Dallas Wine Chick

The Best Kept Wine Secret in Dallas

I’m hoping that I’m not going to regret this post.  I came upon one of Dallas’ best kept wine secrets in November and I’m going to share it with you today.  First, let me give you some background.  Since I launched this blog in February, I’ve been lucky enough to connect with a small group of foodie, travel and wine writers.  Our modus operandi is to meet monthly bearing wine from our cellars or wines we have been sent to review and enjoy a good meal.  We often convene at a BYOB place, usually one that is pretty casual with good food, but little to no ”scene”.

That’s how I found myself on a Wednesday night at Urbano Cafe in East Dallas.  I’ve been there once before and enjoyed a delightful gourmet meal and was happily surprised that a place with such good food was BYOB.  But this particular dinner I discovered that there is something special that happens at Urbano Café’ on Wednesday nights.  You could tell that the place was full of regulars and the bottles on the table were plentiful.  We were catching up on my friend’s trips to exotic places and for once, I had stories to add about our time in Punta Mita, Mexico.  Then it happened –  Mitch, owner and host extraordinaire, came bearing a magnum of older Brunello that he had picked up at a discount next door at Jimmy’s Food Store (the best place to find Italian wine if you haven’t stumbled upon them yet and a fun place to grab a sandwich for lunch or dinner – see if you can find the back dining room). 

This set off a chain reaction.  Friends (after some time spent in close contact with your dining neighbors where you are all drinking wine friendship happens) started sharing the pride and joy brought from their cellars with others.  You could hear the chorus of “Here try this …” and then the story behind it.  Or “what do you think of this beauty?  We got the last two cases left in Dallas.”  It was an experience I had never had outside of wine country.  Paired with a great meal and Mitch’s hospitality, it was magical and totally represented what the experience of wine should be – sharing bottles of favorites with people who have an appreciation for the grape.  (Note: do not expect to arrive with a $10 bottle of grocery store wine and have the same experience).

I reluctantly left that night with many wines untried that I was offered, but knowing that I needed to drive home and work out early the next morning made me responsible.  I’m looking forward to the next Wednesday outing and am already trying to figure out which bottles to bring.

Sheep, Mushrooms & Great Pinots: Discussion with David Hirsch

My better half, John, me and David Hirsch

I had the chance to sit down with David Hirsch of Hirsch Vineyards at a wine dinner at Lakewood Country Club this week.  Hirsch Vineyards was born out of a desire for peace and quiet when David and his wife, Marie, bought a sheep farm in Sonoma.  His winemaker friend, Jim Beauregard, convinced him to plant grapes, and by 2002 Hirsch vineyards was making wine. 

Hirsch, which sells grapes to some of the top Pinot producers including William Selyham, has a philosophy “from trailer to tractor.”  The star of the show here is the land and the grapes that are grown.  It’s a family-owned venture.  Hirsch’s wife designs the labels and his daughter, Jasmine, is responsible for marketing and social media. 

Judging from the wines that were served to us that night, the focus is where it needs to be.  The reception started with a 08 Hirsch Vineyards Chardonnay ($50), from Sonoma Coast, which was palate cleansing.  I tasted pineapple and lemon curd.  It was a very nice wine.

Our first course was Chef William Koval’s celery root bisque, mustard fruit ravioli and poached Maine lobster, which paired sublimely with the 07 Hirsch Vineyards Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast ($75).  This was a totally different from the first wine – more of a French style with minerality and muted tropical fruit.  Hirsch told us that this site was almost designated to plant mushrooms.  The wine loving public should thank him for making the right choice.

Our second course was seared filet of turbo served with Spanish chorizo, chanterelle mushrooms, artichoke and ver jus served with the 08 Bohan Dillion Hirsch Vineyards, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($30).  Priced to be a quality wine at an affordable price, the grapes here are harvested exactly like the other pinots and blended barrel by barrel.  The name of the wine is focused on the land – the road Hirsch is on is Bohan Dillion Road and the bottle depicts a ranch scene.  If you can find this wine, buy it.

