Last Thursday it was very exciting to meet Elizabeth Marston and her husband Jamie, who with Elizabeth's parents run Marston Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Of course, with Auction Napa Valley 2011 (# ANV11) beginning this coming June 2, 2011 -- and the e-auction already underway it was a great opportunity to taste some wine up for bidding while we are still in New York.

Elizabeth and Jamie are passionate about wine and very vivacious and exciting individuals, and this passion comes out in the wine served at the dinner. Elizabeth had the brilliant idea of having dinner served in the "open kitchen" where we could see Executive Chef Kevin Lasko (below) and his team prepare our incredible multi-course dinner,

Kevin Lasko

Seated around the table were long time fans of Marston Family Vineyards, who had fabulous stories to share about their experiences with the Marstons. One couple told us that they first met Elizabeth and Jamie when they made an appointment to see the estate, and the couple spent the entire day with them, taking them on a tour of the vineyard and then enjoying a wine tasting as the sun set.

The family purchased the land in the sixties and sold fruit to other wineries as growers, and then realized that they should be making wine themselves. During dinner, we enjoyed the Albion Blanc 2009, a delicious wine made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes that went perfectly with a "surprise" scampi dish chef Lasko prepared, as well as the smoked salmon and Bucatini with wasabi caviar and creme fraiche.

The next course, baby beets with bacon and pistachio pesto was served with the Marston Family Cabernet 2003, a very rich and luscious wine.

If this wasn't enough food, Grilled Filet Mignon with morel stuffing and asparagus followed, with Marston Family Cabernet 2007, which everyone at the table though was the most spectacular wine of the evening.

And finally, pastry chef Richard Leach's "Chocolate Cube" which was quite possibly the most luscious dessert in memory.

These Marston Family Wines are elegant, rich, and as you can see from the more technical post and pictures here, are grown on what could be the most incredible soil in the Napa Valley.

Lots of fun AND wine at the #ANV2011, and hope you can check out the Marston Family winery on your next visit.

I am so excited! I just finalized arrangements for attending the Auction Napa Valley 2011!

Having attended for many years, it's really one of the highlights of the wine world. Its a chance to meet the true wine legends in a very congenial and relaxed setting. I met Robert Mondavi this way, having been introduced to him at a  local restaurant and was able to interview him for my television show.

I was also lucky enough to meet Jack and Jamie Davies of Schramsberg (bidders have the opportunity to sign up for tours, and they took myself and my friend on a hayride -- my first ever). In past years, the Davies family created other fun events, like a "tasting extravaganza" in their cave, complete with gourmet hors d'oeurves at various stations with different sparkling wines.  Last year, I was able to attend an excellent presentation by Hugh Davies.

This year, one of the hospitality events I'm invited to is Bella Notte at Signarello Estates-- Ray Signorello invites guests to an extraordinary culinary evening featuring acclaimed Signorello Estate wines and Snake River Farms American style Kobe Wagyu beef prepared by Suzette Gresham, acclaimed San Francisco Chef/Proprietor of Acquerello Restaurant and their own Estate Executive Chef Michael McMillan. The evening begins with Signorello Estate’s special vintage selections in large format bottles from Ray’s private wine library ... it should be fab!

The other event is hosted by Behrens Family Winery ... a Spring Mountain Cookout!
Owners Les Behrens and Lisa Drinkward host fun, food and revelry high atop Spring Mountain! This will be a festive meal of open-fire, elevated-campout fare, perfectly paired with a selection of current and past releases.

There is still time to register as a bidder -- it is a fabulous event and I hope to see you there!  (Get More Info Here)
 

Event Schedule for Auction Napa Valley 2011
Schedule of Festivities
Thursday, June 2

"Welcome to Napa Valley" bidder dinner parties with the vintners.
Evening, locations throughout the Valley

Start your Auction Napa Valley experience on the right note as an honored guest at a festive soiree hosted by one or more of our vintners. Held at one of their wineries or homes, the evening affords you an insider's look into the cellars and lives of some of the world's most-renowned names in the wine industry.

Friday, June 3
The Barrel Auction & Marketplace
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena

The Barrel Auction & Marketplace is a grand-scale, high-energy celebration of not only Napa Valley's wine's, but its personalities, its food and the Valley itself - all enjoyed at an incomparable setting: the historic Greystone Cellar, now home to the West Coast campus of the renowned Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

At the Barrel Tasting & Auction, get up close and personal with winery owners and winemakers behind 100 of Napa Valley's famed wineries, as they offer samples of still-aging wine directly from barrel for you to taste. Like what you taste? Place a bid, and if you're one of the top ten bidders for that lot, you can look forward to a future delivery of 12 bottles of that wine from the winery's cellar directly to yours.

