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Palmaz winery in Napa Valley – video

Palmaz winery is a family owned estate equipped with modern winemaking facilities in Napa Valley, California. Set in the midst of the sprawling property dwells their mostly underground cellar, where the highly regarded wines are made. Gravity winemaking is signature to Palmaz winery’s natural approach to wine. Must see is the impressive collection of antique cars, unprecedented even in the exuberant Napa Valley, that makes the visit entertaining for the entire family. While kids admire the centenary vehicles, you can indulge and sip on their exquisite range of white and red wines.

When in the Napa Valley, I interviewed the owners of these four outstanding family vineyards: Gargiulo, Martin Estate, Quixote and Palmaz.

Failla: soaring above the California Coast from a winery in Napa

Failla is a family business that manifests itself in the home-like interior of the tasting room cum lounge. A husband and wife teamed together to create Failla, gentlemanly named after Anne-Marie Failla, the wife of the winemaker Ehren Jordan.

The winemaker Ehren Jordan had an intriguing path to winemaking. Without any degree in oenology, his experiences from being a wine salesman, wine waiter in the posh Aspen, tourist guide at the Phelps winery, and later under the helm of the French oenologist Jean-Luc Columbo working at the Cornas vineyards in the Rhône valley, all formed his aptitude to holistic approach to wine making.
After his Euro trip Jordan returned to California and worked for the celebrated Marcassin winery (their wines have a wild boar on their labels). Their vineyards on the Sonoma Coast with the steep hillsides are similar to those of Cornas. He made a great job there and recognizing the wine-producing potential of the then little known Sonoma Coast, he bought a parcel with only five plantable acres that later became Failla’s Estate Vineyard. The area has a distinct cool climate (elevation minimum 1000 feet), and peaks just above the foggy layer typical for the North coast of California, so the three varietals planted there – Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – can thrive. It has been farmed organically since the beginning.
Until today the winemaker imprints his European elegance-seeking skills into his wines. As Robert M. Parker (the famous American wine critic) observed, he creates “European-inspired wines, that combine flavor, intensity and elegance.” Today, Jordan makes a Rhône-style Syrah, a Burgundy-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Flying winemaker soaring above the coasts

Ehren loves to fly. No wonder he pursued this quite rare hobby. He has been sourcing Pinots from the Keefer Ranch, Occidental Ridge, Hirsch Vineyard and Peay Vineyards on the Sonoma Coast as well as from Willamette Valley in Oregon. Since the 2005 vintage from Rancho Santa Rosa in the Santa Rita Hills North of Santa Barbara, and finally since 2006 Appian Way Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. The Chardonnay comes from the Phoenix Ranch and Hudson Vineyard in Napa Valley, Monument Tree from Anderson Valley as well as from the Keefer Ranch in Russian River Valley. The Syrah, some Chardonnay and Pinot is planted at the above mentioned Estate Vineyard in Sonoma Coast. He also makes a little bit of Viognier from Alban Vineyard in Edna Valley. He covers so many parts of California (he abandoned the project in Oregon), that he has to commute constantly between these vineyards if he wants to keep quality in check. Flying his own little plane makes sourcing grapes from all these diverse areas possible.

The Failla wines

Failla is not producing millions of bottles, it is more a boutique winery making between 70 – 700 cases (approximately) a year of each wine, depending on the vintage conditions.
Failla Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard 2010 has a buttery nose given by malolactic fermentation of a more aggressive malic acid into a creamier lactic acid (you find in sour milk products, fruits and vegetables). It is a medium bodied wine with a good dose of acidity balancing the level of alcohol (14.1%), so you do not feel it on the palate. Sweet spices like cloves add depth and roundness, exotic touch of ripe bananas enhance the sweet sensation on your tongue, but a long salty finish refreshes your mouth, ready for the next sip.
Failla Syrah Hudson Vineyard 2010 Napa Valley: plump and juicy in the mouth, gamey and meaty on the nose, this Syrah has it all and it is by far not shy. Its expressive rich body shows ripe blackberry and currants, masculine character of game and crisp acidity that enlivens the wine and racy tannins on the backbone. Have it with meat or seared mushrooms.
Failla Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard 2010 Sonoma Coast: lush fruit, black berries, like the Marcassin Pinot, plus a rhubarb spiced up with anise and white pepper. A lovely balance and acidity that is refreshing and rounding up tannins that are rather steel cut than big and rough. Long spicy finish with lingering black fruit ensures that will not stop after one glass, craving more of this easy-going fruity sensation. (Littorai also makes great Pinot from the Hirsch Vineyard)
These wines are absolutely worth trying. The Marcassin Pinot lovers will appreciate the Failla wines tremendously.
3530 Silverado trail, N.; St. Helena; California; CA 94574
+1 707 963 0530
Tours and tastings available by appointment only.

