Category Archives: California

Wine & Dinner with an Old Friend

Last month, I got treated to wines and a home-cooked dinner with an old friend. I got to go back to St. Charles, MO (St. Louis) because my three (grown) children were all in town, along with my two grandsons.  On my arrival on Friday evening, I texted my good friend, Dick Deitte, who immediately invited me over to his house.  He was cooking dinner for two of his kids, and was opening some wines.  Those who know Dick know that he also loves his wines, and loves to share them.  They also know what a great chef he is for his family and friends.  So, when he said he was making two pastas and sauces, and he had “a few” wines to try, I knew I was in for a treat.  Dick and I have shared a lot of great wines over the years…

I ran to the store and grabbed a bottle of wine that I knew would be appropriate for this dinner.

When I arrived, Dick grabbed me a wine glass and filled it with an “opening” wine. Now, when I say a “wine glass,” he gave me one that holds about 16 oz., and truly filled it half-way.  I knew I was in for some serious wine drinking.  Our starter wine was a treat – a delicious 2012

2012 Jordan Chardonnay
2012 Jordan Chardonnay

Jordan Chardonnay -Russian River Valley – Sonoma County ($36).   Jordan considers this one of their best vintages of this Chardonnay.  Jordan is a fantastic winery to visit and tour – found at the extreme north of the Sonoma Valley.  It was a perfect starting wine, and complemented the first pasta course, with the white sauce.  Clean and crisp, it set the tone for the rest of the night.  The fettuccine with the white/alfredo sauce was delicious.  Dick certainly knows his way around a kitchen.

Next, it was time for the second pasta course – an excellent farfalle (bowtie) pasta with a red meat sauce.  Now it was time for the bottle I had brought – a 2013 Moss Roxx Lodi Ancient Vine Zinfandel ($32).  Moss Roxx comes from the Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi, CA.  Of course Old/Ancient Vine Zins go great with a red/meat sauce and pasta.  I’ll admit that I

2013 Moss Roxx Ancient Vine Lodi Zinfandel
2013 Moss Roxx Ancient Vine Lodi Zinfandel

have never been a fan of wines from Lodi.  When I lived there 25 years ago, they were really known for their White Zins, and their reds always seemed like they were rushed to the bottle and onto the store shelves.  I will say they’ve come a long way, but the old vine Zins can be outstanding.  This one was very good.

Once we finished eating, Dick showed me his new walk-in wine cellar, which holds about 800 bottles.  We grabbed a few bottles and went back up.  We popped open the next bottle – a 2012 Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz

2012 Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz
2012 Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz

($55) – a Right Bank style Bordeaux blend of 67% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot.  Inky black, this Columbia Valley, Washington wine was young (would be fantastic in 8-12 years) but luscious – 93-95 Points by Robert Parker in barrel tastings!  It was about this time that I showed Dick my Wine & Travel Blog, and promised to write an article on this great evening.

Our 4th and last bottle was a 2012 Robert Craig Affinity – Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55 – 92 Pts.).  A delicious way to finish the evening – a deep true Bordeaux blend of the Left Bank Five (78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6%

2012 Robert Craig Affinity
2012 Robert Craig Affinity

Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc).  Heavy on the Cabernet, this is considered Bob Craig’s “entry level” offering, and is drinking well now.  Looks like I’ll need to pay a visit to Robert Craig to try the Reserves on my next Napa trip!

All in all, a great evening of food, wine, and friendship. I also got to catch up with Carrie and Sam, two of Dick’s kids, who are friends with my son, Mitchell.  Dick and I never did get around to singing – something he and I used to do together in our church in St. Charles.  Dick sings in the St. Louis Chamber Chorus, and always wanted be to audition, but I never had the time.  Maybe Dick will come to Austin some time, so I can reciprocate at my house…

The following night, after spending the day and evening with my kids and Grandkids, I was also able to go to a party and see many of my other St. Charles friends, whom I have dearly missed since moving away four years ago!  Between seeing family and friends, it was a wonderful trip!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!

