PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:

BROTHER TIMOTHY/LASALLIAN EDUCATION FUND
www.lasallianeducation.org

Each year since 2004, a Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon is created in honor of Brother Timothy, longtime cellar master for The Christian Brothers.  All proceeds from wine sales help the Lasallian Education Fund provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people at the 12 Lasallian schools in the western United States.

The wine has been graciously donated and produced by The Hess Collection Winery from reserve quality grapes.  The grapes were grown on a tiny two-acre, single vineyard—entirely from Mont La Salle Vineyard—at the site of the original Christian Brothers winery in Napa where Brother Timothy worked as cellar master for more than 50 years.  The production is always less than 500 cases and is of the highest quality.

Brother Timothy/Lasallian Education Fund will be pouring:

2005 Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
The Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley was created to honor a grand icon of California’s wine industry.  For the first time, this wine was made from a tiny, single vineyard – entirely from Mont La Salle Vineyard estate grapes grown at the site of the original Christian Brothers winery where Brother Timothy worked as cellar master for more than 50 years.

Elevating the collector pedigree of Brother Timothy bottling, the 2005 vintage is made from the two-acre Mont La Salle Vineyard surrounding the estate where Brother Timothy served as winemaker for more than half a century. This Brother Timothy wine was carefully crafted by Dave Guffy, winemaker for The Hess Collection Winery.

“Growing wine on the same land that Brother Timothy cultivated links The Hess Collection Winery in a unique way to this project,” said Tom Selfridge, president of The Hess Collection Winery.  “We are pleased to be part of a tradition that cares in a special way about the Mont La Salle Vineyard and the communities it enhances.”

The 2005 Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.  This blend displays sweet black cherry, plum and cassis. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak and is well integrated with subtle sandal wood and cedar box aromas. On the palate the wine starts with a soft entry of red raspberry and cherry. The mountain tannins are ripe and smooth that lead to a seamless but lingering finish. Enjoy this wine through 2018. 

This Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is truly “a message in a bottle” – a message of hope for youth at risk. All proceeds from wine sales help the LEF provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people at the 12 Lasallian schools in the western United States. This wine is a labor of love, donated by Hess Collection to help young people achieve a better future through education. Such efforts are part of the Christian Brothers’ three-hundred-year tradition of offering education to the poor that is transformational and helps break the cycle of poverty.

Currently, some 10,000 students in four western states are benefiting from education in the tradition of the De La Salle Christian Brothers. By maintaining their established schools, and by continuing to found new schools in impoverished neighborhoods, the Christian Brothers and their colleagues are helping youths to achieve a better future. This was Brother Timothy’s true passion and dream.

CONSTANT DIAMOND MOUNTAIN VINEYARD
www.constantwine.com

CONSTANT Diamond Mountain Vineyard may be the oldest, highest vineyard, and smallest winery in Napa Valley.  Our location here at the top of the Diamond Mountain District is, perhaps, one of the best places in the world to grow Bordeaux varietals… and is, unequivocally, the most beautiful and romantic.

CONSTANT Diamond Mountain Vineyard will be pouring:

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

HALLECK VINEYARD
www.halleckvineyard.com

A family one acre site in Sebastopol (Sonoma County), Halleck Vineyard is perched above the Russian River watershed and flanked on the west by the slopes to the Pacific Ocean. It commands an expansive view of the rolling Sonoma County hills to the northeast.  After releasing their single Halleck Vineyard Estate Pinot noir from the 2001 vintage, Halleck Vineyard has expanded to four vineyard-designated Pinots, all to critical acclaim.  This is very limited production wine under 300 cases are produced of each of three of the four Pinots.

Halleck Vineyard will be pouring:

Pinot Noir "The Farm" 2006
Special Designation: The Farm Vineyards
Time In Oak: 9 months
Varietal Notes: Clone 777
Winemakers Notes: These grapes were picked at night, hand-sorted and destemmed. They cold soaked for 5 days before going through whole berry fermentation receiving 2 punch-downs per day. Fermentation took 12 days in a open top 5 ton fermentation tank and were then racked to barrels.

Pinot Noir "Hallberg" 2006
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Varietal Notes: Clones 115 and 777
Winemakers Notes: These grapes were picked at night, hand-sorted and destemmed. They cold soaked for 5 days before going through whole berry fermentation receiving 2 punch-downs per day. Fermentation took 12 days in a open top 5 ton fermentation tank and the wine was then racked to barrels.

