On February 8, 2023, we had a chance to interview Peter Heitz, the winemaker for Turnbull. We covered six of his Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Three were 2019 single-vineyard offerings and three were regional Cabs from the 2020 vintage.
Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits about Turnbull and Peter.
- Peter’s lineage of family winemaking goes back to the late 1800’s in Napa Valley and even back 10 generations further into Alsace, France.
- Peter developed his winemaking skills at Beringer working with Ed Sbragia and Laurie Hook. He eventually become the associate winemaker focusing on the luxury portfolio. Especially the “Private Reserve” wines.
- In 2007 Peter was named the 3rd winemaker at Turnbull.
- Peter believes wines are made in the vineyard.
- Peter is a big proponent of “Estate Wines.”
- Here are a couple of his philosophic quotes.
- “I approach each wine as a narrative, telling the story of a specific time and place.”
- “The goal is to create elegant, enduring and structured wines that are rooted in our estate vineyards, while striking that perfect balance between interesting and delicious.”
- In 2007, they planted some Lagrein. It was used in the Cab’s as part of the blend for the first time in 2020.
- In 1993, William Turnbull sold the Turnbull Wine Cellars to vineyard owner and newspaper publisher Patrick O’Dell. A lifelong wine lover.
- Leopoldina Vineyard (formerly the Weitz Vineyard) was O’Dell’s addition to the Estate portfolio.
- This vineyard is located next to Vine Cliff and Dalla Valle vineyards.
- Overall, the winery produces about 18,000 to 20,000 cases per year.
- Lastly, we really appreciated Peter’s candor and tell it like it is honesty.
Below is a summary of the impressive current Cabernet Sauvignon offerings from Turnbull that we covered with Peter. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Turnbull website.
1) Turnbull 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $60 (KWGTP 92.5)
2) Turnbull 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Oakville Reserve” $110 (KWGTP 94)
3) Turnbull 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Black Label” (Napa Valley) $180 (KWGTP 94)
4) Turnbull 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Fortuna Vineyard” $155 (KWGTP 93.5)
5) Turnbull 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Amoenus Vineyard” $155 (KWGTP 95.5)
6) Turnbull 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Leopoldina Vineyard” $155 (KWGTP 94.5)
You can find reviews of past and future Turnbull wines that we cover on the Turnbull KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
On February 1, 2023, we had a chance to interview winemakers from two renowned wineries. We first met with Don Schroeder, the winemaker at Sea Smoke. We then meet with Aron Weinkauf, the winemaker and vineyard manager at Spottswoode.
Before we get to the Sea Smoke wines, I thought I would share some tidbits about Don and Sea Smoke.
Sea Smoke is a special vineyard site, with its south-facing hillsides, rich clay soils, low crop yields.- Located in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County, their vineyard site is unique because it falls in one of the only east-west coastal ranges in the United States.
- The heat generated at the site during the day is moderated each evening by a marine fog layer (Sea “Smoke”), which travels up the Santa Ynez River canyon, cooling the vines and resulting in a longer ripening period.
- Bob Davids, Owner of Sea Smoke gambled on the site. He won!
- To achieve a broad palette of flavors for blending in the winery, they planted 10 top-quality, low vigor French clones, including: 777, 667, 2a, 115, 113, 228, 05, 459, 09 and 16.
- The “Ten” wine was named after the 10 closes planted to the site.
- Don officially began his winemaking career in 2000, when his parents founded Worx, now Ampelos Cellars, a premium estate vineyard and winery located in the Santa Rita Hills.
- Don joined the Sea Smoke team as enologist in 2003. Quickly making himself indispensable, Don assumed an increasingly important role at the winery, ultimately earning the title of winemaker in January 2008.
- The Sea Smoke team is a small one, with only 9 full time employees.
- Lastly, Sea Smoke makes 4 wines. We covered the 2 Pinots and the Chard. They also have a sparkling wine called “Sea Spray”!