Viader: winemaker, doctor and a courageous mother of four in the helm of Napa winery

The Viader winery and its surrounding vineyards occupy perhaps the most beautiful location in the entire Napa Valley area. Just peak at the picture bellow, where embroidered by the vine groves this lake paradise in the valley comes to life. As one settles at the winery’s terrace overlooking the Howell Mountain estate vineyards it gets under your skin and beyond your imagination. Let the enchantment by the wonderful scenery that spreads in front of you like a sun-dusted blanket on a freshly grown grass settle you into its cushion on the bed of a vast meadow.

WINEMAKER AND PROPRIETOR

You do not come to Viader only for the looks though. Delia Viader, the owner and winemaker, knows very well that wine is not only about the land the grapes grow in, but also about the personalities involved with the vineyard and the entire complex process of winemaking. Many people, who know her would say that she is a bit over-educated for a winemaker. Delia holds a doctorate in philosophy from Sorbonne in Paris and pursued numerous business courses in the USA. Her passion for fine wine lead her to study also Enology and Viticulture at University of California Davis. With all these degrees you might think that her wine must be highly sophisticated. Indeed, as my tasting experience proved, the wines she makes are intriguing and very well made.

Greeted by a friendly dalmatian dog just as we exited the bunker-like door leading from the winery to the vineyards we felt welcome. Moreover, Delia’s Argentine roots manifest themselves in her friendly and positively tuned manner, and that puts you into the right mood for the wine tasting.

Viader winery WINES

The wines were all intense, sufficiently concentrated, but elegant and not too chewy as some old-fashioned California Cabernets tend to be. There are eight wines produced under the Viader label:
Viader Proprietary Cabernet Blend, the signature wine. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc known under a nickname “Liquid Cashmere”. It is a succulent, fruit-driven wine with a long ageing potential. The Cabernet Franc adds violet flower aroma and royal elegance.

“V” is a Petit Verdot dominated blend, balanced by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It is a powerful wine. Petit Verdot is a very tannic grape, but it needs some acidity to achieve longer ageing potential, the Cabs add complexity as well as the desired acidity and harmonise the strong Petit Verdot. This was my favourite wine from the range we tasted.
VIADER Syrah is a blend of two clones of Syrah – the Australian Shiraz from Barossa Valley and French from the Rhone Valley. Here the spices of the Australian clone mingle with the elegance and distinct Rhone Syrah aroma.
VIADER Black Label is a limited edition of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec. This wine was born as an initiative taken by Alan Viader, who spent one harvest in Argentina where he got inspired to grow the Mendoza‘s famous varietal here on the family estate at Howell Mountain. We have not tried this wine since this is a limited edition released in very small amounts.

DARE is a single varietal line of the following grapes under three different labels: Cabernet Sauvignon; Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo.
DARE Cabernet Sauvignon is a “classic mountain cab”. It is a complex single variety wine with aromas of black cherry, dark currant, tobacco and cedar. There is a slight caramel flavour from the oak ageing. This wine should be drink young, within five years.
DARE Cabernet Franc had also acquired some sweet spices from barrel ageing with vanilla, sweet caramel and tobacco leading the suite. The fruits contributed with scents of black currant, liquorice and cocoa to create a palate-awakening wine.
DARE Tempranillo as a “latin spice” brings this Spanish varietal to life at the Howell Mountain vineyard. It is charming with floral notes, refreshing minerality and earthy feel, while showing quality-driven wine as it has a great fruit concentration.
DARE Rosé is made by the Southern French method of “bleeding grapes” (saigné method) of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. The pink juice from the macerating must is removed at an early stage just to leave more colour, aromas and tannins. We have not tried this rosé.
Visit Viader and unwind during the hot summer or ideally during one of the cosy warm autumn days. In both seasons there are trees protecting you from the heat as well as open spaces facing the valley so you can savour the last powerful sun rays of the year.
1120 Deer Park Road, Deer Park, CA 94576
Daily from March through October – 10am – 4:30pm (during the winter months only on Sundays).
Cante Swearingen; Director of Hospitality cante@viader.com

Melka: building a modern winery in Napa

How one gets there (new winery above) from here (piece of untamed land below)?

