“The Doctor”
I don’t normally like the Doctor, even though they do give me a doggie treat when I’m a good boy for my checkup. The Doctor I would rather spend time with is in a bottle and a real people Doctor; Doctor Jan Krupp, of Krupp Brothers winery in Napa, CA. We are happy to feature some of the finest, boutique, wineries from the Napa Valley here at Ed’s. Krupp Brother’s is a fine example of some low production, highly rated, beautiful wines.
Dr. Jan Krupp, an internist from the San Francisco area, purchased 41 acres in Napa in 1991, where he made his own wine on weekends, while practicing medicine during the week. He and his brother Bart then bought an adjoining 750 acres on Stage Coach- now one of the most famous and sought after vineyards in Napa. However, there was no water, no roads, and no vines, just rock back then. After drilling and drilling and still finding nothing, the brothers hired a “Water Witch” who pointed her divining rod and they began to drill again. Viola! 400 Feet below their property was a flowing river. Many months and many legal obstacles later, they began road construction, blowing up boulders, and planting- over 100 acres a year. They also planted native vegetation and began restoring a wild and native eco system. Stagecoach grew into 500 acres, and most of the fruit grown is sold to other wineries. In 1999, the Krupp Brothers purchased another 50 acres, the same year they produced their first vintage, Verasion Cabernet Sauvignon. Here at Ed’s, the beautiful 2007 vintage Krupp Brothers Stagecoach Vineyards Verasion Cabernet is available, along with some 2008, but it won’t last; the next vintage is 2011. The 2007 Verasion Cab is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Merlot, and 3% Petite Verdot. Aged for nearly two years in French oak barrels, it shows aromas of Espresso beans and tobacco leaf. Silky impressions of black currant, fresh rosemary and dark cocoa, only 3800 cases were made. I give it three bones!!!
Krupp Brother “The Doctor” Napa Valley Red blend is currently 2011, made from 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Tempranillo (yes- the brothers are growing the famous Spanish grape on their property and blending with it!) 27% Syrah, 15% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. What an interesting blend, aged in more than half new oak barrels for 21 months, the color is dark garnet, with hints of boysenberry, violets, sage and clove on the nose. There is lush black cherry fruit, hints of toffee, and rosemary with velvety smooth tannins. Both these wines will age for another ten years, but I prefer to enjoy them now. Better yet, buy a couple bottles of each and call me in the morning… ha ha, try laying one or two down to taste in a few years. There are only 460 cases of this vintage made. I give “The Doctor” three bones, and will taste his elixir any time!
By Brunello Giancola as told to CRBrown
Stags’ Leap Winery
“It’s Stags apostrophe” anyone who represents this winery will start out explaining. There are Stag’s Leap wineries (two) there is Stags Leap District (a specific region in Napa) and there are several wine labels with the likeness of a Stag or Deer on them. The Stags’ Leap we are referring to is the original winery estate that began growing grapes in the 1890’s. One of California’s earliest wine estates, the property features a historic wine cave. Founded by Horace Chase, the name is attributed to a native American Wappo Indian legend- about a Stag leaping to escape hunters, where the mountains behind the property became known as the Stags leap Palisades. The winery has continuously produced grapes for winemaking with only short interruptions- whether it be financial issues of the family, Prohibition, and war. A huge stone manor was built by Chase and his uncle WW Thompson, which later became a resort for the rich and famous of Hollywood. The property boasts legends of bootleggers, gangsters, ghosts and gypsies. The estate has been home to only three major family groups through the modern revitalization of the 1970’s.
In the 1920’s Frances Grange established Stags’ Leap as a resort destination for the wealthy looking to escape the city of San Francisco. Winemaking had ceased but grapes were still grown and sold to other wineries. In the 1940’s the resort became a rest and reunion destination for US Naval officers and their families. And in 1972 Carl Doumani produced the first wine since 1908 at Stags’ Leap. In 1989 Stags Leap District was established as an American Viticultural Area. To use the AVA designation a wine must have 85% fruit grown within the district. Stags’ Leap is located 5 miles north of the town of Napa, east of the Napa River and along the Silverado Trail. Stags Leap District covers an area three miles long and a mile wide with about 1300 acres planted to vine. Erosion from the palisades is considered the source of the volcanic soil that has made the reputation for distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap District.