Pinot Noir "3 Sons" 2006
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Varietal Notes: Clones 155 and 777
Vineyard Notes: The Farm and Hallberg Vineyards
Winemakers Notes: These grapes were picked at night, hand-sorted and destemmed then cold soaked for 5 days before going through whole berry fermentation and receiving 2 punch-downs per day. Fermentation took approximately 12 days in an open top 5 ton fermentation tank and the wine was then racked to barrels.

Gewurztraminer 2007
Oak: none
Special Designation: Piner Creek Ranch
Sugar: dry
Varietal: 100% Dry Gewurztraminer
Winemaker’s Notes: The expressive nose is full of deep lychee, pineapple, rose petals and magnolia.  The luscious mouthfeel also has hints of lychee, rose petals, and grapefruit with a long cleansing finish.

Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Oak: none
Release Date: October 01, 2007
Sugar: dry
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker’s Notes: This refreshing Sancerre style Sauvignon Blanc has a nose that
hints of starfruit, kiwi skins, wet river stones and exotic tropical
fruit.  The color is pale straw.  The crisp, palate cleansing mouthfeel, filled with citrus and  minerals, is nicely integrated from front to back with a long lingering finish.

HAWLEY WINERY
www.hawleywine.com

Hawley Vineyards and Winery are located on Bradford Mountain, overlooking the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.  John Hawley started the winery after 25 years of winemaking at some of Californias most influencial wineries (including 10 years as founding winemaker at Clos du Bois and 6 years as Chief Winemaker for Kendall-Jackson).  Today, he and his two sons, Paul and Austin Hawley, produce small quantities of carefully handcrafted ultra premium wines from select Sonoma County vineyards.  The Hawleys grow ten acres of CCOF organic vineyards and produce small lots of nine different wines.

Hawley Winery will be pouring:

Hawley 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Winemaking
The ripe fruit was de-stemmed and crushed into small one-ton open-top fermentors and chilled using dry ice. After a week of maceration, the must was allowed to warm up and wild yeasts began fermentation. A small inoculum of yeast was added to control the fermentation. At dryness, the skins were pressed out using a 100 year old manual basket press to ensure astringent characters are not pressed out. The wine is pressed directly into French Burgundy barrels (50% new) and aged for 15 months.

Vineyards
The grapes for this Hawley Pinot Noir came from two vineyards in the Russian River Valley appellation. This Pinot Noir came from Oehlman Vineyard, located on Vine Hill outside of Sebasopol. This steep South East facing slope is planted with the Martini clone and farmed by Karl Oehlman and his family. The 2006 growing season began with a late, wet spring. September rains caused a lot of concern and cool temperatures extended the ripening season into late October.This slowed ripening and the additional “hang time” on the vine led to exceptional flavor development and allowed us to take our time and pick blocks as they reached maturity. Brix at harvest 25.

Tasting Notes
This Pinot Noir shows complex aromas of coffee and vanilla to complement the deep cherry and raspberry flavors from the grapes. In the mouth the wine is rich and opulent, with generous ripe fruit flavors and a long, silky-smooth finish. This wine will continue to improve for many years to come.

Hawley 2006 Ponzo Vineyard Zinfandel
Winemaking
The Zinfandel grapes were crushed and de-stemmed into one-ton, open top fermentors . The juice was chilled with dry ice for extended maceration. After one week, the fermentors were moved outdoors to warm up and the wild yeasts begun the fermentation. Commercial yeast was later added to insure the wine fermented to dryness. We punched down the skins every couple hours to maximize extraction. When fermentation was nearing dryness we pressed out directly to barrels. The wine was aged for seven months in a mixture of French and American oak barrels and was racked from barrel to barrel every three months to soften the tannins, develop fruit character and clarify the wine. 5% Petite Sirah from Dry Creek Valley was blended before bottling.

Vineyards
Ponzo vineyard is located just outside the town limits of Healdsburg, along the Russian River at the mouth of Dry Creek. It’s gravelly bench-lands have produced many award winning wines. The 2006 growing season began with a late, wet spring. September rains caused a lot of concern and cool temperatures extended the ripening season into late October. The long hang time allowed for the development of intense flavors in the 2006 Zinfandel.

