California wineries select vineyard sources for unique offerings

Let’s look at another Far Niente offering. Two from the Post & Beam Winery label. This Napa winery only produces Cab and Chard. I like their focus. Their Napa Chardonnay can be found for $30. The unoaked Chard, 87 McD, makes my list as an alternative refreshing summer porch sipper. Opens to subdued orange blossom and melon aromas; the nose and palate are very straightforward, uncomplicated by oaken profiles. Melon and orange zest repeat on the palate, with bright acidity supporting the fruit, and a pleasing biscuit and lime back note. The past three vintages of their house Napa Cabs are solid 90-point, under-$50 offerings. The 2019 opens to dried grape, boysenberry, ripe currant, and barrel notes of leather and dark coffee beans. Tannins are a bit elevated, but color and nose say it will age. I decanted and let it stand about two hours. This softened the tannins and allowed a nice expression of herbal accent and roast coffee on the finish, 2019, 91 McD, under $50. The 2018, 90 McD, is a better buy, as it is more approachable now. Want to jump upscale, look for Austin Hope Winery 2018 Reserve from Paso Robles, 95 McD at $125. No. 7 WE Top 100 2020, 96 points. Very dark crimson, opens in the glass to a mixed, complex bouquet of blueberry, black cherry, mocha, burnt sugar caramel, pie spice, vanilla and wet leather back notes. On the full-bodied, balanced palate, look for plums, berries, cloves, dark cocoa and slight smoky tint. Not quite ready, but color and tannins say lay me down a year or two. I’m just guessing, but if Rudy Kurniawan had gotten his mitts on this wine, he’d apply a hot Napa label/ address, and all the likely suspects would have laid on 98 points and $300-$400 price tag. The 2020 is supposed to be better and is tagged at $285. Those who want to take a look at their Cabs can slide into a 92-point, ready-to-drink 2017 Cab under $75. This not the Reserve label. 

Recognizing that I scold a lot about buying pricy wine that is not good value, I am compelled to tip my hat to Lail Vineyards Georgia 2018 and 2016 Sauvignon Blanc. I had the great opportunity to sample a vertical of their wines from 2015-18. Winners all. You may remember I wrote up their value-label Blueprint SB 2017 and ‘19 around $40, both 92 points, a while ago. Good value got them 1 price point. Today it’s the Georgia label. Robin Lail is the daughter of John Daniel Jr., longtime proprietor of Inglenook, in its heyday in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Her grapes are sourced from company-owned vineyards Mole Hill, Howell Mountain and Totem in Yountville. Robin is not riding dad’s coattails, either. She is a noted expert who co-founded both Dominus Estate and Merryvale Vineyards prior to this eponymous effort in 1995. Her Cabs from Calistoga and Stags Leap grapes are stellar, usually rating mid-90s and ranging around $250 for J. Daniel to $350/Mole Hill. Here’s a synopsis of a Lisa Perrotti-Brown piece in Wine Advocate, for brevity; piece was written well. She was right on the money: “The 95-point, 2016 Georgia, 100% from Totem grapes, fermented and aged 18 months in 100% new French oak. ripe peaches, fresh pears, pineapple and guava with touches of chalk dust, white pepper, dill seed and honeysuckle. Medium to full-bodied, completely coats the palate with tropical fruits and spicy layers, zippy acidity, finishes long and minerally, drink 2021-30, released 7/ 2019.” I must admit I have never tasted chalk dust but snorted plenty while dusting erasers during my youth. Suckling wrote 95. The 2018 is quite different but equally appealing. Look for May straw color, white peach, vanilla bean, brioche and lemongrass bouquet evolving to apricot, lemon curd and nectarine flavors riding a full, round palate with bright acidity cleaning up the reverberating flavor finish; 96 McD, needs at least a year. Saved the bad news for last – these SBs will set you back about a buck fifty. Splurge for the 2015 around $165. I found three shops that will send it in. Your local wine store advisor, which I’m certain all readers have established, may help.