Today Stags’ Leap Estate is managed by Treasury Wine Estates, and is 85 acres divided into 23 blocks based on soil type and sun exposure. The rock face of the palisades gives off stored heat after sunset, radiating down over the entire ranch. This warmth combined with the cool climate of Napa makes for exemplary winemaking. An ideal balance of acid and sugar in the fruit gives these wines a soft texture and intense flavors.
In the 1980’s the winery undertook DNA testing to uncover the identity of heritage vines found on the property. Most especially the 1930’s field planting of Petite Sirah and other Rhone varietals found on the property. Today Stags’ Leap Winery is known as famously for its Petite Sirah as its Cabernet and Chardonnay. With a 145-year history of grape growing these wines are nothing short of stellar. We are featuring wines from this historical, iconic winery Stags’ Leap in March.
By Brunello Giancola as told to CRBrown
Rombauer Vineyards, Napa, CA
I love the philosophy of the Rombauer’s- “The Joy of Wine” as wine is an essential part of any meal. My Dad, Ed, has been cooking some of my meals for me, and I love the home made roasted chicken and carrots and sweet potatoes! The perfect complement to a dish like this is Rombauer Chardonnay. Let’s take a look at the history of Rombauer. Koerner Rombauer’s great aunt was the famous cookbook author, Irma Rombauer, who wrote “The Joy of Cooking”, one of our country’s favorite cookbooks since 1936. Wine was always a part of the family meal in the Rheingau region of Germany, where his family has their roots. So when Koerner and his wife bought land along the Silverado Trail in Napa back in the early 1970’s, it was natural for them to become interested in their neighbors winemaking. They settled along a hill top on 40 acres near Saint Helena with their horses, dogs and children. Koerner had been a pilot, first for the Air National Guard in the 1950’s, and then commercially. However, it was just a few years of living in the heart of Napa when he and his wife, Joan, became partners with Conn Creek Winery. Here, Koerner learned about wine from the cellar on up. By 1981, they had sold their interest in Conn Creek, and began construction on their own winery on land adjacent to their home. Rombauer Chardonnay sells out annually and is one of the most renowned from the Carneros region. The style is consistent from vintage to vintage, made from 100% Chardonnay, aged in French oak barrels. The wine has tropical fruit flavors, melon and vanilla. I give it 3 bones!
The Rombauer Zinfandel is a big, juicy red, that also made this winery famous. The fruit comes from three vineyard sites within Napa Valley, it is luscious with wild berry flavors, and finishes with soft tannins and black raspberry fruit. There is just a small amount of Petite Sirah in the mix, about 6%, that softens and rounds out the wine. I give it 2 bones!
Rombauer is one of only a few wineries in the world to have some of the most cutting edge winemaking equipment. A few years ago Koerner invested in an Optic Sorter, which pretty much does what the name says- the machine is programmed to pick out, with an “electronic eye”, grapes that come through on a conveyor belt, according to the size and quality wanted. The grapes wanted according to the program will continue on the belt and into the winemaking process, the grapes that are “sorted” as not being worthy are dropped into a basin and used as fertilizer. The machine costs upwards of a million dollars, and is one of the most technologically advanced in the business. One more reason why only the best grapes are used in Rombauer wines.
On the horizon for this winery is a focus on their Cabernet Sauvignon, and production of a new Sauvignon Blanc. Since the vineyards are located on some of the most prestigious real estate in the world for Cabernet, production is being upped as new plantings have become ripe. Look for some great wines out of this family owned operation for many years to come.
The Wines of J. Bookwalter, Columbia Valley, Washington State
The wines of J. Bookwalter, Columbia Valley, Washington State
My Uncle Perry will be taking a trip to Washington State with some of our customers this fall, and Bookwalter Winery is one of the destinations. The winery sits upon lush lands that have been farmed for nine generations in the Richland, Washington area. Apple trees and berries once graced the hillsides along the Columbia River where the Bacchus and Dionysus Vineyards now sit, in the front yard of the Bookwalter family home.