Our third course was a prime NY strip loin with comte potato, roasted acorn squash, shallot and pinot plum sauce.  Served with a 06 Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast ($75), you could tell the magic of old vines with berry, chocolate and liquorce notes.  This was an excellent wine that I would buy for a special occasion.

Our final debauchery came in the form of an artisan cheese plate served with the 08 Hirsch Vineyards “M” Pinot Noir ($45), which is in its first vintage.  Another big beautiful pinot, but at a lesser price.  Hirsch is definitely a winery that is defined by its product vs. its marketing and you can tell the difference.

Taste Napa Meets My Grape Expectations

During #wbc10, Julie Crafton, communications coordinator of Napa Valley Vintners, led several of us up to her room with the promise of trying some small, boutique Napa wines and we were not disappointed.  She told me that #tastenapa was coming to Texas in October and I marked my calendar on July 1 hoping against hope that work travel wouldn’t keep me away.

Those of you that know me (or know me through this blog) know that I am a big fan of both Napa wines and Twitter.  I was feeling a little melancholy knowing I couldn’t return to the Valley this year, so I was very excited about this event.  As the event approached, I was able to get a sneak preview through the Tweets of @winewonkette and @houston wino from Another Wine Blog, who share my palate.  I took copious notes and formulated my game day plan as I literally could have tasted somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 plus wines. 

Because I have a day job, I arrived at CityPlace Center much later than those in the trade and was able to get some additional intel.  As I made my way around the packed room, two things were reinforced. The first was how many wine makers were in the room, which overscored how much Napa wine we drink here in Dallas.  Not surprising considering we are the land of the steakhouse, but winemaker after winemaker told me how profitable a market Texas is for them.

Winemaker John Anthony

Betty O’Shaughnessy of O’Shaughnessy Vineyards

The second is how much I adore Napa wines. Granted, a Stags Leap Cast 23 was my first wine “a ha” moment, and the wine didn’t disappoint.  My favorites included the Meander Napa Valley Cabernet 07 ($65); the Larkin Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc 07 (both $60), the 07 Gemstone (price not released, but averaged $140 online), the O’Shaughnessy Mount Veeder Cabernet ($95), the John Anthony 06 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) and Waterstone’s  07 “Study in Blue” ($45). 

Brenda Coqueral from Coqueral Family Estates

I also really enjoyed meeting Brenda from Coqueral Family Estates, a fellow Texan who caught the vineyard “bug” and moved to Calistoga to make wine with her husband.  They focus exclusively on the Sauvignon Blanc grape and make three wines.  My favorite was the Terroir Coquerel at $37.   

Herta Behensky “HB” Peju from Peju Vineyards

And, I must give a special shout out of the 2004 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon H.B. Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley, which was fantastic.  The wine spent 30 months in French Oak and I believe I savored every drop, especially for the $225 library wine price.  I enjoyed my conversation with Herta Behensky “HB” Peju, who must have spent 20 minutes with me discussing her wines, the Valley and her perspective on winemaking.  A delightful and talented winemaker who has made some of Napa’s great wines since 1982.

Look for these vintages coming to your favorite wine bar, restaurant or wine store soon. Let me know your favorites or the Napa wines you wish you could get in Texas. Your voice (and dollar) matter and based on the attendance, our wholesalers, distributors and suppliers are listening.

A Night of Mollydooker: Fits Like a Glove!

Those of you who I had the chance to meet at #wbc10 know I am a big fan of Mollydooker’s Velvet Glove wine — especially when it is offered to me free on my birthday. When a three pack of wines arrived on my doorstep courtesy of Mollydooker, I was excited.  That excitement was heightened when their public relations person told me that they shipped the wrong releases and that three more bottles would be arriving. I knew that I needed to share these with a group of folks that would appreciate them, so I enlisted the help of my couple’s wine group.

I did this with a little trepidation. This was Texas/OU weekend and the tasting was going to be at my house. You may ask why this game would have any bearing for me since my husband and I both went to Auburn. Well, the truth is it doesn’t affect me. However, for my husband it is a different story. For the last five years he has adopted this day as “Attend a Party, Act like a College Freshman and Drink Too Much” day. But, I forged on and he didn’t disappoint. (I will give him credit for ordering the food before leaving the house as well comic relief later in the evening.)

