Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.
The folks at Far Niente have been working on their brand story a bit lately, and decided that they want to approach the market like a luxury goods manufacturer. So now they are going to market as The House of Far Niente, with the idea of gathering all their distinct brands under the name and aesthetic of their master brand. Which is why they had someone reach out and ask me if I wanted to “experience” the House of Far Niente. Who knows what the hell that means, but they sent along a bunch of samples, so here’s your chance to experience the House of Far Niente.
Of the two Chardonnays they sent along, the Far Niente version was much better and more sophisticated than the Post & Beam, and the Nickel & Nickel Cabernet was, as usual, polished and excellent. I find their En Route Pinot Noirs a bit rich for my taste, but they continue to be well-made and will appeal to those looking for a bolder interpretation of the grape. I haven’t had the top-end of the Bella Union portfolio, their hulking bottle of Rutherford Cabernet, which comes in an offensively heavy bottle adorned with some sort of metal-seal looking thing, just as a reminder of how little they care for their carbon footprint. The wine was decent, but they gotta fix that bottle.
The folks at Troon Vineyard sent through their easy-drinking, entry-level set of wines and they continue to be an excellent set of values. The white was a little funkier than I would like, but the pink was an excellent brisk porch pounder, and the red a lovely crunchy and fairly complex mouthful for less than $30.
Before it became the estate for royalty Tenuta San Leonardo was an ancient monastery. But for 300 years now, it has been the family home of the Marchesi Guerrieri Gonzaga, nestled in the shadow of the Dolomites in Italy’s Trentino Alto-Adige region. They make a number of wines, but their flagship Bordeaux Blend is the wine simply known as San Leonardo. They sent along that wine as well as their “second” wine Terre di San Leonardo, which is almost the same blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère but aged half in concrete and for half the time. It’s going to sound a little damning given the price differential between the wines, but I like them both equally, despite the flagship wine having a bit more supple seamlessness to its texture.
Last, and far from least, this week I received the latest impending release from the new project named Dôi Dá in Napa. Like their first release in 2022, this regal Cabernet Sauvignon is made with purchased fruit as their newly planted estate vineyard won’t really be yielding fruit until next year or the year after. This wine is, like its predecessor, admirably restrained in its use of new oak, and priced rather humbly for a luxury Napa Cabernet project by a successful entrepreneur. More importantly, the wine has a wonderful grace and poise, and while it is quite drinkable now, it will doubtless reward a decade or two of cellaring.
That’s all for this week. Notes on all these wines follow below.
Tasting Notes
2023 Post & Beam Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of toasted oak, vanilla, and lemon curd. In the mouth, lemon curd, toasted nuts, and white flowers have a butterscotch note that lingers in the finish along with the faint bitterness of nut skin. Decent acidity. Has a classic California Chardonnay profile, which is to say, it’s ripe and a little buttery. Aged for 7 months in 30% new French oak. 14.3% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $37. click to buy.
2023 Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and white flowers. In the mouth, lemon curd, white flowers, toasted nuts, and vanilla notes of oak have a nice seamless silkiness. The wood is well integrated here. Decent acidity. Fermented in barrel (with 11% fermented in tank) and then aged sur-lie in 45% new, 55% once-used French oak. 13.7% alcohol. Packaged in an unnecessarily heavy bottle weighing 1.52 kg when full. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $63. click to buy.
2024 Troon Vineyard “Druid’s White” White Blend, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Pale hazy straw in the glass, this wine smells of freshly cut apples, green melon, and a hint of yogurt. In the mouth, tangy flavors of apple, pear, jackfruit, and white flowers have a nice snappy acidity and very faint chalky texture to them. Bright and juicy. A blend of 48% Grenache Blanc, 17% Bourboulenc, 14% Roussanne, 11% Vermentino, 5% Clairette Blanche, and 5% Picpoul Blanc. 12.3% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified and Demeter biodynamic certified. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $30.
