Napa Valley

The Great Chardonnay Blind Challenge 2023 – Putting Some of the World’s Finest Chardonnays Through Their Paces in The Judgement of Surbiton…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

The annual Tim Atkin South Africa Special Report is always an interesting barometer for what’s hot and what’s not in the wider Cape winemaking landscape. It remains an impressive body of work albeit written from the point of view of one individual. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, his 95+ point tasting hosted in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2023 included 29 Chenin Blancs from around the Cape, confirming this cultivar’s quality and standing in the general South African fine wine landscape. But equally of interest, the tasting featured a whopping 20 Chardonnay whites, making it the second biggest awarded white category after the Chenin Blancs. As Tim and other commentators now point out, South Africa has undoubtedly overtaken France and the Loire region as the most lauded, successful, and sought-after dry Chenin Blanc producer in the world.

Chardonnay from the Cape, on the other hand, has the considerable might and prestige of Burgundy to compete with, and then, just when you think you are gaining ground on this undisputed world market leader, collectors and afficionados are quick to rattle off another incredibly impressive list of producers from California, Australia and New Zealand that are making some very highly rated, eminently respected Chardonnay’s that South Africa’s top producers still need to contend with in international markets in order to catch the attention of importers and top collectors.

For those of you familiar with my own website, A Fine Wine Safari, you might remember an incredibly insightful and challenging tasting that a bunch of fine wine afficionados in London pulled off in June 2018. It was born out of the lunch-time banter between some good fine wine friends who quickly aligned themselves as either New World Chardonnay afficionados or consummate Burghounds. The competitive nature of fine wine does this to grown adults… and so was born, the concept of a New World versus Burgundy Chardonnay shoot-out. Each team of tasters would run several rounds, and through a series of blind, scored tastings, they would select their top 10 wines, without budgetary restrictions, to compete against each other in a grand blind taste off.

The results of this tasting were indeed fascinating…

Read the tasting results here:

https://gregsherwoodmw.com/2018/06/18/the-great-blind-chardonnay-challenge-2018-new-world-chardonnay-giving-burgundy-a-run-for-its-money/

… but also served to confirm that yes, white Burgundy even five years ago was still prohibitively expensive from the top producers and even more so today, and yes, the New World could undoubtedly produce wines that rivalled the very best of France. I was of course lucky enough to serve as one of the New World team members on the June 2018 tasting alongside global heavy-weight journalist Neal Martin, who was there to help oversee the proceedings and to help make it a bit of a legendary tasting event… never to be repeated. Well, they do say, never say never!

In early 2023, one of the fine wine judges on our now famous “Judgement of Wimbledon” Grenache blind tasting panel raised the feasibility of presenting another blind Chardonnay Challenge, but this time not pitched against Burgundy directly, but merely featuring some of the best and most highly rated Chardonnays in the world in another blind, judgement-style tasting… this time not in Wimbledon, but in neighbouring Surbiton. Now, I will be the first to admit that “The Judgement of Surbiton” does not quite carry the same gravitas as “The Judgement of Paris”… however, the fine wine aficionado and obsessive South African wine collector behind the idea, Riaan Potgieter, single handedly organised one of the most impressively slick blind tastings I have attended in many years, featuring a line-up of wines from around the world that any Chardonnay fanatic would give their eye teeth to taste individually, let alone altogether.

The wines were as follows:

Rest assured, tasting so many incredible wines was positively gruelling, not in a bad way but in a mentally sapping way. When confronted with so many individually brilliant wines, it is always going to be hard work separating the merely good from the truly great. Among the 19 wines tasted by seven expert tasters, there were four wines from Australia, three from France, one from Germany, one from Italy, two from New Zealand, four from the USA and of course four from South Africa. Wines were generally all rated 97+ from critically acclaimed international reviewers but the range also included two blind hundred pointers from recent releases, namely Giaconda 2021 from Australia and Kistler Laguna Ridge from Sonoma County, USA.

Where the June 2018 Chardonnay Challenge selection failed to include any South African wines, (not for a lack of trying), this tasting featured four stunning wines that performed incredibly well considering the competition. These included a fabulous Kershaw Wines Deconstructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shale CY95 Chardonnay 2018, a Leeu Passant Chardonnay 2020, a Lismore Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2021,  and a Draaiboek Wines Onskuld Chardonnay 2021 from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley made by Stephanie Wiid. On the day, six of the seven tasters certainly did not know what the final line up of wines would be, let alone that it would include four South African wines!