We knew we needed more than the six wines provided, so we decided to go big on almost the entire Mollydooker portfolio. We started with the Mollydooker shake for the younger wines, which is suggested by Mollydooker to get the nitrogen out of the wines and bring out their full potential.

Our starting wine was the 09 Violinist, which is a great white wine. It was full of citrus and tropical fruits, but with the right mixture of acidity to make it a great sipping or food wine. We then moved into three different flights of wines.

The first flight was verticals of the 07 and 09 Carnival of Love; the 07 and 09 Blue Eyed Boy and the 08 and 09 The Boxer. My personal preference was for the older wines and the crowd favorite was the 07 Carnival of Love. You could definitely taste the evolution of the wine – big blackberry, liquorce and black pepper. But, the wine had mellowed and you could taste the smoothness of the fruit. I found the 09s to be too young for my taste with the exception of the Blue Eyed Boy, which had big notes of plum, chocolate and mocha. I’d love to put this one in a decanter and see what magic happens. For the others, these were good wines, but I’d buy them and cellar for a few years vs. drinking off the shelf, which is usually my modus operandi for most wines anyway.

The next flight led with an Enchanted Path vertical from 06 and 09. I am enamored with the 06, which was a great year for Mollydooker. Lots of currant, berry and spice, but with a smooth mouth feel. We also tried the 09 Maitre D’ and the 09 Scooter.

Our final flight ended with a glass of 08 Two Left Feet and the grand finale – the 09 Velvet Glove. Smooth — violet, chocolate and berry with a big finish. Everyone agreed that this was a great wine. The group debated if this was a $175 wine. The folks who like big Australian wines not surprisingly responded with a resounding yes, the folks who love smoother blends gave it a resounding no. But, you know, wine is like art. It’s a matter of taste and I’ll be happy to keep the Velvet Glove all to myself.

Esteemed Women Winemakers in the House: Heidi Barrett & Carol Shelton

Last week, I was invited by Greg Kassanoff, owner of Pioneer Wine Company, to its annual portfolio tasting, a traveling road show held in Houston, Austin and Dallas.  Seventy one exhibitors representing unique small production wines gathered at the Palomar Hotel to pour hundreds of wines Pioneer is bringing to the Dallas market.  As a consumer, imagine a “speed dating” scenario where you are given one glass and hundreds of wines to sample.  Needless to say, you had to use the dump buckets to survive.

Much to my surprise I also found two iconic women wine makers in attendance.  Carol Shelton, winemaker for Carol Shelton Wines, is often named the most awarded winemaker in the United States with numerous Winemaker of the Year designations.  I always love talking to women winemakers like Merry Edwards or Carol because they stumbled into wine making versus pursuing it as their first career choice.  In Carol’s case, she entered UC Davis to be a poet.  Merry was going to be a biologist.  But the grapes came calling…
 

Carol Shelton and my friend, Susan Hartman

Carol Shelton formed her winery in 2000.  Focusing on Zinfandel only, Carol chooses vineyards with unique terroirs and put her poetry to use with the naming – 05 Wild Thing Zin, 05 Karma Zin, 06 Monga Zin and my favorite, the 06 Rocky Reserve, which was balanced with big blackberry flavor and chocolate notes.

I did a little happy dance when I saw that La Sirena was exhibiting, but did a double take when I saw Heidi and Remi Barrett pouring the wines.  Heidi is a Napa Valley icon, the former wine maker for Dalla Valle Vineyards and Screaming Eagle and was named by Robert Parker as “The First Lady of Wine.”  In addition to her La Sirena wines, she is the winemaker for Amuse Bouche, Paradigm, Au Sommet, among others.