At the Marketplace, more than 100 vintners will pour their finest releases for you, and you'll have the opportunity to place bids on E-Auction lots that many of these vintners have put together. To go with what's in your glass, dozens of Napa Valley renowned restaurateurs and artisan food purveyors will ply you with their specialties, from savory to sweet.

How about a little food for the brain? We're offering several tasting seminars in the CIA classrooms that'll give you a top-notch education on Napa Valley's leadership and innovation in the wine industry - as you taste for yourself the handsome results of these efforts.

You'll also have the opportunity to purchase limited-edition Auction Napa Valley apparel and items at the Auction's retail store.

"Friday Night in Napa Valley" bidder dinner parties with the vintners
Evening, locations throughout the Valley
After an afternoon with hundreds of your closest wine-loving friends, switch gears with another dinner party - this one a little smaller and more intimate, as befits a Friday night in Napa Valley - with vintners welcoming you into their winery, vineyard or home for the evening.

Saturday, June 4
The Live Auction
1:00 pm
Meadowood Napa Valley

On Saturday, Four-Day Passport holders gather at Meadowood Napa Valley for Wine Country's event of the year.

Live Auction Lot Preview
Napa Valley Vintners are a creative bunch and thrive on collaboration: meet and mingle with the vintners behind the 40 mega-lots specially selected for the Live Auction as you get your one and only opportunity to view these offering.

Pre-Auction Lunch
After that, enjoy an elegant picnic lunch prepared by Napa Valley's own Cindy Pawlcyn, chef/owner of Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Go Fish and Mustards Grill - and of course an array of refreshing whites and delicious reds to pair with your lunch, poured by the vintners themselves.

Then pick up your paddle, head into the main tent for the highlight of the weekend...

The Live Auction
Take a seat at your vintner-hosted table as the weekend's highlight begins. The dynamic auctioneering duo of Fritz Hatton and Ursula Hermacinski will tease and tempt you with the amazing lots up for bid and will keep your hand glued to your paddle until the final gavel drops. And with every successful bid, that lot's vintners will join you at your table for a congratulatory toast to your win.

Post-Auction Dinner and Party
Take the festivities back out onto the lawn as chef/restaurateur/TV personality Michael Chiarello provides a show of a different kind, demonstrating his culinary wizardry for guests as he works to create a feast worthy of the day's festivities and the dinner's wines.

When you sit down to enjoy the meal, it's in the good company of your vintner hosts.

And don't forget to bring your dancing shoes, because after dinner, we'll dance under a canopy of stars.

Sunday, June 5

Farewell Fete
10:00 am - noon, Vintners Glen at Meadowood Napa Valley
End your weekend on the right note by joining the vintners for one more bite to eat and a glass of wine enjoyed outdoors. You'll also have the opportunity to place any last bids on e-Auction lots before they close later in the day.

We'll then send you off with our warmest thanks for helping us continue our venerable 31-year tradition of celebration and giving known as Auction Napa Valley.
 

"Have you tasted their Sauvignon Blanc? It rocks!"

To be clear, we are speaking of the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the Arkenstone Vineyards estate in Howell Mountain. And "rock" is the appropriate word, for even though this is a California Sauvignon Blanc, the minerality is incredible. "Limestone soil?" I ask owner Susan Krausz over lunch.

I discover it is actually a variety of soils in this incredible region of Howell Mountain. In terms of style, it is a surprisingly muscular Sauvignon blanc with loads of minerals and a bright splash of acidity.

The Krausz family purchased the property in the late 1980s as a vacation home, and in the fullness of time, discovered its value as a winery. Beyond the Sauvignon Blanc which is also distinctive by its bottle (designed to capture the 1855 Bordeaux bottle with its deep punt), the winery makes excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and also Syrah.

I was able to try the 2006 and 2007 Obsidian which is grown on sandy soil. The color of both was deep and intence, with incredible balance.

Speaking of the 2006, it was a very assertive yet balanced cabernet sauvignon with precise structure and a harmony of flavors including chocolate, mocha, dusty red raspberry, vanilla, and casis. The 2007 is just a baby -- just right now beginning to open.

Syrah is a personal passion for Susan, and the 07 I taste is very dark in colr, with a nose of violet and blueberries ... a very deeply concentrated syrah with blueberries, mochal, and a long mineral finish.

