Napa Valley and the rest of the Bay Area have been enjoying two weeks of glorious spring-like weather.  Graced with warm sunny afternoons, early signs of spring are emerging whether it is blooming mustard or wild flowers.   Kicking back in the sun with some light appetizers and a glass of wine this weekend, I found myself reflecting on how this entire site started.

Two years ago in the spring, as wineries opened their doors with parties to festively kick off their new season of vintages, a well-respected winemaker pulled me aside and asked me for a certain recipe.   At the time I was flattered and surprised.   But the sharing of that recipe ultimately launched a web site and attracted thousands of weekly readers.   This week I thought it might be nice to share that wine and food pairing with those who read so loyally.

Oddly enough, despite being the recipe that proverbially “started it all”, it was paired with an old vine zinfandel.   “Old vine” wines generally use grapes hailing from vines eighty years or older.   Technically in the United States, there is no legal definition for “old vines” and it is largely determined by the winemaker.   Nevertheless, the longer that the vine exists, smaller yields of grapes are produced.   When the yields are smaller, the flavors in the grape are more concentrated and that translates into the wine.   Zinfandel dominates most old vine vineyards in the United States.

A long-standing personal favorite old vine zinfandel is one offered by Benessere Vineyards (“Benessere”).   Benessere has had an equally long-standing relationship with a neighboring vineyard who sells old vine zinfandel grapes to the winery so that Benessere can bottle a single vineyard production.

Year after year, each new vintage of this Holystone-Collins Zinfandel (formerly known as, BK Collins Zinfandel) reliably boasts ripe, readily recognizable fruit flavors of plum, raspberry and black cherry.   Coupling in with spice flavors of anise and a certain earthiness, this wine is a flavorful find for the palate.   The old vine grapes used in this Zinfandel hold up to their reputation and offer big concentrated flavors.  Texturally the wine is smooth no matter its vintage.   Let this bottling age and it only gets better and smoother.

“But can a Zinfandel age?”

Actually some Zinfandels can age in the bottle.   I find that a general rule of thumb is to enjoy a Zinfandel in the following five to seven years after bottling.   Some Old Vine Zinfandels will continue to age well in the bottle.   To prove this point, I selected a 2004 vintage of the Holystone-Collins Old Vine Zinfandel from Benessere.

Opening the bottle of Benessere’s 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel, fruit aromas readily roll forward greeting the nose with scents of plum and black raspberry.   Despite its age, this vintage is still highly fruit-forward.  On the palate, spices of anise lilt across leaving a splash of blackberry on the front of the palate and a fond kiss of the same fruit on the finish.  Should you pick a younger vintage of this wine, you will discover richer fruit.   At this point in aging, the wine is smooth as fine silk, coasting back elegantly with sophisticated fruit typical of aged old vines.  

Considering the texture of this wine, it will pair terrifically with seafood, particularly ahi tuna.   Taking this into consideration, this week’s menu boasts the recipe that started it all:

1)      Seared Ahi Tuna Steak on a Charcoal Grill with Blackberry Sauce;

2)     Grill Roasted Baby Fingerling Potatoes and Sweet Onions in a Black Raspberry-Basil Vinaigrette; and

3)     Spinach-Basil Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Microgreens.

Ahi tuna is more substantive in its texture coming off as almost “meaty”.    Using wild caught ahi tuna, it is seasoned simply with fresh cracked pepper and salt before being seared on a hot charcoal grill for a few minutes per side.   Drizzled with the meal’s show stopping Blackberry Sauce, this combination creates a creative addition to the barbeque menu lineup.

In creating a blackberry sauce, fresh blackberries meet soy sauce, black raspberry vinegar, fresh basil, zinfandel, cracked black pepper and warmed honey.  If sauces are truly “back” on the culinary forefront, seduce your guests as you depart from fat, cream, flour and other usual sauce suspects.   This sauce also is naturally sweetened with honey.