Tasting Notes
This Zinfandel is soft and juicy with aromas of white pepper, raspberries, strawberries and vanillin oak notes.

Hawley 2007 Viognier
Winemaking
This wine was whole-cluster pressed, to minimize tannin, and fermented in neutral French oak barrels. Barrel fermentation and five months aging adds a velvety mouth-feel while the older oak imparts little flavor. 100% malolactic fermentation softens the high natural acidity of the grapes and adds a buttery complexity.

Vineyards
Native to the slopes of France's Rhone Valley, the Viognier grape appears to be especially well suited to our California climate. In 2007 we sourced fruit from three distinct vineyards to achieve our blend: Damiano Vineyard, Hawley Vineyard and Russian River Valley Vineyard. The blend of the three vineyards produces a very balanced and flavorful wine. Hawley Vineyard was certified organic by CCOF in 2006. The 2007 growing season was very dry with a slow growing season and late harvest. We were able to pick after a heat spike, when the sugar levels had dropped back down. Brix at harvest 24.5

Tasting Notes
This 100% Viognier shows its typical peach and jasmine-like flavors ,along with citrus and spice notes. Its complex flavors mingle honeysuckle, pineapple, peach ,apricot and orange blossoms. with a wonderfully light, clean fruity aroma. The mouth feel is luscious with moderate acidity, and a long fruity finish.

Hawley 2002 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaking
The three vineyards were vinified separately to bring out their best qualities, using traditional French Bordeaux winemaking techniques, including extended maceration on the skins for maximum flavor extraction. After fermentation, the two Caberent lots were blended and transferred to French chateau barrels for 18 months. The Merlot was barrel aged separately, then blended in prior to bottling. Extensive barrel aging has added vanilla, spice, and smoky oak flavors to the cherry and blackberry flavors from the grapes. Careful barrel to barrel rackings every three months eliminated the need for filtration. I believe my gentle handling and attention to detail are reflected in the quality of the finished wine.
Only 504 cases were bottled on July 14, 2004.

Vineyards
This wine was produced from three small vineyards located in the hills overlooking the Dry Creek Valley in northern Sonoma County: Hawley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (33.46%), Hawley Vineyard Merlot (5.81%), and Shubert Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (60.73%). Both Cabernet vineyards are planted on five-foot by eight-foot spacing, utilize verticle trellin systems, and removed excess fruit to insure maximum flavor. Cabernet from both vineyards was hand harvested September 16, 2002 at an average of 26 degrees Brix.

Tasting Notes
This mountain grown Cabernet is deep in color with intense fruit flavors reminiscent of black cherries, currants, and blackberries. On the palate it is rich and opulent, bursting with flavors of black fruits backed by toasty vanillin oak notes and round, chewy tannins. Though enjoyable at present, this classic wine has the structure and intensity to improve with aging.

HUSIC VINEYARDS
www.husicvineyards.com

On a hillside overlooking Stags Leap District of Napa Valley in 1997, the Husic Family set out to realize a lifelong dream.  Moving endless rocks and sculpting narrow terraces that cling to the mountain's edge, they planted three small vineyards which peacefully coexist with the region's wildlife.  These rugged, rocky growing conditions, combined with careful farming methods, have yielded a limited amount of magnificent fruit, enough to make just 1,200 cases of wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon. Now on its fifth release, Husic Vineyards is assisted by two of the top names in winemaking today: winemaker extraordinaire, Celia Welch Masyczek and esteemed viticulturalist, Jim Barbour.

Husic Vineyards will be pouring:

2005 Husic Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
The fruit for this remarkable wine was harvested by hand from October 5 through October 14, 2005, entirely from the three, estate grown, Husic Vineyards, above the Stags Leap District. Picked at extreme ripeness, the fruit was gently hand-sorted, destemmed, and sorted again until each grape was inspected. The grapes were carefully transferred to a fermentation tank without the use of pumps, and were fermented on the skins for more than 30 days. The inky-black wine was then transferred by gravity to new French Oak barrels and aged for nearly two years in caves held at 58° F. The best barrels were chosen for the final blend, and the wine was bottled without fining and with minimal filtration for clarity.