David Coffaro Estate Vineyard & Winery – One of My Very Favorites!

I wish I could remember who recommended to me to visit David Coffaro Estate Vineyard & Winery  to have a unique wine tasting.  Tucked away in the Dry Creek region of northern Sonoma County, this small boutique winery has quickly become not only one of my

Entrance sign on Dry Creek Rd.
Entrance sign on Dry Creek Rd.

favorites, but also a favorite of friends that I have recommended them to.  As Dave and Pat Coffaro put it, they are “dedicated to making premium wines at a fair price.”  And their loyal fans will all tell you that they have definitely succeeded!  Without a doubt, they produce premium wines, and they have a somewhat unique way of providing those wines at that fair price, but only if you are patient.  In my first visit to David Coffaro, about 10 years ago, I learned that only 5% of their sales are at the tasting room counter (for those with a lack of patience…).  The rest of their sales are through their website, and most of those are in their “Crazy Coffaro Futures Program.”  Yes, that’s right – wine futures.

Wine futures purchasing is where you are paying a low price today, for wines that are still in the barrel, and may not be bottled and shipped to you for a year or more.  In general, these are usually about half of what the retail price will be when released. And to take it a step

David Coffaro pouring in the Tasting Room
David Coffaro pouring in the Tasting Room

further, you can save even more by buying further in advance – buying what is still on the vines!  Now, that certainly takes some trust in the winemaker (and even in the weather), but fear not when it comes to trusting winemakers Dave Coffaro, Josh Price, and Jose Flores!  I have drank a number of cases of their wines (no, not all at one time), and I have NEVER been disappointed.  There aren’t many wineries that I can say that about.

There are a number of things that impress me about these wines and the experience at the winery itself.  In no way is this one of those

Owner, winemaker, and wearer of sleeveless t-shirts, David Coffaro!
Owner, winemaker, and wearer of sleeveless t-shirts, David Coffaro!

stuck-up wineries for “wine snobs.”  This is a laid-back place for those who appreciate great wines without all the fluff.  The tasting counter is tiny, to say the least.  But the counter is merely a starting point. 

Sparkling Pinot Noir - a Thanksgiving favorite!
Sparkling Pinot Noir – a Thanksgiving favorite!

Unless you happen to be there between the end of bottling for one season, and the end of harvest for the next, you are generally allowed (actually encouraged) to do barrel tastings of the various single

varietals and the many unique blends.  After all, if you are buying futures, it is nice to have a preview of what you may be ordering, and straight from the barrel is the best way.

When it comes to varietals, I think it is safe to say that Dave and Pat may have most any other winery in California (and maybe most other wine areas) beat.  Take a look at this link http://www.coffaro.com/diary/diarypics/vineyardmap.pdf to the vineyard map, and you will see what I mean.  Old vines, young vines, old world, and new world classics abound.  Of course the typical California varietals are all there (I don’t need to name them…), but

Vineyard Map
Vineyard Map

also a wonderful list of lesser known classics, such as Aglianico, Peloursin, Lagrein, Mourvedre, Carignan, Petit Meunier, Pinotage, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, etc.  (Even my Spell Check questions most of those…)  This variety gives Dave the option for both some unique single varietals, as well as an endless variety of fantastic blends.

I have two favorite stories I like to tell about my experiences with David Coffaro wines.  About 6 years ago, I was occasionally buying wines through a now defunct wine auction site – one of those sites where people would sell wines they wanted or needed to get rid of (so to speak).  I happened to see about three cases total of bottles of David Coffaro wines, all from 2000 and 2001.  Knowing that this was a lesser known place, I bid the minimum on every bottle, and won them all.  So I got three cases of 9-10 year old wines, for an average of $3.25 per bottle! When released, these wines have a retail price of $30-38 (and worth much more!), so I figured this was a pretty low risk!  I had never seen a David Coffaro wine without a screw top (he stopped