Cooked on a grill in a foil packet, baby fingerling potatoes (previously tossed in a mixture of cracked peppercorns, julienned fresh basil and sweet onions, olive oil and black raspberry vinegar) quickly become tender and moist.   Drizzle more of the Blackberry Sauce over the potatoes to create a delicious twist on potatoes.

The spinach salad is expectedly brightened by pomegranate seeds which add that culinary “pop” on the palate, but when torn fresh basil leaves are added to the mix, they add the “pizzazz”.  Microgreens naturally sweeten the salad.   Given this salad’s natural zip in flavor, it is a splendid counterpart to any pairing with old vine zinfandel.

With the meal, the wine’s ruby color tones warm and slow depth in candlelight.   The front palate experiences a big explosion of warm fruit which is utterly delicious nearly seven years since bottling.   Taking a bite of the ahi tuna with a sip of the wine, black pepper explodes towards the back of the palate and the zinfandel dances merrily showing that fine dining can come from the backyard charcoal grill with lively attributes.

Whether Benessere’s Old Vine Zinfandel is enjoyed on an early summer evening back patio or a 70 degree January Sunday, fresh ingredients and the sun’s first warm rays render this meal and wine pairing seemingly guiltless.

As a wine connoisseur, there are many wine myths that I enjoy dispelling.   Some people believe that only red wines can be consumed during cold winter months.   Others rail against the merits of California Chardonnay and brazenly call the varietal insipid.  If you have had the opportunity to enjoy this week’s featured wine, however, you will smirk and know that both of these views are simply unfounded and easily dispelled.

So what is Unoaked Chardonnay?

The terminology is as straight-forward as it sounds.   If a winemaker is electing to make its Chardonnay in a “unoaked” style, the wine will be made in stainless steel as opposed to oak.  By doing so, the wine is very crisp (often described as “precise”), light and characterized by distinct refreshing minerality.

Unoaked Chardonnay in California is similar to Chardonnay found in the Chablis region of France.   Rarely will Chardonnays in the Chablis region go through malolactic fermentation or be exposed to oak barreling.   While at first blush this may seem like a simplistic way to make Chardonnay it is generally considered to be the truest and purest expression of the grape itself.   Unoaked Chardonnays are fermented only in stainless steel.   The result is like those of the Chablis region, simple, straight-forward, clean, crisp, light and generally characterized by green apple, melon or citrus fruit on the palate.  With Unoaked Chardonnay you will not find the big creamy, vanilla, toasted oak or butterscotch notes.

If you are seeking a California Unoaked Chardonnay that embodies the very essence of California itself, then look no further than Charlie Wagner’s Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2007.

The wine offers a festively aromatic nose similar to a light tropical breeze as it is characterized by a perfume of ripe Asian pear, banana and peach.  The palate is not disappointed in the least by this wine as it encounters lush tree ripened stone fruit such as peach and nectarine followed by melon and pear.   Dressed with a delicate minerality and spice that dances across the palate, Mer Soleil’s 2007 Silver Unoaked Chardonnay shows off the bare essence of the Chardonnay grape in its full unfettered glory.    With attributes such as these, this wine easily proves that it is the quintessential California white wine which is perfect for whiling away late summer hours or simply pining for spring in January.   When the Bay Area is socked in with winter fog, the lush clean flavors of this wine artfully slice through damp moisture and manage to brighten and refresh on an otherwise dreary day.

Contemplating food pairings, the Mer Soleil 2007 Silver Unoaked Chardonnay’s clean mouth feel and luscious crisp fruit flavors make this wine the perfect companion to seafood.   With this in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

·         Seared Scallops Atop Sweet Pea Risotto With Microgreen-Pomegranate Seed Salad

Sweet Pea Risotto is an excellent spring dish bringing unexpected savory layers of flavors to the palate.   Incorporating the juice and zest of the Rangpur Lime picked from the patio, artichoke, sweet peas, chardonnay, shallot, garlic and parmesan, this risotto invokes feelings enamorment akin to fresh newly minted spring love.  Taking a bite of this risotto with a sip of the wine pulls out the spice in the wine and its minerality dazzles bringing forth sweet inexplicable and unexpected warmth.

