Category Archives: Bordeaux Style Blend

Arkenstone: a jewel in the heart of Howell Mountain

02/28/2015Bordeaux Style Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Caves, Sauvignon BlancOwner

A 45-minute drive from The Inn On First, a romantic Napa Bed and Breakfast Inn, lies Howell Mountain. Upon that mountain some great wineries have been built and one of those is Arkenstone, named after the mountain of the dwarves in the book by Tolkien, The Hobbit. I’ll let them explain how they got that trademark!

The winery sits atop Howell Mountain and is surrounded by pine and oak trees. I got out of the car, smelled the pine and immediately thought of camping. They bought the property almost 30 years ago and didn’t do anything with it until the last few years. They hired Phillipe Melke (well-known here in Napa) who comes from a long line of Bordeaux wine-makers to help them decide what and where to plant. With less than 1,000 total cases to be produced the owners had a larger picture in mind for the property. With a huge cave structure they installed lots of modern equipment and barrel storage, not simply for themselves, but to be leased out to others who didn’t have room on their properties for equipment or storage. To say the least it is amazing.

They themselves only make two wines: a Sauvignon Blanc blend in the style of Bordeaux whites, and a Cabernet Sauvignon blend in the the style of Bordeaux reds. And to both I say: Wowza! (Club Members are entitled to a few other blends they produce). Although Jamie is not a Sauvignon Blanc drinker except when paired with food, he did enjoy this blend of Sauvignon Blanc that brought forth bright fruit flavor with a slight hint of oak balanced with a bright tropical fruit finish with little acidity. ($65)

The Bordeaux-style blend, called Estate Obsidian ($135), is simply luscious. Light cherry nose with dark berry fruit on the palate with a hint of spice. What is really great is the finish! It lingers beautifully on the back of your throat for you to enjoy the afterglow of that sip. Now the 2011 is what they are selling and we had the opportunity to try a 2010 and that was stunning. It gave us a great view as to how this wine is going to age and continue to open up. For the collector of fine wine (tasting fee of $45/pp, waived with purchase of $150/pp), I really encourage a visit to Arkenstone.

Spelletich Family Wines: it may look corporate, but really it’s just the family.

11/22/2013bed and breakfast, bed and breakfast inn, Bordeaux Style Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, napa, napa valley, Pinot Noir, PortOwner

Only a ten minute drive from your romantic Napa Bed and Breakfast Inn, The Inn On First, lies a corporate park of which there are many tasting rooms and even a wine country hotel. We were invited to come and try out the Spelletich Family Wines, SpellWine.com, by daughter and tasting room hostess, Kristen, and her co-host, Miguel. I would be remiss if I forgot to mention the wonderful greeting from Molly, the house dog.

Molly

On entering the tasting room you immediately sense how much work they put into the detail of the tasting room, providing a seating area with big, comfy chairs and a coffee table, as well as a large table with bar stools. The colors, the layout, the wine display, have all been carefully crafted together to give you a homey and yet elegant feel to the room. With nuts and crackers on the table we were escorted to our tasting chairs and presented with a menu of wines we were to enjoy for the day. From a crisp and yet creamy Chardonnay, to a lovely, toasty Pinot Noir, and even a taste of their soon to be gone Zinfandel Port.

Barb and Tim Spelletich are the creators of these wines, and surprised us with a French Bordeaux they make. Yes, I said French, not Napa Bordeaux-style. They import the juice from France and make a Bordeaux of their own with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderful berry notes with a bit of tobacco bring pleasure to the palate as you taste. Then we were given the 3Spells Cabernet Sauvignon, a seductive wine that is soft, with a lot of fruit and very soft on the finish.

We liked everything they poured and, even better, their price point is phenomenal: $10 Chardonnay, $35 Pinot, $22 Bordeaux, and $30 Cabernet. You can’t beat that for these lovely, very enjoyable and drinkable wines. Tasting fees range from $15 to $40 depending on how many and which wines you want to try. I know we all think of vineyards and large wineries with spectacular views as part of the Napa experience, but finding great value and flavor in wine is part of that experience too. The whole winery operation is there, it’s just not surrounded by vineyards. Especially for those who have been to Napa before, or are looking for something new, different, and unusual, I would encourage you to seek out Spelletich Family Wine Company as part of your stay in Napa.

Melka Wine Pairing Dinner at Carpe Diem Wine Bar and Restaurant

09/10/2012Bordeaux Style Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Food Tasting and Pairing, Petit Verdot, Restaurants All, Restaurants- Napa Valley, Sauvignon BlancInnkeeper Jim

Only a 10-minute walk from The Inn On First, a luxury Bed and Breakfast in Napa, is Carpe Diem, one of our favorite wine bars and restaurants in downtown Napa. Recently they provided two nights of a Winemaker’s Dinner where they pair the food with the wine from one particular winery. They selected Melka Winery for this event, and paired their wines with 5 different courses of food created by Executive Chef Scott Kendall.

We began with a grilled peach and housemade burrata on a crispy wonton that was paired with their Barrel Sample Mekerra Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($not priced yet). The appetizer was delicious on its own, but when paired with the wine, it went from great to “wow!”. This was followed by a warm goat cheese medallion crusted with walnuts and chamomile, paired with Metisse Mekerra Vineyard (2008) ($125), equal parts cabernet franc and merlot. Bold nose, heavy dark fruit flavors with deep spice. A nice contrast with the goat cheese.

Our next course was housemade paparedelle with braised lamb, paired with CJ Cabernet Sauvignon (2009) ($52), with soft fruit flavors in the traditional Napa cabernet style. We kept trying to not eat everything as there was so much food, but with each bite and sip you knew you needed to taste more.

Our main course was Grilled Uruguayan Filet Mignon with a crispy Camargue red rice cake, paired with Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard (2009) ($155), a delicious Bordeaux Blend with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot. What a perfect pairing with the beef, soft and luscious mouth feel against the savory beef flavor.

Dessert came and we finally did slow down…a little. It was a black forest truffle with bing cherries, chantilly cream, and toffee brittle. Paired with Metisse Le Chatelet Vineyard- Saint Emilion Grand Cru, with chocolate notes and black cherry, again enhancing the great combination of flavors in dessert.

Now some might think that $125/pp is steep for dinner here in Napa, but actually that is the norm, if not more, especially if you do wine pairing with your meal. The added value of this meal is that they keep pouring you more wine if you want it, as well as the interaction with the winemakers, Phillipe and Cherie Melka. Lastly, when you meet Stephanie and Scott Kendall, and Steve Distler, the owners of the restaurant, and encounter their fabulous staff, you will make Carpe Diem one of your favorite dining spots in Napa Valley.