Below is a summary of the impressive wines from Sea Smoke that we covered with Don. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can sign up to join the allocation list on the Sea Smoke website.
1) Sea Smoke 2019 Chardonnay (Santa Rita Hills) $80 (KWGTP 94)
2) Sea Smoke 2019 Pinot Noir “Southing” (Santa Rita Hills) $80 (KWGTP 93)
3) Sea Smoke 2019 Pinot Noir “Ten” (Santa Rita Hills) $80 (KWGTP 94)
You can find reviews of past and future Sea Smoke wines that we cover on the Sea Smoke KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did.
Next up was Spottswoode, But before we get to their wines, I thought I would share some tidbits about Aron and the some of the history of Spottswoode.
The story of Spottswoode is the tale of a remarkable piece of land and its evolution over many decades and a story about the vision and perseverance of Mary Novak, and her daughters, Beth and Lindy.- In 1882, the first wine grapes were planted by George Schonewald on the site of today’s Spottswoode Estate Vineyard.
- Like many of Napa’s most historic vineyards and wineries, Spottswoode survived Prohibition by selling grapes for use in making the suddenly very popular sacramental wine.
- In 1972, Mary and Jack Novak discovered the 31-acre Spottswoode Estate, with its beautiful old Victorian home, sprawling vines and historic gardens. Mary and Jack immediately acquired an additional 15 acres of bordering farmland and began replanting the vineyards to Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
- The exceptional quality of Spottswoode’s grapes was quickly apparent, and Mary and Jack began selling their fruit to people like Robert Mondavi, Frog’s Leap and Charlie Wagner (of Caymus).
- Later, Mary sold to others, including Joe Heitz, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn and John and Doug Shafer.
- Mary founded Spottswoode Winery in 1982 and made her first vintage of Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, cellaring the wine in the basement under the house. Spottswoode’s founding winemaker was Tony Soter, a rising star in Napa Valley who had worked for iconic wineries such as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Chappellet.
- Following Tony Soter’s departure, Spottswoode was home to such winemaking luminaries as Mia Klein, Pam Starr, Rosemary Cakebread and Jennifer Williams.
- Throughout the tenure of all these talented individuals, and current winemaker, Aron Weinkauf, Spottswoode has stayed true to an elegant style.
- In March 2006, Aron joined the Spottswoode team as assistant winemaker.
- In 2009, in addition to his role as assistant winemaker, Aron was named Spottswoode’s vineyard manager.
- Two years later, in recognition of his deep understanding of the vineyard, his gifted palate, and his artistry as a winemaker, Aron was named the fifth winemaker in the storied history of Spottswoode.
- The vineyard’s 42 planted acres consist of 36 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remaining plantings made up of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc.
- For more than 30 years, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery has farmed its legendary Napa Valley estate vineyard 100% organically. In 1985, decades before most winegrowers were thinking about sustainability, or chemical-free farming, Spottswoode transitioned the historic estate vineyard to organic farming.
- The Spottswoode team is also a small one, with only 8 full time employees.
- From 1908 to 1910 the Spottswoode estate was called “Lyndenhurst” in honor of the linden trees that still bloom in the garden today.
- Crafted from their historic vineyard and other exceptional sites, Their second label, “Lyndenhurst” Cabernet Sauvignon honors Spottswoode’s winemaking legacy and offers their interpretation of a beautiful and approachable Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Below is a summary of the impressive current wines from Spottswoode that we covered with Aron. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase the Cab’s on the Spottswoode website. The first two wines are wines for club members.
