Wine Club Newsletter - October 2012
Here’s an excellent article about the Mayacamas Mountains and the Mayacamas winery by Talia Baiocchi, with Decanter Magazine. The Mayacamas Mountain Range rises along the west side of the Napa Valley, acting as a badly drawn divider between the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Spring Mountain Road—which winds through one of three AVAs (American Viticultural Area) that make up this range—is an ancient Wappo Indian route which was used as a pass between the two valleys centuries ago. Today these winding back roads—still littered with obsidian arrowheads and other native contraband—ensure that Hummer limos and weak stomachs do not reach the wineries that are tucked into its folds. Despite the gauntlet one must pass in order to reach these vineyard sites—even today with paved roads and a guardrail or two—winemaking in the Mayacamas Mountains dates back to the 1860s. Mount Veeder, the most southerly of 3 AVAs in the range (the Diamond Mountain AVA lies at far north and the Spring Mountain AVA is sandwiched in between) is also its dustiest. In 1864, Captain Stalham Wing entered the first documented Mount Veeder bottling into the Napa County Fair. Just 5 years later, in 1889, Mount Veeder's first commercial winery was established by John Henry Fisher, a San Francisco pickle merchant. It would go one to become one of Napa's most iconic. Bootlegger's Paradise Fisher would eventually declare bankruptcy around the turn of the century, and the winery fell into disrepair upon which, as rumor has it, the old stone cellar became a bootlegger's distillery during Prohibition. In 1941 Jack and Mary Taylor bought the land, turned the old stone distillery into their home, and named the winery Mayacamas Vineyards. From the 1950s on through Napa's defining 1960s, Mayacamas would play host to a variety of influential winemakers—like Bob Sessions of Hanzell and Philip Togni of Philip Togni Vineyard—but none of them would stay long enough to create any cohesive style. After years of inconsistency and financial troubles, the Taylors finally decided to sell the winery in 1968 to Robert and Elinor Travers. Bob Travers—a finance expat—had spent a year under Joseph Heitz, of the legendary Heitz Cellar, and had gathered a year-here-and-a-year-there's worth of enological and viticultural education from just about every university north of Santa Barbara. At the time he took the estate over, Mayacamas was one of only 17 wineries in the Napa Valley. It was a small community of like-minded winemakers trying to re-establish the region together, and Travers's relative lack of experience was hardly a handicap. He cites not only Joe Heitz as inspiration but Robert Mondavi and Andre Tchelistcheff as his de-facto mentors. "I could call Bob [Mondavi] up at 10 PM with a problem and say 'I don't know what the heck is going on here—help me,'" he says. But Napa has come along way since those late-night house calls Travers made to Mondavi. With over 450 wineries throughout the valley vying for a piece of a multibillion-dollar industry and that 95+ score, the atmosphere has grown increasingly competitive. These days it's easy for winemakers to exist in isolation from each other. High atop Mount Veeder on the edge of an old volcano crater, Travers and his sons are removed—now not just geographically but also ideologically—from the culture of Napa that buzzes below. A Far Cry From Cocktail Cab In the 43 years he's owned Mayacamas Travers has changed almost nothing about his winemaking process. His cellar is littered with mix-matched old barrels and mold, a scene at odds with the military precision of Napa's most lauded producers, whose barrels form frontlines of nearly untouched new oak. His Cabernet Sauvignon ferments in cement and spends most of its élevage in large, old American oak casks, followed by smaller oak barrels (only 20% of which are new) for six to 12 months, finally finding its way to bottle where it rests for two years before release. This is about as traditional as it gets in Napa. The wine reaches the market at five years old and at about 12.5% alcohol, but needs decades to show its bones; it's a far cry from the style of Napa cocktail Cab that often spins and filters the characteristically angular variety into a very slutty sort of submission. The Mayacamas wines have stuck to the scenic route despite these fancy toll-road options. They typically began to shed their adolescent angst around ten years out and can remain fresh and lively well into their 40s. That age-old adage "patience is a virtue" is more relevant here than anywhere else in Napa. But it isn't just the staunchly Old World winemaking techniques that give these wines longevity. Mount Veeder's unique microclimate