But boy did they perform, with the astonishing final Top 5 line-up including:

1. Littoria BA Theriot 2020, USA

2. Kistler Laguna Ridge 2019 (Magnum), USA

3. Giaconda Beechworth 2021, Aus

4. Leeu Passant 2020, SA

5. Draaiboek Wines Onskuld 2021, SA

Followed by in order of averaged score assessment total:

6. Furst Franconia R 2020, Germany

7. Tolpuddle 2021, Aus

8. Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard 2020, Aus

9. Cullen Kevin John 2021, Aus

10. Ramey Hyde Vineyard 2019, USA

11. Domaine de Montille Puligny Montrachet Les Cailleret 2019, Burgundy

12. Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres 2013, Burgundy

13. Kershaw Decontructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shale CY95 2018, SA

14. Lismore Estate Reserve 2021, SA

15. Kumeu River Mates Vineyard 2020, NZ

16. Gaja Gaia & Rey 2020, Italy

17. Blank Canvas Reed Vineyard Marlborough 2021, NZ

18. Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2019, USA

19. Coche Dury Bourgogne 2013, Burgundy

With the current state of ascendancy of South African wines, it seems obvious that this type of blind judgement tasting is going to be repeated regularly in the years to come. Whether they will all feature this calibre of competition from around the world, is another question altogether. I have it on good authority that assembling this selection alone was a fairly laborious, arduous and long-winded affair. For starters, the Giaconda 100-pointer was flown out from Australia as European stock is only going to be released through the Bordeaux Place and the Kistler Laguna Ridge cuvee was only available in magnum format at great expense. Needless to say, an absolutely phenomenal result for South African Chardonnay!

My personal blind tasting notes and individual Chardonnay Challenge 2023 scores were as follows:

Kistler Laguna Ridge 2019 (Magnum), USA

1. Aromatics of oyster shell, lemon peel and sea breeze, with mineral notes of wet stones. Incredible texture and depth, this coats the mouth with an insistent intensity showing an unctuous length of citrus pastille, vanilla wood spice and lemon oil.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Leeu Passant 2020, SA

2. Taut and fresh, the nose is tight and nervy with crushed rocks, wet stones, lemon peel and dried herbs. Palate is sleek and fresh, energetic, with fresh acids and a tangy, lemon and lime cordial finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Lismore Estate Reserve 2021, SA

3. A more smokey, spicy, herby nose with an underlay of burnt wood embers. Palate is broad and plush, fleshy and glycerol with soft acids, tangy mango and green papaya fruits and a lemon confit finish. Quite an oily style.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kumeu River Mates Vineyard 2020, NZ

4. Quite a stony, mineral flinty nose with a melange of smoky reduction and sweet lemon and herb nuances. Acids are fresh and vibrant, notably tangy with pronounced savoury wood spice length.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Littoria BA Theriot 2020, USA

5. Nose is elegant and cool, even restrained, showing mojito and mint leaf, dried herbs and lime blossom. The acids are laser fresh and tart, adding a fine frame to the cool, lemon and lime peel fruits. Wonderfully integrated oak massages the fruit beautifully. True class.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2019, USA

6. A very exotic nose with fig and tropical nuances, waxy apple peel and lanolin hints. The palate is broad and rich, perhaps a touch ponderous and creamy, quite spicy and mineral with petrichor hints, but lacks a bit of verve and vigour on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Coche Dury Bourgogne 2013, Burgundy

7. Exotic nose with rhubarb and fennel, wet slate and dried herbs. Palate is taut and tart with a sour acidity, lime zest, savoury lemon, and a massive length and intensity.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Cullen Kevin John 2021, Aus

8. A wonderfully fresh, vibrant, lime peel and cordial aromatics, so pure and classical with subtle hints of incense. Palate is fresh, taut and tangy with sweet – sour acids, and a massive lemon & herb fruit length. Beautifully pithy and zesty on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Furst Franconia R 2020, Germany

9. A more savoury aromatics with hints of biscuit, oat meal, dried herbs and wet river stones. Palate is fabulously clean, lean and restrained with a fine crystallinity, smoky minerality, and waxy green apple finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tolpuddle 2021, Aus