1) Spottswoode 2019 “Field Book Spring Creek Estate Red Wine” (Napa Valley) $75 (KWGTP 94)
2) Spottswoode 2019 Syrah “Field Book Griffin’s Lair” (Sonoma Coast) $60 (KWGTP 92.5)
3) Spottswoode 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Lyndenhurst” (Napa Valley) $75 (KWGTP 94)
4) Spottswoode 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” (St. Helena) $255 (KWGTP 97)
You can find reviews of past and future Spottswoode wines that we cover on the Spottswoode KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
On January 25, 2023, we had a chance to interview Jake Bilbro for the first time. Jake and his wife Alexis own Limerick Lane Cellars and Limerick Lane Vineyards. We had covered a few vintages of the Limerick Lane wines in the past and it was nice to finally meet Jake virtually on Zoom. In this interview, we covered eight of his new-release wines.
Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits about Limerick Lane and Jake.
- Jake is a fourth-generation Sonoma County winemaker and grape grower.
- Jake grew up around wine at his dad, Chris’s winery, Marietta Cellars.
- His brother Scot, now runs Marietta Cellars.
- His other brother Sam, owns and runs Idlewild Wines.
- Piedmontese inspired wines from the rugged hills of northern California
- According to Jake’s bio, his greatest accomplishment is introducing his children to the wonders of cream soda while walking the century old vines on the estate. As a cream soda lover, myself, I knew I would like him!
- After building up Limerick Lane, Jake realized that he could not do everything. So, he hired his current winemaker, Chris Pittenger.
- Chris worked at several notable wineries in the past. Robert Biale in Napa, Torbreck (Australia), Williams-Selyem (Healdsburg), and finally, four harvests at West Sonoma Coast winery Marcassin (under Helen Turley).
- Just prior to Limerick Lane, Chris then spent 11 years as winemaker at Rhone focused Skinner Vineyards in El Dorado making some extraordinary Mourvédre and Grenache.
- Lastly, Limerick Lane now makes about 5,500 cases of wine per year.
Below is a summary of the impressive current wines from Limerick Lane that we covered with Jake. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Limerick Lane website.
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Banfield Vineyard” (Russian River) $62 (KWGTP 93)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Squatter’s Hill” (Russian River) $52 (KWGTP 92.5)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Red Blend “Rocks & Fog” (Sonoma County) $56 (KWGTP 93)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “1910 Block” (Russian River) $68 (KWGTP 93)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Rocky Knoll” (Russian River) $65 (KWGTP 93.5)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Bedrock Vineyard” (Sonoma Valley) $63 (KWGTP 92.5)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Monte Rosso Vineyard” (Moon Mountain) $72 (KWGTP 93)
- Limerick Lane 2020 Zinfandel “Marquis” (Sonoma County) $72 (KWGTP 95)
You can find reviews of past and future Limerick Lane wines that we cover on the Limerick Lane KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
On January 11, 2023, we had a chance to once again catch up with Daniel Daou, the proprietor and winemaker at DAOU Vineyards and Patrimony. In this Zoom interview, we covered eight of his new-release wines. We did another interview with Daniel last January to cover his background and the 2019 vintage primarily. The new interview is about his 2020 DAOU wines and we also covered the 2019 Patrimony. Finally, we also caught up on what is new and planned at DAOU.
Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits and updates about Daniel.
- We talked extensively about the 2020 vintage and all the challenges DAOU and others faced.
- We learned that Australia is way ahead of the US in dealing with and analyzing for smoke taint.
- There appears to be two labs in Australia recommended by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI)
- Affinity Labs &
- Vintessential Laboratories
- We talked about his daughter Lizzy who is going to be a winemaker. She has done internships at Quintessa, Domaine Gros Frere et Soeu, Quinta de Covela, Chateau Latour and of course worked at DAOU
- We talked about his upcoming project in Tuscany. It sounds like Lizzy will be deeply involved.
- Lastly, we discussed doing a retrospective tasting of his DAOU “Estate” Cabernet, vintages 2013 thru 2020. That tasting is planned for late March. Stay tuned for the results!
Below is a summary of the terrific current wines from DAOU & Patrimony that we covered with Daniel. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the DAOU website. For Patrimony you can see the offering here and join their waitlist here.
