Cakebread Cellars

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/8/7

WARNING: This content may contain bias, snobbery, and iconoclastic views.
Almost every time I roll into Napa Valley, I'm struck by several things. The first is how "privileged" I should feel to have the opportunity to taste their wines. Lo, I should pay for the privilege of being in California!  I call up one winery (of whom I've never heard) to make a tasting appointment and they have the unmitigated arrogance of exclusivity to require that I pay $100 per person to taste their wines.  It made me want to puke. When this wind of superiority and elitism blows across my path, I feel the urge to cut through it with my $90K Jaguar and yell "Go F#&k Yourself!" out the window. {Ironic, I know. That's why it's funny.}

You know, I don't really mean to drop this entire load on Cakebread and, truth be told, there are a good number of wineries in Napa Valley for whom I have a great deal of respect. (Freemark Abbey, Conn Creek, Cuvaison, to name a few)  Today, however, Cakebread set me off, because this whole self-effacing image that they tried to portray - characterizing themselves as the biggest small winery - just comes across as disingenuous and haughty.  Don't stand there and tell me the owner characterizes his annual production of 145,000 cases as "small". There are reputable wineries with better price points on their wines who won't produce that much wine in their family's generation!  AARRGH!  ...enough already.

Everything the pourer told us ran contrary to what we’ve learned over the years. For example, he indicated that the smooth creaminess of a chardonnay mouthfeel is attributed to the malolactic fermentation (or conversion, as he put it). Funny, the rest of us have been told that it's attributed to the measure of French oak being used in the fermentation process. Having personally consumed chardonnays from 100% French oak next to chardonnays from 100% stainless steel, I have empirical data to support my position. Moreover, he indicated that their chardonnay was more consistent with the French style (meaning lighter and having more minerality), which it wasn’t (because it didn't).  It was early in the tasting series where he lost me as he tried to impart to us the notes of green apple on the "small production of 90,000 cases" of chardonnay. Nobody in the group got those notes, either.


I'm strangely amused by their wine club discount of 12%. Not 10%, nor 15%...not even something standard, like 20%. More dumbshit Napa Valley antics... They come in all forms. But, enough ranting...

2011 Sauvignon Blanc $24/$22/$10

Intense lemon zest on the palate. No acidity.

2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay $37/$34/$24

Buttery lemon nose. Medium viscosity. The palate is smooth, creamy, and welcoming with little-to-no acidity. The lemon peeks through on the palate. 

2009 Chardonnay Carneros $55/$49/$29

Very tropical, melony aromas (perhaps even some pineapple). Extremely smooth with no acidity, but no creaminess like the previous wine. There is a little oakiness to it.  The palate comes across with a tart finish but no apple to it.

2009 Merlot $54/$49/$32

95% merlot/5% Cabernet Sauvignon

Bright black currant, cherry,and blackberry flow freely over the lip of the glass.  The fruit is thinner on the palate than it is on the nose, leaving a slight disappointment. It’s carried well enough with a subtle oak note that leaves a dusty finish. The light-to-medium body that this wine has allows the alcohol to dominate.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $60/$53/$42

Bright raspberry notes, again, with notes of plum. The fruit is deep on the palate, but there’s very little-to-no tannic backbone. This has a red currant and mildly velvet finish. The body is thinner than I prefer in a Cabernet Sauvignon but it’s not so thin that it’s considered delicate.  The nose is reminiscent of a zinfandel fruit bomb.

2009 Napa Valley Syrah $55/$49/$35

Carneros syrah.  Very deep black currant bouquet. No real spice to it.  The little bit of earth is not enough to make this a good full syrah. It has a full body with a simple blackberry and earth palate.

Sequoia Grove

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/9/8

We haven't been back to Sequoia Grove in nearly five years. From my recollection, their wines were largely overpriced and lacked depth of fruit character, dominated instead by the prodigious use of American oak and the spiciness that comes with it. In many ways, they aren't any better. Their higher-end wines have gone the complete opposite direction, with deep fruit complexity without the tannic balance you might expect out of a cabernet.  That's not to say their wines were without merit, quite the contrary. Moreover, the recent remodeling has elevated their image and their ability to accommodate a tasting crowd.