Remi and Heidi Barrett

I had the chance to talk with Heidi and Remi briefly and asked about the Texas market for La Sirena wines, which is booming.  I had the chance to taste all of Heidi’s wines – the 08 Moscato Azul, Napa Valley, which was full of honeysuckle and fruit; the 05 Syrah Napa Valley, which was a traditional Syrah with berry and graphite; the 05 Syrah Santa Ynez, which tasted of chocolate covered cherries and currant; the 07 Pirate TreasuRed Blend, which was full of blackberry jam.  Finally, we got to the 06 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wow!  Black cherry, cassis, chocolate, French oak.  The quintessential Cabernet with a big price to go with it.  However, based on some of the more expensive, “slap you in the face” cabs that I’ve tasted, this is worth the $150 price point.

While I didn’t get to try the majority of the wines offered, I can say that the snapshot of those I did try bodes well for Texans in terms of bringing small production, interesting varietals and wines from around the globe to our neck of the woods.

Can’t Drive 55!

This was the photo that I got from my lead footed husband as he made the solo drive from the Portland Airport to join me on a tour through Prosser, Red Mountain and Yakima.  I was lucky enough to have one of the top experts, Margot, and her husband, Dave,  show us Washington “wine o’clock” style.

You see, John didn’t join me until after #wbc10 was over. He’s a bourbon boy from the South and while he has a strong appreciation of wine and a collection that reinforces that point, seven days of wine tasting would render him to a state where he would want to poke his eyes out with a fork.  For the sake of our marriage and my enjoyment of the experience, he arrived late on Sunday. 

Unfortunately he missed out on some wonderful experiences.  Our first stop was family-owned L’Ecole. The name, L’Ecole Nº 41 is French for “the school”.  The winery is located in district 41 in historic Frenchtown, a small community outside of Walla Walla that was named for the many French Canadians that settled there in the early 1800s. 

We arrived at the converted schoolhouse that serves as the tasting room and were greeted by Jamie, a fun new friend who hosted us for a fantastic vertical tasting of library wines.  We began with a refreshing glass of the 08 Estate Luminesce ($19) that I loved, but alas, it was completely sold out.  We then tasted the 99, 03 and 07 Apogee from Pepper Bridge Vineyard and the 03 and 07 Estate Perigee from Seven Hills Vineyard.  I personally loved the Apogee – especially the earlier vintages that tasted of earthiness, black cherry, cassis and notes of chocolate.  The evolution in the glass was noteworthy and I left with a case of my own to taste test in the future.

Our next stop was to Va Piano Vineyards to meet Winemaker Justin Wylie.  Its motto: “Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.” The translation is “He who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far” – an old Italian saying and the winery’s approach to living. This recommendation came from Greg Kassanoff, who owns Pioneer Wine here in Dallas.  We started with two Brunos Blend I and VI wines, one Sauvignon Blanc and one red blend as well as the Semillon.  Father Bruno Segatta, who Justin met during his time at Gonzaga University, is an artist and selfless priest.  Father Segatta inspired Justin to give back to the community. When the Bruno blends are sold out, Va Piano donates a portion of the proceeds to a charity of Father Bruno’s choice.  We tried two Syrah’s – the 07 Syrah and 08 Estate Syrah, which were inky black, spicy and fabulous.  But it was the 07 Cabernet that made me a card carrying member of Va Piano’s wine club.  At $38 a bottle, it rivaled some of Napa’s heavy hitters currently in my cellar.  Let’s just say that I cancelled my Far Niente membership because I liked it that much (the rule in my house is that if I add a wine club, I must cancel a wine club – actually my husband made up this rule after one particular Visa bill).

The next day, we made a brief stop at Airfield Wines where my favorite wine was the Aviator ( $30). It was a big Bordeaux style blend and since my cousin is in process of finalizing his clearance to be a fighter pilot, I loved the history of the winery.

The next day we headed to visit Alexandria Nicole Cellars.  Because Margot and Dave were wine club members, we were given VIP treatment and access to the back room, where we tried more than 16 wines on their tasting list – we even showed restraint as they have 21 varietals.  My favorites included the 07 Jet Black Syrah, 09 Rousanne, 08 Quarry Butte (ah Quarry Butte…), 07 Cabernet and 08 Crawford Viognier.  We also had the chance to sample some older vintages – the 03 and 05 cabernets and merlots from Alexandria Nicole’s enomatics system.  Again, the evolution in the glass and the changes over a two-year period were notable.