1) DAOU 2020 Chardonnay “Estate” (Adelaida District) $100 (KWGTP 94)
2) DAOU 2020 Red Blends “Cuvee Lizzy” (Paso Robles) $85 (KWGTP 94)
3) DAOU 2020 Cabernet Franc “Estate” (Adelaida District) $95 (KWGTP 94)
4) DAOU 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” (Adelaida District) $95 (KWGTP 94.5)
5) DAOU 2020 Malbec “Estate” (Adelaida District) $100 (KWGTP 94)
6) DAOU 2020 Red Blends “Mayote” (Adelaida District) $125 (KWGTP 96)
7) DAOU 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Soul of the Lion” (Adelaida District) $170 (KWGTP 96.5)
8) Patrimony 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Adelaida District) $275 (KWGTP 98.5)
You can find reviews of past and future DAOU and Patrimony wines that we cover on the respective DAOU and Patrimony KWG winery pages on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
During our Zoom interview on January 4, we had a chance to catch up with Robert “Bob” Foley, who is the winemaker at his winery Robert Foley Vineyards. We also had the pleasure of having Kelly Kehoe join us as well. The evening of the tasting a bad storm was hitting Howell Mountain. We made it through the last wine before the storm knocked out the internet on their end. We wrapped up by phone. Fortunately, we finished 99% of the interview beforehand.
Bob is not only a great winemaker, but he also always has some great stories to tell as well. We have been covering Bob’s wines for years and have attended many of his wine dinners in the Boston area. He has lots of fans around here. Massachusetts is one of Bob’s top markets!
That said, before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits and updates about Bob and Robert Foley Winery.
• The winery is basically at the summit of Howell Mountain
• The winery is entirely run by just three people. Bob, Kelly (Business Manager) & Shannon (Tech Savvy Super Woman)
• Bob is 69 year’s old and still does all the winemaking, by himself!
⇒ We asked if an intern or assistant would be helpful. He said, “They would only slow me down!”
• Robert Foley Vineyards was started in 1998 (24 years ago)
• They own some of the vineyards that they use. But the key for Bob is that he calls all the shots, and he controls all the viticulture at the vineyards.
⇒ Bob feels that wine is basically made in the vineyard. This was a lesson that he learned from André
Tchelistcheff.
⇒ Balance the grapes in the vineyard if you want better wines.
• I have always thought Bob was one of the top “Merlot” winemakers in the US, if not the best. We asked him what his secret was. While there are many variables. The key is Clone 3 grapes. Bob says nothing compares to Clone 3!
• Thoughts on mountain fruit
⇒ Unless very hot, vintage variation is not an issue on the mountain.
⇒ Mountain fruit hold acidity longer.
⇒ Mountain fruit is usually picked a lot later than valley fruit.
• Bob likes “Big and in your face wines!” (So do we!)
• Clone 7 is his favorite Cabernet Sauvignon clone because it can deliver what he wants!
• Claret is a British term used, unofficially, in reference to red Bordeaux wine. Some American producers use the trademarked term of Meritage. But to do that, the winery must join the Meritage Alliance and the blend must consist exclusively of two or more Bordeaux grape varieties. Bob’s flagship wine “Claret” is grandfathered in and allows him to still use that title which is no longer allowed.
• We loved Bob’s new labeled wine. Niedeldieke is sourced from a single vineyard planted to Clone 7 on a hillside in Calistoga 10 years ago. It was another great impression from the 2019 vintage.
• Bob has always made very good Petite Sirah, but his 2019 offering might be his best ever! Wow!
• Finally, Bob has some new wines and sources on the horizon! We are looking forward to covering them when they are released.
Below is a summary of the terrific currant and pre-release wines from Robert Foley Vineyards that we covered with Bob. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Robert Foley website. If it’s not listed yet, call Kelly at the winery to order some.
