As we creep past the borders of the Mayan Calendar, into the interstellar space of the most ancient of timekeepers, there is little doubt that the Napa Valley commands attention like no other in the world of wine. In a single generation from some hicks from the sticks turning the world of wine on its head, today's Napa is the monolith that dominates the sky. The undisputed heavy weight champion of the single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. They have defined the standard of the California Chardonnay. Once home to a struggling class of farmers, the Silverado Trail is now more like Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, than anything that resembles rural America.
The meteoric rise of this regional empire leaves very little in the way of room for Chapter Two. Its very position atop Mt Olympus predicates a need to stay on program. You know what you are getting in every bottle. Very little room for those in search of a surprise. These wines remain the most popular amongst my guests in my role as a sommelier, so despite not quite scratching my anarchist tendencies, they remain amongst the most important wines I taste each year.
Taste Napa Valley Toronto 2013, this week at the Royal Ontario Museum might have passed as such, just a perfunctory necessity of my career. If not however for a few twists in Chapter 2.
In my travels and tastings with Napa producers over the past few years, nearly without exception, growers, winemakers and producers have expressed nothing but angst towards the 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages. Cool weather, poorly timed rains, and wildfires culminated each year, prompting no doubt an increase in Rogaine prescriptions throughout the Valley. Of course this was all just chatter. The official branding machines of the Valley were hard at work to assure the buying public that everything was sunshine and rainbows. In fact days before the Napa tasting at the ROM, Wine Spectator had declared 2010 a classic vintage. That same publication however was claiming that Caymus had produced the top wine of all of California, so with all due respect, my faith in WS had taken a dent that with that issue.
For the first time I would be tasting all 3 of these vintages at once. My curiosity was stoked. There was a mystery to be solved in the Napa Valley.
LOS CARNEROS
Somewhere along the way, a nasty myth began to circulate in the wine circles. Despite some of the most prized and uniquely expressive vineyards in all of California, the rumor began that Carneros District just couldn't make great wine. It is flabbergasting to me that this could even be up for debate. There are Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir vineyards in Carneros that are amongst the best in the planet. I suppose that the titanic valuations on Cabernet Sauvignon made the search for the next To Kalon, the inevitable harbinger of doom for a land graced with wines for the more elegant minded palate.
For this kid at least, Carneros has never once lost its lustre. Thus it should have come as no surprise that the wines that made the biggest splash came from the land down under (The Mayacamus Mountains). And I wasn't alone.
Ceja Vineyards have never seen the Ontario market. They will soon. The room was ablaze in chatter about this producer. The family operation was represented by Amelia, a Chef by trade, who took great pride in producing wines that played nice with food. Both the Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were the perfect expression of the regional terroir. While the fruit was most glorious, the bottom end was thundering in its expression. It was love at first taste. And Second. And third. I had a hard time moving along to the next booth. I was prepared for a drop off in the Napa Cabernet (assuming wrongfully that this might just be the deft hand of a Burghound in a cradle of New World Burgundia) but was floored by the commanding allure of the Cab.
Ceja was not alone in representing the blessings of the Carneros District. Cuvaison, Frank Family, and of course legendary Shafer, were all pouring exceptional wines from Carneros. In the words of Al Nolan, "Viva Los Downbelows!"
ENOUGH WITH THE CATPISS
For the uninitiated, I'm merely taking the piss on the old adage that says classic Sauvignon Blanc tastes of gooseberry and cat pee. But for good reason. I have ALWAYS been at a loss as to why Napa producers have en masse for decades hung a hat on the Sauvignon Blanc grape. I get the pressure (especially in a land where real estate commands such a stratospheric price) to produce wines that sell, and no doubt Sauvignon Blanc is one of the worlds most popular white grapes. But they just don't grow well here. The theory is sound. Napa does Bordeaux grapes to the next level, and Sauvignon Blanc is after all THE white wine of the Bordelaise. However THOSE wines are blended with Semillon and there is precious little of that in Napa.
It just makes no sense that here in a showcase of the best wines from one of the world's most revered regions, nearly a quarter of the offerings were flabby, over-ripe swill, that do more to embarrass world class producers than to showcase them.
I DID notice one thing that I offer as a tip to those unwilling to uproot the SB in their vineyards in search of Napa's next big thing. There were a few producers who poured SB's with just enough acidity to balance the ripe tropical notes in their wines, to results that were solid if nearly spectacular. Twomey, Somerston, St Supery Estate, and Quintessa were all demonstrative of that rare excellence in Napa Sauvignon Blanc. And while their peers were pouring 2011, and 2010, these gems were all 2012. The lesson is that if you ARE going to drink Napa SB, you want it YOUNG. It is the only way to maintain a balancing acidity. After 2 years from harvest, even the most iconic producers in show couldn't possibly demonstrate a worthy wine.
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
My first dance with Spring Mountain Vineyard will be one I won't soon forget. Their representative Scotty Barbour made for great show poking fun at his Valley Floor neighbor Vivien Gay from Silver Oak/Twomey, but his point was well played in demonstrating the impact of elevation on the wines of Napa. While not exactly news (I have long cherished wines from the peaks of Diamond and Howell Mountains) I had yet to enjoy the fruits of Spring Mountain.
We began with the Sauvignon Blanc. While my previous rant betrays my lack of excitement (made even more potent by the fact they were pouring a 2010), the nose was absolutely electric, even if the wine that followed failed to impress. We moved on to the Bordeaux Blend "Elivette" from 2009, a combination of all the classic Bordeaux varietals. Despite a pronounced elegance, there was some mighty tannins giving way to a cascade of texture from front to end. We followed this with the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was the best wine I tasted all day. A massive and expressive nose gave way to a brooding giant laying waste to the little villagers below. Velvety fruit, pronounced tannins, and that distinctive texture bomb culminated in an epic masterpiece. There is not the Rossini overture to do this justice. More like Metallica being whispered Chan Marshall. Am I supposed to drink anything else now?
EXODUS
It is the inevitable end game of these types of events, having spent hours at the mercy of high alcohol monsters, us tradefolk end up lost in reverie and lost friendship. Lubed up on the Blood Of Christ, our very small industry seems so much smaller. The lights flash off to indicate the end of the event. We cluster in groups exchanging hugs and stories of our new jobs. Each comrades success feels like our own, and we spill into the streets in a Euphoria that seems to have devoured the very purpose for our days work. Its not until the next day, pouring through our notes that it comes into focus why we were there in the first place.
As to my questions about Napa Vintages 2010-2012...I can't really say. I didn't taste anything close to some of the iconic 2005 and 2007's...but alot of my favourite Cali producers were not in house (Darioush, Ramey, Tom Eddy...nowhere to be seen). And I did taste some truly exceptional gear. In addition to what I have highlighted already, wines from Silver Oak, Signorello and Stag's Leap were exceptional, and less than 3 of the chadonnays I tasted would score below 90 points.
The mystery remains. Guess I'll just have to keep drinking.
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