Day 8 – still in Napa, from one of the oldest wineries to one of the most modern

Bob cooked the most phenomenal Eggs Benedict with hollandaise the colour of apricot sorbet, utterly divine, the best possible start to the day (this is becoming as much a food blog as a wine blog, I blame the Pepis’ hospitality!).  I sat poolside and wrote up my tasting notes from the day before, enjoying the warmth, sights and sounds coming from the valley floor.

Trefethen

'Barn chic' in the Trefethen tasting room

We made a pretty late start, so only time to visit Trefethen Vineyards in the morning, one of the most southernmost in the Napa valley.  It is housed in an historic redwood building that once was the property of Eshcol winery; apparently the tour is well worth it, but we headed straight inside, past a fabulous 100-year old cork tree growing beside the sun-drenched patio, to the characterful tasting room.

There are 2 differing tastings on offer, and in fact we rather went off-piste in the end!  Dan started by pouring their 2010 Dry Riesling, crisp, dry and floral, with good minerality and grapefruit, $22.  Next was their 2010 Viognier, recently released, only 300 cases produced, too busy and floral for me, but good structure and finish, $30.  Their 2008 Harmony Chardonnay is really quite special, not made every year, but which grows well in this slightly cooler southern end of the valley.  10% malolactic fermentation, buttery, creamy, bright, full-bodied, $50.  Lastly, a 2010 Quandary, a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling & Viognier, $25, needed to be chilled more, OK-ish.

On to their reds.  First up, the 2009 Pinot Noir, strange nose, good chocolate & leather notes, classic peppery finish, $48.  The 2008 Cabernet Franc (85% CF, plus some Petit Verdot & others) was ruby-red, fruit-forward, big in mouth, cherries, good tannins, $38.  The 2008 Malbec had me interested (in fact 98% Malbec, 2% PV), but overly fruity, needs to mellow into its tannins a little and balance the finish, $60.  I found the 2008 Merlot simply too young, too lush, complex to a fault, again it needs time, but has all the attributes to come good in 2-3 years, $35.  The 2008 Dragon’s Tooth (a Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend) @ $75 didn’t quite exude class at that level, lacking balance in the mid-palate.  We all enjoyed the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, oozing berry aromas and smoother and rounder than some of their previous offerings, $58, best of the lot.

As a bonus, Dan then poured their 2009 Late Harvest Riesling, lush, botrytis-enhanced, stony fruit, $50 for 375ml.  Delicious!  Lastly one from their wine library, a 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from a magnum @ $250, even smoother than the 2008, delightfully mellowed out, beautiful structure, good tannins still, great length.  We left on a high, the Trefethen family appear to be doing a great job here in the Oak Knoll AVA.

Palmaz Vineyards

After the most perfect lunch poolside on the valley floor, with salami, cheeses and crostini, plus some of Bob’s Eponymous Rose, a special treat lay in store for the afternoon.  We drove Grid’s Gucci-logoed Fiat Cinquecento right up the top parking level of Palmaz Vineyards, east of Napa in Coombsville, up past the glorious, Italianate main house, to this quite extraordinary, architecturally-stunning building, nestled into the hill.  Flo Palmaz, the owner’s daughter, greeted us and gave us a tour of this James Bond-esque establishment.  The 4-storey cave system extends to 100,000 square foot of underground winery, complete with elevators and its own computerized carousel of giant fermentation tanks.  Freshly

Resembling the set from a Bond movie; the Palmaz winery is based around principles of gravity flow

painted Burgundy-coloured floors belie the fact that this is a working winery, all set back into the hill, drilled using the same mechanism as the Channel Tunnel.  The architect quit after only 6 months, leaving the lead engineer to see the dream of heart-stent pioneer Julio Palmaz’s through to completion.  What a place!  It took 8 years to complete construction at an estimated cost of $8million, and now boasts this huge gravity-flow winery system, complete with an underground water treatment plant and vast cavernous tank room.  A “crazy place” indeed, to coin Flo’s phrase.  Production stands at about 7,000 cases per year, but potential capacity is far higher.  Everything can be controlled via iPad, from opening the tanks and turning them on the carousel, to bringing up vineyard maps on the board room smartboard (that is Flo’s brother, Christian’s speciality).

We ended the staggering tour round a wooden table at ground level, overlooking the house and vineyard, with small bites of gourmet food to accompany the wines.  We started with their 2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay Amalia, named for Flo’s mother, $45, warm, crisp and light, more Burgundy than Napa Valley.  The 2007 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon was wonderful with the crème cheese, fig & chive chiffonade, 22 months on French oak, smooth and tannis, great elegance and less sheer power than its Napa neighbours, $120.  The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was a similar treat, $120, superb length and complexity and delicious with Flo’s new recipe Doigts de Coco!  We were lucky to taste the 2010 Muscat Canelli “Florencia”, named for Flo, @ $45 for 500ml.  This is wonderfully aromatic, mango, floral, rose, lush with great length.  And if you’re lucky, you might be able to taste her son Nico’s non-alcoholic Muscat Grape Juice, Vino de Nico, $10 for 375ml, reminiscent of days gone by, something to keep the children sweet certainly. All in, an extraordinary way to finish our visit to the Napa Valley, all concrete and stainless steel, far-removed from the oak and redwood interiors elsewhere.  You must book ahead to do the tour here, but I heartily recommend it, as it is likely to be one of the Palmaz family who takes you round and it is impossible not to be caught up in their enthusiasm and vision for this place.  Quite what Henry Hagen, of the original Cedar Knoll Winery that he founded here in 1881, would make of it, who knows, but go take a look for yourself.  You will be amazed.