Heitz Cellar Cabernet 2017

This is old school Cabernet, knows its lane and does not disappoint, not even for a second. An excellent expression of Napa and all that it offers.

Family owned since its beginnings in 1961 with pioneering vintner Joe Heitz cutting his teeth in Napa in the 1950’s. He is credited in ushering in a new ear of wine making for Napa, as well as having the first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon- their iconic Martha’s Vineyard.

In April 2018 Heitz legacy was passed on to new owners, the Lawrence Family who hold the same core values and commitment to the land and the wine.

Their prized estate vineyards are located in arguably six of Napa Valley’s finest sub-appellations: Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Howell Mountain, Oak Knoll District, and Calistoga, affording both diversity and amazing opportunities for the future.

This is the last vintage created in the first ‘book of Heitz’. The future looks bright for the vineyard and the wines. This vintage was sourced from the ‘Only One’ and ‘Spring Valley’ vineyards in St. Helena- both sustainably farmed and certified organic.

Aromas of oak and vanilla are intermingled with blackberries, dark chocolate, and dark cherries.

The palate is bold and inviting with a silky-smooth mouthfeel balanced with finesse and appeal. Expressive notes of oak, vanilla, black currents, blackberries, dark cherries, and secondary notes of chocolate, plum, and an earthy leather saddle thing happening. Impressive texture and balance with an enjoyable lengthy finish.

Cellar out to 2030 with confidence, and beyond.

Pairings should include red meat in all its forms, especially from the grill.

Avennia ‘La Perle’ White Blend 2022.

All my favorite Roussanne and Marsanne wines have always been French, all that changed last month when I tasted Avennia’s La Perle from Columbia Valley.

This is a blend of 78% Roussanne and 22% Marsanne and is everything you could possibly want from these varietals.

The man behind this exceptional wine is Chris Peterson, former winemaker with DeLille Cellars who, as history has seen, is known for making rich, elegant, and balanced wines.

Enticing aromas of ripe pear, Mayer lemons, Beeswax, and a potpourri of tropical fruits lead by bananas- almost like a tropical breeze. There is a perceived richness on the nose that I am hoping is on the palate.

The palate has the same richness that is underpinned by a subtle note of saline, and mouthwatering acidity that is persuasive, if not downright seductive. Intertwined layers of beeswax, bananas, guava skin, and mangos with subtle hints of pear. There is impressive texture, depth, and complexity in this wine. Wonderful length that gives you enough time to pour yourself another glass.

I am thinking this will cellar out another 6 – 8 years. I would not be at all surprised if it goes 10-plus years with improvements.

Re pairings, treat it like a Chardonnay: shellfish, seafood, and chicken dishes.

OK, that is the good news, the ‘bad’ news is, that they only made 153 cases in total and most go to cellar door and club sales, and only a handful of cases made it into Indiana.

Scored 95 Pt from Owen Bargreen.

Yangarra Ovitelli Grenache 2018- an absolute delight to drink!

To understand why this wine is such a pleasure to drink it is helpful to know how it came to be: Hand picked grapes from their famed Block 20 planted in 1946, mechanically sorted, and fermented in 675 Lt ceramic eggs remining on skins for 158 days post fermentation and then aged in eggs for a further 6 months. Did I mention they are wild bush vines, biodynamic farmed and planted on 65-million-year-old North Maslin Sands? There are remnants of shellfish in the soil from when this region was below sea level, oddly enough around the same time.  

The result: exceptional clarity and purity with enticing perfumed aromas and everything you could ask for in a Grenache- depth, complexity, elegance, with incredible balance and a sense that everything is where it supposed to be.

Engaging aromas of raspberries, red plums, red currants with a hint of violets and rose petals.

One sip and a smile crawled across my face. This wine is full of charm and charisma with interwoven layers of raspberries, pomegranate, red plums and complimentary notes of cherries, red currants and fennel and oregano rounding things out. Nice long finish with a slight bitter note, balancing the subtle sweetness.

NOTE: I did decant this for 2-3 hours. This has at least a decade left in it- 2035.

I am not surprised this received a 98 Pt rating from Nick Stock, Jamessuckling.com and a 96 Pt rating from James Halliday. 

Food Pairing should include Grilled or roasted meats, such as lamb, beef, or pork, roasted chicken, grilled turkey breast, or a hearty chicken casserole, and grilled vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant.

Burgess ‘Contadina’ Cabernet 2018 – Screams Napa Quality.