A very intimate lunch with a very talented and passionate woman with delicious wine New York loves.

It's always fun when the Napa Vintners association comes to New York -- the owners and winemakers take a break from pouring at consumer and press functions, and are able to relax a bit and talk about their wines.

I first met Shirley Roy a few years ago at a trade event ... and had been very entranced by her Bordeaux style wine. So I eagerly accepted the opportunity to taste the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and also the 2006 ROY Estate Proprietary Red Wine.

The winery is located on Soda Canyon Road in the Napa Valley. just south of Stags Leap. Renowned winemaker Helen Turley designed the vineyard, with 17 acres planted to Cabernet, Merlot, and Petite Verdot with what Shirley calls the "Turley signature" - a tightly spaced vineyard with competing rootstock to insure concentration of fruit.

These days, the winemaker is Philippe Melka, one of the current "it winemakers" in the Napa Valley. The Proprietary Red 06 is a very lush yet balanced style of Cabernet Sauvignon, with bright acidity and excellent long finish. Very good wine, yet I prefered the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, with its aromas of dried herbs, blueberry, violet, and chocloate and a very silky mouthfeel and long finish that is "drink now" yet can mature for many years.

Shirley created the winery with her husband over ten years ago, and today is at the helm. She has incredible enthusiasm and energy and the story of how she started her vineyards from scratch is fascinating. More updates soon!

Today the American Sommelier Society invited their members to hear Nicki Pruss, winemaker for Stags Leap present her wines. I had met Nicki last year at the Master of Wine conference in Napa, as the winery invited us to tour the vineyards and meet Nicki and tsste the wines.

Today's tastings started with 2008 Arcadia with its aroma of white flowers, then progressed to 2008 Karia Chardonnay, and 2007 Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon (34% new French Oak) then progressed to the 07 Fay Estate, cab 2007 S.L.V Estate cab, and the Cask 23 07 Cab which has attracted fans worldwide. 

The icing on the cake was the 1997 S.L.V. Estate Cab, which was great to compare with the 2007. One can see the incredible transformation the 07 will have in the next decade.

Nicki is an excellent presenter who speaks with real passion. I look forward to seeing her again in Napa soon.

Rather risky, don’t you think, to put a California sparkling wine up for comparison among some of the best houses in Champagne? Yet that’s what Hugh Davies did in NYC recently when presenting his sparkling wines to a very select group of journalists.

“Of course, I can detect a California sparkler!” you might think to yourself, walking into a room and sitting down in front of six rose colored wines, all to be tasted blind. The five Champagnes are among the priciest and most famed in the world, selling for hundreds of dollars per bottle. Yet the sixth is an “imposter” – not a Champagne from the named region in Northern France, but a Napa Valley sparkler.

Students of fine wine are quick to learn that one of the visual “markers” of a true fine Champagne (or any quality sparkler, really) is the “mouse” or bubbles. The best sparkling wines have a very fine, very persistent stream of bubbles, the tinier the better the wine. Wines with larger, coarser bubbles are often tank produced (instead of the traditional method, like champagne) or produced with less care.

Wines 1 – 4 were very pale and elegant, the robe (or color as they say in France) was like that of a pale onion skin. The two on the extreme right were a deeper, brighter shade of orange-rose and looked suspiciously “New World-ish.”

Not to name names, but within the confines of the small room were a dozen of the best known writers in New York and, for all practical purposes, the world. And as we sniffed and swirled the wines blind, I was already imagining how horrible it would be for Hugh when the scores were collected and the Champagne “imposter” was easily detected. Yet amazingly, in a sea of well known top Champagne brands, the more affordable sparkelr Schramsberg came in first.

Here is the breakdown:

1. J. Schram 2001, 52 points total, $130
2. Roederer Cristal 2002, Rose, 57 points total, $549
3. Perrier Jouet Fleur 2002, 71 points total, $300
4. Krug NV, 74 points total, $300
5. Dom Perignon 2000, 77 points total, $319
6. Veuve Cliquout Le Grande Dame 1998, 84 points total, $300

Family owned since 1965 (the year of Hugh’s birth), the original Schramsberg winery was built in 1862 by German immigrant Jacob Schram. Schramsberg uses the “Traditional Method” to make its nine distributed sparkling wines, the sitgnature vintage dated Reserve, J. Schram and J. Schram Rose, the classic vintage dated Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Brut Rose, and Cremant, and the multi-vintage Mirabelle and Mirabelle Rose, with production at just 60,000 cases annually. The grapes are hand-crafted in that they are hand-harvested, and the bottles are stacked and riddled in underground caves. Unique among California sparkling wine houses, Schramsberg ferments 25 percent of its juice in oak barrels.