10. Deep, wet chalk and struck flint nose with plenty of SO2 floating around with a dusty minerality, vinyl and lemon pith. The reduction follows to the palate with a lemon, apple and vinyl note. Made in a skinny reductive style, this needs more time in bottle.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ramey Hyde Vineyard 2019, USA

11. Taut shy mineral nose, full of star fruit, hints of honeydew melon and a touch of lemon biscuit. Quite fresh and crystalline, with a really freshly pressed blood orange and tangerine juice intensity.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres 2013, Burgundy

12. A complex but exotic nose with hints of oat meal, chalk, chablislesque minerality and green apple. Lovely notes of savoury pear purée, a hint of reduction, taut and sleek, mineral and classical. Spicy and pithy on the long finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Giaconda Beechworth 2021, Aus

13. A notably reductive nose with wet slate, petrichor, apple peel, chalk and apple cordial. Cool, sleek and elegant, this is a wine with precision, poise and focus expressed with intelligent winemaking.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard 2020, Aus

14. Granitic spice, crushed rock, lime peel, green melon, and pistachio macaroons. Clean, intense and pristine with a piquant, pithy limey finish. Such lovely intensity, a sweet – sour palate breadth and a limey saline persistence.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine de Montille Puligny Montrachet Les Cailleret 2019, Burgundy

15. Hints of spicy apple cider, lemon, biscuit, and pear purée aromatics. Palate is soft, cool and fleshy with a crisp but soft integrated acidity, a real elegance and finesse. The palate is smoky, mineral and crystalline, sleek, pure and very fine.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Draaiboek Wines Onskuld 2021, SA

16. Nose shows dusty aromatics, talc, sherbet, lime bon bons, wet stones and sweet baking spices. Palate sings with tart apple, crunchy pear, white citrus and a saline, pithy dry bitter lemon finish. Quite a cerebral wine.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gaja Gaia & Rey 2020, Italy

17. Sweet confected lift with melon, bon bons, rock candy, with apple and pear boiled sweets. Cool, tangy and crystalline with apple cordial and lime juice hints, finishing with a soft, pithy mineral finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kershaw Decontructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shale CY95 2018, SA

18. Sweet pear, hints of flinty reduction, savoury oat meal and buttered white toast. There is a massive intensity, richness and tangy freshness with an incredibly salty maritime finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Blank Canvas Reed Vineyard Marlborough 2021, NZ

19. Big, bold intense punchy aromatics that are shrouded in reductive flinty, smoky, stony notes. The palate reveals a magnificent clarity and precision, with the most seductive salty oyster shell notes of chalk stone and citrus. Beautifully fresh and intense, this wine is young but screams class!

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Silver Oak Winery Previews the Sensational 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in London…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Silver Oak is a much loved iconic family-owned Californian winery dedicated to producing truly premium classical Cabernet Sauvignon. Silver Oak was established in 1972 by Ray Duncan and Justin Meyer and is currently run by Ray’s sons David Duncan and Tim Duncan.

Silver Oak has two wineries, one in Oakville in the centre of Napa Valley and one in Geyserville in the Alexander Valley. The Duncan Family also established Twomey Cellars back in 1999, named after Ray Duncan’s mother, where they produce top notch Pinot Noir, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. Twomey has its own wineries in Calistoga and Healdsburg. In 2017, the Duncan family added yet another boutique winery to the portfolio with the purchase of the Ovid Winery located on Pritchard Hill overlooking Napa Valley and the Silverado Trail.

The Silver Oak fermentation cellar

The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vintage undoubtedly belongs in a top quality echelon reserved for only the finest of the past two decades. It was absent of the challenges that plagued many of the previous years growing seasons ranging from drought to low yields and heatwaves. According to the leading critics, the best wines show balance, poise, freshness and a transparency between vineyard and appellation. To these characteristics I would add weightless fruit intensity, power and concentration that succeeds without obscuring any sense of terroir or place.

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Sonoma County, 14.4% Abv.