2010 Carneros Chardonnay  $28/$22/$31

Lovely, fresh nose, with some creaminess. Scents of lemon and pear, and subtle hints of toasted oak. Clean palate consistent with a stainless steel fermentation process. The acidity appears after a little food (in this case a bread stick).

2009 Rebellious Red $34/$27/$33

Every year is a different wine. The nose is enigmatic as if it’s playing hide and seek in the vineyard. There’s something very different about it. The blend is unusual and almost completely indistinguishable. It’s a fun wine to consume with notes of dark fruits and a bright raspberry finish. There’s still a dusty finish, that implies a cab or merlot.

2009 Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah $34/$27$/32

The nose is hiding again on this one. There are subtle notes of forest floor, but the fruits are hard to identify.  The tannins are full and somewhat earthy. The cassis and blackberry flows forth throughout the finish.

2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $38/$30/$42

Lisa: Very green hit-you-in-the-face nose.  Not green pepper, but still a big young nose; definitely screams lay me down, but if you drank it now, you’d think it might be a good syrah.  If you drink it later, you’ll love it.

The cassis and redcurrant flush the palate leaving a peppery finish, attributed to the American oak with which they aged this wine.

2007 Lamoreaux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$40

Much more subdued and balanced than the Napa Cab, but still has some very good spices.  The palate is far too light and subtle for the nose; however, the feel of it is big, the taste to it is light.  A little confusing.

The nose is hard to find, again…I’m detecting a pattern.  After tasting it, I know why I couldn’t find it. There’s no acidity to transport the flavors to the nose. You can drink this all day, every day, but it is atypical of a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is balanced, well-integrated, and humble, unlike the quasi-fruit bomb from Cakebread.

2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$41

Same style. No acidity means no nose, and you only find the fruit on the palate. Peppery finish, but mildly so. Blackberry, cassis, and a little tobacco on the palate.

2007 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$40

So we have definitely established a pattern with the nose and fruit. The palate is smooth, but flat with accessible fruit.

2010 Sample of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Not yet bottled. Been in the barrel since November 2010. Still a barrel sample, but it’s been blended.

Seems like there’s a little mint on the nose. This’ll be nice…

Turnbull

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/7/7

I'd like to say a few good things about Turnbull.  For starters I was surprised at the quality of their offerings. As is often the case for me in Napa Valley, I can't get my head around paying the extra 25% for the branding, but they had some good wines. We spent the $20 on the reserve tasting, which was voided when we bought a bottle of the Merlot below. I note this because some wineries (Cakebread, for example) be sure they collect their tasting fee up front, regardless of how you conclude your retail experience (i.e. how many cases/bottles you buy).  A good winery, in my opinion, waits to see if you and their offerings have something in common...whether there'll be something to talk about later...whether a good match can be made.

A minor note from this experience was the seeming disinterest in our existence by the wine pourer, who spent most of her time with her back to us reading a magazine. I would have been more annoyed if I hadn't been grateful for the isolation, having just left Cakebread, as it were.

2008 Leopoldina Cabernet franc $60/$48/$30

Notes of vanilla, black pepper.

Blended with petit verdot and malbec

Typical cabernet franc with a modest earthy finish. The blackberry is there, but it’s muted by the finish.

2008 Fortuna Merlot $55/$44/$45

Full bouquet of black cherries, black berry, and cola. (the winemaker notes say black tea, but I don’t get that…until I taste it). This is a classic Napa Valley merlot, with the right balance of acidity and fruit. It has a tattered velvety finish, which is nice, and not too overwhelming.

2008 Fortuna Cabernet Sauvignon  $75/$60/$55

Enticing bouquet of blackberry, cola, and black cherry. The pepper dominates the finish on this wine, which is not ungood. The fruit is enjoyable and this is a balanced wine.

2008 Amoenus Cabernet Sauvignon  $75/$60/-

The minerality on the nose is unusual. Frankly, I had a hard time getting past it, to the fruits. The clove dominates the palate and I can’t STAND clove.