Winery owner John Bookwalter’s father Jerry, took the farm in the direction of grape growing in the 1980’s. Jerry graduated from UC Davis and worked in farming for 13 years in California’s San Joaquin Valley before moving his family in 1976 to the Tri-Cities area in Washington State. He eventually became vineyard manager of the famed Conner Lee Vineyard which remains the largest source of grapes for J. Bookwalter wines. In 1982, he leveraged his vineyard connections and industry knowledge to start his winery’s namesake. Jerry’s son John quite literally grew up in the vineyards of Eastern Washington, but left in the late 1980s to pursue a successful 10-year sales and marketing career with E&J Gallo, Winterbrook Beverage Group and Coors Brewing Co. In 1997, he returned to Richland with a keen understanding of the winery’s heritage and a clear vision for its future. Since then, John has made sweeping changes to improve and expand the J. Bookwalter brand. He hired world-renowned consulting winemakers Zelma Long and Claude Gros to support the company’s winemaking efforts. In 2014, John turned over most of the winemaking responsibilities to Caleb Foster, who is recognized as one of the top winemakers in the country by multiple industry publications. The winery boasts an award-winning restaurant on the property, called Fiction.
The homage to literary references is not coincidence, but also an homage to the family name, as you will see in many of the clever names for their wines:
J Bookwalter Reader’s White A bright wine that leads with notes of pear and citrus, with flavors of granny smith apple and anise. I give it two bones!!
J Bookwalter Reader’s Red Sourced from Cabernet blocks high up on Elephant Mountain, the Dionysus and Conner Lee Vineyards, this blend boasts flavors of floral black cherry, toasted spice and bittersweet chocolate. I give it three bones!
Suspense is a great name for this wine, 65% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc combine to keep surprising the palette with rich fruit on the nose and a long complex finish of oak and deep dark fruit, cocoa and herbs. I give it three bones!
Protagonist The Columbia Valley’s Conner Lee Vineyard is the source for most of the fruit in this bottle; mostly Cabernet Sauvignon , with 5% Merlot 3% Syrah and 2% Cabernet Franc for an aromatic lift. This wine is huge, expressive and age worthy. I give it two bones!
Subplot Ripe fruit and sweet oak spices entice the nose while Syrah and Cabernet marry for a rich berry profile complete with tannin and structure, with some Merlot blended in for length and smoothness on the finish. Two bones!
Volume 5 Cabernet Sauvignon 100% Cabernet, luxurious and complex. Flavors of ripe fig, hints of cocoa, coffee, dark cherries, black raspberries and black plums; smooth as velvet. I give this wine 3 bones!!
Conflict Merlot and Cabernet from the Conner Lee Vineyard supported by a small amount of Malbec which gives a hint of spice; the Conflict blend is mouthwatering. Classic aromatics of currents and dark berries marry with the French oak for a voluptuous, age worthy wine. I give it three bones!!
Today, J. Bookwalter has grown from one of Washington’s oldest wineries into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most recognized boutique wine brands. We look forward to a personal visit there. Since dogs can’t go on the trip, I will be minding the store- if you can’t join us in person in Washington, stop in and peruse our Washington wine selection and look for some of these incredible wines by John Bookwalter.
By Brunello Giancola as told to CRBrown
GUN BUN wines
The Gundlach Bundschu Winery (Gun lock bun shoe) has a picture of a gun, a lock, a bun, and a shoe depicted on each cork you pull from the bottle. A fun way to remember how to pronounce the combination of two family names rich in American viticultural history. The winery is the second oldest in California, founded by Jacob Gundlach in 1858, he called it “Rhinefarm”. Jacob purchased 200 acres in Sonoma, about 45 miles north of San Francisco, planting European routestock. In 1868 Charles Bundschu joined the winery, and nearly a decade later, married the eldest Gundlach daughter. The infamous San Francisco earthquake in 1906 destroyed many wine vaults, and family homes, yet the winery continued. Then during Prohibition, the winery was replanted with Pear trees; some grapes were kept, and pressed for sacramental wines. Today, the “Rhinefarm” is still farmed and run by family members. Flanked by the Carneros and Napa regions, Gundlach Bundschu winery produces award winning Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and other varietals, including their famous Mountain Cuvee Red Blend. Currently over 320 acres are sustainable and hand farmed, with special care given to each block of plantings, based on location, soil, exposure to sun, and vine age. In 2009 Gundlach Bundschu received the Bay Area Green Business Certification for their continued commitment to sustainability. Solar panels located on the property handle 100% of the power needed to supply the winery with energy. Cover crops and the introduction of beneficial predators help limit their use of herbicides and pesticides, and the winery boasts a water reclamation facility, as water is a commodity in California.