The amazing thing about the 2018 Sonoma and Napa Valley 2018 reds is that when you put your nose in a glass, you can almost smell the freshness and vibrant acidity lurking beneath their voluptuous fruit complexity. This beautiful Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception boasting striking high notes of violets, purple blossoms and lilac over rich, dense black berry fruits with a strong vein of blue berry crumble and sweet cherry tobacco. The palate is just as enticing boasting a wonderfully dense core of black berries and black cherry fruit concentration tightly interwoven with notes of graphite, stony minerality, kirsch liquor and black plum extract. With the harmonious density and superb fruit – acid balance comes a certain youthful charm, but undoubtedly, this is another vintage from Silver Oak that merits burying in the cellar because time will definitely reward the patient! A real 5 star stunner! Drink from 2026 and over the next 30+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Napa Valley Vintners Returns to London for a Stream of Premium Wine Events…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

One of the best wine trips I have attended over the years was in 2007 when I was invited to the Master Napa Valley Programme in California soon after I was told that I had passed my Master of Wine. What could have been a very studious, head in the books note-taking trip instead turned into a much more celebratory, enjoyable, fully immersive, heads-up trip where I felt I could really soak up the knowledge and the wonderful wine atmosphere.

Over the years I have revelled in attending numerous superb alumni events in London hosted by Napa Valley Vintners. Finally in June 2022, we saw the return of a whole host of winemakers for the first time post pandemic. The tasting I attended was generously hosted by Pol Roger, who themselves won the superb “Lot 23” at the Premiere Napa Valley Auction.

Rosemary Cakebread presenting her wine Gallica.

The gathering was held at the superb London Michelin Star Restaurant Trinity and in attendance from Napa was Rosemary Cakebread, Diana Snowden-Seysses and Cathy Corison, three of the four doyenne responsible for the blended Premiere Napa Valley Auction Lot 23. Besides this rarity, we got to taste a selection of current releases from these top producers. Californian wine holds a special place in my affections and this was certainly a memorable return to London for the NVV.

Corison Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, St. Helena, Napa Valley, 13.8% Abv.

Fabulous dark and opaque, the aromatics are picante and spicy with notes of saline black currant, dried kelp, iodine, sandalwood, dried tobacco leaf and cedar spice. But for all it’s power packed in the glass, it’s also wonderfully elegant and textural with velvety tannins, creamy layers of cassis and hoisin plum sauce and vibrant nuances of tart black cherry. Persistent and focused, this is a beautiful wine from a near perfect vintage.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Lis Ricos Vineyard 2017, Napa Valley, 13.2% Abv.

Dark broody aromatics with a distinct savoury, earthy note over layers of sweet black plum, plum sauce and stewed winter back berries that melts into black liquorice and sweet tobacco. The palate is plush and soft textured with a creamy, polished elegance, ripe tannins but also a glassy acidity that fames the wine before finishing with a graphite laden finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gallica Cabernet Franc 2017, Oakville, Napa Valley, 14.2% Abv.

This elegant red shows a delicately savoury yet perfumed aromatics boasting red and black berry fruits and hints of exotic blueberry interwoven with nuances of sweet cedar, graphite and freshly tilled earth. The palate shows incredible finesse and vibrancy with sleek silky tannins, a delicious black fruited purity and a textural pinpoint focus. Very impressive.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Premiere Napa Valley Blend 2019 Lot 23 was purchased buy Pol Roger UK and is currently available in tiny quantities. All proceeds for the auction go to the Napa Valley Vintners’ sponsored charities.

Napa Valley’s Icon Estate Diamond Creek Release their New 2019 Trio of Reds…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Diamond Creek produces Single-Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons from their unique terroirs on Napa Valley’s Diamond Mountain. Produced with 100% estate-grown fruit, Gravelly Meadow, Red Rock Terrace and Volcanic Hill each express their geologically diverse micro sites whilst creating wonderfully complex and long-lived wines.

The 2019 vintage had a smaller crop than 2018 allowing the wines to perhaps show a little more concentration and depth from the lower resulting yields. The 2019 wines were still made and blended by previous owner Phil Ross but finished off and bottled by current winemaker Graham Wehmeier working under the new ownership.

Zoom tasting with winemaker Graham Wehmeier

The 2019 growing season offered excellent conditions with parallels in quality to the 2018 vintage with one exception – lower than expected yields. 2019 was also the first fully organic vintage for the estate. In 2018, the estate harvested 50 tons of grapes and in 2019, only 40 tons. A mild, wet spring led into a long summer of steady ripening. 2019 saw long hang times and a steady increase in phenolic ripeness. Selective hand picking began in early October followed by careful sorting and winemaking.