1. Robert Foley 2021 Chardonnay “Napa Valley” (Unoaked) $35 (KWGTP 90)
2. Robert Foley 2017 “Claret” (Napa Valley) $125 (KWGTP 95)
3. Robert Foley 2018 Merlot “Howell Mountain” $75 (KWGTP 94.5)
4. Robert Foley 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $92 (KWGTP 94)
5. Robert Foley 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon “Mt. Veeder” $125 (KWGTP 92)
6. Robert Foley 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon “Howell Mountain” $200 (KWGTP 93.5)
7. Niedeldieke 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $125 (KWGTP 95.5)
8. Robert Foley 2019 Petite Sirah “Napa Valley” $60 (KWGTP 96)
You can find reviews of past and future Robert Foley wines that we cover on the Robert Foley KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
During our Zoom interview on December 14, we had a chance to catch up with Matt Brain, who is the winemaker at Alpha Omega. Matt joined the Tasting Panel to cover eight of his new-release wines. He was very excited as these wines completely had his fingerprints all over them.
We did an interview with Matt last December 2021 and covered his background. This new interview was about his new wines. We also caught up on what is new and planned at Alpha Omega.
That said, before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits and updates about Matt and Alpha Omega Winery.
• Matt was very excited to share these wines, as these wines were completely made with his influence along with wine consultant Andy Erickson.
• Since this tasting focused on wines from several AVA’s we got into interesting discussions about the different AVA’s.
• Breaking news, Matt advised that we could see an AO wine from Pritchard Hill and Mt. Veeder from the 2021 and 2022 vintages.
• His goal is to find a quality grape supply to make an AVA wine from Howell Mountain &/or the Stags Leap District.
• The Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay is the inaugural vintage from this acclaimed vineyard.
• The Left Bank and Right Bank wines were picked early to achieve the non fruity profiles they were after and to achieve the Bordeaux styles they were looking to create.
• The 2020 red vintage in Napa was a cool vintage that led to great acidity retention.
• Finally, the Oakville AVA wine comes from three very prominent vineyards and clearly it shows in the wine!
Below is a summary of the excellent new-release Alpha Omega wines that we covered with Matt. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Alpha Omega website.
1. Alpha Omega 2020 Sauvignon Blanc “Hudson Vineyard” (Carneros) $115 245 cs (KWGTP 94)
2. Alpha Omega 2020 Chardonnay “Hyde Vineyard” (Carneros) $115 (KWGTP 94)
3. Alpha Omega 2019 Red Blend “Spring Mountain Red Wine” $165 (KWGTP 94)
4. Alpha Omega 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Diamond Mountain” $165 (KWGTP 94)
5. Alpha Omega 2019 Red Blend “Left Bank” (Napa Valley) $115 (KWGTP 94.5)
6. Alpha Omega 2020 Red Blend “Right Bank” (Napa Valley) $115 (KWGTP 93.5)
7. Alpha Omega 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Rutherford” $165 (KWGTP 95)
8. Alpha Omega 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Oakville” $165 (KWGTP 96)
You can find reviews of past and future Alpha Omega wines that we cover on the Alpha Omega KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
During our Zoom interview on December 7, we had a chance to catch up with Riley Flanagan who is the Assistant Sales Manager for Flanagan Wines and the owner of Riley’s Rows.
We did several interviews with Riley and her dad Eric through the pandemic. This interview was about the wine and catching up. We covered seven new-release Flanagan and Riley’s Rows wines with Riley.
That said, before we get to the wines, I thought I would like to share some tidbits and updates about Riley, Riley’s Rows and Flanagan.
- When Riley was two years old, she helped Eric plant some vines. By 4 years old she definitely felt she wanted to be a winemaker someday.
- When she started Riley’s Rows, her goal was to make well-made wines, that are varietally correct and that young folks (like her) could afford to try.
- Riley’s current role and goal is to continue to grow her brand through retailer and distributors. She hopes to get them placed in more states in the coming months and years.
