A little history …
In 1976 Steven Spurrier succeeded in cracking the door open for California wines when he organized the now infamous “Judgement of Paris”- a blind tasting with the best French and American wines with French Judges. The Napa wines emerging the winners with the French newspapers Le Figaro and Le Monde calling it “laughable” and saying it “cannot be taken seriously.” Source: www.trefethen.com
In 1979, the French restaurant publication Gault&Millau’s Le Nouveau Guide organized ‘a rematch’ tasting dubbed the “Olympiad du Vin”, this time with Judges from 33 countries. Again, the Napa wines were victorious with the Best Chardonnay in the World going to no other than the 1976 Trefethen Chardonnay. I’ve not tasted the 1976 vintage but if I had a time machine … both tastings would definitely be on the short list.
A little-known fact but a further blind tasting was conducted 6 months later overseen by the Drouhin Family who hotly contested the 1979 results. In yet another stunning upset, Trefethen’s 1976 Chardonnay again emerged as the victor. Robert Drouhin accepted the results stating the Trefethen Chardonnay was “the yardstick by which all other Chardonnays must be measured.”
Enough reflecting, let’s get to the wines …
Dry Riesling 2018. 94 pt WE
Enticing floral notes with delicate citrus and apple on the nose. Delicious nectarine and peach dominate the palate with secondary notes of white peach, apricot and apple rounding things out. Wonderful balance and acidity- a delight to drink and will pair well with Shell fish, lobster, Sushi and a mild Pad Thai Chicken (or prawns) Will cellar out to 2025 without a worry. An impressive wine.
Chardonnay 2018. 97 pt Decanter
‘Defined in the vineyard and refined in the cellar, this wine reflects the cool climate of our estate in the Oak Knoll District, showcasing our signature characteristics of brightness and balance’. Source: www.trefethen.com
That pretty much sums it up but I do have a few comments:
Elegant and deceptive simplicity. Layered aromas of citrus, apple and white peach entice you to take a sip, savor the nose for a moment, allow that to leave an impression before experiencing almost seamless layers of citrus, ripe apple and pear with toasty oak appearing as subtle crème brulee without the predictable over oaked/creamy note. Superb clean crispness with wonderful balance and acidity. Excellent length leaving a lasting impression of smoothness and restraint.
Cabernet Franc 2018.
It’s no secret that I love Cab Franc and this is no exception, enticing nose with red fruits and a delicate sweet floral note and all the elegance you would expect from a beautifully crafted wine. Friendly welcoming mouthfeel with loads of red currents, cherries and strawberries with secondary notes of spices, cracked pepper and a nice earthy note. Tannins frame flavor profile well. Impressive balance and length that leaves you with a smile. Cellar to 2030. Worth decanting for an hour or to at this point to reveal its best.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. 97pt Decanter
This left bank Bordeaux blend comprises 87% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Merlot 4% Cabernet Franc 3% Malbec 2% Petit Verdot and is 100% sourced from their Main Ranch Estate Vineyard located in Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. This excellent pedigree will give you some insight into the wine but doesn’t come near to explaining just how the depth and complexity of the fruit, how enticing the nose is or how the velvety mouthfeel was arrived at. Nose is swirls of dark fruits but it’s the palate that can’t make you look away. Intense layers of black current, raspberries, cherries and red fruits with bay leaf and subtle spices underpinning a lengthy finish. Wonderful balance, restraint and elegance with not a thing out of place. Cellar out to 2030, if you can wait that long. Pair with any red meat dish laced with spices, bay leaf, thyme and black pepper.
Vine to Table 