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow 2019, Napa Valley, 14.6% Abv.

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Gravelly sandy based soils with the lowest yields shows a fabulously deep black opaque black cherry colour and seductive aromatics of sweet black berry, black currant, melted liquorice, crushed basalt, graphite and a pinch of sweet cinnamon oak spice.

On the palate, the impressive fruit concentration and depth is matched by stony, grippy mineral tannins, lashings of more salty black liquorice, blueberry spice and a rich vein of black currant and caramel cream intensity. A wine with lovely focused power, a sympathetic harmony, textural symmetry and plenty of generosity. Just Awesome.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace 2019, Napa Valley, 14.5% Abv.

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Red iron soils yield a rich, opulent expressive nose of blueberry, red plum, mulberry, cassis, salty red liquorice and subtle iron filing wafts. There is a brighter, more fragrant red fruited feel to the steeply terraced fruit which naturally receives less direct sunlight.

The palate too is a picture of elegance and restraint with cool elegant layers of spicy red and black berry fruits, spicy red plum, hints of graphite, crème brûlée and buttered brown toast smothered in red currant jam. The tannins are subtly drying and sophisticated but lifted up by a wonderfully fresh frame of vivacious acids. Another beautiful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill 2019, Napa Valley, 14.5% Abv.

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot.

This south-facing hillside terraced vineyard with its grey ashy volcanic sandy soils yields another big, bold expression with a suitably dark black opaque colour. But there is nothing broody about the wine’s aromatics that burst out the glass with notes of gingerbread, saline black currant, melted tar, stewed black cherries, camphor and hints of graphite.

The palate is focused and powerful with a big concentration of creamy black and blue berry fruits, very fine grained, stern, mineral graphite tannins and an incredibly compact, precise yet generous mouthfeel. Lovely balance and seductive power. A real WOW wine!

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ridge Monte Bello 2018 – Tasting One of the Most Highly Anticipated En-primeur Releases of the Year…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

One of my favourite wine producers at anytime of the year let alone around Christmas time has got to be Ridge Vineyards. Is there a more Christmassy wine to match roast turkey and cranberry sauce than a fabulous vintage of Lytton Springs or Geyserville Zinfandel? But for me it has got to be their Monte Bello red blend and Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon that register as two of the most expressive fine wines produced anywhere in the world.

The latest Ridge releases are always highly anticipated and recently I tasted their Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 and also their benchmark Monte Bello red blend 2018. Only 75% of the components made the final blend for Monte Bello. Chatting to Eric Baugher in London, the 2012-2016 vintages were hot and dry, while 2017 was more hot and wet to start before reverting back to a hot and dry summer, with fruit harvested late August.

Tasting with Ridge’s Eric Baugher in London.

The 2018 growing season was marked by unusually erratic and unpredictable swings in temperature and rainfall. The 2018 vintage was back to drought conditions in December – January, usually the coldest and wettest months of winter, with some storms in March with massive rain bringing some relief. Some showers in the Monte Bello vineyard during bloom (mid-May) definitely resulted in reduced yields. The final run up to harvest was mild, not too hot or cold but water stress did finally kick in towards end of August as harvest beckoned, as a result of the dry winter conditions.

Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Santa Cruz Mountains, 13.8 Abv.

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc blend. This 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon displays a very harmonious, integrated aromatic profile already with subtle notes of violets, lavender and white blossom supported by blueberry and black currant fruits, vanilla pod spice and pretty, complexing spice finery of cinnamon stick, tobacco leaf, and dried mint. The palate shows weight and gravitas, a broad fleshy texture twinned with vibrantly fresh acids and dry, powder fine tannins. Already so elegant and balanced but certainly plenty of extra horsepower waiting to exert itself. Give this wine a couple more years in the cellar and start popping corks from 2022+ onwards.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2018, Santa Cruz Mountains (Barrel Sample Blend)

The Monte Bello site of Ridge Vineyards lies 2600 feet above sea level in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The 2018 is an indicative blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Young and plush, the attractive nose is understandably dense and dark fruited with a noticeable vail of brûléed oak spice, buttered brown toast and vanilla pod espresso nuances. But scratch the veneer and there are ample fruit notes of black currant, earthy cassis, black bramble berry dusted with toasted coffee bean spice. On the palate the flavours are more integrated and tight knit with a real freshness of acidity bolstering black berries, black cherry and a crunchy blue berry vitality. Sleek and mouth-fillingly textural but also quite a bit more serious than the Cabernet Sauvignon (blend) with additional multi-dimensional layers of leafy sap, graphite and a pulsating muscular mineral tannin core. An enthralling, captivating wine that carries off a very well rehearsed act of fine wine seduction.