Philippe and Cherie Melka have perhaps the most challenging work in their entire career in the wine business ahead of them. Building a winery from scratch is more complex than building a house. One has to consider a number of factors such as visitors room, storage, cellar, cooling system, special permits in protected areas (which often wine regions are) and above all the location itself as it is more advantageous to have the winery as close to all vineyards as possible to avoid unnecessary manipulation with the picked grapes.
The success of the construction will influence the future success of the wines produced under the Melka name here in Napa.
Their wines are a huge asset for them already, but they have been made so far at other wineries where Philippe Melka has been consulting.
Philippe lived during his childhood and teenage years in Bordeaux, France, where he earned a geology degree from the University of Bordeaux. In the last year of his studies he took a wine course out of curiosity and that has changed his life completely leading him to work at the legendary Chateau Haut Brion as well as Chateau Petrus between others.

Melka’s philosophy

Soil and its influence on quality of grapes and later wines became his primary quest and he travelled the world to learn more about this intriguing relationship. Melka was so fascinated by the potential and diversity of soils in Napa Valley that he decided to stay there to consult for a number of wineries. After a couple of years he and his wife Cherie (a well-known microbiologist in Napa) gave birth to their own brand the Melka Wines. Recently he was recognised by Robert Parker as one of the top wine consultants in the world and that was a huge game changer for him as well as for his brand.
I wish their new winery in Napa will be built soon and serve them well to create such magnificent terroir-driven wines as he has been making so far.

Melka Wines

Their main high-end line is called Métisse, which is a French word meaning “a blend of cultures”. Philippe is French (with Moroccan roots) and his wife American so their winemaking represents “a blend of cultures”. Recently its label got a modern colourful revamp.

There are three wines under the Métisse label, each coming from a different vineyard:

The Jumping Goat Vineyard – is a small vineyard owned by Jim and Stephanie Gamble and located in the heart of St. Helena in Napa Valley.

I have tasted the 2009 vintage which is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Only 400 cases of this wine have been produced for a retail price US$155.00. It was balanced, elegant, with tones of cassis and dark cherry, complemented by a smoky touch of cigar box. With such an intense and lingering finish you will not forget this wine soon.

La Mekkera Vineyard – is located in Knights Valley. Only 200 cases are made for US$125.00 retail price.

In 2008 vintage a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc has enchanted my palate the most from all the Melka wines I have tasted now in 2012. Smelling it in the glass was just a teasing start. It revealed the aromas of black tea, dark chocolate, plums, dried flowers and a scent of kirsch. The volcanic soil in the winery influenced the smoky black tea character (Pur-eh) on the palate, enhanced with exotic flavours of dried flowers, this was a very soft and balanced pleasure for my taste buds.
Moving from Napa to Bordeaux, Philippe makes wine in St. Emilion under his Métisse label as well.

LE CHÂTELET VINEYARD is a ST. EMILION GRAND CRU blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc.

It is the smallest production for Melka with 120 cases made in 2009. Licorice and fennel vegetal character is underlined by a rocky strength and richness of cherry marmalade. The tannins were still too young so I would drink this wine in a couple of years from now. It has a life span of more than 25 years so no worries it would die any time soon.

CJ is an acronym for Philippe’s and Cherrie’s two children, Chloe and Jeremy.

It is a wine meant to be enjoyed young. It is a good value for money (US$52.00) compared to the more expensive Métisse line. It is a Napa Valley blend that changes every year depending on the wine makers decision.
The 2010 vintage was intensely fruity with sweet cassis, cherry, and refreshing spices on the palate. Too lush and rich for me though.