Probably the last remaining bottle of 2001 Aca Modot on earth - still in my cellar!
Probably the last remaining bottle of 2001 Aca Modot on earth – still in my cellar!

using corks around 2004-2005), so I was surprised to see corks.  I remember the first bottle I tried – a 2001 Aca Modot (their flagship Bordeaux blend – named after the Native American village originally on the site), and was blown away by how great it was!  Needless to say, that was the best $100 I spend on wine, and got 3 cases for that amount!  When I posted a photo on Facebook, Pat Coffaro replied, and said that they didn’t even have any of their wines left from back then, and asked how it was.

My second great story was about a year later, on a tasting visit to David Coffaro.  I had let Pat know that I was coming (I was in San Francisco on a business trip, and added a weekend), and got there somewhat late in the afternoon (they close at 4 pm).  When I arrived, there was one couple finishing a tasting, and when they left, I was alone with Dave and Pat.  After chatting and tasting the current offerings (there were no barrels left when I was there), Dave said to me… “Steve, do you have some time to stick around?  I’ve got something for you to try.”  Well, let me tell you… when a

Just a small sampling of the many wines available
Just a small sampling of the many wines available

winemaker/owner asks you if you have time to stick around, you do NOT hesitate!  The answer is always YES!!!  Dave ran over to the house and came back with a box.  He said they had just finished bottling the previous day, and he had the last 12 wines they had bottled. He wanted me to taste them all, and said he trusted my opinion.  Right then, I knew I was in someplace special.  That was such a humbling thing to hear.  I felt so honored.  So, we sat and tasted, and talked into the evening, and it was the best tasting experience of my life.

Dear readers, I know I say I like a lot of wineries, and have many favorites that I recommend, but even if you never follow any other advice I give, please take this advice to heart.  The next time you go to the Napa/Sonoma area, PLEASE take the time to go up to Dry Creek (north of Healdsburg), and visit David Coffaro Estate Vineyard & Winery.  This place will change the way you think about great wines, as

2013 Estate Cuvee - delicious!
2013 Estate Cuvee – delicious!

well as change how you buy.  And yes – you can still order current wines from their website, and buy their futures (both 2015 and 2016 available now).  And, if you join their club, you get even better prices.  Most of you know I do not recommend wine clubs often, but this one is an exception, to me.

Dave and Pat – I don’t get there often, since I live in Austin, Texas, but know that both my wife Michelle and I absolutely love your wines!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!

Beaulieu Vineyards – Where it all started…

Beaulieu Vineyards in Rutherford (Napa Valley), California is the winery that first got me interested in “real” wines.  Back in 1989, we were living in Lodi, California – at that time known for White Zinfandel.  That’s pretty much what I drank back then, since I didn’t like any of the red wines I had tried.  I soon came to learn that I had only tried “cheap” (low quality) reds.  That all changed when I decided to take a trip to Napa Valley.  After asking around for advice, a number of my co-workers (a few of them even had their own vineyards) at General Mills said that Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) would be a great place to start, as they had a very wide variety of white and reds, and had been around for 90 years.

BV
Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) historic winery – Rutherford, CA (Napa Valley)

As I stepped inside the tasting room door, I was greeted by a lovely woman in a French/Colonial-style dress, who said to me “Welcome to Beaulieu Vineyards.  Please have a glass of Chardonnay.”  I felt like I was Darren Stevens (“Bewitched”), arriving home and being greeted by Samantha with a martini!  I knew I had found something special.  I wandered around the beautiful tasting room, sipping that Chardonnay and realized that there was much more to wine than White Zin.  It was like drinking soft, clean, light melted butter.  I was thinking… “If only I had a plate of lobster or some good Wisconsin Swiss Cheese right now…”

