Barrels, Friends & French Wines
Barrels
As a quality-driven winery our winemaking protocols require we use French Oak Barrels. Over the past twenty years we have tested, experimented and selected barrels from many of the more than one hundred French barrel makers (Tonnellerie ), mostly families with three, four or five generations of experience in their craft.The reasons we select certain barrels for particular wines would fill another document but over time we have refined our barrel selections largely using Sylvain for Bordeaux wines and Meyrieux for Burgundy wines.
These selections are not exclusive. we often add several other barrels for specific wines, these two make up the largest percentage of our over two thousand barrel inventory.
Friends
Over the years working with the Sylvain family (who coincidentally also own the Meyrieux company) our vendor-client relationship has developed to more one of friends-in-business.We usually see each other in California in February and in France in September, where each meeting is an occasion for dining and sharing our respective wines.
This February we had dinner together at Mirimoto Restaurant in Napa, tasting several French wines specially chosen because they were made using Sylvain and Meyrieux barrels. We thought we would share our tasting experiences.
French Wines
Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy, Gevrey-Chambertin ~ La Bossière, 2018
One-acre monopoly vineyard planted to Pinot Noir in one of Gevrey-Chambertin's highest and coolest sites.
Bouquet of cassis, berries and warm spices.
On the palate, medium body with firm, well-integrated tannins,good length and well-balanced finish.
This is a well-integrated, balanced Pinot Noir produced with 30% new oak from our friends at Meyrieux Burgundy barrels.
We have adopted the very same barrel protocols used in the production of our Rapture Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos Des Cortons’ Grand Cru 2014
Gorgeous nose, on the palate fresh wild strawberry, rose petals, dried flowers and earthy mushroom with tight tannin showing its youth.
This wine is a testament to one of Burgundy’s largest grand cru site holders focused on creating supple Burgundies that require cellaring for 18 months in Meyrieux style French oak barrels.
Just as we do Domaine Faiveley uses 50% new and 50% one-use Meyrieux barrels selected for fine grain and moderate toast levels - the same barrel protocols used in the production of our Passion Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
L'Evangile 2012 Bordeaux Merlot/Cabernet Franc
A blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, this dark ruby Pomerol had a bouquet with crisp red berry fruit.
This is a typical masculine L'Evangile - lots of mineral, black chocolate and crushed raspberry character , strangely broody and introspective with its medium to full body but a nicely lush and supple roundness in the mouth.
Its velvety tannins remained firm, adding width and depth to its muscular plum and blackberry fruits through the mid palate.
This wine gave us the impression that we wanted to hold onto each mouthful and wait for it to further evolve.
Our perception was that we were drinking it about half way along its journey to maturity which would easily extend to 2030.
Château Leoville-Las Cases 'Grand Vin de Leoville', Saint-Julien 2014
Full-bodied, layered and tight, with a core of fruit, lively acids and an abundance of powdery tannins.
A concentrated and serious wine from an estate in the Médoc, bordering with its famous neighbor, Château Latour.
In their vineyards, where Cabernet Sauvignon rules, the team are experimenting with cover crops and biodynamic methods, while winemaking remains very traditional producing fine wines though not intended for consumers seeking immediate gratification.
One easily draws a comparison with our Interlude sustainably farmed and made with traditional winemaking in the model of Latour. The main difference being our fully ripe California fruit allowing the 2014 Interlude to be drinking perfectly right now.
Chateau Troplong Mondot Premier Grand Cru Classe 2018
From Saint-Émilion vineyards planted in 1745 , the 2018 Troplong Mondot is blended of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, aged in Sylvain barrels.
Deep garnet-purple in color, ithe aroma begins slowly with fresh raspberry, plum, blackberry and cherry notes, giving way to underlying scents of sage, soft pepper, black olives, truffles with a hint of Vegemite toast.
Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers wonderfully fresh, energetic black fruit with a downright racy line of freshness and firm, rounded tannins, finishing long with lots of mineral, earth and beautiful dried herbs layers .