Napa Valley Spectacular - Lifford Wine Agency
Date: Oct 11/12, Thu Time: 05:00:00-08:00:00 Style: Drop-In
Napa Valley Spectacular - Lifford Wine Agency arrived and offered our members a sample of some of the most sought after wines from Napa Valley, California.
The evening was in conjunction with a California Private Offer presented at the tasting which included many more Napa Valley wineries, such as Chappellet, Merus, Pine Ridge, Joseph Phelps, and Rubicon.
Members had an opportunity to reserve large format, mixed vertical cases and older vintage California Cabernets straight from the wineries to be delivered to their homes or cellars at the Fine Wine Reserve.
Some of the wines sampled included:
Heitz, Napa Valley - Heitz Wine Cellars are located in a valley in the eastern hills of St. Helena, known to the locals as Spring Valley. Heitz vineyards are located throughout Napa Valley, and all of the land is farmed sustainably and organically. In 1964, Joe and Alice Heitz bought this ranch and have since then handed it down to their son and daughter, David Heitz and Kathleen Heitz. This year marks their 51st anniversary; they have built a worldwide reputation for themselves and have become synonymous with luxury in the world of winemaking.
They have earned countless accolades for its dazzling wines every year since 1961. Martha’s Vineyard is their top wine and is the most highly allocated wine in their portfolio.
2005 Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - $215.00
2008 Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - $215.00
2009 Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - $215.00
Robert Craig - Sitting 2300 feet atop Howell Mountain, Robert Craig is an ultra-premium Napa Valley winery. Robert Craig is known as the ‘mountain man’, celebrating over three decades in Napa. He previously worked with the Hess Collection Winery and since 1992 he runs his own estate with two very dear friends that just so happen to reside here in Toronto! His wines are winning critics acclaim and are more and more sought after.
2010 ‘Durell’ Chardonnay - $70.00
2009 Affinity - $70.00
Kuleto, St. Helena - In 1992, vintner and restaurateur Pat Kuleto founded Kuleto Estate. Located on the eastern edge of the Napa Valley overlooking Lake Hennessey and the town of Rutherford, this extraordinary mountaintop estate features 82 individual vineyard blocks, three distinctive soil types, and a range of elevations and exposures. Kuleto produces a small portfolio of exceptional estate-grown wines. For the quality of fruit in this bottle you cannot beat this price!
2006 Cabernet estate - $69.00
2008 Zinfandel estate - $52.00
2008 Syrah estate - $54.00
Barnett, Spring Mountain District - Hal and Fiona Barnett started planting in Spring Mountain in 1984 and found immediate success and praise for their wonderful wines. The Barnett’s hold a strong Canadian connection with Fiona growing up in Vancouver and David Tate, winemaker for Barnett, is a BC native who learnt his trade at Brock University.
2009 Cabernet ‘Spring Mountain District’ - $99.00
2010 Chardonnay’Sangiacomo Vineyard’ - $53.00
Diamond Creek, Calistoga - Located on Diamond Mountain, this was the first exclusive Cabernet Sauvignon estate vineyard. Founded in 1968, Al and Boots Brounstein quickly realized that this area was perfect for planting Bordeaux varietals. On their 80-acre estate, there are three very distinct soils that they have planted their three Cabernet vineyards on; Gravelly Meadow (5 acres), Red Rock Terrace (7 acres), and Volcanic Hill (8 acres). Each very unique and outstanding in their own right with flavours holding great depth and richness.
Volcanic Hill is the longest lived of the wines. The winemaker describes these wines as "full bodied, loaded with intense ripe berry fruit, cassis, violets and a smoky richness, finishing with good length and firm tannins.”
2000 Diamond Creek ‘Volcanic Hill’ - $230.00
Merus Napa Valley -
Merus makes only two Cabernet Sauvignons, the Merus and the Altvs, so prized they are sold on allocation via a members' list and at select wine shops and restaurants. The winery, whose name is Latin for "pure and undiluted," was founded by Mark Herold and his wife, Erika Gottl, who bottled their first Cab in their garage in 1998, that earned 93 points from wine critic Robert Parker Jr. Now they ferment fruit from local vineyards in a historic St. Helena winery re-imagined in 2009 by Dutch design studio Uxus. The Foley Family took over Merus, but Erika Gottl still runs the operation and Camille Benitah is the wine maker along with Paul Hobbs as the consulting winemaker. Only producing about 1,500 cases a year, this is pretty special stuff that you are not going to see that often.
2006 Merus Estate Cabernet - $230.00
www.heitzcellar.com
www.robertcraigwine.com
www.kuletoestate.com
www.barnettvineyards.com
www.diamondcreekvineyards.com
www.jpvwines.com
www.inglenook.com
www.chappellet.com
www.meruswines.com
www.pineridgevineyards.com