- Riley does have some primo placements already where you can try her wines by the glass. You can find them in casinos in Vegas and Boston and on a cruise line out of Washington state.
- The other little secret is Riley gets to source her grapes thru her and Eric’s connections over the years. Some of the fruit in her wines come from very well-known vineyards. That is why the wines are so good. It starts with great grapes!
- If you want to learn more about Riley, check out this relatively recent podcast she did with The Tasting Room. It is a fun interview and you a lot about Riley, Tulsa and more!
- Eric Flanagan, is the owner of Flanagan Wine. Eric never holds back any punches or his opinion. In this Uncorked Monthly podcast you hear the real deal when it comes to owning a small winery. You also hear a lot about how Riley’s business was started. It is a frank and insightful podcast.
Below is a summary of the new-release Flanagan and Riley’s Rows wines that we covered with Riley. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find many of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Flanagan and Riley’s Rows websites.
1) Riley’s Rows 2021 Semillon $25 (KWGTP 91)
2) Riley’s Rows 2019 Chardonnay “Baby Platt” $39 (KWGTP 91.5)
3) Flanagan 2021 Chardonnay “Russian River Valley” $54 (KWGTP 93)
4) Flanagan 2021 Viognier “Bennett Valley” $58 (KWGTP 93)
5) Flanagan 2021 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” $68 (KWGTP 92.5)
6) Flanagan 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Beauty of Three” (Sonoma County) $54 (KWGTP 93)
7) Flanagan 2019 Syrah $82.50 (KWGTP 93)
You can find reviews of past and future Riley’s Rows and Flanagan wines that we cover on the KWG Riley’s Rows and KWG Flanagan winery pages on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
During our Zoom interview on November 16th, we had a chance to meet Trevor Durling who is the Chief Winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard (aka BV) and Hewitt.
We opened the session learning about Beaulieu Vineyard’s long and extensive history. It was founded in 1900 after Georges de Latour sold his cream of tartar business. BV eventually being a leading producer of sacramental wines for the Catholic church in the early days even before prohibition. They actually grew fourfold in the 1920s, while other producers had to close their doors. By the repeal of prohibition in 1933, production had grown to about one million gallons of wine per year.
Then we moved on to Trevor and learned that he grew up in Sonoma County and that wine was a staple at his family’s dinner table. That said, when Trevor went to UC Davis, his original plan was not focused on wine or winemaking. That came about after he enrolled in an introduction to winemaking class. It was after that course he decided that this was the career he wanted to pursue. Trevor interned and worked at Sonoma-Cutrer, Gloria Ferrer, and Moon Mountain Vineyard early in his career. In the spring of 2010, Trevor joined Provenance Vineyards and Hewitt Vineyard as assistant winemaker. In early 2015, Trevor succeeded founding winemaker Tom Rinaldi and previous winemaker Chris Cooney in his appointment to lead winemaker. Trevor worked closely with Tom and Chris, crafting highly regarded wines that continued until June 2017, when he took the mantel of chief winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard. We also learned that the 1968 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was his “ah ha” wine. A family friend shared this wine with him, and it left such an impression on him that it was the inspiration for his career and the wines he wanted to make.
At BV, Trevor presides as only the fifth chief winemaker in the winery’s 120-year history. We learned a lot about André Tchelistcheff, “The Maestro” winemaker and his influence and impact on the early days of the winery. We also learned about BV’s current and former historic vineyards. Two of the vineyards that were sold in 1988 (BV 3) and 1993 (BV 4) have become famous in their own right. Beaulieu Vineyard Number 3 (BV 3) is now Georges III Vineyard owned by Andy Beckstoffer. Beaulieu Vineyard Number 4 (BV 4) is Andy’s portion of To Kalon Vineyard. I bet Trevor wishes those two were still part of their vineyard portfolio. That said, BV still has more than 1,100 acres of Estate vineyards and as you will see shortly, they make some incredible wines from the current vineyard portfolio.
