Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Navigating Napa Day One

I knew I didn’t have nearly enough time in Napa as I’d like, so it was difficult to narrow down where I was going and what I would miss this trip.  After a full day – with the help of Steve, my wonderful driver from Pure Luxury Transportation – I think I accomplished quite a bit.

The first stop for the day was at Robert Mondavi. The Spanish architecture of one of the oldest and largest wineries in the area is welcoming as Dean takes me through the vineyard, warehouses and buildings that were once the center of culinary excellence as well as wine making. Mondavi hosted the “Great Chefs Program,” with notables like Julia Child cooking on these premises.  It was the patriarch’s dream to combine food and wine and it has been continued with food events like the Garden to Table Brunch.

Despite all the talk of great food and gardens full of herbs and vegetables, it is wine I am at Robert Mondavi’s for and we make our way into a tasting room.  It is in this winery that the Fume Blanc, a drier Sauvignon Blanc, was invented.  Even though I personally wouldn’t want anyone to dry out my Sauvignon Blanc, I had to appreciate the longer length of the short barreled (six months) Fume Blanc ’08.  Among the other wines we tasted, the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ’06 stood out, a smooth wine with full tannins.

Before heading to the next winery, Steve took me over to Oakville Grocery, a small store-deli filled with treats, cheeses and sauces.  I couldn’t resist what they called their famous Peanut Butter Cookie and felt it was perfect to hold me through at least one more tasting.  That was at Flora Springs, where Travis greeted me with a delicious 2009 Oakville Sauvignon Blanc.  It had strong pineapple notes and I was satisfied, but Flora Springs had much more to offer, including some offerings unusual for Napa from this family-owned winery, like Sangiovese, a Chianti style wine that is a bit of a cross between a Cab and a Pinot Noir.  There was also a Pinot Grigio from ’09, a very good vintage with strong citrus notes, and the winery’s flagship wine, Trilogy, which is 75% Cabernet, blended with Merlot, Malbec and Cab Franc.

After a tour through the wine cave and grounds of Flora Springs, which included a look at the fruit trees that help produce wine club extra treats like Apple Butter and Fig Balsamic Vinegar, Travis suggested I stop by Dean & Deluca’s to pick up a little lunch to enjoy at Flora Spring’s tasting room next door to there.  He called ahead so there was a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc waiting for me and I enjoyed the wine, salads and baguette overlooking the valley for a half hour before Steve beckoned me into the car and off to Whitehall Lane.

The tasting room at Whitehall Lane was a bit smaller than others I had been in, but that was not a sign of the winery.  Whitehall can hold its own with six vineyards of its own.  There was more good Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc here, but the standout was the 2006 Napa Merlot Blend, which contained Cabernet and Syrah, with strong vanilla notes.  Also of interest at Whitehall Lane was the Vino Seal they use on their reserves. They were the first in the U.S. to use these quick on and off “corks.”

My final winery of the day was a real treat that wasn’t on the original schedule.  Cathy Corison had seen my Twitter message that I was coming to Napa and asked that I stop by Corison Winery so I had her slated in at the end of the day.  Despite the fact that she was a last minute addition, this winery owner was quite a gracious host.  She led me to the top floor, where a beautiful table of glasses, cheese and fruit overlooked a picturesque window showing the vineyards.  Cathy Corison and her husband had bought this property in 1995 and had built quite a reputation making great Cabernet (though I was also impressed with the Gewurztraminer).

As I learned more about how the Corisons built up this small winery, we did a vertical tasting of her Cabs from six years.  We were both in agreement that the 2002, with its light spice, oak and vanilla, was the favorite, with the 2004 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon the richest of the group.

I ended my day as it began, at Bardessono Hotel. I had checked into the Harvest Inn for the night, but Bardessono invited me back for dinner since I was already booked at étoile the previous night.  The chef actually went out of his way to create a tasting menu just for me, altering the foods that didn’t work with my allergies and using the freshest herbs and vegetables from the hotel’s garden.  The melon soup with olive oil was excellent; the eggplant salad with avocado perfectly combining two of my favorites; the prosciutto and figs a wonderful sweet and salty combination; the trophy pasta with basil and truffles tasted as good as it smelled; and the peach melba dessert with almonds, vanilla ice cream, mint and raspberry sauce was fresh, fruity and delicious. 