Press in Napa Valley

Chef: Some people discover and follow their passions throughout their entire life. Stephen Rogers, the chef at Press as well as a former classical pianist and vocal coach, is surely one of them. Moving from music to food was more like a switch from one sensual pleasure to another. From beauty of sound to celebration of taste with food, the chef seems to follow his heart. Judging from the delicious food I had at Press, he brings his heart to the plate.
Atmosphere: Vibrant,cosy and unpretentious. Set in a vineyard while just next to the St Helena highway its location is both authentic and convenient. Entering in you pass a long walnut bar where you can savour a cocktail or a glass of wine before and after dinner (or lunch). The large dining room feels so spacious not only because of its size, but also the high ceiling built like stable roof. It is cosy though with large fire places and outside dining area, the place feels quite romantic. Walk to the back and you can watch the busy kitchen staff cooking vigorously. The Press is a popular place for the winery owners and locals with penchant for great meat, seafood and wine, so clothing is not as important. Nevertheless, if you dress smart-casual then you will feel that the evening is perhaps more special.

Food: It is all about tasty fresh food and wine. The Press has one of the best local wine cellars in Napa Valley. No wonder, when its owner is the current Dean and DeLuca proprietor Leslie Rudd, the penchant for great food and wine must display itself in his restaurant. The freshest seasonal ingredients, mostly locally sourced and cooked to satisfy high-profile taste

Start with a crab cake here as it is more than that. The Maine lobster and crab cake served with avocado emulsion on the side is stuffed with high quality seafood. There are no potatoes or any cheep fill-ups as in many versions of this Americanized Asian dish. It is rich, tasty, surprisingly refreshing and so Californian with avocado and sprouts accompanying the cake. With a glass of an aromatic and rich white wine, such as Sonoma Chardonnay, this is really tasty start.
If you prefer something lighter, then opt for the Butter lettuce salad with fine herbs and mustard vinaigrette. It seems simple, but the ingredients are so fresh and of high quality that you will love it. It is ideal before a steak or other meat main course as it leaves some space for all the animal stuff.
The steak at Press is delicious and many diners come here just for it. The Prime beef, including Rib-eye, is sourced from legendary Bay Area butcher Brian Flannery. Prepared at wood-fired grill the Dry-aged rib eye USDA Prime shows off its potential. The meat is full of flavour and cooked just right so some juice moistens the dry meat.

You can eat the steak just like that served with yellow corns and some greens or level the dining experience up with one of the Press’s seductive sides.
Go for either the Crispy onion rings, Creamed spinach, Truffle mac and cheese or the Roasted Maitake mushrooms as they are all excellent.

In a fish mood? The choice is interesting at Press so no disappointments here. I went for a Grilled Walu fish which I have never seen before and after being assured by the waiter that it is really good, I did not hesitate to make the dinner my first tasty encounter with walu. The Grilled Walu is served with California inspired cranberry bean, fresh garbanzo, yellow wax bean, tomato and garden basil. Such a bean and veggie party with a flaky and moist fish calls for a glass of white or even an older red wine from Napa. The 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon from Heitz Cellars was surprisingly good with it. I think the texture and depth of the beans made this pairing possible.
The bird-eating fans can go for one of the poultry mains. We had a lady chef, who relishes squab, dining with us. Naturally, she went for the Grilled Bandera Quail since it was the closest to her favourite food. Served on French lentils, Lacinato kale, Nueske bacon together with fresh and juicy figs it looked super-complex, but apparently it was delicious as the chef appreciated it a lot.

The food is delicious at the Press but I would advise to leave some space for desserts. The signature Scharffen Berger 70% chocolate soufflé with a jug of creme Anglaise and vanilla ice cream on the side is addictive. The chocolate-loving part of humanity will be surely enchanted by this soufflé. It is dense yet soft, balanced yet deep and can be customized to your taste by adding more of the liquid cream inside the hot soufflé or dipping your spoon into the vanilla ice cream with the chocolate.
The Press has also delicious homemade ice creams and sorbets and British sweet delight of Strawberry shortcake with rhubarb compote and Swanton organic strawberries.
Drinks: From classic cocktails to bar tenders own creations, you can have fun with drinks at the Press. I am a wine fanatic so I went straight to the cellar. The cellar of the restaurant is unique. It is rare to find old vintages of wines from Napa Valley, but this cellar is exemplar of this rarity. You can find over a century old wines here. You can be celebrating a special occasion as we did, but you do not need to since the prices are mostly quite reasonable. Go for a 1980s or 1960s vintages of top Bordeaux and expect to pay a fortune, but not with Napa. A bottle of wine from that period can cost you around US$150 and it still rewards with pleasures of a mature wine.