2024 Troon Vineyard “Druid’s Pink” Rosé, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Palest peachy pink in color, this wine smells of watermelon rind and barely ripened strawberries. In the mouth, crisp, bright citrus peel, green strawberry, and redcurrant flavors have a fantastic snap to them and just the barest hint of salinity. Bright, juicy, and tangy with excellent acidity. A blend of 63% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 11% Counoise, and 6% Cinsault. 12% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified and Demeter biodynamic certified. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.
2023 En Route “Les Pommiers” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of sweet candied raspberries, raspberry leaf, and cherries. In the mouth, plush, aromatically sweet cherry and raspberry flavors have very good acidity and a light, powdery tannic texture. Hints of orange peel pucker the mouth. Rich and ripe but not over-the-top. Fermented in open-top fermenters with twice daily punchdowns. Aged for 10 months in 30% new French oak. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $49. click to buy.
2023 Darling Wines “Azaya Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Marin, California
Light ruby in color with hints of garnet, this wine smells of sour cherries, raspberries, and redcurrants. In the mouth, powdery tannins wrap around a core of redcurrant, pomegranate, and sour cherry flavors shot through with dried herbs and dried flowers. Lean, but nicely balanced between fruit and more savory tones. Excellent acidity and stony minerality. 11.8% alcohol. 75 cases made. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $65.
2024 Troon Vineyard “Druid’s Red” Red Blend, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blueberries, black currants, flowers, and boysenberries. In the mouth, boysenberry, blueberry, and chopped green herb flavors are bright and tangy with excellent acidity. Crunchy acidity and faint gauzy tannins round out a refreshing and very appealing package. A blend of 25% Syrah, 21% Cinsault, 20% Mourvèdre, 19% Carignan, and 15% Grenache. 12.9% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified and Demeter biodynamic certified. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.
2020 San Leonardo “San Leonardo” Red Blend, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy
Medium to dark garnet in the glass with ruby highlights, this wine smells of cedar and juniper boughs, earth, and dark cherry fruit. In the mouth, black cherry, leather, earth, and dried herb flavors have a supple seamlessness to them as faint fleecy tannins buff the palate. Excellent acidity. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and Merlot aged for 24 months in French oak.. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $113. click to buy.
2021 San Leonardo “Terre di San Leonardo” Red Blend, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy
Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry, molasses, and dried flowers. In the mouth, dark black cherry fruit mixes with earth, oiled leather, and dried herbs as excellent acidity keeps things juicy. Dark and chewy with fleecy tannins that turn slightly muscular over time. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère aged for 12 months in equal parts concrete and used French oak. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $25. click to buy.
2023 Nickel & Nickel “John C. Sullenger Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa, California
Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherry, cassis, and cola. In the mouth, black cherry, cola, chopped dried herbs, and hints of blueberries are wrapped in a thick fleecy blanket of tannins that coat the mouth. Excellent acidity and freshness, with very good balance. Spends 18 months in 55% new, 45% once-used French oak. 14.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $120. click to buy.
2023 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa, California
Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry, blackberry, and a hint of black truffle. In the mouth, rich and ripe flavors of black cherries, blackcurrants, boysenberries, and black fig have a faint sweetness and are wrapped in a suede-like blanket of tannins. Very good acidity. Rich and ripe, not my style, but will appeal to those who want their Cabernets big and in-your-face. Pretty balanced despite clocking in at 15% alcohol. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged for 20 months in 80% new French oak. Comes in a nasty, heavy bottle with a metal medallion on the front, with the whole thing weighing an obscene 1.72 kg when full. Score: around 9. Cost: $220. click to buy.
2023 Dôi Dá Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherry, black currant, violets, and blueberries. In the mouth, rich black cherry and blueberry fruit is bright with juicy acidity and shot through with hints of fresh and dried green herbs. The tannins are fleecy and mouth-coating, and they gradually stiffen with time. The wood is very well integrated and lets the fruit shine here. This is a young wine with great balance and poise, ready to improve for a decade or two. Excellent. Fruit comes from Nemerever Vineyards in Oakville. Aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak. 14% alcohol. 224 cases made. Packaged in an unnecessarily heavy bottle weighing 1.56 kg when full. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $125. click to buy.