Established by Tom Bergess in 1972, this Howell Mountain Winery had a reputation for making elegant Cabernets, was sold to the owners of Heitz Cellars in 2020. I can see exciting times are ahead for this winery.

This is mostly Cabernet- 90% with 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec.

Aged for 22months in 15% new French oak and 85% neutral French oak Barrique.

One sniff of this and it screams Napa, and the elegance narrow it down to Mountain fruit. Fruit was sourced from the Sorenson (800-1,000 elevation) and Haymaker vineyards on the west and east-facing sides of Howell Mountain.

The nose exudes presence with enticing notes of rich blackberries, black currents, and a hint of mint and spices.

The palate is plush and silky smooth almost demanding you take a sip. Almost seamless layers of rich blackberries, black currents, plums, with secondary notes of black cherries and cocoa balanced with sweet tobacco, cooking herbs and spices. Long finish.

There is aging potential for this Cabernet out to 2034 with anticipated improvements.

Pairings should include ribeye and sirloin steak, a burger from the grill, beef short ribs, roast lamb, NY strips, meat pizza, and for veggie lovers: Veggie pizza, Black bean burger, Vegan Enchiladas and Mushroom risotto at a pinch.

Yangarra Kings Wood Shiraz 2020

This is elegant, restrained McLaren Vale Shiraz that is both seductive and appealing from the first sip.

This is part of their single vineyard Premium release wines and was sourced from a 2.3hectare block 12 planted in 1999- a southeast facing vineyard planted on sandy and ironstone soil.

2020 was a tough vintage but some very special wines came out of the struggle with mother nature, and this is a wonderful example of one of those special wines. Elegant, restrained, medium bodied and relatively low ALC at 13.5% with an inviting attitude without sacrificing power.   

Aromas of blueberries, blackberries, plum and subtle spices.

The palate expands to incorporate additional notes of dark raspberries, black currant, and dark chocolate. Silky smooth mouthfeel, with fine grain tannins, with hints of olive tapenade, clove, and black pepper.

I can see this cellaring out for another 10 years- out to 2035 with confidence.

Pairings: choose wisely- this wine deserves it. Any red meats will do well, bold rich chicken, turkey, and Pork dishes will work well.

Note about name:

Royal Oaks of the King’s wood forests were planted by monarchs to build elegant cathedrals and church naves. The beautiful old French oak in our giant foudre vessels helps us make elegant wine by gradually polishing and protecting the brightest spiciest Shiraz we grow at Yangarra. Source: Winery Website.

Contacto Alvarinho 2023 – An absolute delight to drink.

What are you going to be drinking this Sunday when its 84 degrees? … this delightful Portuguese white of course.

This is a Vinho Verde which really means it is a white wine that can be made from several different varietals or a blend of. I have it on good authority this one is 100% Albarino and comes from Anselmo Mendes, considered to be one of the finest makers of Alvarinho in conjunction with the Symington family.  

The nose has delightful floral aromas supported by notes of lemon and orange peel with a hint of pear and peach, and a promise of more to come.

The palate is rich and lively with racy acidity and excellent balance. Enticing layers of pear, peach, apple, and melon dominate with secondary notes of citrus, honey, wet stone, and saline. There is undeniable refinement on the palate and harmony, which reminds me of a Clare Valley aged dry Riesling, just a little crisper from its youth. I cannot wait to revisit this in 3 – 5 years and see where it goes.

Food pairing get back to the old adage, ‘if it grows together, it goes together’. Bacalhau- a traditional Portuguese dish featuring Salted Portuguese Codfish, Eggs & Potatoes should be top of the list, shellfish and any light white fish would work. Crossing the border for tapas would not be unheard, of if you stick to seafood, chicken and pork and any earthy vegetable dish.

Wittmann 100 Hills Dry Riesling 2022 – quality on a budget.

I hold the opinion, unpopular I might add, that Germany could not make a dry Riesling to save their life- this has only 6.0 grams/liter. I grew up drinking bone dry Rieslings from Clare Valley in Barossa in South Australia- my reference point.  

This is a great example of what I consider to be, the modern dry Riesling style from Germany, and its delicious, over delivers, and is budget friendly. What more can you ask for? 

The grapes are sourced from organic vineyards in the hills of the Rheinhessen region- about 40% Estate owned and the balance from local certified organic growers.

This is fresh, clean, crisp, and totally enjoyable Riesling that can be enjoyed anytime with seafood, chicken, turkey, and pork dishes. Enough sweetness to go with spicy Thai, Szechuan, Moroccan, and Indian. 

The nose showcases aromas of floral notes, peach, honey with just a hint of orange peel.