Then it was time for lunch.  I was excited to finally meet Scott who has been a long-time friend on Twitter, but I wasn’t prepared for the red carpet that was rolled out by my new Washington friends.  We went to eat at Tuscany and were met by Coop, Sara and Kevin.  Coop brought a bottle of his not yet released 08 Pinot Gris and it paired perfectly with the delicious food.

Mark your calendars for the debut of Cooper Wine Company’s Red Mountain grand opening on Sept. 11.  If his Bordeaux-style reds rival the Pinot Gris, you won’t be sorry. 

We left Tuscany and I had the chance to experience Fidelitas Wines in Red Mountain.  We originally planned to visit several wineries on Red Mountain, but were drawn in by Charlie Hoppes’ big red wines at Fidelitas Wines along with the hospitality of Marilyn and Cindy.  Let’s just say that another case of wine now has a home in Dallas that includes the 07 Red Mountain Cabernet Franc ($40), the 07 Jaguar red ($20), 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet  ($60) and 07 Red Mountain Red ($50).   

P.S. Here is a photo of the not debuted yet packaging…

Our last and final stop was Sean Gilbert at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima where we tasted an array of reds, whites and a Rose’ of Mourvedre paired with cheeses, olives and Marcona almonds.  While I enjoyed every one of his wines, it was the 07 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28) and 07 Cabernet Franc ($32) that will be joining us in Dallas once the Texas heat has diminished.

Sean also talked us out of our dinner selection and sent us to an unmarked sports bar with a hunter complete with a scoped rifle as the signage.  Thankfully we trusted him and enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of Gilbert Cellars’ Malbec.  We ended the evening hanging out with Margot and Dave in their room where we told stories and toasted a wonderful trip with a few special favorite wines.

Sojourn, Mounts Family Vineyard and Michel Schlumberger

It was my last day in Napa and it was going to be a great day to spend time with friends.  I started the morning with a five-and-a-half mile run where I chased the hot air balloons gliding through the vineyards of Calistoga.  After finishing a fantastic gourmet breakfast at our charming new bed and breakfast find, the Cornerstone Inn, my husband and I waited for our driver from St. Helena Wine Tours to pick us up.  Tom pulled up at the bottom of the hill – in a shiny black Jaguar.  (Insert theme song from the Jefferson’s here as this is not usually the way we roll).

The sun was shining and the Valley was radiant as we began our drive to Sojourn, one of my favorite Sonoma Pinot producers.  I was excited about the wine as we have been loyal consumers over the years, but as excited to meet a long-time Twitter friend, @winebratsf, live.  Both met my high expectations.  I knew from experience that I would enjoy the 08 Sonoma Cost (earth and oak, needed some time in bottle); Sangiacomo Vineyards (cherry and earth) and Gap’s Crown Vineyards (blueberry, cherry and spice) – all priced at $48.  But, I was excited about trying the new 08 Rodgers Creek Pinot Noir.  I loved the ripe berry taste of Burgundian cherry, floral aroma and spiciness.  We then tried three cabernets that I feel are amongst the better cabernets from the trip.

We started with the 06 Sonoma Cabernet, which was a steal at $39.  It was a big blend of currant and black cherry flavors with lots of spice.  The 06 Mountain Terraces Vineyard Reserve Cabernet ($75) was full of dark fruit with earthiness and cedar.  We ended with the 07 Home Ranch Vineyard Cabernet ($39), which tasted of blueberries and had a more subtle finish.

Our next stop was Mount Family Winery where we went to meet some other online friends – @sonomawilliam, @sharayray @winedog – for a BBQ thrown for wine club members.  (Side question:  why does tri-tip seem to be the official beef product of Napa wineries for BBQs?)  I had the opportunity to sample their Grenache (still not released) and I am looking forward to adding a few to my collection.