We also learned about BV’s Clonal Trials and its origins. In 1980, BV began a 14-year series of trials in conjunction with UC Davis to identify the best Cabernet Sauvignon clones to be planted in the Rutherford Bench. Clones 4 and 6 were ultimately selected for grafting to rootstocks planted in their estate vineyards. Beyond the history of the trials, we also learned a little bit about each clone we were trying and what they bring to the table for Trevor when he is crafting his blends.
Lastly, before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some other interesting tidbits about BV and Hewitt that we learned.
• 2019 is the 83rd consecutive vintage of Georges de Latour Private Reserve.
• A large % of the grapes used in Georges de Latour Private Reserve come from the original Beaulieu Vineyard Ranch No. 1 or BV 1 Vineyard.
• The 2019 vintage has the largest % of Petit Verdot ever used in the Georges de Latour Private Reserve.
• We learned that the worse time of the growing season for smoke taint is during veraison.
• Hewitt never had a winery.
• Bill Hewitt who was the head of Deere & Company (John Deere) from 1955 to 1982 bought the vineyard in 1962
• Originally Hewitt was a grower only vineyard and sold grapes to BV.
• Like what he did at BV 1, Andre was hired to replant Hewitt to Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Some of the Hewitt Cab today makes its way into the Georges de Latour Private Reserve.
Below is a summary of the seven Beaulieu Vineyard wines and the single Hewitt wine that we covered with Trevor. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find many of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase the BV wines directly from the Wineshop.com website after they are released. As for the Hewitt wines you can purchase them on the Hewitt website. If you want first dibs on all their wines, you could consider joining their clubs.
1. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $33 (KWGTP 92)
2. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 “Tapestry Reserve Red Wine” (Napa Valley) $65 (KWGTP 92.5)
3. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Rutherford Reserve” $85 (KWGTP 94.5)
4. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 4” $190 (KWGTP 94)
5. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 6” $190 (KWGTP 95)
6. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 169” $190 (KWGTP 94.5)
7. Beaulieu Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Georges de Latour Private Reserve” $150 (KWGTP 97)
8. Hewitt Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Rutherford” $150 (KWGTP 95)
You can find reviews of past and future Beaulieu & Hewitt Vineyard wines that we cover on the KWG Beaulieu Vineyard and the KWG Hewitt Vineyard winery pages on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken
During our Zoom interview on September 14th, we had a chance to meet Andrew Baldwin who is one of the many winemakers at Penfolds winery. Andrew has been in the business for 38 years. 33 of those years have been with Penfolds. So, he is quite a veteran and knows all things Penfolds. He shared a lot about their long history with us. Andrew is one of Penfolds red winemakers. There are currently 10 winemakers. It is quite an operation.
We learned a bunch of interesting tidbits during the interview. We learned that China has 220% tariff on Aussie wines, so they no longer sell into China. We learned that Penfolds has a Champagne project with Thiénot and they have a French Bordeaux project that recently doubled in size with the purchasing of Château Lanessan. We asked about corks vs. screw caps. Andrew felt corks are for wines with more complexity. All the wines sent to the US are under corks except for the white wines which are under screw caps. We asked about the Bin numbers and their origins. We learned that Napa’s 704 is just the reverse of the 407 from South Australia. We learned that RWT stands for Red Wine Trial. We also learned that Kalimna was the original vineyard for Penfolds. We learned so much about their history, that it was hard to jot it all down. But the best tidbit that I did note, was that the kangaroo’s like to eat the ripe berries, so when they are feasting you know the grapes are ready to be picked. That is old school!
Below is a summary of the nine Penfolds wines that we covered with Andrew. The first two are white wines that were made by Kym Schroeter. Kym’s father, uncle and brother were all Penfolds winemakers, so it was almost inevitable he would join the Penfolds family as a winemaker. As you will see, his white wines also shined, especially the Riesling! The remaining six were very impressive red wines from the California and Australian portfolios.
