So back east at the beach house my friends Jody, Maureen and I were deemed “3 pak.” When one of us would show up without the others we were “1 pak” and so on…

This weekend Maureen and her parents came out for a visit and the “2 pak” covered 3 wineries that I’ve been wanting to try.

First up Robert Biale home of the Black Chicken Society (code name for the early casks). Known for their zinfandels they did not disappoint.  My favorites their 2012 Varozza Vineyard (St. Helena) and the 2012 Monte Rosso Vineyard (Moon Mountain).  They also made a delicious Petite Sirah.  I had to be reminded that a Petite Sirah is a cross-polinate of a syrah grape and a peloursin (no I don’t know what that is either).

2 pak in the vineyard

Next on to James Cole just up the Silverado Trail.  Another small producer found through referrals from friends and the book Back Lane Wineries of Napa.  They had some lovely cabs and a very nice Malbec but I was completely sold on their 2013 Jaden Merlot Icewine and had to take a bottle home.  Not from Napa you say?  Correct from Canada where James’ brother lives.  Can’t wait to have this one on a special occasion with a yummy chocolate dessert!

Umbral. At first glance it looks like a skull but it is a diver. Umbral means threshold which the Coles were at when they started the winery and found this piece in So Cal.

And one more for good measure!  We brought our box of chocolate truffles to Luna. Luna was the first in Napa to plant pinot grigio but I found theirs to be a bit too fruity for my taste.  They are also known for their Sangiovese but I preferred their 2011 Bordeaux-style blend.  Perfect with a few birthday chocolates!  The celebrations continue!

Cheers!

#43 at week #43!  Just 9 wineries to go by the end of December!

October 18 was Homecoming Day back in Williamsburg, VA at my alma mater.  I haven’t made the trip back to William & Mary for a number of years.  This year I was able to celebrate the day (and our October birthdays) with Emily Early Kehrberg!  We started the day with lunch at The Pear downtown on the Napa waterfront on this stunning day fall day (albeit 77 degrees outside!).

I’ve been wanting to go to Pina for awhile.  Everyone keeps raving about their cabs.  So we headed up the Silverado Trail but as we passed Baldacci we both commented we had been wanting to check them out.  Quick turn in to the drive and we were standing in the tasting room.  Didn’t have a reservation but like many of the lovely smaller wineries if they are not too busy and you show up “poof” you have a reservation!  One of the Baldacci sons took us through their tasting starting with their 2012 Gewurtraminer and then their 2011 Pinot Noir both from Carneros (the cooler region in southern Napa).  But it is the cabs that wineries in the Stags Leap district are known for so we were looking forward to the 2010 Black Label Stags Leap Estate Vineyard.  This will be a good one in a few years.  Couldn’t help but wonder if there was any relation to my high school friend Todd Baldacci as Chris in the tasting room told us his great grandmother was from Virginia!

Back in the car and up the road to our destination Pina!  The tasting room is a tiny space in the barrel room.  Totally unassuming home for these amazing cabs!  Janie in the tasting room and their intern who we nicknamed “Crush” kept us entertained as we started with their 2012 Oak Knoll Chardonnay.  Liked it as it was not overpowering oak (I am a girl who prefers steel).  We went on to the 2012 Cahoots which is a blend of all of their single vineyard cabs that didn’t make it into the single vineyard wines (good value at $45).  Each one was better and better from the 2011 Yountville Wolff Vineyard to the 2010 Rutherford Firehouse to our favorite 2011 D’Adamo from Atlas Peak.  They do not sell wholesale and are found at very few restaurants so make the trek to Rutherford and you will not be disappointed!

#40 at Week #42!  Cheers!

I am woefully behind.  Have not posted since July and it is October!  Sometimes it just takes a few out of town visitors to kick start everything with a fab weekend of wine!  It certainly felt like summer with temps almost hitting 100 in Napa this weekend so my NY visitors Jim and Gayle were in for quite an experience.

The weekend started with a visit to Chappellet.  What a treat as Jim is a member and we were treated to a very special tasting which included access to their members meadow that overlooks Lake Hennessy.   We brought a picnic lunch and were treated to tastings of their blends like Cultivation and Las Piedras (amazing Bordeaux style) as well as the outstanding Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.  We learned later in the weekend that Chappellet has trademarked Pritchard Hill and is the only winery that can use the name!

Gayle and Jim at Chappellet!

We then went on to the Ehlers Estate harvest party!  What a beautiful spot with lovely food, a band, bocce and a fun photo booth.  The highlight was the name the blind tasting when we were standing there and started speaking to the guy next to us to see what he thought.  He said they probably wouldn’t let him try as he might get it wrong!  Well of course he was the winemaker!  My favorite wine of the night was their Petit Verdot which is described as a “full-bodied gem of a red wine that satisfies like a powerful Cabernet, while sporting a completely different swagger.”

Gayle and Jim playing Bocce at the Ehlers party

Sunday started with a visit to Venge.  A recommendation from a friend and it was a great one!  I had just tried their Scout’s Honor at a restaurant in Napa just a week ago.  It is an amazing value from this small family producer of just 7500 cases.  My favorites on this stop their Penny Lane Vineyard Sangiovese – a great wine for Italian food made in the ripasso style where in this case the pressed sangiovese juice is poured over the skins of Charbono.  I also had to go home with their Late Harvest Zin as finding a nice dessert wine is always a treat.  Great visit and our host Regina was amazing!

Last stop Ma(i)sonry where I’ve been before but got to try some new wines this visit.  This is such an amazing place to bring guests as it is a beautiful space filled with interesting art and their style is to learn about what you like and help you select what to taste!  This trip my favorite taste was the 2012 Rock Cuvee Cooper Grenache from Tor Kenward Family Wines.  I’m new to Grenache so it was great to try this one and their Tuck Beckstoffer Melee Grenache.  We also learned from our host Brian that one barrel is enough to make 250 bottles!  What a great way to end the weekend before heading out to a lovely meal at Oenotri in downtown Napa.

Doing it tough on week #40 at 33 wines / wineries!

Added bonus this week — I have two wineries from a few months back that need to be updated Reid Family‘s August 2 MS Fundraiser…

Lisa, John and me at the Reid Family fundraiser!

And a really great new winery in Napa called St. Claire Brown where I attended a Women for Wine Sense function and got to try their amazing rose!

Plus the very tasty Davis Bynum Pinot Noir tasting at the wine garden at the Russian River Blues Festival.

But wait there is more!  Last weekend Kathy, Mike and I hit two of the Napa Oxbow area tasting rooms with a visit to Waterstone that had a tasty Zin and a really fun visit to Herold.  What is fun about Herold?  The guys in their tasting room, the music and the cheeky wines.  How can you resist the “Joy Flight” with wines like Flux and Dropout (an Albarino that went home with me)?  A tasting room with a party atmosphere!

So that brings us to #38 at week 40.  More work to do in October!