The only thing that was not completely to my liking at dinner was the Clunky Chicken, served with a corn mixture, but it worked out alright since I needed to save some appetite for another full day to come of Napa Valley eating and drinking.

Monday, August 9, 2010

California Wine Adventure Begins

My California wine adventure actually didn’t start in wine country, it began in Tiburon, a waterside community in Marin. There was no doubt that I had quite a week ahead of me and I deserved just a bit of downtime first. I took it with a short stay at The Lodge at Tiburon, a rustic hotel in the heart of the city. It’s a welcoming place and I wish I could have stayed a bit longer at The Lodge,, but I did enjoy a Grilled Veggie Flatbread Pizza with a unique combination that included asparagus and corn for dinner and the first sampling of one of my favorite Northern California treats – sourdough bread – for breakfast. Then it was off for a few hours of quality time with my nephew before hitting the road to Napa.

Napa Valley Tour GuideIt took an army of convention and visitors bureau personnel and public relations reps to plan my Napa Valley wine tour. I have a schedule that is packed solid, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been looking forward to doing this ever since I became the “Wine and Spirits Traveler” and the Sunday evening I got started.

Yountville is a quaint little town full of great restaurants, shops and hotels. I recognized it the moment I entered as a place I had strolled before, but I it had been about two years, before Bardessono was opened. I was told this was the place I needed to stay first and I can’t argue with that assessment. I’ve seen some beautiful hotels around the world, but this is different.

Bardessono is full of contemporary art and furniture, fitting to my taste. The suit is a large one with a separate bedroom area in addition to the bed in the main room. A touch of a button in each room controls lights, shades and even the fireplace. A station on the desk supplies a connection for every electronic gadget you can imagine. And then there’s the bathroom. There’s a Jacuzzi, a steam room and an outdoor shower that goes into a very private yard, with tables and chairs.

Unfortunately, my schedule won’t allow me to enjoy the rooftop pool or gardens of Bardessono, but I will get to explore a bit and come back this evening for dinner. It’s going to be hard to top last night’s dinner, though, as étoile (pronounced “etwal”) at Domaine Chandon is in a class by itself.

Domaine Chandon was one of the few stops on the Napa Valley trip that I planned myself. I had become acquainted with the Moet Hennessy group on my trip to Cognac. They had arranged for a tasting dinner of the Domaine Chandon wines along with their Newton Vineyard offerings, since I couldn’t fit that winery in this trip. They certainly delivered on that promise as I feasted on Foie Gras with an Amaretto emulsion and cherries; Black Truffle Pappardelle; Duck Breast cooked to perfection and, finally, sharing the chocolate lava and chocolate spice desserts, with a taste of the Caramelized Pear Mille-Feuille.

The food is just one reason to eat at étoile. The landscape is stunning, especially with the recent additions of the 27 wind sculptures. And then, of course, there’s the wine. Chandon is known for their sparkling wines, but they also make still. All are made with only three grapes – Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, using their vineyards here in Yountville, as well as the ones in Carneros and Mount Veeder. The cuvees are produced methode champagne, but you will find no actual “champagne” at étoile. Despite the fact that the parent company, Moet Hennessy, makes outstanding brands Dom Perignon and Krug, the Domain Chandon sparklings stand on their own here.

The wines kept coming throughout the meal. Some of the most outstanding were étoile Brut, Chandon Extra-Dry Riche, Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay. Though they are a bit dry for my taste, I could appreciate the complexity of the Newton Unfiltered Merlot, Chandon Pinot Noir Rose and Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay. There was also the DKNY, which is only available at étoile. It was created in 2008 celebration of the brand’s 20th anniversary, using a blend of grapes during a 20 year period (1986-2006) and is light and delicious.

I was surprised at the extensive variety between the Chandon and Newton brands. If you can’t arrange a tasting dinner at étoile, I recommend visiting the winery for a flight, or enjoying the wines on the patio of étoile, where there is a menu that includes items like morning pastries or afternoon cheese platters. As for Newton Vineyards, private tours and tastings are available Tuesday through Sunday, by appointment.

It’s time to get ready for my first full (and I mean full) day in Napa as I head to Robert Mondavi, Flora Springs, Whitehall Lane and Corison Wineries with the help of Pure Luxury Sedan.