Sullivan Rutherford Estate: Established in 1972

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Sullivan Rutherford Estate sitting on 26 acres of beauty in the heart of Napa.  It is a boutique winery that has been making Bordeaux style wines since 1972.

James (Jim) O’Neil Sullivan founded this  winery and his vision of making world class wines continued when the winery was sold in 2018.

Now under the guidance of Juan Pablo Torres Padilla, this winery continues their ‘quest to be the best’.

Our host today was Laura.  She met us with a great smile and two glasses of Chardonnay when we arrived. Her passion and proud description of these great wines made for a very enjoyable day.

In addition to the 2018 Chardonnay, we tasted the 2016 Coeur Du Vigne, 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2015 James O’Neil Merlot and 2015 James O’Neil Cabernet Sauvignon.

We especially enjoyed the 2016 Coeur Du Vigne which was a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 2% Petite Verdot.  

The label on the  bottle is also graced with a  colorful painting by James O’Neil’s daughter. We took a couple of bottles home with us.

The peaceful, pastoral setting and perfectly manicured grounds reminded us of being in Ireland. This is a ‘must do’ Napa wine experience. 

For more information and to make an appointment go to: Sullivanwine.com

Oakville Grocery: Established 1881

In our quest to visit 600 wineries in Napa, we enjoy having lunch at one of the many great Napa restaurants after our tastings.

One of our favorite places is the Oakville Grocery that was established in 1881. The owner of Raymond Vineyards Jean-Charles Boisset has continued to make the Oakville Grocery a popular place to enjoy lunch on one of their many picnic tables and taste wines in their elaborate tasting room and museum.

Wood fired pizzas, salads and a variety of sandwiches make for a great Napa experience. We especially enjoy their Muffuletta sandwich.

If you are a Raymond member ,as we are, you also qualify for a discount.

In addition, you get a complimentary glass of Raymond wine poured from their high tech perfectly temperature controlled dispensers.

We enjoyed their ‘1881‘ Cabernet that paired well with our Muffuletta sandwich and is only sold at the grocery.

There are also many other great wines to taste or purchase.
The dispensers hold 4 bottles of wine and one had 4 bottles of ‘100’ point wines you could taste.

We also learned in the near future you will be able to taste world famous and sensational “Screaming  Eagle‘ wine.

In conclusion, Oakville Grocery is a ‘must do’ experience for great food and wines after a day of visiting Napa wineries.

For more information go to:
https://oakvillegrocery.com/

VGS Chateau Potelle: Premium Wine and Food Tasting Experience

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting VGS Chateau Potelle and enjoy their premium wine and food pairing experience located in the heart of St. Helena.  French winemaker Jean-Noel Fourmeaux was sent to the Napa Valley by the French government in 1980, shortly after the Paris Tasting in 1976, to “spy” for 6 months. He was the son of a Bordeaux winemaker, and he sent a telegram home saying: “Looks good, I stay.” VGS (Very good shit) Jean-Noel Fourmeaux was enticed by the richness of the Napa Valley fruit. He admired the freedom given to California winemakers that allowed for great creativity and expression.  Hence the name of the winery evolved as VGS Chateau Potelle.

The wines were perfectly paired from Chef Ken Frank Michelin star rated La Toque restaurant in Napa.

Our host today was Luis. His knowledge and passion for these great wines made for a very enjoyable day.

We began the tasting with a 2018 Chardonnay paired with a vichyssoise soup with chive oil and a crispy potato. The VGS 2018 100% Zinfandel was next with a duck rillette with fig, pickled plums and tarragon.  Next was VGS Potelle Two with a blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon,44% Grenache,16% Petite Sirah and 14% Merlot. It was paired with a Moroccan Spiced Lamb Loin with eggplant purée and pansisse cake.  The final taste was the 2017 VGS Cabernet Sauvignon. It was 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Malbec and paired with beef loin with choucroute duxelles and garlic aioli on fried rye. All the wines were great and the food pairings very well thought out and sensational.

We especially enjoyed the VGS Potelle Two and took 2 bottles home with us. 

We would highly recommend this wine and food pairing experience.

For more information and to make an appointment go to:
https://www.vgschateaupotelle.com/

Tres Sabores: A ‘Must Do’ Napa Valley Gem

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Tres Sabores in the heart of Napa Valley. 

 

Owner and Winemaker Julie Johnson was the former owner of Frogs Leap for many years.  At Tres Sabores, she has created excellence in 3 flavors, The Terroir, The Vine and The Spirit.

 

The winery is certified as organic with a variety of grapes, Meyer lemons, pomegranates, olive trees and beautiful gardens gracing this pristine property creating a Monet like painting. 

 

Our host was Anna whose passionate explanation of these great wines made for a very interesting and enjoyable experience.  

 

We tasted 2019 Headline White Wine, 2019 Ingrid and Julia Rose, 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Headline Red Wine, 2018 Zinfandel, 2019 Por Que no? California Red Blend and 2018 Rutherford Perspective Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The Por Que No? (Why not) is also known as ‘party in a glass’ and a blend of 36% Zinfandel, 35% Petite Sirah, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petite Verdot. We especially enjoyed it and the Cabernet Sauvignon taking a bottle of each home with us.

 

For lunch, we went to the famous Oakville Grocery. They have a variety of freshly made sandwiches, salads, wines and wood stove pizzas.

 

We enjoyed their muffuletta sandwich and promised ourselves to ‘return again soon’ to enjoy this culinary delight.

For more information and to make an appointment go to:https://www.tressabores.com/

 

 

Gundlach Bundschu: 1858 California’s Oldest Family Owned Winery



Recently, we had the pleasure to visit Gundlach Bundschu winery in Sonoma.

This winery has been producing excellent wine since 1858. It is the oldest family owned winery in California.

They focus on Bordeaux blends,  cool climate varietals and produce 44,000 cases annually. 

Our host today was Misty. She was very knowledgeable and full of ‘Gun Bunn’ passion.

We enjoyed a 2019 Gewirztraminer,  2018 Chardonnay,  2017 Zinfandel, 2017 Merlot,  2017 Pinot Noir, 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2015 Vintage Reserve. 

We especially enjoyed the 2017 Heritage Merlot.  It was  medium bodied, well structured and balanced with aromas of spice and lavender. We took a few bottles home with us.

In conclusion, we highly recommend a visit to this 6th generation gem. 

For more information and to make an appointment go to: 

https://www.gunbun.com/

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