2008 Leopoldina Cabernet Sauvignon $75/$60/$60

Deep burgundy color with medium viscosity. The nose is classic Cabernet Sauvignon out of Napa Valley. The earthy, peppery nose wafts the cassis and black cherry out of the glass. The palate disappoints with less tannic backbone than expected, yet still has a fully velvet finish. The cassis and cherry are a bit muted by the finish and this would benefit tremendously by a few years in the cellar.

Bennett Lane

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/10/7

I'll tell you right off the bat that there was a lot that I liked about this winery. It is a beautiful setting, spacious yet cozy tasting room, and the staff was both professional and engaging. When you have these components in a tasting experience, you'll find that the wines will seem to have a higher value. Fortunately, Lisa wasn't feeling the love as much as I was and kept our wine objectivity in check.  Is this a place I'd return to? Perhaps. Would it be a place that I'd bring guests to? ...without even thinking twice!  Even though we weren't enamored with the wine doesn't mean others would necessarily share that opinion.  There I go again, probably giving them more credit that is deserved.  The full truth is that the bouquets on nearly all of these wines were fantastic, but the palates were simple and disappointing.

2008 Reserve Chardonnay $45/$38/-

7 months in 20% new French

Has odd smell of sauerkraut. The palate is alarmingly bitter and bland for a chardonnay. It’s an old, musty oak flavor. I think this one was probably past its prime.

2008 Maximus $35/$30/$30

Bright fruit bouquet for a blend.  Soft palate with no acidity, but very accessible.  Strawberry, raspberry… the mild velvety finish finally appears.

2007 Napa Valley Merlot $47/$40/$45

75 merlot/18 malbec/ 7 cab franc

Notes of blackberry, black pepper, and mild raspberry.  

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga $55/$47/-

I love the deep nose on this one. Blackberry, plum, hints of chocolate.  The palate is light-bodied and simple for a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $95/$80/$60

The nose is thicker and deeper than the last, with black cherry, cassis, mild pepper, plums, and a layer of cocoa.  Fruit flows over the palate at attention, and leaves a dusty finish. The body is better but the backbone is lacking. This would benefit from years in the cellar.

2008 Syrah $47/$40/$45

Bright, candied raspberry, little cherry, blueberry aromas.

The palate is fresh with barely any acidity and a dusty finish. The fruit is prominent, but thin. 

Grgich Hills

This was a first-time stop here. I'll be honest... In the way that Napa wineries tend to be snobby about their status in the wine industry, I've been counter-snobby. I've resisted the status that they claim to the degree that I tend AWAY from them altogether. Every once in a while, I decide to give them the benefit of the doubt and today was one of those days. After stopping in at Grgich Hills, I won't say I've been validated all this time, but I will say that I can substantiate my argument much better.

One of the things that irks me is that Napa insists that they need to charge you for the tasting. Fine...so be it. "For the Special Selections tasting, please pay $30 at Grgich Hills, and we will gladly pour you 5 wines." For those of you keeping track at home that's $6 a glass for wine that isn't more than 0.5 ounces. In any event, I ponied up the dough and immediately set about screwing with them. I asked to switch the Chardonnay on the basic tasting with their desert wine on the special tasting. In this way, I could compare their basic, well-distributed chardonnay (2009) with their special, exclusive one (2007).

2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay $42/$35/-
Big, oaky nose with some rich white fruits and a little butter on the nose. Creamy mouthfeel, with citric acid, melon, pear. This has a great deal of “broad appeal” to it. 30%new oak, but mostly 2nd and 3rd year oak.

2007 Chardonnay, Carneros $75/$64/-
Interesting process they applied to this wine. They soaked it in new oak for a year, and then 6 months in stainless steel. Dry without being acidic. Clean but not crisp. Mild lemon/lime on the nose. Melon sneaks up on the finish. The only other thing I'd add is... How did they screw up a Carneros chardonnay?!?!