The final stop was at Michel Schlumberger where we secured a picturesque table on the porch overlooking their lovely grounds.  If you haven’t experienced a tasting there, I would highly recommend you stop by.  The wines are organically farmed and as Evan, our host, said, “the wines have good poundability.”  Yes, they do – they are quite good.  We took home several bottles including the 08 Pinot Blanc ($21) that passed the Texas Summer porch test; the 06 Le Fou Pinot Noir ($32) that had lots of cherries and was perfectly described by a tablemate as having “red hots on the back end” and the 04 Deux Terres Cabernet ($75) which was framed by big cherries, spice and hints of chocolate.

The next morning we met @winebratsf and @wineevangelist for some Iron Horse Tut Cuvee bubbly and brunch for a great time.  You know it’s funny,  I started Twitter because I felt like I had to “understand” social media for my career.  I look back at what I’ve gained from my experience, the encouragement that I got from my friends to start this blog, the incredible wine lovers that I’ve met and I realize that was the venue that brought out my inner wino.

A Day on Spring Mountain with Barnett Vineyards

Our last stop in Napa was to see one of my favorite people and a wonderful  wine hostess, Jacquelyn St. Martin at Barnett Vineyards.  I had the opportunity to meet Jackie, recovering Texan, last year at a wine dinner in Dallas and we immediately clicked.  For years, I have always joked about my “Fred Flintstone thumbs” and hers are identical (hence the photo and trust me – this is a freak of nature thing).  Barnett is always at the top of my wine country list.  I love their wine, but it’s even more fun when they are in wood burning pizza making mode as the pairing is sublime.   Looking down Spring Mountain with a glass of wine in hand is just a majestic experience.

Fiona and Hal Barnett launched the winery in 1983 with a focus on producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines, but have expanded to include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot with grapes taken from other single vineyards.  Because of the nature of the Spring Mountain terroir, the grapes are harvested by hand. 

We started with one of my favorites Barnett whites – the 09 Sauvignon Blanc, which had just been released that week and harkens from Dry Creek Valley.  At $25, I loved the crispness and tasted citrus, herbal and tropical fruit flavors.  I adore this wine.  Our next glass was the 07 Savoy Chardonnay priced at $35.  It was made in the Bordeaux style.  I tasted citrus, floral notes and a little vanilla.  They were totally sold out of the Tina Marie Pinot, so we tried the 08 Viento Valle Pinot Noir instead.   Our group almost collectively brought home two cases of this wine, which is priced at $45.  Big cherry, a touch of sweetness and some earthiness. 

We then tried the 07 Merlot, which was described by one of my travel companions as “the soup that drinks like a meal.”  It’s a deep purple color with lots of stone fruit, earthiness and licorice.  Priced at $48, it is a great wine and one that should be tried with food.  We then tried three different Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  First up was the 07 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a good Cab, priced at $65.  We also tried the Cyrus Ryan Cabernet, which was very nice, but the 07 Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet brought the group to our knees (in a good way).  It’s a special occasion wine at $125, but its dark color, deep fruit and complexity, made it the favorite wine with the group.  There is some urgency to getting this wine.  When we were there, only ten cases remained and we probably cleared out two of them.

Lora waiting on the plan

After a wonderful time at Barnett and a great dinner at Redd, we ventured back to the hotel to get ready for our return.  The drive to Sacramento was uneventful and then we jinxed it with the comment that this had been such an easy trip.  Wrong!  Due to some weather in Dallas, we ended up diverted to Oklahoma City for a few hours.  Only one of our team had upgraded to First Class and when she came sashaying back with her Bailey’s as we were pooling the snacks at the bottom of our purses, we were kind enough to not do her harm.  We finally arrived back home about four hours later than we originally planned and I was realizing the return to reality might not be as easy as I had hoped.

A Winery Wonder of the World: Palmaz

I haven’t written too much about the Women for Wine Sense conference mainly because my friends and I had so much fun exploring on our own. There were definitely a few highlights including the humbling blind pinot tasting featuring pinots from California, New Zealand, Oregon and France as well as the grand tasting where I tried rhubarb wine for the first, and last, time. We dined well at The Farm, Tra Vigne and Redd as evidenced by the extra six pounds that I carried back even though I ran for about an hour every day. It was fun to see my friend, Lindsay Woodward from Oregon-based Retour Wines, accept the Shining Star award and then to spend some time with her. Finally I got to meet some of my Twitter friends and social networking pioneers during a discussion on social networking (@davidhonig from Palate Press and @winedivergirl from Hahn Estate).