All in all, this was a fascination and very focused presentation by Hugh and his entire team. After the blind tasting of sparkling wines, we had a second flight – the J. Schram Progressive – in which we could compare the “natural” base blend with wines with different dosage. The final flight compared different sparklers , including the 2001 Reserve and a Cremant Demi-Sec, with food. For example, the Blanc de Blanc 2006 went very well with a smoked salmon crepe, while the more substantial J. Davies had the weight to pair with lamb.

I’ve been to the winery for many years, as they are active with the Napa Valley Wine Auction, and always put on a fabulous show. Next time you are in Napa you should visit!

schramsberg

.... it seems like I've been going to the Napa Valley every few weeks this year. Only February, and I've been in late January for the Master of Wine educational seminar and just last week, the Symposium for Professional Wine Journalists and the Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction. Usually Yountville looks the same from year to year, yet in the past several months I've noticed new activity in this gorgeous, ancient looking structure along Yountville's "restaurant row." It turns out that the name is Ma(i)sonry and it is owned by Michael Polenske who also owns the Pomerol style Blackbird Vineyards winery. Last summer was the first time I really noticed Ma(i)sonry as it looked like a very cool party was going on. Was it a restaurant? It turned out to be the opening of an art exhibit of Chiara Mondavi (yes, grand daughter of Robert) and we were welcomed inside. Of course, it was a gorgeous summer day and the reception was held in the delightful garden. We chatted a bit with Michael Polenske, whom we met a few years back at an event related to his Blackbird Vineyards. Yet it wasn't until last Friday, when we were invited to Ma(i)sonry for a press lunch, that we were able to get some updates on his wines and projects.

Michael had been a investment management specialist (hence the artful fruition of his winery and the picture perfect showcase for his wines and art) for over twenty years. He went on to get diplomas in agriculture and create Blackbird Vineyards, which has won many awards. Ma(i)sonry was acquired to serve many purposes. First, Michael wanted to create a fabulous tasting environment for his own wines and showcase local artists. And with 10,000 feet and various rooms, niches, and the garden, he could also offer the venue as a tasting space for smaller boutique wineries that do not have a tasting room or marketing force on their own. Beyond the art, the structure is richly furnished with one of a kind pieces.

Of course, the space came in quite handy as a delightful venue for journalists to taste the cuisine of Ma(i)sonry's resident chef Taylor Mason and sipped some signature Blackbird releases (below) Blackbird 2009 Rose Blackbird 2007 Arise Blackbird 2007 Illustration Blackbird 2008 Premiere Napa Valley blend I liked the space a lot and wish I had the foresight to snap it up before Michael! Happily, Ma(i)sonry is available for rent and Chef Taylor Mason is fabulous. Info:  Contact Denis Collins at 707 944 0889 http://www.maisonry.com

Chardonnay is everyone's favorite grape ... it can take on so many expessions. Increasingly, you should recognize that many old world producers, especially in Macon, are edging towards new world appellations in style while some new world producers are trying to emulate old world producers. 

So for those of us who appreciate the apple pie a la mode style of Chardonnay, often referred to as the California style, I am now tasting the 2007 William Hill from the Napa Valley. Yes, it is buttery, with oak, and to me a slight tange of cinammon and other spice. Yet the flavors are "real" (as opposed to being fabricated, more on that in another post) with good concentration of fruit, complexity of flavors, typicity of the region (California, you got that right), and balance between the fruit, acid, and oak.  

On the nose you will find vanilla scented butter and aromas you might associate with an apple orchid in an extended harvest (very ripe fruit). On the palate, quality dry wine with medium acidity and body, and an elegant flavors of vanilla, ripe apples, and the nuances that come with oak aging.

Pair with a dish such as sole with a vanilla foam as the vanilla in the foam (or sauce) will really pick up on the vanilla flavors in the wine. If you run a wine store and are thinking of what the customer wants, this is a good suggestion when the guest walks in and demands a good buttery California Chardonnay. You will also find it a crowd pleaser for a holiday such as Thanksgiving, both when friends and family walk in the door and as an appropriate white meat pairing.

The winemaker Ralf Holdenried was kind enough to send me a note with the wine, saying the grapes were hand harvested at night (important as it keeps the grapes fresh), pressed as whole clusters, and after racking, inoculated with yeast to inintiate primary fermentation. Afterwards, maloactic fermentation and aging in French and American oak barreels on lees. 