Rangpur Lime is such a wonderful culinary secret weapon.   Grown on the patio in a container, it is a prolifically producing winter seasonal fruit.   Mirroring the tangerine and lime, its flavor can add zip, pizzazz and energy to the most common dish and leave your dinner guests in wonderment.   It freshens and brightens the typically heavy, creamy risotto dish and leaves you firmly convinced that spring is right around the corner.

Top this risotto with a perfectly sautéed scallop and bring the “wow factor” to your guest’s plate.  The scallop was gently sautéed in a mixture of olive oil, butter and Rangpur Lime juice.  The clean flavors of the wine pair perfectly with the scallop, which delicately breaks apart and sensuously skates across the palate.

And why microgreens?

Microgreens are delicate in texture making it a favorite for simple “garnish salads”:  clean and light in texture, yet loaded with slightly sweet flavors.   Adorn a microgreen salad with pomegranate seeds and these little gems not only add color to a predominantly “green” meal but add a “pop” of flavor.  Just like the extravert at the dining table, these simple seeds add an entertaining burst of flavor that awakens the taste buds and turns the meal into a conversation.   Pair this salad with a sparkling wine and make salad sexy.

This meal meets its California soul mate with the 2007 Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay.  The wine, despite being unoaked, is rich in its own right.  Only once before have I said that a winemaker has captured California in a bottle:   regarding Charlie Wagner’s other Chardonnay under his Mer Soleil label.   From the first cool mist that you feel in the air when the fog starts to roll into the coast, to the rich sun kissed ripe fruit that adorns neighborhood yards, this wine embodies the true spirit of California.  So whether you are enjoying that first 60 degree weather on a late afternoon or lingering over winter candlelight, hit that proverbial pause that California lifestyle is known for and enjoy a glass of Mer Soleil’s Silver Unoaked Chardonnay.

As 2010 wound to its finish, it did not extinguish meekly as the week leading up to New Year’s holiday was loaded with fast-paced last minute dealings, surprise visitors from out of town and an ever mindful realization that time is indeed fleeting.   When a week that was seemingly larger than life finally screeched to a proverbial halt, there was time enough only to pick a wine and plan a menu for this week’s featured article and to honor the passing of 2010.

The air was tinged with the fact that 2010 was not going to go quietly into the night and simultaneously electrified with the knowledge that 2011 awaited on the other side of midnight.  It was more than fitting to select a wine that would be commandeering as it was luscious:  Sequoia Grove Winery’s (“Sequoia Grove”) 2005 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Most red wine drinkers will nod knowingly once a Cabernet Sauvignon is selected for a meal.   By nature the varietal is big and bold nearly always yielding the characteristics of tannins, structure and depth.   Personal preference can dictate the American Viticultural Area (“AVA”) chosen, but sometimes a singular vineyard can cause an excited hush to fall over the table:   and when that happens, something undeniably special is about to tumble forward from that bottle.

Most Napa Valley residents know that when the Morisoli Vineyard is mentioned, most will catch their breath.   Located in Rutherford (an AVA which has been long famous for its tenacity to produce exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon grapes), the Morisoli Vineyard sits on the valley floor and has been revered for its magical soil.  While there is something special about the soil of this vineyard, the passion of its grower, Gary Morisoli, allows the grapes grown here to exceed a vintner’s wild imagination.   Add in the talents of a vintner who is simply gifted with the Cabernet Sauvignon grape and Sequoia Grove’s Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon comes into existence.

Upon opening the bottle and pouring some of this dark red beauty into the glass, the nose is greeted with a bouquet that could be as intoxicating as your favorite cologne.   Red fruit dusted with mocha are followed by heady aromas of clove, cedar and sage, lending to images of redwood forests with needle laden floors.   With just an initial sip, it is easy to be weak in the knees as the palate experiences round supple tannins, a silken texture, flavors of raspberry, plum, dark chocolate, anise and an enamoring finish of sweet vanilla cream.   This wine, if not the vineyard itself, is an ardent love affair in the making.