On Sunday, we were split up into groups and were hosted by a different winery. I choose to visit Palmaz Vineyards for a number of reasons – I had heard wonderful things about their wine; the technology behind the vineyard is fascinating for a tech geek at heart and I wanted to explore the stacked caves. These caves would equal the height of an 18-story building in any other city. We started our tour with a glass of the Palmaz Chardonnay ($45) and went to the top patio for a gorgeous, sweeping view of the property. I got notes of tropical fruit, buttered toast and a hint of vanilla in the wine. Here we learned how the home’s original owner, Henry Hagen, one of Napa’s first winemakers, produced award-winning wines in the 1800s at Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery, but Prohibition killed his business. The winery fell into disrepair and the vineyards were forgotten for almost 80 years until the Palmaz family saw the potential many years later.

We ventured into the caves and learned about gravity-flow winemaking. The wine is never pumped rather it is propelled through gravity from floor to floor through the entire winemaking process. We then returned to the table to sample the 05 and 06 Palmaz Cabernet Sauvignon, which were made by Tina Mitchell/Mia Kline. We began with the 06 ($100) and I tasted blackberry, spice and leather. It was well balanced, but needed some age. When I tried the 05 ($120) , I was sold. This one had lots of depth and a silky finish. Dark fruit, earthiness, spice made it a wine that will only improve with age, but is approachable today.

The Palmaz experience was truly the opportunity to explore a “Wineries of the World Wonder” and drink some damn good cabernet in the process.

Senseless Women with Wine: The Goosecross Experience

Goosecross Cellars

Our day began with the magic words, “would you like grapefruit juice for breakfast?”  Why yes, we certainly would!  And a wonderful glass of 08 Goosecross Sauvignon Blanc was served by the lovely Nancy (known as @vinifera in the world of Twitter) as we gathered around an outdoor table with a spectacular view of the vineyard.  The wine had nice notes of honey, grapefruit, pear and citrus – it was delightful and $23. I’ll take that for breakfast any day.   

Goosecross Cellars began in 1985 and is truly a family affair.  Our group of ten was greeted by Geoff Gorsuch, Winemaker & Vice President with a pretty on target comment, “What group are you with? Women tasting wine without sense?”  We shortened it to Senseless Women With Wine.  Geoff, I can tell you my husband would more than agree with that statement and usually after he sees the credit card damage from a Napa/Sonoma excursion.

Our group quickly came to a consensus about the 08 Viognier that made red wine lovers buy white.  Full of nectarine, floral, honeydew and apricot notes, it was a fantastic Texas summer porch wine that made me wish for Summer.  Naturally, my wish came to fruition as it hit 80 and now I can’t get my wines shipped.  But, for $32 it was definitely one of the universal group favorites and chances are it will be served if you drink wine at our houses this summer.

Next up was the 07 chardonnay that had notes of green apple, vanilla, citrus and a creamy finish.  It was priced at $34 and I actually saw it on the order form of one of my exclusively red drinking friends.

We jumped over to red wines and started with the 07 Napa Valley Syrah, which retails for $36. This was a great syrah representation with lots of cherry, smoke and spiciness.  Our next wine was the merlot which tasted of cocoa, black cherry and vanilla at $42.  The 04 Howell Mountain Cabernet had plum, cherry, cedar and something I couldn’t place that turned out to be anise.  At $69, I’d put this up against the many $100 plus cabs that we tasted over the weekend.

The grand finale came as we were checking out and were poured a taste of the ÆROS 2006 Napa Valley Estate Meritage, only the second release in 24 years.  Let’s just say that this was well worth the wait.  Excellence doesn’t come cheap and this wine is priced at $142.  But, wow!  It was rich and seductive.  Big fruit, smoke, stone fruit and ripe raspberry made this well balanced wine the winner in the bunch.  But honestly, with the hospitality, great wine and Colleen’s adorable puppy that we couldn’t get enough of, you can’t go wrong with Goosecross as a must see winery.