The palate is smooth and inviting with crisp acidity and balance. Impressive layers of peach, honey, orange blossom, tangerine zest and just a hint of petrol.

This is fresh, clean, crisp, and totally enjoyable Riesling that can be enjoyed anytime with seafood, chicken, turkey, and pork dishes. Enough sweetness to go with spicy Thai, Szechuan, Moroccan, and Indian. 

The nose showcases aromas of floral notes, peach, honey with just a hint of orange peel.

The palate is smooth and inviting with crisp acidity and balance. Impressive layers of peach, honey, orange blossom, tangerine zest and just a hint of petrol.

This is a totally enjoyable Riesling that will not break the bank. Enjoy.

Prazo de Roriz 2021 – Douro. Exciting red that won’t break the bank.

The grapes were sourced primarily from Quinta de Roriz and the balance from Quinta da Perdiz and Cima Corgo and then aged in 400-liter French oak barrels for 6 months.

I should also point out that the 2021 vintage was excellent and as good as the 2019 vintage- a vintage considered one of the best.

The nose is all raspberries and dark cherries with a hint of plum and tobacco.

The palate is silky smooth showing impressive depth and complexity, especially for a wine so budget friendly. This wine has a charm about it that is revealed in layers of raspberries, blackberries, plums, and dark cherries with traces of black currant, oak, and dark chocolate.

This will cellar until 2030 with confidence.

Food pairing get back to the old adage, ‘if it grows together, it goes together’. Arroz De Pato, Bifanas, Francesinha, and Carne De Porco à Alentejana just to name a few. Spend some time exploring, try something new.

Torbreck Woodcutters Semillon 2014 – from the cellar.

I am very happy to find that this is not only holding up but drinking beautifully.

The hints of lemon, beeswax and toasted brioche are still evident on the nose but has softened, as one would expect.  

The palate is alluring, and whilst lacking the racy acidity it possessed upon release it has evolved into something quite special and totally enjoyable. There is an undeniable richness on the palate with wonderful layers of beeswax, citrus oil, roasted nuts, and orange peel, with secondary notes of honey, pear, and peach. Excellent depth and complexity with impressive balance. This is a fine example of just how long Barossa Semillon can age.

It has all come together into one seamless tasting experience.

I am sure this still has some aging potential left but it is drinking so well now. If you have a bottle, or more, open one now and pair it with Shellfish, Swordfish on the grill, Salmon, and Chicken, Turkey, or Pork dishes.  

For those of you that crave technical details …

VARIETAL: 100% Semillon (Madeira Clone)

SUB-DISTRICTS: Kalimna, Rowland Flat & Seppeltsfield

HARVEST: 6th, 11th, and 26th February 2014

pH: 3.17

TA: 6.56 g/L

Fruit from both vineyards (split into seven separate parcels) was handpicked and gently ‘whole bunch’ pressed to individual vats where they were left to settle. After 24 hours the younger blocks were racked to tank whilst the older more robust parcels were transferred to seasoned French barriques where they underwent a long cool fermentation. The various components were later ‘assembled’ prior to bottling on the 10th of December 2014.

Sourced from the Torbreck Winery Website.

Reyneke Chenin Blanc 2022 – Exceptional.

South Africa is known for a lot of great things and quality Chenin Blanc is one of them.

The grapes are sourced from the oldest vineyards on the Reyneke Estate planted in 1974 and 1976 and are registered with the South Africa’s Old Vine Project (OVP).

For those more ‘technically minded’ I found this: “The grapes were whole bunch pressed and lightly settled. Spontaneous fermentation occurred in a combination of seasoned 300L French oak 2500L foudrés. After 10 months of maturation on the gross lees, the wine was racked from their vessels and readied for bottling, which takes place early January. A light dose of sulphur was added at racking, prior to bottling”. Source: Reyneke Wine Website.

Enticing aromas burst from the glass with green apples, pears, peaches with just a hint of honeycomb.

The palate is rich and inviting with a slight oily texture that cradles layers of yellow apples, honey, peach, and tangerines, with secondary layers of citrus, crème, and saline. Wonderful balance with delicate bright acidity, and surprising depth and complexity.

One of the nicest Chenin Blancs I have tried. Winemaker Barbara Melck and Stellenbosch have done it again. This is a must try wine.

This is the first Reyneke Chenin I have tasted but I would bet this has another 4 – 5 years of improvements to be gained.

Pairings should include Seafood, Shellfish, Seafood Risotto, Chicken Pasta with a cream sauce, and mild and softer cheeses.