The wine making process is also hand crafted, sometimes single vineyard blocks make up certain bottlings. The current release of the Mountain Cuvee is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Syrah. Loaded with lush black plum, black berry and creamy cocoa flavors, with accents of smoke and black tea, with a long, juicy finish. The wine spends 14
months in mostly French oak barrels, and will be a great wine for years to come. I give the Gun Bun Mountain Cuvee 3 bones!
We also carry the Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in all French oak, nearly half the barrels were new. This wine has a tiny percentage of Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec (around 3% each) blended in, and exhibits dark fruit flavors, black currant, dried lavender and tea leaf, with an elegant finish of chocolate and juicy blackberries. Three bones!
The Wines of Tenuta Rocca di Montemassi
Pronounced row kah dee monty mah see (I know it is a mouthful when you don’t speak “dog”, or Italian like my Dad, Ed). This beautiful estate lies in the heart of Toscana in Maremma, which was once home to metal mining. In the middle of the vineyards at the estate lies a monument to 43 metal miners who were lost in an explosion in 1954. 43 Cyprus trees are planted in their memory next to a sculpture of the rail cars that carried the metal out of the hills. These rich soils in Tuscany now produce world class wines. The Zonin family owns the estate, which was in disrepair until 1998 when they purchased it. The winery is 12 miles from the coast and consists of over 1,000 acres- nearly half planted to fruit in this hot climate.
There are abundant olive trees on the property, which sits in the Province of Grosseto, a guest house, and the Museum of Rural Civilization; exhibiting everything from farming to cooking tools of centuries ago.
Here at the store we are featuring two great wines that we sampled recently. The white- Rocca di Montemassi “Calasole” is 100% estate grown Vermentino, very dry with good acidity, floral notes and delicate spice. This wine would go great with seafood or light chicken dishes, or as an aperitif. I give it three bones!
The red wine we are featuring is Rocca di Montemassi’s “Le Focaie”, an IGT wine made from 100% Sangiovese. Ruby red in color with bright cherry fruit, violets and wild berries, with a soft, velvety finish. The Le Focai is aged in large oak barrels, and as winemaker Stefano Ferrante describes, the wine truly “captures the place in the bottle”. I give it three bones too! This wine would be delicious with veal dishes or red sauce, aged cheeses and olives… I could go on.
The winemaker has been working with the Dean of Enology from the University of Bordeaux, Professor Dubourdieu, and their collaboration is bringing some new French varietals to the Estate at Rocca di Montemassi, which we will be featuring soon. In the meantime, stop in and give me a pat on the head, or a scratch behind the ears, and check out the new vintage featured wines from this grand Tuscan estate.
By Brunello Giancola as told to CRBrown
Wine from Sonoma Cutrer Winery in the heart of Sonoma, CA
Autumn is approaching, and even though I am still shedding my fluffy white hair all over the store, I am thinking about the crisp fall air, only a few weeks away.
Sonoma County is on the western edge of wine country in California, bordering Napa, its famous neighbor, and the Pacific Ocean. There are 16 AVA’s in Sonoma or American Viticultural Areas. These AVA’s are smaller regions within Sonoma that have been mapped out and recognized for their particular growing conditions and terroir- or soils and climate. The Green Valley is right on the Pacific Ocean bordering the Russian River, and the climate is cool; just right for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. The Alexander Valley is the most densely planted AVA in Sonoma, and has been noted for its richness and complexity, especially in their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. There is Dry Creek, Los Carneros, Chalk Hill and Knights Valley to name a few- and of course the Russian River Valley, home to the Sonoma Cutrer Winery since 1973.