2010 Napa Valley Essence $48/$40/$20100% Sauvignon Blanc
Dry, grassy/floral bouquet that blankets a lemony zest. Light bodied with structure but no access to the fruit on the palate.
Jamie is crazy. First of all, the nose on this wine is not just grassy & floral with a slight lemon zest, but it has an underlying sweetness that balances this wine to entice the nosy to take a sip. The sip disappoints from the sweet balance point of view and makes Jamie sound like a genius. He sucks.- Lisa

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $95/$80/-The color leaves the impression of a light-bodied wine, uncharacteristic of a Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose alludes to structure, but little else. The palate is medium bodied with some acidity, cinnamon, and a mild red fruit.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville $150/$128/$45The nose is much bigger and substantial. The notes of blackberry are prominent, tempered with mild pepper. The balance lives between oakiness and blackberry, with hints black liquorice, in a medium bodied wine. It’s an easy cab to drink, but if you want a more rewarding exploitation of your wallet, there are other places… To wit, the 2007 Bosche Cab Sau at Freemark Abbey was 4x better for half the price.

Freemark Abbey

On a lark, we decided to jump off the beaten path of the Wine Road and take advantage of the fact that we're here on a weekday (Friday) and can stop at a couple of places in Napa County. So, down CA-128 we went... Freemark Abbey, here we come!

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard $75/$60/$50
80% cab; 7% cab franc; 7% merlot
Vanilla and white pepper on the nose, with a layer of dried herbs. Strong acidity, with spices, plum, and a hint of black currant. As cabs go, this is nice, but would benefit from some time in the cellar.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche $75/$60/$70
87.5% cab; 12.5% merlot
The nose was muted for me, compared to the 07 Sycamore, but the palate was “Mmmmm”. The tannins are much better balanced with black currant, plum, pepper, and chocolate truffle. This is a great wine to drink for the money and I'm sure I have a few in my cellar.

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard $170/$120/$8576% cab; 14% merlot; 10% cab franc
This is a seriously mature wine! The nose is big with a smokiness and toast, but the black currant peeks through, as well. The tannins are long since gone, but the magic of the flavors left behind are delicious! Black cherry, cassis, plum and a mild hint of chocolate leave you with a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche $150/$120/$8587% cab; 13% merlot
The nose is quiet and subtle like a shy darling at the corner of the dance floor. The black cherry and blackberry are blanketed by an extremely subtle but heavy, warm blanket of tobacco. The cedar on the palate is deeply entwined with the black currant, cherry, and blackberry. This is another wine you can pull out to impress your guests, but for the value, stock up on the 2007 vintage.

2008 Petite Sirah $32/$25.6/$35Fruit from Rutherford, a cooler climate from most Petite Sirahs in California, which translates into lower alcohol content. Mild cinnamon on the nose, with some black pepper. The cinnamon comes through, integrated with a base of red currant (perhaps it’s cherry & black currant).

For what it's worth, for larger parties (4 or more) the winery breaks out some of their library wines in an event called "Decades Tasting". $50/person ($40 for club members) This would be quite a treat for the consummate connoisseur.

Girard

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

The tasting room is tucked away in the quaint neighborhoods of Yountville, just down the street from Jessup Cellars. It's a very modern tasting room with private tables for four, a room for large tasting, and a bar for the casual tasters. There's seating outside, as well.

The staff knew their script about the wines very well, but it was obvious that it was a script. One thing that was a little off-putting was how they reminded all of their new patrons how close to closing they were.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc Stone Fly Vineyards: $24/$19/$17
Fermented in stainless. Aged in French oak. Semillon 8% 92% Sau Blanc from Mount Veeder.
A very quiet feel, taste, mouthful.
Nice oak structure. The nose has mild apricot, lemon, and other indistinguishable white fruits. This is refreshing smelling wine, served nicely cool.

2007 Mixed Blacks: $50/$40/$52Field blend of zin, petite sirah, syrah, mouvedre, carignane and who knows what else.
The nose is so openly unashamedly black fruit that you can’t help but nearly pour it through your lungs. The nose also is unmistakedly Carnistoga mouvedre.
The palate follows beautifully with rich deep, dark fruits…
The fruit on the nose actually mutes a little as it warms up. The black fruits are integrated and robust, but difficult to discern. The oak on the nose carries the fruit to your nose, but doesn’t overpower them.
This is a wildly accessible wine that has all appearances of complexity, but isn’t. It’s a really good field blend. The black fruits abound, balanced well with the mild oak finish. This’ll impress your friends…

2006 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon:$75/$60/$48
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this Cab is exactly cab with just the right amount of earth and spice. I struggle to identify the black fruits due to the oak, but the cherry is accessible.
The oak on the nose blankets the fruit.
Nice mouthfeel, that’s soft and silky, but a little lighter-bodied than I would expect. The fruit is well integrated, again, but difficult to distinguish. This is a spicy cab that some of your friends would like, but others would pass on.