and Mayacamas's vineyard locations—which are some of the highest in Napa at 1,800-2,400 above sea-level—play a pivotal role in achieving the sort of restraint and balance that is much more difficult to come by at lower elevations. True Mountain Fruit While the rest of the Napa Valley and its mountain appellations (of which there are five in all) enjoy varying degrees of protection from the winds off the San Pablo Bay, Mount Veeder is largely exposed. This makes for temperatures that are, on average, 10-12 degrees cooler making for the longest growing season in the valley with harvest often stretching into November. Elevations vary between 400-2,500 feet — making it Napa's highest AVA — and the terrain is rugged, rendering the use of machinery impossible. The longer growing season makes for more even ripening and greater balance between acidity and fruit, a quality that lends itself to wines with greater potential to age. There are 22 wineries that are now making wine on Mount Veeder, but none stands as more of an icon—not only to California Cabernet, but to the unique set of circumstances that make Mount Veeder one of the most interesting places to grow wine in the Napa Valley—than Mayacamas. Bob Travers has proven — along with others like Cathy Corison and Bo Barrett — not only how variable the terroir of the Napa Valley is, but just how much virtue there can be in a little bit of patience and whole lot of conviction. Growing Region: Savoie, France Varietal Blend: 100% Jacquere Fermentation: Tank Fermentation Suggested Retail: $14.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $10.79 Broad Strokes: Growing Region: Sonoma County, California Varietal Blend: 72% Cabernet, 21% Merlot, 3% Malbec 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Fermentation: 21 Months in French Oak Suggested Retail: $30.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $26.99 Broad Strokes: Growing Region: Bandol, France Varietal Blend: Mainly Mourvèdre, Some Grenache and Syrah Fermentation: Steel and Wood Vats Suggested Retail: $30.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $26.99 Broad Strokes: Growing Region: Santa Cruz Mountains, California Varietal Blend: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc Fermentation: 22 Months New French Oak Suggested Retail: $50.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $43.19 Broad Strokes: Growing Region: Duoro, Portugal Varietal Blend: A Field Blend of Portugese Varietals Suggested Retail: $55.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $43.19 Broad Strokes: Cristiano Van Zeller hails from a family with deep roots in the Douro. His family was one of the founding members of Quinta do Noval. Quinta Vale d. Maria is his wife's family's property. 2009 was a superb year in the Douro and Mark Squires from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate recently called the 2009 Quinta Vale D. Maria "a contender for wine of the vintage". That is serious praise coming from a reviewer who often is known more for his hesitation for scoring wines high on the 100 point scale. 96 points Wine Advocate: “This seemed easy to categorize early on as sexy, ripe and tasty. There is tremendous potential here, mostly submerged at the moment. For every 15 minute interval it was open, it changed and got better. Put this in the cellar and come back in 5-6 years. Let it show you what it has. It will be a contender for one of the best Vale D. Marias. It will be a contender for wine of the vintage. It is tremendous." Winemaker Notes: Gary Parker: Excellent texture, creamy and milk chocolate feel, acid well integrated. Spicy, racy, with excellent plum fruit. A good dose of vanilla, macadamia nuts, roasted almonds, hints of smoke, mushroom, earth and roasted red peppers. Wonderfully harmonious!Mayacamas: The Mountains and Their Namesake Winery
2011 Domaine Carrel “Jongieux”, Vin de Savoie (October, 2012 - The WineSellar Club)
Domaine Eugene Carrel is located in the village of Jongieux, which is the largest of the 17 appellations of the Savoie region, at the beginning of the French Alps. It is situated about 40 miles southwest of Geneva, in between the Rhone River (near its start) and Lake Bourget, France's largest lake. The Jongieux vineyards are very steep, southwest facing slopes created by ancient glaciers. The altitude is between 400 and 500 meters, yet the microclimate is very warm.
The privileged clay-limestone slopes of the Jongieux appellation allow the grapes to ripen more fully than in any other Savoy regions, due to 2-3 hours more sun daily. As a result, the wines are not only fuller, but also more balanced and fresher, because there is far less need for chaptalization. Indeed, the regions’ top Cru, Marestel, is located in Jongieux.
