posted 11-13-2011 08:51 AM            

Another lovely day in our favorite valley.
So glad you enjoyed visiting with Henri - we enjoyed our visit there. We still have several of his wines in the cooler...

posted 11-13-2011 06:37 AM            

Today there were just four of us, Mrs. Hawkeye and me, and our friends David and Mort from Kentucky. The remainder of the group had departed for home.

Our first stop was at Goosecross. The black dot on their website indicates they do not require an appointment but just in case, I emailed them and was told that one was not needed. When we walked in the door, I was asked if we had an appointment. My reply was as above. The host said, Okay, come on in”, then asked me to fill out a paper requesting an appointment. I was totally confused and the whole visit felt like we were intruding on the other couple he was hosting. I do remember that we purchased the 07 Goosecross Howell Mountain Cab. I believe Jose was the host and he asked David if he knew what the sparkling things were for in the vineyards. David replied, “To keep the birds away.” Jose replied, “No, those are the grapes we make sparkling wines from”. I just cannot remember if there was a tasting fee or not.

Since we were going to have lunch at Blue Pacific in Yountville, we took our friends to Hope & Grace, where we had enjoyed the wines so much. So did they. You have read about our purchases earler in the trip.

After lunch we headed back and stopped at Cliff Lede. This is one of the wineries that has a magenta triangle by their name on the WineCountry.com map indicating you need an appointment. You do not, unless you are a group of 6 or more. They have an array of varietals to taste. We had them ship their 08 Stags Leap Cab and their 08 Sauvignon Blanc which was Mrs. Hawkeye’s favorite. Here is what their website has to say about the Cab, “Black currant and citrus blossom aromas develop into plum, espresso, and allspice. Fine-grained tannins and a full, rich mid-palate expand through the finish with semi-sweet chocolate, balanced by fresh minerality. This is a well-balanced and elegant wine that will evolve for the next 20 years”. I asked if I could drink it in the next year or two because I don’t think I have 20 years to wait. Here is what they say about the Sav Blanc, “Gravenstein apple and Meyer lemon greet the nose with floral, high notes of peach blossom. Pineapple and lychee are supported by fine-tuned minerality. A luscious mid-palette expands into a rich and long finish”. Mrs. Hawkeye likes Sav Blanc in the summer.

Next, we had a very interesting visit with Henry V. at White Rock Vineyards. A little off the beaten path up Soda Canyon Road at the bottom of the Silverado Trail. Henri took us through the crush process and all the way to bottling and storage. Our tasting of White Rock wines was in the cave which we really enjoyed. Our favorite and the one we brought home was the 03 NV Cab. Here is what their tasting notes say, “The 2003 White Rock Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and ripe vintage. It has a complexity of cassis, plum and dark fruit with undertones of oak and leather. It is textured and multilayered and its mouthfilling character remains throughout to a long full finish. Present tannins promise excellent ageability”. A nice visit. I believe there was a $15 or $20 tasting fee.

And last but not least, one of our favorite places to visit . . . Midsummer Cellars and owner, Rollie Heitz. Midsummer is just off the Silverado Trail on Sage Mountain Road. You need to look for it by the street number, because he does not have a sign out. We had tasted with Rollie last year and enjoyed him and his wines so much, we wanted our friends to have the experience. Rollie is laid back, easy going and always has a smile on his face, and does he ever make luscious wines at a very good price. The 2008 Canon Creek Cab, “Our “home vineyard,” is nestled in the eastern hills of Napa Valley, perched between the St. Helena and Howell Mountain Appellations. The soils and the selections of clones 6 and 337 make for a complex Cabernet that shows consistent attributes of deep color, full body, and balance from vintage to vintage”. $40.00. The 08 Tomasson Cab, “The Tomasson Vineyard, is owned by Helgi and Marlene Tomasson. Helgi is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Ballet. This vineyard is by far the smallest vineyard in our portfolio, producing just three barrels of wine per year. The vineyard is located on the valley floor in an alluvial fan, with very well drained gravelly soils which result in wines of deep intensity. $40.00. And last, the 08 Fowler Cab, “The Fowler Vineyard is owned by Don Fowler. This vineyard is located in the upper watershed of Knights Valley just a stones throw from the Napa county line, in the hills between the towns of Calistoga and Santa Rosa. The soils are composed of Forward and Bressa Dribble complexes and it has the steepest slopes of any of the vineyards in our line up. Because of its location the vineyard is exposed to strong afternoon breezes resulting in thicker grape skins which help to produce wines of intense color and tannin structure. The vineyard is planted using Clone 337 in its entirety. The elevation of this vineyard is about 1100 ft. above sea level”. $27.00 but I guarantee you that this wine will stand up to many at higher prices. Give Rollie a try, you will be glad you did.