas of black plum, black cherry, and black licorice. Earthy, leather, tobacco, spice, black pepper, and black cherry are the tastes that stand out to me when I taste this wine. It is beautifully influenced by the oak it was aged in. Without a doubt, this is one of the most genius combinations of flavors and aromas I have ever had in a Syrah.

My Success!

I passed my exam and am now officially a Certified Specialist of Wine!

All of the hours of studying, stress, solitude, and emotions paid off. I couldn't be more happy and am excited to continue progressing in my wine career!

A Short Break from my Blogging

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about my blog, let alone my passion for writing about wine. I will be taking a break from blogging while I am heavily studying to become a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators. My blogs will be up and running again mid December.

Wish me luck! :)

Truchard Vineyards

Throughout my years of following the wine industry, I have enjoyed veering away from the corporate giants and seeking more family owned and exclusive wineries. Available by appointment only, away from the main highways, Truchard Vineyards is precisely my kind of winery.

During my visit to Napa in July, I made sure to plan ahead and visit some of these wineries. Although Truchard is mostly available for appointments during the week, I was very excited that they were able to squeeze us in on a Saturday.

The property is located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, along Old Sonoma Road. The driveway to the winery is a bit tricky to find and we had to turn around a couple of times and drive past again. Upon finding the property, we pulled up the driveway toward the tasting room and were greeted by a friendly little goat.

Our tour and tasting was guided by none other than the gracious Jo Ann Truchard, co-founder of Truchard Vineyards. She began our tour by pouring us a glass of wine and taking us out into the vineyard. The property is quite stunning with a small pond sitting at the bottom of the vine covered hills. We walked through the cabernet-filled slopes and the chardonnay flat lands. Jo Ann gave us each a bottle label to show us this exact scene where the inspiration for the label design came from.

She then took us into the intricate wine cave. Shaped with tunnels in all directions, we walked through and acknowledged the different brands and oaks of the barrels the wines are aged in. Wandering through the cave tunnels not only gave us some insight to their wine process, but also provided a nice cool break from the summer heat of Napa Valley.

We followed the path back to the antique barn-styled tasting room where Jo Ann poured us several of their estate wines. While we tasted, she enlightened us on how her husband Tony and herself bought and converted the Carneros property into a vineyard during the 70's and began making wine in the late 80's. And only those who have tried wine from Truchard would know exactly how well that has worked out.

Now on to the wines! Truchard is one of the few wineries where you can literally go down the list and fall in love with each one of their wines that you taste. Here are some of my favorites...

• Truchard Vineyards, 2007 Pinot Noir- This particular one has to have the most elegant and fresh strawberry aroma of any pinot noir I have tasted. I found myself taking extra time to just inhale the amazing scent before tasting. The wine has a great oak flavor with creamy bold berries. This wine has a notable amount of substance for being a pinot noir.

• Truchard Vineyards, 2006 Tempranillo- This wine has to be my favorite at Truchard. Being a fan of oak, this wine has an utterly powerful oak flavor to it that lingers. The deep colored wine provides the palate with a spicy, citrus, and peppery taste; followed by a bold bitter ending that is perfect to finish off each sip.

• Truchard Vineyards, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon- Anyone who knows anything about the Cabernet Sauvignon grape would not expect this type of wine to be successful in a cooler climate area like Carneros. Truchard proves again that it knows no limits. This wine starts with an enticing aroma of sweet plum and dark berries. The bold taste consists of fresh oak, fruits, nuts, with a creamy gentle aftertaste.

• Truchard Vineyards, 2006 Roussanne- This wine is absolutely perfect for those looking to find a dessert wine that doesn't remind them of sugar syrup. Truchard's Roussanne has an impeccably natural honey taste that is dry and crisp, yet creamy. With its hints of citrus, this wine reminds me of sipping a cup of herbal tea with honey and lemon in it.

For anyone visiting Napa Valley's beautiful wine country, Truchard Vineyards is definitely a stop you'll want to make. With a gorgeous property, wonderful host, and incredible wine, you cannot go wrong.

http://www.truchardvineyards.com/

Closer to Home

When people think of California wine, one area typically comes to mind. Although Napa Valley has earned every right to its popularity and fame, other parts of California are not to be left unnoticed.

About two hours north of Los Angeles is the Santa Ynez Wine Country. From Los Angeles, it is a beautiful coastal drive up Highway 101. It is usually sunny with mild temperatures, making it perfect for any time of the year.

On a usual weekend visit, our first stop in the area always consists of breakfast in Solvang. For those who may not have heard of it, the Danish-styled city of Solvang is known for its Danish architecture, food, and overall atmosphere.

In the center of the Solvang, the Red Viking offers an amazing smorgasbord of meatballs, mashed potatoes, curry cauliflower, pickled herring, amongst other Danish food. It is definitely a meal for those who can eat an extremely heavy brunch. For the amazing food and price (about $12 per person), the smorgasbord is definitely worth the experience.

Just a few minutes north east of Solvang is where you will find yourself in wine country. This region has loads of wineries and tasting rooms to choose from. You can select wineries that have been recommended to you, or you may discover some amazing ones just by stopping by at random.

One winery that attracts a lot of attention by passing drivers is Lincourt Vineyards. This is one of the many vineyards that are located along Alamo Pintado Road. The long driveway passes a great field of grape vines and ends at the tasting room, which is a beautiful bright yellow country style building. Just outside the tasting room is a stunning white wooden patio that is perfect for an afternoon glass of Lincourt wine with friends.

Driving further north on Alamo Pintado Road, you’ll pass by several wineries, Shetland pony farms, and tranquil farmland. Just before you meet Highway 154, you suddenly arrive in the town of Los Olivos. This quant and peaceful town is full of wine tasting rooms in every direction. You can taste wines from ten different wineries without having to walk more than a block. Consider it, “power tasting.”

For those who have time to venture even further north, you will find gorgeous wineries and vineyards layering the landscape. Amongst these sporadic properties are Firestone Vineyards, Koehler Winery, and Fess Parker Winery. Each of these is well worth the slightly extended drive into the rolling hills.

For anyone in the Southern California area, no need for the long drive to Napa. Good wine is never far from home.