The 2005 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine that makes your guests’ eyes bulge and pop out, reminding everyone seated at the table of the indescribable power that an exceedingly well-crafted high end wine can have.   It is a wine that makes one straighten up attentively in his or her chair, hoping to “look one’s best” and in doing so, to take the initiative to put the “pretense” back into wine and food pairing.   With this in mind and the simple fact that this wine screams for a high quality cut of beef, this week’s menu holds:

1)      Peppercorn Filet Mignon with Dijon-Peppercorn Shallot Sauce;

2)     White Wine Sauteed Mushrooms;

3)     Garlic Sauteed Spinach with Rangpur Lime; and

4)     Sage-Marjoram Roasted Baby Yukon Potatoes.

Given that the wine is capable of humbling even the most critical palate, the food paired with this wine should equally stun.   Prior to preparing the ingredients, a bit of wine is sampled to independently critique the bouquet and flavors of it.   While the act was seemingly self-indulgent it was intended for the greater good by carefully comparing the wine alongside the aromas of the herbs and spices used for creating the meal.   The ultimate goal was to create the perfect balance of herbs which would not only complement the wine but accentuate its decadent flavor span.

While often questionably photographable, there is a calculated desired end result to the madness of stacking and layering this dish:  the creation of the quintessential “perfect bite”.

Each component of this dish is carefully thought out in order to bring a sophisticated structure of flavors in each bite taken while simultaneously matching the caliber of the exquisite wine paired.

Baby Yukon Gold potatoes are used to create the first layer:   quartered into a large dice to create texture and visual dimension, the potatoes are tossed in a combination of olive oil, sage, marjoram, cracked peppercorns and a careful sprinkle of sea salt prior to oven roasting. 

Fresh spinach leaves are sautéed with minced garlic before being dressed and with the juice of a freshly picked rangpur lime.   Sauteed spinach is often brightened with lemon juice, but when the Rangpur lime is used in this second layer of the dish, it will surprise guests with its undeniably delicious lively citrus flavor.

For the third layer, Filet Mignon is seasoned gently with peppercorns and sea salt before being sautéed.   Once done, the drippings are reserved for a Dijon-Peppercorn Shallot Sauce (using in addition cream and red wine).   At a dinner earlier in the week I had noted to a friend about the re-emergence of sauces on restaurant menus.   A trend that was so 1980’s but seemingly has returned to the culinary forefront bringing with it a sense of comfort and relaxation to meals during an economic recession.

Finally, the dish is topped with white wine sautéed mushrooms.

Each layer, outstanding in its own right, when taken together creates an explosion of a verifiable cornucopia of flavors leaving ready recognition of the one harmonious bite.  Each bite equally sumptuous as the last captures the decadence of cuisine that Napa Valley is known for and also sets Napa Valley apart from much of the rest of the world.

The wine, when paired, meets its culinary soul mate in this showcase meal.  Perhaps the single best surprise of this meal is that after the bite of food is long since consumed, a sip of wine resurrects the spices of sage, peppercorn and Dijon mustard which resultantly explode into the mouth all over again.

Exquisitely savory, not a leftover from the last spinach leaf to the last drop of the Dijon-Peppercorn sauce will be found from this meal.   More importantly, do not even hope that a drop of this 2005 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is left.

All was happily consumed and appreciatively savored as we waved goodbye to 2010 and welcomed 2011.    Happy New Year to all readers and cheers to more wine and food pairings throughout 2011!

With 2011 nearly here along with January’s arrival, arrives my favorite time to consume Chardonnay.   In other parts of the country where winter winds howl unmercifully and snow seemingly falls by the tonnage, my white wines would probably sit in a cellar waiting for March.   This is fair for I (and other wine connoisseurs and vintners) have readily admitted that in Northern California, that upper 50 degree to 65 degree weather is seemingly ideal for consuming Chardonnay.   Any colder and the wine simply does not open up as well and show off its natural attributes.   Any warmer than 65 degrees and the traditional California-style Chardonnays become heavy and cumbersome on the palate, almost belabored to show off their layers of flavor and spice.