(Wine Safari Score: 97-98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The 2018 Ridge Monte Bello is scheduled for physical release in the Autumn of 2021 but is being offered for sale En-primeur now from fine wine merchants.

Premium Napa Valley Estate Diamond Creek Release Another Iconic Trio of Wines in 2017…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Owner Phil Ross stands at the helm of this iconic estate being only the second generation to run this winery in its 52 year history. As Napa’s foremost Cabernet estate, Diamond Creek continues to produce wines of heroic character and definition, whose promise with age is simply breath-taking. The three single vineyards – Volcanic Hill, Gravelly Meadow and Red Rock Terrace – are revered by connoisseurs the world over. 

These three, distinctly different vineyards are tucked away in a cavernous hillside surrounded by thick forest on secluded Diamond Mountain. It really is a remarkable place. Even more remarkable considering the visionary Al Brounstein had no idea what lay beneath the dense woodland when he happened to make room for vines in the late 1960s. Al famously borrowed tractors from Robert Mondavi and the Heitz family to prepare the virgin soil vineyards only to reveal three distinct terroir soils. So he decided he couldn’t blend them together like many encouraged him to do at the time. The original vineyards were planted in 1968 and 1972 with some additional plantings in 1995.

Diamond Creek produces on average 24,000 bottles per year or around 6,000 bottles per vineyard with 15 permanent employees working in the vineyards and cellar. 1971 was the first vintage but 1972 is considered the first official, commercial vintage release.

We have all heard about the famous 60 Minutes US news TV show that documented the “French Paradox” – one of the pivotal moments in Californian wine history and one of two events that Phil Ross states as being an absolute game changer for Diamond Creek and its sales. The other was of course The Judgement of Paris in 1976, though regrettably, Steven Spurrier did not ask Diamond Creek to submit a wine.

Phil Ross considers 2017 another great vintage in a similar mould to the epic 2016 as the drought was over with beneficial spring weather. There were some unfortunate fires at the end of the season but luckily 95% of Diamond Creek and their Napa neighbours had already finished harvesting. Quality at Diamond Creek is considered to be very good.

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace 2017, 14.5 Abv.

Fabulous hallmark elegance and opulence with defined notes of blueberry and liquorice tinged with black currant, saline creme de cassis and a hedonistic, youthful kiss of salted caramel vanilla pod spice. Palate is supremely elegant with saline, intense, piquant notes of red berry confit reduction, blueberry spice, tart crunchy acids and a super intense, long graphite laced finish. Elegance and power, precision and purity. Fantastic!

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow 2017, 14.5 Abv.

The Gravelly Meadow is altogether darker and more broody with pronounced notes of crushed granite, black cherry, blueberry spice, violets and cherry blossom. The palate follows with creamy, gravelly, stony piquant black berry fruits, cherry stone, graphite, salted caramel and drying, suave mineral tannins. Broader, denser and more four-square, this is much more masculine in frame and texture and noticeably more broody, restrained and mineral in a more Paulliac / St Estephe style.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill 2017, 14.5 Abv

A massive wine that eats up the 100% new French oak but still reveals fabulously intense perfumed aromas of black cherry, kirsch liquor, blueberry reduction, creme de cassis and subtle notes of musk, violets and purple flowers. So fabulous expressive and complex already, showing a palate of incredible generosity, sweet blue and black fruited concentration framed by intense, sweet tannins dusted with nuances of blueberry jam on brown toast and vanilla pod sweet spice. Fantastic power, plush concentration and genuinely impressive depth and breadth! Wow, such a complete wine!

(Wine Safari Score: 98+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Christian Moueix and the Dominus Estate Release One of Napa Valley’s Most Iconic 2016 Wines…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

It all started in the late 1960s, while studying at the university of California at Davis, Christian Moueix discovered his love for the Napa Valley and its expressive wines. In 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook Vineyard, a 42 hectare site which provided fruit for some of the finest Napa wines from the 1940s and 1950s. In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership to develop the vineyard and in 1995, became its sole owner.