Appearance:
Great European looking label with the family crest front and center, with gold foil highlighting. The word “Jongieux” is probably a bit confusing for the average wine consumer, as it is not the name of the grape varietal. Now we know! The wine has a light yellow straw hue, clear and shimmering in the light. It coats the glass very well.
Nose:
Wines from the Savoie typically have a fresh rainwater or mountain air essence on the nose, and the Domaine Carrel is no exception. I also noticed a bit of white flower, honeysuckle and jasmine, with a light citric tone. Toasted sunflower seeds.
Texture:
The medium weight wine has a very fine creamy feel to it, yet it is lively with slight effervescence and even a bit of crispness on the palate. It feels like a well-made Chenin Blanc.
Flavor:
Fresh rainwater is definitely appealing, as are the fine notes of flint, mineral and citrus (Mandarin orange). Due to the lively acidity, the flavors seem to dance on the palate: I got some Lychee nut, almond, green apples and pear fruit to enjoy with the mineral component.
Serving Options:
Anytime you are in the mood for a pure, clean, expressive white wine that reminds you of the mountain waters and air, you should crack open this wine. It would be really handy to have some steamed clams with garlic or a swath of a pungent goat cheese to go with it.2006 Maier Family, Meritage (October, 2012 - The WineSellar Club; Two-Rouge Club)
I so much enjoyed reading the history of this Maier Family Winery. The winery pays tribute to their Grandfather (and Great Grandfather for the next generation) Roy J. Maier, who was an accomplished musician in the early jazz days, playing with the greatest musicians of the era. He then took up the art of perfecting machinery to produce the best reeds for musical instruments. Roy’s company was the largest of its kind, and the name Maier became synonymous with innovation and leadership in the industry.
In 1996, Roy’s grandson and his wife sold the company and used part of the proceeds to purchase 60 acres of vineyards in the Mayacamas Mountains, and there we have it, the Maier Family Winery, remaining in the arts, and producing a product for all to enjoy.
Appearance:
Black, Darth Vader looking package, with red outline and gold font. It is a simple and clean label, as well as impactful and effective. The wine is opaque at the core, and nearly all the way out to the rim of the glass, where a magenta crimson appears.
Nose:
A most attractive nose kept my head bobbing (hey, maybe I should make a Gary bobble head doll) all the while it was in my glass. The aromatics bring forward very dark fruits, blackberry and cherry (compote), coffee and cappuccino. Toasted nuts, coconut and soy, with a hint of anise, herbs chime in as well.
Texture:
This is a very big wine, but not out of balance by any means. Well-integrated fruit, acid and alcohol are knit together seamlessly, providing a joyous texture that is reminiscent of a creamy, milky dairy product more so than wine. But it is wine, and it is very fine. Make sure you have it open for at least one hour before consuming it, as it changes through this time.
Flavor:
Powerful and lovely dark fruit of blackberry and the cherry compote from the nose stamp the palate sensors full bore. Also from the nose: coffee, toasted nuts, some licorice and soy. You may also discover this wonderful ice cream and cherry cola-root beer flavor I detected after about the 90 minute mark of the wine breathing air. Lovely!
Serving Options:
Great now, it is a 2006, but the wine will keep in our cellars for anther decade, improving with time.2006 Domaine Bunan, Moulin des Costes, Bandol (October, 2012 - Two-Rouge Club)
In 1961, Paul and Pierre Bunan, men steeped in the wine-growing lore of the Mediterranean, fell in love with an estate in the Bandol region, a noble and widely respected wine growing area in the south of France.
Paul’s son, Laurent, returned to the family estate after completing his studies in oenology and winemaking in California. He was the first of the next generation to open the doors to a newer and more modern approach.
Today he is in charge of the export and development of the Domaines Bunan. His sister Françoise is in charge of the communications with art playing a central role in her strategy. Pierre’s daughter Claire, has qualified in the field of wine marketing. Her brother Philippe hopes to become an agricultural engineer. In the depths of the Bandol appellation, on the edge of the Mediterrannée, the Moulin des Costes in the Cadière D'Azur is an exceptional place at the top of limestone hills .