For every unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay that I have featured over the last year and half, a traditional California Chardonnay reader somewhere sighs in despair.   I envision them asking, “Where is the oak?”    Admittedly, this style of Chardonnay is not my preference.   I adore a balanced vibrant unoaked Chardonnay or those where the vintner has seemingly used a paintbrush to artfully add that stroke of oak to create a delicately crafted masterpiece.   Yet despite my personal preferences, there is a time and a place for the other type of California Chardonnay which unabashedly lets you know that it is “oaked”.   That time and place is now and with this week’s particular food pairing.

But oh, which wine to choose?

For those who either know me personally or those countless many who have bumped into me in a tasting room here or there in Napa Valley over the years and have eagerly asked, “But what about Rombauer’s Chardonnay???”, this article is for you.

Having visited countless wineries throughout Napa Valley and entered into even more discussions about wines and which would I recommend, the one traditional Chardonnay that repeatedly crosses the lips of such devotees is the Chardonnay made by Rombauer Vineyards (“Rombauer”).   Rombauer is a family-owned winery located along the Silverado Trail that has a personal devotion to creating wine designed to pair with food.  Selecting grapes from the Carneros American Viticultural Area, Rombauer is bound to produce a Chardonnay that will capture one’s attention, if not his or her heart.

Pouring Rombauer’s 2009 Chardonnay into the glass, the wine exhibits a lovely straw yellow color which might be more aptly compared to the golden hue of a California afternoon sun.  At first blush, one might think that this Chardonnay is much like other standard California Chardonnays:  readily notable rich toasty oak, fresh yellow peaches, ripe pear and a splash of pineapple cavort with smooth vanilla cream.   Given the heady oak with a sip of the 2009 Chardonnay, it is a dead giveaway that this is the traditional Chardonnay long known to California wine country.   Tropical fruit adds a pleasant surprise as the wine deviates from the typical butterball that often accompanies Chardonnays of this style.  Instead as one merely sips at this pleasant traditional California Chardonnay, the palate discovers lingering faint traces of sea salt, nuances of banana and the presence of cantaloupe coupled with a gentle creamy vanilla and peach finish.

Standing alone, Rombauer’s 2009 Chardonnay is pleasant but (for me) not a grab your palate’s attention sort of wine.   Sipping the wine without food, you will encounter much of the spice, oak and other flavors that traditionally characterize a California oaked Chardonnay.   However, bring some food to the table and this becomes a “wow” wine!   Flavors liven as the spice and oak become rich and full when accompanied by food.   It is as if the chemistry with the palate instantly changes and leaves little question as to why so many are enamored with this wine.

To really bring out this Chardonnay’s attributes, seasonal winter vegetables, pecans, olive oil and blue cheese are its “little black dress”.   Seeking to turn heads at a post-holiday late afternoon lunch, this week’s menu boasts:

1)      Winter Vegetable Medley Pecan Crusts with a Bleu Brie Cream Sauce; and

2)     Palate Snack Plate.

Whether harvested from your garden or picked up fresh from your grocer, winter vegetables are flavorfully seasonable in late December.   Selecting baby broccoli, carrots, zucchini and shallots, a wonderful medley of bright winter flavors can dress up any appetizer.   Keeping in mind that cutting or knife techniques can dramatically enhance flavor, carrots and zucchini are julienned while shallots are finely minced.   Boiling a bit of olive oil with water, fresh ground black pepper and a dash of sea salt, the broccoli is added to cook.   Shallots are quickly added before placing a lid a top the pan to cook.  Keeping a close eye on the clock (as none of these vegetables take long to cook), carrots are tossed in and followed by zucchini.   In the final 30 seconds of cooking, chopped pecans are tossed in to toast and soften.