2006 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
The nose is much softer, with more accessible dark fruit. Cassis, blackberry, black cherry, but there’s a significant amount of oak on the nose. The nose belies the longevity of this wine. The oak on the palate isn’t nearly as oaky, and the cassis really stands out. It’s full-bodied with really great mouthfeel, for a cab.

2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
Where’s the nose? The oak is almost non-existent on the nose. The bouquet has a peppery nose, tempered with black fruits. This isn’t a wine that gained much from the oak. If they used new oak on the 2006, they used the same barrels for this wine. As Cabernet Sauvignons go, this is an easy drinker, but not impressionable. Both wines, though, were aged in 85% new French oak.

2006 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$60
The nose has a non-threatening softness to it. This is a highly structured wine with all the tannins and earthiness that is expected. The fruit is struggling to compete with the tannins, but does so in a manner that makes the wine better. A wine you could/should pair with meaty/peppery food, but is just barely accessible enough to drink by itself.

Jessup Cellars

We had a very nice private tasting with Bob who took time to educate us while pouring the wines. One of the most notable things about their private tastings is that they use the correct Riedel glassware for the wines they’re pouring. This out-of-the-way place in Yountville is very charming and have a plethora of well-valued wine, an anomaly in Napa County.

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/8/7+

2006 Carneros Chardonnay: $38/-/$22

2003 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Merlot: $34/-/$30
Tastes like there’s cab franc blended, but 100% merlot. Green pepper taste exists, but soft.

2002 Mt. Veeder Merlot: $45/-/$42
It has a bit of a spike to it – a bit acidic, but still finishes with a good cranberry flavor.

2001 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $65/-/($50-55)

2002 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $55/-/($55-48)
This one should lay down a while.

2003 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $49/-/($43-45)
All three cabs had a characteristic anise flavor to it that was quite delightful. Whatever you do, don’t decant these.

1996 Atlas Peak Zinfandel: $55/-/$44
Sweet, maraschino cherry taste. Wonderful wine!

2004 Atlas Peak Zinfandel: $35/-/$38

2004 Table for Four Napa Valley: $75/-/$55
This is their flagship wine and their only blended one.
65% Cab; 15% Cab Franc; 15% Merlot; 15% Petit Syrah

2000 Napa Valley Port: $53/-/$40

2004 Napa Valley Port: $38/-/($25-35)

Flora Springs

TRL/Staff/Wine = 7/7/9

The wines here were very well-priced and had that value proposition that said, “if you like them, join the club”. So we did…
Epilogue: This wasn’t a club that we stuck with. I don’t know what happened, but our enthusiasm for their wines waned over time.

2006 Soliloquy: $25/-/$18

2006 Chardonnay Napa Valley: $26/-/$26
Social Chardonnay

2004 Toad Hall Bodacious: $40/$34/$38
50% Cab Sauvignon, 50% Merlot

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/-/$35

2004 Trilogy: $65/-/$50
Meritage blend; very smooth.

2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Wild Boar: $85/$68/-

2004 Napa Valley Holy Smoke Cabernet Sauvignon: $85/$68/$65
Way too good! Actually feel a little guilty not buying a bottle.

2004 Toad Hall Lavada Hill Carneros Pinot Noir: $30/-/$25

Merryvale

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/7+/7

The most notable feature of the tasting room was the room full of old casks surrounding a 52-seat table, like a huge chamber. At the head, a cask that had been turned vertical and housed an 8-place roiund table in it.

The Cab Sauvignons were great, just overpriced. It was tough to score the wine under a ranking of 10…until you have pull your wallet out.

2005 Pinot Noir Carneros: $35/-/$30
Balanced; not too big of anything. Not bad, but not notable.

2003 Sonoma County Syrah: $30/-/$25
Classic Dry Creek Valley nose but flat finish. Mostly spicy/acidic finish.

2002 Beckstoffer Vineyard Merlot: $39/-/$30
Big fruit on the nose, even palate. Little over-priced but a good wine.

(Epilogue: 3 years later, I found this wine at a little place in the Gaslamp District of San Diego called the Wine Bank. They, of course were selling it at $39.99/bottle. With some shrewd negotiations, we purchased two cases @ $30/bottle; the same price we valued it at 3 years earlier, at the winery. What can I say? It's a really good wine.)