GDL
2003 BV Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

BV has a much storied history.  Back in 1900, Georges De Latour bought four acres of land in Rutherford, determined to make wines that could compete with those of his homeland, France.  His wife looked at the land, and declared it a beautiful place (beau lieu), and the name stuck.  De Latour did two very smart things – he brought in disease-resistant roots from Europe to plant, and he got contracts to supply the Roman Catholic Church with wine for Communion.  Because of this relationship, BV was the only winery allowed to remain open through Prohibition, as the church needed wine.  Following Prohibition, Georges made one more significant decision.  He went to France, and brought back André Tchelistcheff to take over the role of Winemaker.  Tchelistcheff revolutionized how California wines were made, bringing a number of process improvements.  However, when he tasted Georges De Latour’s 1936 “Private Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, André was so impressed, that he made this the BV premiere wine, and the first California cult classic wine – BV Georges de Latour Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was launched.  To this day, these Cabs are considered the most collectible Cabernet Sauvignons in the U.S.   I have my own collection of 20+ bottles of this wine, ranging from 1973 to the 94-point 2012. A t each of my first two children’s weddings (6 and 8 years ago), I shared a bottle of the 1997 “GDL” with my close friends.

Tapestry
BV Reserve Tapestry – Bordeaux Blend – a very Romantic wine!

Back in 2001-2002, when I really started my wine collection, BV was the first place I went to, and the first Wine Club I ever joined, after having their Reserve Tastings.  It was then that I fell in love with their next most famous wine – their Bordeaux blend – “Tapestry.”  “Tapestry” has been called “the most romantic wine in America,” and I totally agree.  There is nothing better on a cold night than to have a roaring fire, a couple of prime filets, a couple of bottles of Tapestry, and the one you love!  About six years later, on April 16, 2008 – in the Member’s Tasting Room, I proposed to Michelle while the Tapestry was being served!  (I knew she couldn’t possibly say “no” while drinking that wine!)  I also have a 20+ bottle collection of Tapestry back to 1995.

Clone 4
2004 Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon
BV
BV’s historic winery entrance

Although BV is considered to be a very large winery, you never really feel that way.  They treat each of their guests as if they were their only customers.  BV probably has the widest variety of wines and price ranges of any winery I know.  From their Coastal Estates (~$6-$8) label, their Napa Valley (~$20) label, their Rutherford (~$32), Maestro (~$24-$75), Reserves (~$40-$70), Georges de Latour (~$85-$140) to their ultimate Clones (~$140-$195), there is a BV wine for everyone and for every occasion. 

As an example, for my daughter’s wedding reception “pre-party,” I bought a case each of BV Coastal Estates Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, at $6.25 a bottle.  They were all enjoyable and very drinkable wines.  I had a few bottles left over, and saved them for 5-6 years, and they easily compared then to a $30+ wine.  

Clone 4 cork
2004 Clone 4 cork with beautiful sediment crystals – opened in 2015

When it comes to storing wines long-term, BV has some of the best, and most affordable collectable wines.  The low-end wines can lay down for 6-8 years, while the GDL, Tapestry, and Clones will keep (under proper storage) for 20-50+ years!  When you buy a bottle for $85, and enjoy it 30 years later when it drinks like a $500 bottle, you know it was a good “investment!”  These wines take on a life of their own – slowly changing and improving over the years.

Port
2001 BV Port – Napa Valley

 

With Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay, Rose, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a number of delicious (and a few “fun”) blends, BV has wines that cover the spectrum.  Occasionally, they have produced a Sparkling Chardonnay (a big hit on New Years’ Eve) and a delicious Port, and they also have one of my favorite dessert wines – Muscat de Beaulieu – a delicious apricot and honey sweet dessert wine ($24 – my first bottle ever was $8.50).

I cannot thank Beaulieu Vineyards enough for starting me on this wine journey.  They took me as a novice and converted this former beer and White Zin drinker into a wine lover.  For those just starting out, or those who know their wines well, this is a winery to visit often, to join, or to order from regularly.  From every-day to special occasion wines, BV has it all, and is the best there is over the entire range of wines!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!