While the vegetables are underway, slices of a crusty rustic bread have been tossed in melted butter and lightly seasoned before being tucked into the oven to bake.   Emerging golden brown yet tender, the winter vegetable medley is placed on top.

The dish is not yet complete as a sauce is created combining a bleu cheese brie and cream, seasoning it with freshly picked lemon thyme from the patio and black pepper.   Once complete, the sauce is drizzled over the vegetable bread slices and the entire ensemble is decorated with minced chives from the patio.

What goes better with traditional California Chardonnay than butter … cream … brie… olive oil… well, broccoli and bleu cheese, for one.   Put together this featured combination and you will impress any guest visiting you on a holiday afternoon.   Bleu cheese in particular pairs soulfully with Rombauer’s 2009 Chardonnay, but when cream is added to the scenario it creates a delectable sauce.   This dish becomes so rich and flavorful that you forget that vegetables are “good for you” and it is difficult to not want another slice.   The Chardonnay and bites of the vegetable crust tumble together seamlessly creating a slow flavorful world of decadence, swallow after swallow.

To cap off casual holiday afternoon entertaining, a selection of mixed nuts, Graber Olives and a family recipe for Cranberry Orange Bread is set out to help clear the palate.   Graber Olives (originating out of Southern California) in particular are a holiday tradition in my family and savoring the buttery, nutty flavor of these delights it is easy to understand why.   Adding a slightly sweetened bread such as Cranberry Orange brightens the finish on the wine and lessens the oak.   It is a subtle form of dessert to an otherwise already decadent afternoon meal.

It is so terribly fitting that this wine comes joyously alive when paired with this particular dish as the winemaker Koerner Rombauer’s great-aunt is the very same Irma Rombauer who authored “The Joy of Cooking” which has been in print since 1938 with over 18 million copies sold.    As each savory bite is followed with an equally savored sip, it is abundantly clear that this is how wine is truly intended to be enjoyed.   Add in some guests on a holiday afternoon and without question, the spirit of joy with wine, food and dining will be present at your table.

Throughout the summer and fall, articles have appeared seemingly left and right pondering the outcome of the 2010 growing season and what it will mean for Napa Valley wines.   Residents, hospitality staff and winemakers alike sat and nibbled their fingernails in nervous anticipation of 2010 harvest and collectively shivered through an unseasonably chilly summer.   While a wary eye was cast upon Mother Nature’s activities, many a winery released its 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and other red wines.   If one was a fan of big bold red wines, 2007 vintages were for those palates as the weather that year blessed many a vineyard in Napa Valley with mesmerizing conditions for optimal flavorful fruit.    With potentially touted utopian red wine vintages being released at every turn, it is understandable why 2010’s wacky weather would cause heightened consternation.

Mother Nature tossed weather turns and curves that for many a vintner might have seemed like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride:  chilly temperatures, hail, 20% more rain than average, a sudden late season short-lived heat spike and finally an Indian summer that brought reassurance of normalcy.  Wineries tested fans’ knowledge of harvest with guessing games of when they would finish harvest or how much tonnage would be collected.  More importantly, despite outsider doubts, harvest did happen and furthermore, finished.   Despite wild rumors, grapes are not being harvested in January and in some mountain locations grapes do still hang on vines, failed to ripen and never destined to make it into a bottle for your dining table.  Harvest reports have been released by the Napa Valley Vintners, who since 1944 have served as a non-profit association dedicated to the promotion and protection of the Napa Valley appellation as a premier winegrowing region.   Reading its report, fears are set aside and from all signals, 2010 was a year that was not only salvageable but potentially with a few pleasant surprises.

So what do Napa Valley 2010 Harvest indicators mean for you, the casual consumer?