2003 Reserve Merlot: $35/-/$28
12% Cab Sau/3% Petit Verdot
Thin nose/palate.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: $39/-/$42
5% Merlot/4% Cabernet Franc

2003 Oakville Grade: $75/-/-

2003 Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon (100%): $95/-/$60

2001 Profile: $110/-/$80
Lisa loved it!

2002 Profile: $110/-/$85
Jamie loved it!

1999 Profile: $125/-/$60

Castella di Amorosa

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/6/7

What are going to say about a winery that operates in a castle?! So, the same guy who own V. Sattui built this castle in St. Helena and made a winery out of it. It have several levels going 70 ft into the ground. All of the barrels are stored in tunnels and large rooms which rely upon the building’s depth to keep them cool. And cool, they are! For a little flare, the tour will show you a few medieval torture devices they house in the dungeon rooms. The main banquet hall has cathedral ceilings and murals covering it. The whole tour experience is a “can’t miss” event. Too bad they didn’t give their wines as much focus and attention…

2005 Napa Valley Pinot Grigio: $19/-/-

2004 Pinot Bianco Los Carneros: $24/-/$15

2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay (un-oaked): $28/-/$28

2005 Bien Nacido Chadonnay Santa Barbara: $38/-/$25

2005 Mendocino Gewurstraminer: $21/-/$22
I’d stock it for friends who like Gewurstraminer.

2005 Dolcino Sonoma Gewurstraminer:$21/-/$20

2004 Napa Valley Sangiovese: $30/-/$30
Mild, approachable Sangio blend.

2003 Napa Valley Merlot: $32/-/$28
Modest merlot, smooth with regular finish; not special, but not bad. Good fruit, but not particularly distinguishable.

2002 il Brigante (100% Cab):$27/-/$34

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $38/-/$25-$35

2006 Late Harvest Gewurstraminer: $24/-/$20

2005 il Raggio del Sole Muscato Canello: $24/-/$24

Cuvaison

TRL/Staff/Wine =8/8/9
This turned out to be a very club-worthy winery. If you note the club price is often less than our guiltless bottle price. That screams “join the club”! Their tasting room (in Calistoga) was small, but quaint. If you’re a club member, though, a tasting in the barrel room is offered. But’s let talk about the wine…

2006 Sauvignon Blanc: $19/$15/-

2005 Chardonnay Carneros: $22/$18/-

2005 Chardonnay S Block: $35/$28/$32
New oak(French); intense wine, worthwhile.

2005 Pinot Noir Carneros: $30/$24/$30
Full fruit nose, smooth but balanced finish; not tart. Not terribly complex but approachable.

2003 Napa Valley Carneros Merlot: $29/$23/$20
Disappointing palate after full, alarming nose.

1999 Napa Valley Merlot: $29/$22/($22-$35)
Chili pepper; very smooth, distinguished – silky.

2002 ATS Merlot: $54/$43/$43
Bordeaux style – very good.

2004 Carneros Syrah: $28/$22/$34Pepper, but smooth, earthy; blackberry. Serve with peppered dry rub steak.

2005 Diablo Syrah (Carneros): $30/$24/$20

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder: $45/$36/$40
84% Cab, 4% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, 7% Cab Franc

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder
78% Cab

2003 Brandlin Mt. Veeder: $80/-/$48

Clos Pegase

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/8/7
Exquisite grounds and gardens with a tasting room that is inviting, yet large enough to cater to a crowd. The wine wasn’t bad, but not special either. Except for the chard, it was fairly well priced.
2006 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc: $20/$16/$22

2005 Hummage Reserve Chardonnay: $40/$32/$26

2003 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Merlot: $25/$20/-
Fruit is subdued by the Petit Sirah and Cabernet Franc.

2005 Pegase Circle Reserve Pegaso: $26/$21/$24
Plum and Rhubarb; not bad.