Starting with a bottle of white Chardonnay from Stony Hill 1989 vintage, I was assured that the local whites can age well. Not sure if all, but some for sure. It had a nutty almost oxidised taste, still good acidity and long aftertaste.
Moving to reds with a 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon from the legendary Heitz Cellars I was impressed how well the wine held itself. The Cab was soft with woody touch of a cigar box. The oldest bottle we tried that night was a 1966 Zinfandel from another legend in Napa’s wine production – the Martini winery. Zinfandel used to rule in Napa, but in the past 20 years it was not as fashionable as the local producers would wish so they planted more of Cab and Merlot instead. What a shame though as this grape is showing very well in this location. From 1966 with only 12% of alcohol this Zinfandel was still alive. It is interesting to drink anything under 14% of alcohol from California these days and with this Zinfandel you can taste that the alcohol does not need to be high in order for the wine to age well. The has reached its peaked though and I would not see enjoying it much in two years from now. Despite that fact, I appreciated it now in 2012. It had almost a bourbon aroma and subtle woodiness that makes it an interesting companion with a cigar. The acidity and tannins were declining but still held the body straight up with only a mild repository of fruit. A very unique and educational wine tasting, for sure, so be ready to go for something older at the Press and do not waste this opportunity to taste local history.
Cuisine: Modern American.
Visit: October 2012
Price: High (starters between $10-$20, mains in the $20-4$0 sphere).
Opening hours:Dinner from Wednesday – Monday: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
Address: 587 Saint Helena Highway, Saint Helena, CA 94574, USA
Contact: +(1) 707 967-0550

Gargiulo Vineyards: country music meets the vinous bounty of Napa Valley

Wine and music, equals the perfect couple. At least according to the passionate country musician and proprietor of Gargiulo vineyards, Jeff Gargiulo. His family’s Italian roots manifested themselves in their successful tomato plantations in America, and now also in this beautiful California vineyard set in the exclusive Oakville neighbourhood of the cult winery, Screaming Eagle. The Pinot Grigio is crisp and fresh as its Italian model, the Merlot ages into a velvety smooth beauty, the Cabernets show restrained muscles in European rather than the typical Napa style, and the Sangiovese is the best we had outside its native land in Tuscany. After our interview, Jeff Gargiulo played some of his favourite rhythms on his guitar and shared a song with us. Surrounded by the vines and superb tones, it felt so natural for me to sit there just smiling, inhaling the fragrance of the ripening grapes behind me, and enjoying the perfectly worry-free atmosphere.

Each year early in the fall, the members of Gargiulo wine club can attend the Oakville Sessions on the property. Here, under the much needed shade of the giant trees in from of the tasting room, a diverse grouping of the best country musicians from the US and abroad perform (Australia’s Keith Urban played here as well), while wine flows, oozing pizza from Tre Posti draws hungry lines and fresh mozzarella is being pulled. The library tasting annually reveals the age worthiness of the Gargiulo’s red wines. The Money Road ranch is blessed to be set in one of the most scenic areas of Napa Valley.

When in the Napa Valley, I interviewed the owners of these four outstanding family vineyards: Gargiulo, Martin Estate, Quixote and Palmaz.
Gargiulo vineyards, 575 Oakville Cross Rd, Napa, CA 94558

+1 707 944 2770

Daily except Holidays and Sundays: 10:30AM–3:30PM

Martin Estate in Napa Valley

I interviewed the passionate proprietor of the Martin Estate in Napa Valley, Greg Martin, about his carefully selected Cabernet Clones and his own ‘Château d’Yquem‘. His California winery indeed looks like a small Bordeaux château, but did his sweet wine measure up to the celebrated Sauternes icon? Watch this video and you will find the answer. The only thing we will have to wait for is whether the wines of the Martin Estate will age gracefully as the centenarian bottles of D’Yquem do.

When in the Napa Valley, I interviewed the owners of these four outstanding family vineyards: Gargiulo, Martin Estate, Quixote and Palmaz.