In the 2016 growing season, rainy days were spread out evenly over the course of a warmer than average winter. November 2015 to March 2016 saw 31.2 inches total rainfall (78cm). With soil water reserves full, the vines grew quickly with dense canopies. Flowering (9th May) and veraison (21st July) unfolded in warm and dry conditions and one heat spike of 39°C was recorded on 26th July. Ripening slowed down in August because of cooler temperatures and late morning fog. Leaf plucking and higher temperatures in September helped the fruit to ripen consistently.

I last visited California in March 2017 and already then the excitement surrounding the 2016 vintage was palpable. Another drought vintage that yielded exceptional quality with power and balance. Along with other iconic Napa producers like Ridge, Diamond Creek, Spottswoode and Stags Leap Winery, the Dominus Estate forms a powerful cornerstone of a small sought after group of more classically orientated producers who’s final outlook and philosophy always tips a hat to the old world and Bordeaux in particular.

Dominos Napanook Proprietary Red 2016, Napa Valley

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc. Exotically spicy nose with layers of cherry spice, cinnamon, sweet cedar, blueberry and green peppercorn spice with a faint touch of orange liquor. Palate shows opulent fleshy weight, loose knit saline acids and a piquant, spicy, bramble berry finish. Plenty of intensity and power with accessible opulence. Drink now to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

 

Dominus Proprietary Red 2016, Napa Valley

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc. This is the 33rd vintage of Dominus. Deep dark beauty packed full of graphite spice, minerality, spicy black berry and sappy black plum intensity. Plush, creamy and textural, this shows plenty of regal sweet tannin focus with fine grained grip and a long blueberry and bramble berry confit finish. This fine vintage trades on massive concentration, opulent weight and a tight classical gravelly mineral finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek’s New 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Releases On Fire Yet Again…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Al Brounstein created Diamond Creek in 1968 with his purchase of 31 hectares in the Diamond Creek canyon. It’s a good thing the land was bought by Al because the previous owner at the time was considering turning the entire site into another golf course.

Now one of Napa’s foremost Cabernet Sauvignon focused estates, Diamond Creek continues to produce wines of exceptional character and definition and whose promise with age is simply breath-taking. The three single vineyards – Volcanic Hill, Gravelly Meadow and Red Rock Terrace – are simply revered by connoisseurs the world over. 

These three distinctly different vineyards are tucked away in a sprawling hillside canyon surrounded by dense forest on the secluded Diamond Mountain. It really is a remarkable place. Even more remarkable considering that the visionary Al Brounstein had no idea what lay beneath the dense woodland when he happened to make room for vines in the late 1960s.

Tasting in London with Diamond Creek’s Phil Ross.

According to Phil Ross, the 2016 wines resemble the 2013 reds with a normal Spring then a warm June / July leading to a cooler August and September with fruit picked in nearly October, which is normal for Diamond Creek, but late for Napa Valley. The results as usual are exceptional.

Diamond Creek Red rock Terrace 2016, Napa Valley, 14.5

Red iron soils yield a rich, opulent expressive nose of blueberry, black plum, mulberry, cassis and salty black liquorice. There are also lovely exotic top notes of cinnamon and clove and vanilla wood spice. Super suave and opulent, the texture is velvety and elegant as usual for this vineyard with impressive finesse and delicacy. Flavours are seamless, focused and oh so pure, finishing with a very long, cassis and blueberry pie concentration.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow 2016, Napa Valley, 14.5 Abv.

Gravelly sandy based soils with the lowest yields. Shows the intensity and focus of black cassis fruit and dark blueberry fruits but with a pronounced chassis of dusty graphite and crushed gravel minerality complimented by vanilla wood spice and cherry kirsch liquor notes. Beautifully polished, seamless structure with very fine grained powdery dry tannins adding persistence and shape and a fine frame on which the concentrated blue and black berry fruits can coat and caress. More mid palate weight and tension than Red Rock Terrace and a touch more muscle, power and depth. Very impressive release.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill 2016, Napa Valley, 14.5 Abv.