The finished wine displays elegant raspberry and dark chocolate aromas, with notes of baking spices, cedar and warm toasty vanilla providing complexity. The texture on the palate is rich and satiny, with dark red fruits (dark cherries and plums) displaying a bright sweet character throughout the finish. Though the Husic Estate is known for dark intensity derived from its steep rocky hillside, this vintage displays a softness and elegance in addition to its intensity.
 
The finished wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Estate-grown, and aged in 100% new French oak barrels. 1,255 cases were produced.
 
2004 Palm Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon
Also harvested entirely from the Husic Estate, this lovely Cabernet shows a lighter, softer side of the Husic Estate. The Palm Terrace Cabernet is made with the same attention to detail, and receives the same care in handling as is showered upon the Estate Cabernet. The aromas display an inviting array of red fruits in a simpler, more fruit-focused package. Slightly more refined than the fuller-bodied Estate Cabernet, this clean, lively, fruit-driven Cabernet is designed for early enjoyment. 300 cases were produced.

IRON HORSE
www.ironhorsevineyards.com

Iron Horse is a family owned Sonoma winery best known for its Sparkling Wines, which have been served at the White House since 1985, beginning with the historic U.S.-Russian Summit Meetings ending the Cold War, at the White House Millennium celebrations ushering in the 21st Century, and most recently at the White House dinner honoring the Pope.

Iron Horse has been named an American icon in a reference book published by Random House called Icons of the American Market Place. Listed in alphabetical order, Iron Horse takes its place between iPod and Jack Daniel’s, validating Iron Horse’s reputation as a brand backed by pride, passion and quality.

Iron Horse will be pouring:

2002 Blanc de Blancs
The most elegant and sophisticated of the Iron Horse cuvées, made from 100% Chardonnay, this vintage is aged an average of six years on the yeast. It is ethereal - like drinking a cloud. It seems to effervesce away in your mouth and tastes like, among other flavors, a perfectly browned, lightly buttered slice of sourdough toast.

Food Pairing
A natural on Sunday morning with a beautiful, juicy melon. It is a sensational match with oysters, smoked salmon, caviar and pate. Ideal with roast chicken because it adds a clean, lemony flavor to the dish.

Accolades
Wine Enthusiast gave the 2001 vintage 93 points and named it a Cellar Selection.  The 1998 vintage was awarded 90 points by both Wine Enthusiast and Wine & Spirits.  The Santa Rosa Press Democrat gave it four stars. As far as track record, Wine & Spirits gave the previous vintage a 91-point rating. Wine Enthusiast awarded it 92 points.

Total production: 1,400 cases.

2005 Corral Vineyard Chardonnay
The grapes for Corral Vineyard Chardonnay come from 8 acres planted in 1987 along the backside of an old 1920s redwood corral in the far, southeast corner of the Iron Horse estate, where the fog first touches the vineyard at dusk and is also naturally the last place where the fog dissipates in the morning. It tastes sublimely like crème brulee.

Food Pairing
Spring onion soup; halibut with chanterelles baked in foil, pasta with Red Hawk cheese and any dish that includes walnuts.
 
Accolades
Wine Enthusiast rated this vintage 92 points.  The 2004 received 93 points in Wine Enthusiast and 90 points in Wine Spectator. The prior vintage was named an "Editor's Choice" with a "93-point" rating in Wine Enthusiast and Andrea Immer chose it for her select wine club. Wine & Spirits awarded the 2000 91 points.

Total Production: 311 cases.

2005 Thomas Road Pinot Noir
The Thomas Road vineyard sits on the highest most westerly ledge of the Estate, catching early morning sun and the ocean breeze in the afternoons. It yields distinctly concentrated Pinot with deep black cherry fruit, with an underlying earthy and mushroom quality. It combines power and refinement. Flavors are bright and dry and have lots of ripe fruit, with oak, toast and spice flavors.

Food Pairing
Grilled quail, duck with fruit sauce, veal, T-bone steak, and venison. Winter squash soup with a dollop of cream. Camenbert cheese.

Accolades
The current vintage was awarded 95 points by Wine Enthusiast.  Wine & Spirits awarded the 2001 a 92 point rating and chose it as one of the Top Ten Pinots of the Year. Anthony Dias Blue has also picked the 2001 as one of his Top Ten for Bon Appétit. Robert Parker awarded it 91 points in Wine Advocate.