Appearance:
A very busy, fun, totally European looking label, with its proudly attached Vignerons Independence Concours 2010 Award attached. The wine looks like it has a couple years on it, as red hues have lost their brilliance and have become something more age appropriate, with a bit of tan and a clear rim. It’s very good-looking overall.
Nose:
A very enticing, spicy nose, evolving around earth notes, wood and soil. The wine was a bit closed a few years ago, and now it has opened up nicely, showing good strawberry and cherry fruit, with leather, black pepper, and underbrush.
Texture:
With very good structure, the wine still has lively tannin acid that needs to calm with 10-15 minutes of air. Then, this medium bodied wine glides across your palate, leaving a trail of smooth silk with some lively acid notes ready to cut into gamey or fatty meats.
Flavor:
Earthy, classic Bandol has excellent fruit character of strawberries and cherries, with Indian spice, cinnamon, herbs, and a hint of anise. I also like the bit of leather, soft wood and black pepper. There is also a gaminess present, which I quite like.
Serving Options:
This wine still has a few years to go, but it is coming into its own after six years of evolution. This would be great with fatty cuts of meat, sausages, and goat cheese. Autumn seasonal foods would work nicely as well.2006 Thomas Fogarty “Lexington” Meritage (October, 2012 - Gary Parker Collection)
From the Winery: “Set above the Lexington Reservoir, John Anderson’s Camel Hill Vineyard is a series of hillside plots featuring a complex assortment of clones and exposures. While the climate is decidedly cool and mountainous, it has proven to be an inspiring source of Cabernets Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Harvest usually commences in late September and continues through the month of October. This long growing season allows for maximum flavor development at lower sugars and higher acidity than most of California.”
“2006 featured one of the longest growing seasons in recent memory. Fantastic weather during bloom left us with a full crop on the vines, something quite different than in 2005. The long, growing season was ideal for producing the lovely aromatics and silky textures that are the hallmarks of the vintage. The wines are remarkably pure and translucent, highlighting regional and climatic characteristics.”
Appearance:
Another classic “Darth Vader” looking package, mostly black with easily readable and concise gold foiled font. The wine has a beautiful hue to it, very dark at the core, in fact opaque, with some garnet shining on the edge of the glass.
Nose:
It is intense, with black fruit bombing away, roasted cherries, blackberry, black pepper and herbs. The rich nose seems to alternate between bright and stewed fruit, both of which are lovely. The nose keeps gaining aged complexities with its elegant wood and leather notes.
Texture:
Big, full and smooth, velvety and silken, with a line of acid that has softened up with its years in the bottle. Lip smacking, jam like fruit concentration, quite rich, decadent and satisfying. This is why we drink wine, this feels so good in the mouth.
Flavor:
And it tastes so good too! Very concentrated dark fruits, deep cherry, plum, laced with sweet vanilla oak. There is also a meaty, steak like perception that makes your mouth water. Tobacco, tanned leather and mild spices are the aged, evolved features of the wine.
Serving Options:
What a winner this wine is. We need to put at least six bottles in the collection, and try one every 2-3 years. There were only 552 cases produced, and here it is already aged six years for you. 94 points W.E. 2009 Quinta Vale D. Maria, Duoro (October, 2012 - Gary Parker Collection)
I’m going to let Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and the winemaker do the talking for me this time. I will have a Cliff Note version of my tasting experience at the bottom of the page.
"This year, it has a sexiness to it that is captivating. Yet, that is certainly not all it has. The structure is impressive as is the balance, although it may need a few years to get where it’s going. The tannins are obvious, sometimes hard edged, but they are ultimately going to integrate. In its youth, the oak is also a touch obvious, but it is equally clear that will integrate, too.”
“Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro Reds are incredibly deep in color, violet, dark red and purple, have a tremendous concentration of mature dark red fruit aromas, with a very typical predominance and blackberries, black cherries and plums. The aging in cask is concentrating the original mature tannins of the wine and has smoothened its power, originating very powerful, though very elegant wines with great balance and finesse and a very long and fruity finish.”
I think this wine is superb, and is justly rated by the Wine Advocate. It is not often you can get a 96 Point rated wine out of this reviewer, and especially for $43.19. do not miss the boat and jump on this wine for your cellars.