Temperatures were colder than average but that is an understatement compared to summers for at least the last five years, if not longer.   Because temperatures were unseasonably cold, that meant that the ripening of grapes took longer than normal.   How it affected varietals, however, largely depends on the vineyard location because of the many microclimates found within Napa Valley.  Clouds in the skies overhead worked in favor of the farmers of Napa Valley as the vineyards skirted threat of frost but due to the fewer hours of sunshine, canopies of the grapevines were artfully managed.   But in some cases, canopies were trimmed back to better reveal grapes when Mother Nature expedited a triple digit heat spike.   Such temperatures and intense sunlight burned some of the grapes.   One varietal that was affected in particular was Zinfandel due to its earlier ripening stage (compared to Cabernet Sauvignon).   As a result of such sunburn, many Zinfandel grapes raisined and produced an extremely lean yield.   Does this mean that “all” Zinfandel failed in 2010?   Of course not, but it will mean that production will be less*, flavor may not be as hoped and wineries that source grapes from growers may not have the availability for bottling that they have had in the past.   Taking this into account, there are vineyards that did not suffer as much.

In a wine region where Cabernet Sauvignon is “king”, a growing season such as that of 2010 could be disastrous.   However, remembering the various microclimates of Napa Valley, it is possible that there will be lovely vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon.  The warm Indian summer that graced the valley helped nudge along the ripening of this varietal in valley floor vineyards and certain sunshine drenched mountain vineyards.   While this vintage will certainly not be of the caliber of 2007 vintages, it will be less tannic, more fruit forward, concentrated flavors (as the vines produced less) and of lower acidity.

Similarly do not forget about Petite Sirah and Syrah.   Each of these varietals should have benefited from the nudge from the prolonged yet graceful Indian summer that heated Napa Valley in the final stages of harvest.

But what are the surprises of harvest 2010?

Lower alcohol levels in Napa Valley wines will be a surprise to the casual consumer.   With warm sun generally in abundance and hot temperatures to accompany those rays, alcohol levels are higher in California wines than their European counterparts.   This year, due to the cooler temperatures, slower growing process and increased moisture, the alcohol levels for the first time in a very long time will be lower meaning that there should be no “heat” felt off of the red wine varietals making them readily and easily enjoyable.   This also raises the hope of expanding the versatility of pairing cuisine with red wine and a departure from some of the heavier cuisine that is so often paired.

While Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel may not be the default shining stars of 2010 harvest in Napa Valley, Pinot Noir may race to the forefront.   Long recognized for warmer than ideal temperatures for growing Pinot Noir, the cooler temperatures and additional moisture that Napa Valley experienced in 2010 should produce beautiful Pinot Noir.    Pinot Noir should reflect delicacy in its flavors and structure.   Imagine beautiful ripe cherry and berry flavors shifting gracefully to reflect another layer of flavor or spice in an exquisitely structured wine and this is something to hope for in 2010 Pinot Noir vintages.  

If Pinot Noir has the potential to taste wonderful, imagine what that means for sparkling wine in Napa Valley as “blanc de noir” sparkling wines are largely dominated by Pinot Noir.

In sum, 2010 was a year that reminded residents and the world alike that at the end of the day, the wineries are farmers.  In any agri-business, farmers are affected by Mother Nature as no year is ever deemed “average”.  Some years are cooler, wetter, warmer or drier.   Napa Valley wineries are seasoned in its dealings with Mother Nature and are constantly adjusting their practices.   Many wineries have long maintained farming practices that are sustainably mindful of this California region’s growing abilities and limitations.  Vintners will often quip that part of the art of winemaking is ensuring that each vintage reflects the stamp of Mother Nature’s conditions from that unique growing season.   This is indeed part of the art and it makes collecting wine even more enjoyable.  However, rest assured that when Mother Nature takes a swing at Napa Valley, it is in such instances that these farmers rely on their top notch skills, commitment, passion and dedication to continue to produce award-winning wines.

* Lower yields of grapes means smaller productions of your favorite wines.   Generally when there is a smaller supply, prices will rise.   Taking into account the challenging economic climate from the past two years, by the time that 2010 red wines are released, there could be a significant price jump.