Total production: 385 cases.

LIVINGSTON MOFFETT WINERY
www.livingstonwines.com

Livingston Moffett Winery is owned and operated by four Livingston Moffett family members who oversee vineyards (John Livingston), operations (Diane Livingston), winemaking (Mark Moffett) and sales (Trent Moffett). Located on the Napa/Rutherford AVA's at the site of an 1883 winery, the winery began production in 1984 with the release of its estate Moffett Vineyard Cabernet bottling. A second Cabernet, Stanley's Selection, has been produced since 1989 and is a blend of small, select Napa vineyards. More recently the winery has expanded into limited quantities of Chardonnay (Genny's Vineyard), Syrah (Mitchell Vineyard) and a Cabernet-based blend (Gemstone Vineyard). Total production varies between 5,000 and 6,000 cases annually. Consulting winemakers that have overseen production in the past have been Randy Dunn, G. Graham, John Kongsgaard and, presently, Marco DiGiulio.

Livingston Moffett Winery will be pouring:

2005 Stanley's Selection
The 2005 Stanley's Selection has aroma of cassis and vanilla. On the palate the wine is rich and silky with blackberries and black cherry fruit flavors. The spice and oak integrate well with the fruit for a long fruit finish.

2005 Gemstone Vineyard
The 2005 Gemstone Red Wine is brilliant, ruby-red in color. Aromas are of black cherry, sweet spice and toasty oak. On the palate, plum and blackberry dominate the forward fruit and the wine is of medium weight, smooth from start to finish with mild, well-integrated tannins and refreshing acidity. Enjoy for the next ten years or more!

MACCHIA
www.macchiawine.com

Husband and wife team Tim and Lani Holdener started Macchia near Lodi, California, only three years ago, well aware of the potential for quality that was long ignored by many winemakers outside the Lodi area.  The Holdeners make seven different very limited production Zinfandels, each sporting its own distinctive qualities.  It is this tried-and-true strategy for making exceptional wines that Tim Holdener says is at the heart of his winemaking philosophy.  And it must be working because these Zins are showered with Gold medals from competitions all over California.  The names of Macchia’s Zins are a clue to what’s in the bottle.  Among them, names like: “Outrageous,” “Mischievous,” “Generous,” “Adventurous,” “Voluptuous.”

Macchia will be pouring:

Lodi Barbera "Delicious"
We pride ourselves on our Barbera at Macchia; we think this is one of our top Barberas.  The Lodi tradition for quality continues to set the standard for wines produced here.

Lodi Zinfandel "Mischievous"
Lodi Old Vine -  This deep-hued wine is a blend from five different old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Each bring their unique personalities that, when combined, equal the classic fruit-forward characteristics that constitute the center-piece of all great Lodi wines. The rich, ripe berry flavors are high-lighted with a subtle hint of soft vanilla-oak.

Foothill Zinfandel "Adventurous"
Amador County, Linsteadt Vineyard.  Our most refined "Adventurous" to date, (if you could ever call a Mountain Zin refined).  The brambly flavors associated with this vineyard are complemented with just a hint of spice along with a lingering vanilla finish.

Port "Dangerous"
Amador County, Linsteadt Vineyard. Barbera-Zinfandel blend.  Ripe Zinfandel cries out to be a Port, or is it that Port cries out to be made from a Zinfandel ... either way it works!  Enjoy as a perfect compliment to a perfect evening!

PEY-MARIN VINEYARDS & PEY-LUCIA VINEYARDS
www.marinwines.com

Our family grows and produces small parcels of wines from west Marin County and other vineyards across California’s most scenic and celebrated winegrowing regions. As stewards of the land, and to ensure superb quality and style, each wine we produce is either sustainably or organically farmed and we produce only about 15 barrels (about 375 cases) of each wine. 
Our winegrowing practices are traditional, yet rooted in four decades of education, training and experience across California, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Our aim is to craft flavorful, balanced wines you can be proud to give, serve - or simply enjoy on a casual evening at home.

