Panel’s picks highlight Napa juice
WHITE OF THE WEEK
2015 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc
Overall score: 17.4 (8.9 for quality, 8.5 for value)
Our tasters: Received a unanimous recommendation from 12 tasters with three scores of 9 or higher. “Melon on the nose, lemons, pears and spice on the palate. Classic.” My score: 9.1. “Tart, crisp, focused, varietally perfect.”
The wine: A blend of 48 percent sauvignon blanc, 39 percent sauvignon blanc musque and 13 percent semillion, Chilean-born winery founder Agustin Huneeus created it as a Loire Valley-style companion for the red Quintessa. Alcohol: 13 percent.
The vineyards: The original half-acre of sauvignon blanc was planted on the estate in 2002. The alluvial soils in combination with cooler temperatures near the Napa River are favorable to the sauvignon blanc varietal. As demand for the wine grew, grapes were sourced from Rutherford and the cooler climes of southern Napa Valley closer to the bay.
The winemaking: Rebekah Wineburg came aboard in June 2015, so this is her first vintage.
The winery: Located on the eastern edge of Rutherford, the property sits on undulating terrain at the foot of the Vaca Mountains.
Winemaker notes: “A wine of exceptional aromatic complexity and purity. The bright fruit aromas of white peach and lemon sorbet interweave with fresh herbs, fig and beeswax honey. On the palate, the wine is alive with exotic stone fruit, lemon zest and a hint of minerality that lead to a fresh, flavorful finish.”
Pairings: Shrimp in a citrus sauce, halibut with a soy-ginger dressing
Price: $39.69 at Spec’s
RED OF THE WEEK 2013 Pahlmeyer Merlot
Overall score: 18.2 (9.2 for quality, 9 for value)
Our tasters: Received a unanimous recommendation from 12 tasters with eight scores of 9 or higher. “Vanilla aromas from the oak. Big fruit, chocolate notes. Bone-dry tannins.” My score: 9. “A powerhouse. Delicious.”
The wine: Cabernet and petit verdot round out a blend that’s 95 percent merlot with 85 percent of the fruit grown in the estate vineyard. The juice spent 20 months in French oak. Alcohol: 15.2 percent.
The vineyard: Covering 72 acres 1,500 to 2,100 feet above Napa Valley — and the fog line — on the slopes of Atlas Peak, it was first planted in 1999.
Winemaking: Kale Anderson, a University of California-Davis grad, made this wine. He has been in the business for 10 years, working with Philippe Melka, among other luminaries.
The winery: Jayson Pahlmeyer released the first vintage of his flagship Proprietary Red in 1986, and that received a 94-point score from the Wine Advocate, Robert Parker. In the ’90s, Pahlmeyer began to focus on estate-grown fruit.
Winemaker notes: “Black amethyst in color, it opens with sultry aromas of boysenberry, violet and vanilla. Velvety and plush upon entry with intense flavors of black cherry and dark chocolate, it is lifted with fresh acidity and savory notes of grilled rosemary into an everlasting finish.”
Critical acclaim: Parker awarded a score of 96.
Pairings: Any classic meat dish or stew but also Asian food and hearty seafood, especially tuna
Price: $74.39 at Spec’s
ALSO RECOMMENDED 2014 Hess Collection Allomi Cabernet Sauvignon
Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Unanimously recommended with three scores of 9 or higher. “Rich and tannic. Youthful. Long finish.” My score: 9.2. “Fruit-forward with nice tannins.”
The wine: The 210-acre Allomi vineyard is in the warm, sunny Pope Valley of Napa. The juice spent 18 months in American oak, 25 percent new barrels. Alcohol: 14.9 percent.
Price: $25.99 at Spec’s
2014 Talbott Kali Hart Vineyard Chardonnay
Overall score: 18.8 (8.8 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Unanimously recommended with two scores of 9. “Lemons, pears and pineapples with a nutty element.” My score: 8.9. “Simple but tasty.”
The wine: Named for Rob Hart’s daughter and youngest child, it’s made from Monterey County fruit. Alcohol: 14.2 percent.
Price: $15.39 at Spec’s