The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find many of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists.
- Penfolds 2022 Riesling “Bin 51” (Eden Valley) $40 (KWGTP 93.5)
- Penfolds 2021 Chardonnay “Bin 311” (Adelaide Hills/Tasmania) $40 (KWGTP 91)
- Penfolds 2020 Shiraz “Bin 28” (South Australia) $40 (KWGTP 92)
- Penfolds 2020 Red Blend “Bin 389” (South Australia) $80 (KWGTP 94)
- Penfolds 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 407” (South Australia) $80 (KWGTP 95)
- Penfolds 2019 Shiraz “St. Henri” (South Australia) $150 (KWGTP 95)
- Penfolds 2020 Shiraz “RWT Bin 798” (Barossa Valley) $150 (KWGTP 96)
- Penfolds 2019 Red Blend “Bin 600” (CA) $50 (KWGTP 93)
- Penfolds 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 704” (Napa Valley, CA) $70 (KWGTP 94.5)
You can find reviews of past and future Penfolds wines that we cover on the KWG Penfolds winery page on our website. The Penfolds line-up is so big these days, there is something for everyone. We encourage you to explore their very large range of wines. Enjoy!
During our Zoom interview on August 24th, we had a chance to meet McPrice “Mac” Myers who is the winemaker and founder at McPrice Myers winery. This interview came about after I heard Mac and Billy Grant on Adam Montiel’s Paso Robles based podcast “Where Wine Takes You.” The Episode was “Paso Wine’s Person of the Year” Billy Grant and McPrice Myers. I had covered some of Mac’s wines in the past, but after that podcast episode, I had to reach out to Billy to set up the interview. I had to showcase his wines to the Tasting Panel.
We learned a ton about Mac in the interview and grew huge respect for Mac’s accomplishments. Mac’s path the winemaking was not your traditional path. He was first introduced to wine in 1994 at his first job at Trader Joe’s. They did weekly wine tastings and that was the trigger point for Mac. From there he visited wine country every two weeks to learn more and more about the wine industry. He learned his future craft by volunteering on his time off from his real job. Once again, this was not the traditional path for sure. Eventually, Mac, Russell From (Herman Story) and their cellar master is Edgar Torres created Barrel 27 wines. There motto was “We work hard to make good wine. You work. You work hard and need good wine.” Given their roots, they made Barrel 27 wines for people like them! Affordable and very good “Hard Working Wines” for hard working folks! Long after that project, Mac is still dedicated to making these wines. He puts as much effort into those wines as he does his premium McPrice Myers offerings. He really gives back!
Below is a summary of the seven premium McPrice Myers wines that we covered with Mac. As you will see, they were all very well done and impressive.
The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find many of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also order them all via the McPrice Myers website.
1. McPrice Myers 2021 “Beautiful Earth White” (Paso) $35 (KWGTP 91.5)
2. McPrice Myers 2021 “Beautiful Earth Rosé” (Paso) $35 (KWGTP 90.5)
3. McPrice Myers 2020 “Beautiful Earth Red” (Paso) $45 (KWGTP 92)
4. McPrice Myers 2020 “Paper Street Cuvée” (Willow Creek) $65 (KWGTP 94)
5. McPrice Myers 2020 “Brave Fortune” (Santa Barbara County) $55 (KWGTP 92.5)
6. McPrice Myers 2020 “Cuvée Kristina” (CA) $85 (KWGTP 94)
7. McPrice Myers 2020 “Fait Accompli” (Paso) $55 (KWGTP 94)
You can find reviews of past and future McPrice Myers wines that we cover on the KWG McPrice Myers winery page on our website. You can and should also explore his very affordable and very good Hard Working Wines series. As mentioned above, The Hard Working Wines series are value-driven wines from Paso Robles and the Central Coast. From these value driven wines to the Excellent premium we covered, there is something for everyone at MacPrice Myers. Enjoy!