"Their labels represent impeccable wines with a structure rarely seen in California. They are as close to classical as anything we've got." - 7x7 Magazine – San Francisco

"The Peys wines are perfect examples of small, boutique wineries that lie waiting to reward those wine drinkers that seek out producers off the beaten track." – www.vinography.com

Pey-Marin & Pey-Lucia Vineyards will be pouring:

2007 Pey-Marin "The Shell Mound" Riesling, Marin County
- A refreshingly crisp and dry Riesling organically grown on the chilly western coast of Marin County
- Rare “Neustadt” clone offers a bright, steely and very delicate aromatic and flavor profile at a modest 11% alcohol
- No oak, no malo, no blending showcases purity of well-drained, mature site and unique clonal provenance
Click here for detailed tasting notes.

2006 Pey-Marin "Trois Filles" Pinot Noir, Marin County
- Unique “assemblage” of multiple clones, three chilly west Marin sites and traditional Burgundian winemaking practices is different from “single vineyard” practices commonly found in New World Pinot Noir
- Pey-Marin Vineyard is an eighteen year-old, organically-farmed, eight acre site eight miles from Pacific Ocean
- Style emphasizes varietal purity and earthy, forest floor notes with modest use of new French oak in a moderate alcohol, completely “dry-style”
Click here for detailed tasting notes.

2006 Pey-Lucia "Frisquet" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
- Superb, mature site in one of California’s most respected Pinot Noir AVA’s, situated next door to “Rosella’s” Vineyard
- Meticulous viticultural practices; superb clones, sustainably farmed, low yields, twice hand-sorted clusters
- Modest new French oak (35%) and bright acidity expresses sense of place and purity of noble Pinot Noir grape
- Only fifteen barrels (370 cases) were bottled in January 2008
Click here for detailed tasting notes.

O'BRIEN ESTATE
www.obrienfamilyvineyard.com

Bart and Barb O’Brien own O’Brien Estate, consisting of 40 acres set in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley.  Our vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.  On the property is our winery and our home.  All of our wines are single vineyard grown, estate bottled wines. We are committed to producing small production, hand-crafted wines from our sustainably farmed vineyards that reflect our passion for wine and life.

O’Brien Estate is best known for its Seduction Bordeaux-style blend, which has been featured on "Good Morning America," "ABC World News," "The Today Show," "Fox Business News," and recommended by the Robb Report, Wine Enthusiast (92 points), and Wine Spectator (90 points).  In addition to Seduction, O’Brien Estate offers Estate Chardonnay, Estate Merlot, Chardonnay Reserve, and Unrestrained Reserve, a Bordeaux-style blend.  A recent addition to our wines is the Romance Portfolio, a series of 5 wines that reflect different stages of a romantic relationship.

O'Brien Estate will be pouring:

From the Romance Portfolio
- Flirtation Rose
- Attraction Chardonnay
- Romance of the Heart Merlot
- Seduction Bordeaux-style blend
- Reflection Late Harvest dessert wine
 
From the Reserve Portfolio
- Chardonnay Reserve
- Unrestrained Reserve

Click here for tasting notes.

OWL RIDGE WINES
www.owlridge.com

John Tracy began Owl Ridge Wines in 2005 to take advantage of the high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grown in Sonoma County.  The winemaker’s objective is to preserve the intensity of the fruit flavors, to make wines that are big, but also balanced.  As a result. Owl Ridge’s wines are achieving the recognition they deserve.  Owl Ridge was voted “Best New Winery” at the 2006 Wine Literary Awards Tasting (80+ wine writers voted in a secret ballot with over 1,000 wines).  It has also won 18 gold medals in the last year at major competitions, including two “Best of Class” awards.  What is causing all this attention are just five hand-made Cabernet Sauvignons and one Chardonnay.  Most are vineyard-specific wines, all had fewer than 600 cases produced.

PRETTY SALLY
www.prettysally.com

Pretty Sally represents the only non-California wines at the tasting.  Pretty Sally is a small, family-operated vineyard specializing in limited production, cool-climate, single-vineyard Shiraz and Cabernet wines.  Pretty Sally Vineyard is located 40 miles north of Melbourne in Central Victoria, Australia’s original winemaking region.  Bordering the famous Pretty Sally Hills, the estate consists of 450-acres, 110 of which are currently planted to vines.  The McKay, Davies and Cornew families formed a partnership spanning two continents.  Two of the vineyard families (McKay and Davies) and the winemaker are in Australia with the Cornews based in San Francisco from where they manage the sales and marketing.  Pretty Sally will soon no longer be an "undiscovered" Australian wine, as word has gotten out in the wine press that Pretty Sally is a very nice “drop.”

