Phillippe Langner, winemaker for Sullivan Vineyards, offered the same wines they poured at the Day in the Dust tasting.

Sullivan 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon – shy but pretty Cabernet fruit in the nose – lovely burst of ripe varietal fruit in the mouth – it’s quite delicious until the medium weight tannins kick in – it is still nicely balanced, but as is typical of this producer, will require several years of patience to show its best.

Sullivan 1999 Coeur de Vigne – quite pretty aromatics that declare this wine the meritage that it is – the tannins are more prominent in the mouth, but the fruit reveals itself before the tannins take over – shows delicious ripeness as well as lovely balance – this is another wine needs a few years’ patience to show its best.

And from Doug Sparks and his wife Katsuko (right), who craft their Sunset Cellars wines in the Rosenblum complex in Alameda:

Sunset Cellars 2000 Barbera  Twin Creeks Vineyard – this is my second taste of this wine – the first was at the California State Fair tasting, where the wine took a gold medal. It subsequently took double gold and Best Barbera at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. I believe the wine is worthy of the honors.

The wine has developed some aromatic complexity, and now smells almost exotic in nature. Boy! This is one delicious wine. It doesn’t have quite the explosive fruitiness that I noted in Sacramento, so perhaps it has closed down just a bit – it still has a wonderful concentration of fruit – very friendly in the mouth – I look forward to two or three years of steady improvement. A most excellent effort.

Sunset Cellars 2000 Carignane – from Teldeschi fruit (Dry Creek) – pretty varietal fruit in the nose – there’s a fabulous explosion of berry fruit on the palate that starts in the center of the tongue and works its way out in all directions – a very appealing and entertaining wine.

I’m enormously impressed with these wines from Sunset Cellars. I highly recommend you search for them and find out for yourself.

Pax Mahle (left) poured three Syrahs from the 2001 vintage that I tasted from barrel, but did not write individual tasting notes. They have just recently been bottled, and it’s a treat to taste them again.

Pax 2001 Syrah  Kastelli–Knight Ranch – rich and dark color – subdued, but mysterious aromas of black plum and licorice – very successful in the mouth with good concentration of fruit – perfectly ripe – well balanced – the tannins are showing just a bit, and it needs some time to come around, but a lovely, lovely wine. Not Rhonish in character, but a wonderful expression (as I have said before) of the fruit that the wine is made from, and I surely do like this wine.

Pax 2001 Syrah  Lauderback Vineyard – very pretty and sweet fruit aromas from the glass – likewise, perfectly ripe and sweet plummy fruits in the mouth – very clean and expressive – long follow with some smooth tannins that need to resolve – showing as well, if not better than when tasted this from barrel some time ago.

Pax 2001 Syrah  Walker-Vine Hill  Short Rows – dense, dark color that retains a bit of the classic ‘purple robe of youth’ – rather shy in the nose – enormously successful in the mouth – another hand grenade of ripe and expressive fruit – by no means a “fruitbomb” in style, but carries it’s weight and intensity with grace and balance.

Pax 2001 Syrah  Alder Springs Vineyard  The Terraces – cofermented with 10% Viognier – not yet in bottle – dark and mysterious aromas of fresh plum with hints of licorice and road tar – absolutely stunning in the mouth – flavors echo the aromatics – deep and rich without sacrificing balance or drinkability – a very young wine that needs some time, but this may prove to be his star of the vintage.

Page One

Left Coast Correspondent 
Index

PROFILES:

Tasting Notes from 
the Northern Ridge

Synergism
Further Tasting Notes from the Ridge

Up the Coast
Domaine Serene, 
Domaine Drouhin
and Archery Summit

Syren Vineyards

More Tasting Notes from the Ridge

Jancis Robinson

Pax Mahle

Sean Thackrey

Robert Biale Vineyards

Havens Wine Cellars

Galleron

Scott Paul Wines

Landmark Vineyards

Dashe Cellars

Tasting a Legacy - 
Wines of Stag's Leap

TN's From The Ridge & Beyond
Paul Draper and Monte Bello

C O P I A

TRADE TASTINGS

"T" is for...
califusa ventures where the stags leap

CCS at CIA

A Day in the Dust

Premiere Napa Valley ®

Family Winemakers 02, 01, 98

My opinion of these wines has not changed an iota. I like them every bit as much now, if not more, than when I sampled these from barrel several months ago. This is an extraordinarily strong showing from Pax Wine Cellars, and undoubtedly a step up from his 2000s.

Among my very favorite folks in this business are Jim (right) and Barbara Richards, whose spectacular property on Spring Mountain produces stellar Merlot and tiny quantities of excellent Syrah.

Paloma 2000 Merlot – blended with 14% Cabernet Sauvignon - a bit shy, but very pretty Merlot fruit peeks through in the nose – quite attractive in the mouth, showing tasty, medium weight varietal fruit – the tannins are significant, and will need some time to settle down. This vintage will likely be more elegant and less hefty than the 1999 – I suspect it will be an earlier drinker. This does not mean it is a lighter or a lesser wine – it is simply a different expression of this variety from this vineyard. It will be a very successful wine on it’s own.

I first wrote about the wines of Reynolds Family Winery in my Serendipity story. Steve Reynolds (left) greeted me warmly and was very enthusiastic about the wines he was pouring.

Reynolds Family 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon – pretty fruit aromas with a hint of green olive – very pleasant in the mouth – medium weight and fairly concentrated Cabernet fruit with interesting character – the green olive notes are not detectable in the mouth.

Reynolds Family 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon – still just a little stinky – very attractive and sweet fruit in the mouth with good intensity – has lovely balance – there are some tannins that will need a little time, but I must admit this is a far stronger showing for this winery.

Reynolds Family 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – with a beautiful handmade label that features an actual mustard blossom imbedded in the paper – rich, dense color – reticent aromatics – very striking Cabernet fruit in the mouth that speaks of it’s Stag’s Leap origins – well structured with medium to medium-full bodied dense varietal fruit – cleanly made and nicely balanced.

I was surprised by how much more impressive these wines were than when I tasted with Steve a few months ago. I commend him for a very strong showing today, and I believe this is a producer that deserves our attention.

If you have not met Jonathan Lachs (right) and Susan Marks of Cedarville Vineyards, please make it a point to make their acquaintance. They are lovely folks, and are doing good things with their foothill fruit. All of their wines are from estate vineyards.

2000 Cedarville Syrah  El Dorado – 4% Mourvedre - lovely dense and tarry black plum fruits in the nose – has a rustic appeal in the mouth – the tannins are just a bit coarse on the palate, and will need some time – all in all a successful “mountain” type Syrah, that should come into balance with a year or two in bottle.

2000 Cedarville Zinfandel  Estate – dusty ruby color – sweet berry aromas – broadly flavored with a pleasing mouthfeel – again, needs time to settle down, but will become immanently drinkable Zinfandel.

2000 Cedarville Cabernet Sauvignon – blended with 4% Mourvedre – earthy Cabernet fruit aromas – quite lovely in the mouth, with good representative flavors and balance – as with the other two wines, the tannins will require some time, but this is a strong lineup from Cedarville, who may just be hitting their stride.

So there you have it – my personal snapshot of Family Winemakers. There were other stories as well: Dashe Cellars and D-Cubed, but there was enough of interest there to warrant separate features. You’ll see them soon.

califusa

Left Coast Correspondent to the Gang of Pour