Ralf also said that since Gallo took over the property in 2007 and he became winemaker, he's been making many improvements in the vineyard and winery. This is the first wholly original release. He says he's been turning to different growers for fruit, who are able to ripen grapes completely yet retain good acidity. He sounds like he wants to be very connected to end consumers, so I hope to interview him about this and get back to you soon.
 

Are you a jaded diner? In today's power-packed culinary world, many people are lucky enough to visit four and five star restaurants as a matter of course. Twenty years ago, for example, dining at a top restaurant would be because of a celebration, a birthday perhaps, or an anniversary.

In big cities, particularly New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles, executives often dine out every night in celebrity chef restaurants in the course of business. However, when envious spouses ask what they enjoyed, the executives often can't recall - they were too busy deal-making.

Happily, jaded diners can get in touch with their inner foodie at The Restaurant in the luxurious Meadowood Resort in California's Napa Valley which has won another Michelin two-star rating for the third year in a row. A jaded diner myself, I generally prefer to order a la carte, select my own wines and, in New York fashion, take personal control over my dining experience.

Perhaps there is something about the tranquility of this peaceful resort, or curiosity about new chef Christopher Kostrow (awarded two Michelin stars when he was at the helm of Chez TJ in Mountain View) that motivated me to order the multi-course tasting menu and leave my wine pairing in the capable hands of young, but highly professional sommelier Rom Toulon.

As you can imagine for a tasting menu that is $130 for food alone, the ingredients are quite luxurious. Starting plates included cold smoked toro & Osetra caviar, foie gras and apple, and citrus cured Spanish mackerel served with a very curious (and delicious) olive oil ice cream. Savory lobster and sweetbread was accompanied by Hedgehog mushrooms in a froth of a sauce, followed by the mains of crispy confit of suckling pig accented with maple syrup, and poached grass fed beef.

The pairings (an additional $90, with a different wine pairing virtually every dish) were fabulous and in my view, generous. 2006 Pierre Gaillard Le Secret Ivre was a personal favorite, a delicious flavorful wine with heady vanilla accents that paired excellently with the lobster. I also enjoyed 2005 Domaine Vincent Girardin Saint-Aubin 1er Cru. Of course, there is no real point in listing all the wines sommelier Rom personally selected to accompany our meal because when you dine here, the menu — and your wine pairings — will likely be different.

What is important to underscore is that Rom Toulon's extensive knowledge is such that he can very quickly decide on the best wine to match your dish. To me, this is both a gift and a skill. By the definition of their job, sommeliers taste a lot of wine. What separates the five-star sommeliers from the rest is their chef-like ability to pick up an accent of a dish (a hint of vanilla in a sauce) rather than generically pair a white wine with a seafood entrée.

Of course, you can create your own a la carte meal. Fish dishes include Local Dungeness Crab served with sunflower seeds, vanilla, Bartlett pear, and Jalapeno, Scallop and Blue Hawaiin Prawn, Olive Oil Poached Black Cod with Osetra caviar and oyster foam, and Pacific Kampachi with braised lettuce, peas, crab, and mint. Entrees include poached and roasted squab, slow roasted veal, and Marin Sun Farms lamb along with the suckling pig served on the tasting menu.

At the time of my meal, Chef Christopher Kostrow had only been in the kitchen a few weeks, so The Restaurant is too new to review, even though everything was fabulous. I loved his flavor combinations, however, and feel very comfortable suggesting that when you do visit, just leave yourself in his hands. Although the wine list is spectacular and will have Napa Valley wine aficionados salivating, consider leaving your pairing to Rom. Delicious surprises await!

Meadowood · Napa Valley
900 Meadowood Lane
St. Helena, CA 94574
Tel (800) 458-8080

... so you can imagine how surprised I was when a business colleague gave me a bottle of Ehret Family Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa's Knight's Valley upon hearing I was a wine person.

This is a delicious wine with exotic spice, black berries, plums, coffee, and a never-ending finish. Knights Valley is a tiny AVA, known for its volcanic, well-drained soils. Care was taken in the winery, with the fermentation skin contact lasting 21 days before the wine was aged in 100% French Oak barrels (70% new) for 20 months.

I am hearing more and more about this region, and will make an appointment to visit the next time I am in Napa. The winemaker is Nick Goldschmidt, who had worked with many world class wineries such as Atlas Peak. Maybe he'll give me a personal tour ...