Pretty Sally will be pouring:

2003 Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietal:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage:   April 2003
Vineyard:   Pretty Sally Vineyard
Region:   Central Victoria, Australia
Barrel Maturation:   19 months in 100% new French oak
Pruning:   2.4 tons per acre
Alcohol:   14%
Current Production:   2,800 Cases

Dark red. Rich, spicy cherry on the nose, along with dark chocolate, vanilla and oak accents. Firm on the palate, with minty dark berry flavors and strongly oak-spicy notes of pepper and clove.

2005 Pretty Sally Cab/Shiraz blend
Varietal:  63% CabSauv, 37% Shiraz
Vintage:   April 2005
Vineyard:   Pretty Sally Vineyard 
Region:   Central Victoria 
Barrel Maturation:   Primarily French Oak Barrels
Pruning:   2.2 tons per acre
Alcohol:   14.7%
Production:   4,800 Cases

Our Estate Cabernet Shiraz blend offers the finest expression of our single vineyard Cabernet and Shiraz fruit. Aromas of dark fruit and spice give way to a pallet that is richly textured, offering layers of plum, black currant, and baking spices with shades of pepper and cumin. The tannins are well integrated and the acid moderate, providing lift to this full-bodied blend. To complete the package, the wine finishes with dark fruit and exotic spice.

ST. SUPÉRY
www.stsupery.com

St. Supéry is one of the best know premium wineries in Napa Valley.  It has two vineyards - one in Rutherford at the heart of Napa Valley's Cabernet Sauvignon country, the other in a serene corner of the Napa Valley – which give rise to the wines of St. Supéry, most notably, the limited edition Cabernet Sauvignons and Sauvignon Blanc.  St. Supéry’s winemaker, Michael Beaulac, hand crafts these wines from the very best vines of the Napa Valley estate vineyards, Dollarhide and Rutherford.  St. Supéry is also one of the pioneers in making “meritage” wines.  Élu meritage red and Virtú meritage white Napa Valley wines are blends of classic Bordeaux grape varieties which are produced in small volumes.

St. Supéry will be pouring:

Élu, 2004 Napa Valley Red Wine
Winemaker's Comments
Elegant and stylish with pure, vibrant focused sweet cherry and blackberry fruit that is supple and polished.  The aromas cature the ripe berry fruit with just a touch of toasty oak, finishing with fine grain tannins that linger.

Winemaking
The 2004 growing season started out early and warm with many days in March reaching 85F.  The warm weather continued throughout the spring leading to bloom occurring three weeks ahead of schedule.  We thinned the crop more than usual during June and July and opened the canopy to expose the fruit to sunlight, which helps intensify color and flavor of the grapes.  At harvest time, we found the fruit quality was exceptional with yields about 50% of average.

The fruit for this Élu was harvested during the cool hours of early morning to maximize the fresh flavors.  Crush occurred in our cellar prior to fermentation and maceration on the skins, after which the wines were drained pressed to barrels for maturation.

Virtú 2006 Napa Valley White Wine
Winemaker's Comments
Refined, rich luscious style with aromas of nectarines, peach and ripe cantaloupe.  On the palate, the mouthwatering flavors of peaches and nectarines are completely filled out with a subtle mineral quality.  This is a unique bottle of wine to be enjoyed now for its freshness and in the future as it develops in the bottle.

Winemaking
The year 2006 appears to show great promise in the grape growing world.  It started as a stormy year with record-breaking rainfall in January, followed by steady showers throughout the spring.  The cool, wet weather delayed bud-break in most areas by about two weeks.  Late spring and early summer were very mild, and most varieties seemed to flower at the same time.  Temperatures soared into the 100's for most of Caifornia's grape-growing regions in late July, forcing some vines to shut down and stop photosynthesis for several days.  Consequently, the heat wave served to further delay an already lagging maturity pattern for most grape varieties.  Luckily, most varieties had yet to go through veraison, so the skins were still thick and resilient to the extreme heat.  August and September settled into the most amazingly pleasant weather in recent memory, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly with an excellent sugar/acid balance.

The Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes for this wine were harvested at night and in the cool early morning hours of August and September to maintain the delicate fruit flavors.  Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were crushed and pressed into chilled tanks for settling.  The clean juice was racked and fermentation was initiated in temperature-controlled storage,  predominately in French oak barrels and consequently sur lie aged, and partially fermented in tanks.  A long, cool fermentation allowed for excellent flavor retention.  After final blending, the wine was stabalized and prepared for bottling.

2007 Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker’s Comments
Bright with intense aromas of lime juice, ruby grapefruit, guava, and a hint of clover.  This 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is a showstopper.  Following with exquisite flavors of focused lemon, lime and grapefruit one can’t ask for a more enjoyable wine.  Drink now.

Winemaking
2007 began with a cool, dry winter followed by nearly perfect growing conditions throughout the season.  Ideal weather prompted the vines to move more quickly through their perennial growth cycles in rapid succession.  The lower water table probably contributed to a reduction in vigor, illustrated by shorter inter-nodal shoot length.  Low vigor is generally a good thing as the vines put less energy into vegetative growth, allowing more resources to be allocated toward the fruit.  Speaking of fruit, notably Sauvignon Blanc, there was substantially less of it in 2007.  Sauvignon Blanc tends to be alternate bearing, so after a big crop load in 2006, the lower yields in 2007 did not come as a huge surprise. This year, the Sauvignon Blanc clusters were generally smaller than usual, but they ripened uniformly and quickly.

We harvested most of the Sauvignon Blanc at night, capturing the bright grapefruit, guava, and lime flavors that we have come to love about Dollarhide.  As the slow, cool fermentation got underway, it became clear that 207 was going to produce another stellar Sauvignon Blanc with consistently clean and well-defined aromas and flavors.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker’s Notes
Luxurious, rich and concentrated with aromas of cherry, currant and blueberry these are just the start of this 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The harmonious flavors of black cherry, anise and plush cassis explode upon tasting.  This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet with is wonderful young but has everything it needs to age beautifully.  Enjoy now through 2011.

Winemaking
2003 has set the stage to be a year to remember in the wine world.  A mild winter followed by a wet spring and a hot summer (not to mention an August thunderstorm), all have helped to contribute to the development of the grapes this year.  A cool, wet spring followed the mild winter and caused a slow down of grape growth.  Rain in April and May caused bloom to fall behind previous years by a week and a half.  The end of May saw temperatures soaring into the upper 90’s and June was no different.  In general, summer saw normal temperatures with a few sporadic heat spells throughout.  An atypical mild August pushed harvest back more than two weeks, yet allowed the fruit to hang longer than past years.  This allowed the flavors optimum time to develop while keeping the sugar levels from spiking (which would cause the fruit to be picked much sooner).

VIADER
www.viader.com

Viader is a leading Napa Valley first growth wine estate established in 1986 by Delia Viader, and recognized around the world for consistently producing high quality wines.

Argentine-born Delia Viader came to the United States as a post-graduate college student in the 1980s.  She holds a doctorate in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France and pursued advanced business studies at three American universities.  The Viader vineyards are located 1,200 feet above the Napa Valley floor just northeast of St. Helena on the steep, rocky slopes of Howell Mountain.  The first wine produced was the 1989 Viader Proprietary Cabernet blend that features Cabernet Franc with a significant component of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Viader also produces a very small amount of an exclusive Petit Verdot blend, and a Syrah.  The 1997 Viader was rated the #2 wine in the world by Wine Spectator.

Viader will be pouring:

2004 VIADER Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Cabernet Franc 40%

The VIADER blend captures an ideal balance between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc contributes to the early approachability, elegant structure and violet-like aromatics while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds complexity and character as well as providing the backbone structure for long aging potential. VIADER is made from the finest selection of our hillside estate on Howell Mountain.
 
The 2004 Viader showcases the best the vintage has to offer: intense, upfront, floral bouquet laced with chocolate, coffee, anise, earth and leather. Lingering, complex tannins firm up in the finish which is rounded by the powerful aromas of blackberry, blueberry and mint. Although quite approachable now bottle aging will further develop bouquet and complexity. This powerful gem will continue to age superbly over the next two decades. Cheers! To a wonderfully elegant mountain beauty!