Grown on course ashy volcanic sandy soils, this wine is big, bold and processes tremendous power with dense, plush, opulent grandeur loaded with lashings of blue and black berry fruit, black cherry kirsch, caramelised black currants and sweet salty black liquorice. Less perfumed fragrance and aromatic nuances than the other two cuvees, but on the palate, this is wine impressively full and textured, fleshy and broad with hints of stewed plum, sun dried black cherries, caramelised black currants and the sweetest, plushest, round powdery tannins. Delicious.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – The Long Awaited Iconic 2013 Vintage is Finally Released…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

A legendary wine from an iconic wine region, the long awaited Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 was released in February 2018. The Napa Valley AVA saw just 50.8cm of rain during the winter months leading up to the 2013 growing season; any meaningful precipitation ceased in December of 2012. The lack of rain and a relatively warm spring led to an early start to the growing season. Summer was remarkably mild. During critical ripening, air temperatures remained stable, creating a long, slow harvest.

The seasonal trifecta of moderate temperatures, low soil moisture and little precipitation led to a vintage that will be remembered for its structured and concentrated wines. Harvest started on September 2nd and on October 4th the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon was arriving at the winery.

The 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It was blended in early 2014 and aged for 24 months in 85% new American oak and 15% one-passage American oak barrels from Silver Oak’s own Missouri cooperage, The Oak. Early blending assured a balanced core and allowed all components to achieve greater harmony during barrel aging. It was then aged for an additional 20 months in bottle before being released in February of 2018.

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley, California, 13.5 Abv.

Wonderfully dense, opulent and masculine. Where the Alexander Valley 2013 is more pretty… beauty personified, the Napa is a gladiator, full of muscle, density, broody black fruits and then a fine dollop of intrigue. All the classical components are there, dusty cassis, liquid graphite, violets, salty Victoria plums and an alluring cedary wood spice note. On the palate the black fruits melt into a dense melange of black berry confit, taut salty liquorice, graphite, cassis, blueberry pastille and muscular, intense, liquid minerality. The road map of this wine is clear. One can see exactly where this wine is going, an understanding that is integral to the impressive rating of this epic Napa release. Will it appeal fully to customers looking to drink it right now? No, maybe less so. But for pure pedigree, power, opulence and intensity, this wine is nearly unsurpassed. Buy it now and cellar it. It will never ever disappoint such is the long term track record of Silver Oak. This wine offers guaranteed drinking pleasure over 30 to 40+ years if cellared optimally.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The New Dominus Proprietary Red Unveiled in London at the Annual J.P.Moueix Portfolio Tasting…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

One of the added benefits of attending the annual tasting of all the J.P.Moueix Bordeaux En-primeur samples is the opportunity to also get a UK pre-release sneak peek of their finished bottled Californian wines including Othelo, Napanook and their iconic Dominus.

With such strong US home market demand, allocation quantities through Corney & Barrow, the official UK agent for J.P.Moueix and Dominus, have continued to shrink over the past few years as Robert Parker Jr. has dished out 100 point perfect scores to multiple vintages.

Edouard Moueix presenting the family’s Bordeaux and Californian wines in London at private members club Home House.

2015 represents another block buster vintage which also garnered 100 points from Mr Parker, both when tasted in barrel and again in bottle. However, the Dominus proprietary red while always being a big, dense, powerful wine on release also has an incredible propensity to age, evolving into a classical Bordeaux blend expression that often takes your breath away with its sublime mature beauty and balance. The same can certainly not be said for a number of big glossy Napa reds out in the market place.

UK release scheduled for September 2018.

Dominus Proprietary Red 2015, Napa Valley, 14.5 Abv.

A dense dark imposing colour, the 2015 grand vin was bottled in July 2017 and is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The aromatics show a pronounced Cabernet Sauvignon character, packed full of sweet dark earthy cassis fruit, black plum, bramble berry and topped with perfumed notes of lavender, violets, black chocolate and cedar spice. The palate is dense and fleshy, overtly opulent and textural as is to be expected. Very glycerol and broad, there are piquant layers of sweet black currant, brûléed black cherries and spicy graphite tannins that are plush and sweet. A big voluptuous wine that captures your attention and holds it with a certain flashy accessibility not seen in too many young Dominus vintages. But as always, this is the real deal and another seriously fine wine from the Moueix stable that is sure to age very well. Drink from 2020 to 2048+

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)