Nestled along the foothills of Sonoma’s Russian River, the cool coastal climate has proven to be some of the greatest terroir for Burgundian varietals. Sonoma Cutrer makes world class Pinot Noir for their red, sourced from specialized vineyard sites, and Chardonnay for their white. Volcanic ash from Mount St Helena lends to the mineral rich Chardonnay. Sonoma Cutrer specializes in French style Chardonnay, aged in French oak barrels, sourced from their finest vineyards among the 450 acres owned by the winery.
The Sonoma Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2012 offers fruit aromas of Golden Delicious apple, Bosc pear and white peach are accented with toasted nuts, oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of butter. This wine has the signature Sonoma-Cutrer balance between elegance and richness for a medium-bodied, mouth-filling wine. The creamy richness is balanced with a bright acidity and highlighted with flavors of apple, pear and lemon zest. I give it 3 bones!
The single vineyard Chardonnay called “Les Pierres” Chardonnay uses Grand Cru methodology to set this wine apart. Flavors of lime, grapefruit and lemon mixed with the flinty, mineral notes that are a defining characteristic of the Les Pierres Vineyard. This fine white wine is accented with hints of caramel, fresh cream, nutmeg and honey. The citrus flavors of grapefruit, lemonade and lime are accented with Les Pierres’ classic stony minerality, caramelized oak, and spice that nicely balance the citrus flavors. Their careful oak aging and fermentation creates a round, full mouth feel with Sonoma-Cutrer’s signature bright, lively acidity and a long lingering finish of nice barrel spice. Brunello’s scale gives this special wine three bones for the Chardonnay connoisseur!
The Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Pinot Noir 2012 This vintage is an elegant balance of sensuous fruit and lovely silky tannins. The initial impression of this wine starts in the nose with deep, dark fruit aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry with a touch of cola. Classic red fruit flavors of cherry and wild strawberry are hallmarks of Russian River Pinot Noir. The wine is round, silky, and elegant, aged for ten months in oak, with a juicy mid-palate and a wonderful long finish. It is then left to rest another six months in the bottle. Another three bones!
By Brunello Giancola as told to CRBrown
Chamisal Estate Winery
Chamisal Estate is located near San Luis Obispo, north of Santa Barbara, California, half -way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Edna Valley is where the heart of their vineyards lay, only a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The Chamise plant, a wild white flower that grows with abandon on the property is how the winery name was created. Spanish missionaries planted grapes in this region over 200 years ago, and a resurgence in wine making and grape growing saw replanting around the Central Coast in the 1970’s. Chamisal was the first winery to plant grapes in 1973 in Edna Valley. Famous for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, Edna Valley has its own micro climate due to the east west wind flow, shadows of volcanic mountains, clay rich soils, and cool morning fog off the ocean. This is an ideal climate for these two grape varietals that originated in Burgundy.
Chamisal winemaker, Fintan Du Fresne, hails from New Zealand. He has been head winemaker since 2006. On any given day you will find him out on a tractor in the vineyards. He spends nearly half his time in the cellar, and the other half working with vineyard managers among the vines. The winery is SIP certified (Sustainable in Practice) and 100% sustainable. All vineyard work is done by hand, with an emphasis on the plants and terroir. The 85 acres of estate grown fruit at Chamisal are all carefully handcrafted, and Fintan believes this allows each varietal to shine.
The volcanic clay soils stay cooler, and when enriched by limestone soil, called Marl, can make for robust, expressive wines. Two of the wines from Chamisal we feature here at Ed’s are “stainless”. When you see the word stainless on a label, it means the wine has not been aged in any kind of oak barrel, container or cement vat. Simply, put, it is aged in stainless steel tanks. Chamisal Estate Stainless Chardonnay is a wonderful expression of the fruit grown in Edna Valley; 100% Chardonnay with tropical notes, kiwi and papaya, highlighted by flavors of lemon drop and apple blossom. There is crisp acidity with a lingering key lime finish. I give it two bones!
Chamisal Estate Stainless Pinot Noir is another beautiful expression of the terroir from this lush region. Sourced from fruit in Edna Valley, Santa Rita Hills and San Luis Obispo, this 100% Pinot was hand sorted and shows candy apple red fruit aromatics. There are notes of briar and forest floor on the nose, with the mid palate offering hints of blackberry fruit and cotton candy. All without oak! I give it two bones!!
I look forward to seeing you- remember to bring me a cookie, or just give me a little scratch under my chin!
