July 2019 Chris Carpenter Down Under At
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Napa County wine coverage: Visit us online at NapaValleyRegister.com/wine for more coverage of the wine ON WINE industry. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 | napavalleyregister.com | SECTION C ON WINE California’s Non-Cabernet Sauvignon legacy abernet Sauvignon –- the Indeed, Cabernet is a rela- being called “the country’s only matter) until relatively recently. legacy of wine grapes was based grape that launched Cali- tive Johnny-come-lately to the wine history museum.” Only scant acreage of either on Petite Sirah, Chenin Blanc, Cfornia into the world’s wine party. The grape was basically The museum is based in one of grape could be found anywhere Carignane, Barbera and Zinfan- spotlight 43 years ago — cre- non-existent in the first two America’s most important Cab in the North Coast as recently as del — and much more recently ated a heritage stages of California wine history regions, Oakville. It’s a hand- the mid-1960s. Pinot Noir. that constantly — pre-Prohibition (before 1919) some facility adjacent to Bois- In Napa, only Beaulieu and Petite Sirah: This dense red reminds us how and Rebirth (1933-1966). Since set’s upgraded Oakville Grocery. Inglenook consistently produced grape has always produced mon- important it is as 1967, I see the third epoch as It offers visitors a look at how Cabernet in the 1940s and ‘50s. umental, dark, age-worthy reds, a grape and a wine. World Greatness. Napa began as a wine-growing It wasn’t until 1961 when the including the sensational, long- But when Cal- And yes, in the last five de- region two decades before turn late visionary grapegrower Na- lived 1971 and 1975 versions of ifornia’s wine cades, Cab has been king. But of the last century. than Fay planted the variety on Petite Sirah from both Ridge and history is written, has it seen better days? Are we One feature of the Grocery: his large Stag’s Leap ranch that Freemark Abbey — two of the DA N BERGER the chapter on entering a new era in Califor- visitors can purchase tastes Napa had any significant acreage best Petite Sirahs ever made in Cabernet right- nia wine? More about that next of dozens of Cabs — the grape of Cab. the state. fully should a lot week. that’s the Grocery’s major wine Indeed, even then Fay was Napa’s top Petite Sirah pro- smaller than most people think I was reminded of Cab’s place focus. considered a bit daft to plant in ducers in the late 1960s and — especially in relation to the last week when irrepressible But Napa and the entire North an area many thought too cool to 1970s often used fruit from state’s north coast wine/grape Jean-Charles Boisset formally Coast had ostensibly no Cab- ripen Cabernet! culture dating nearly 140 years. opened “1881 Napa,” what is ernet (or Chardonnay for that The North Coast’s almost-lost Please see BERGER, Page C5 THE WINE EXCHANGE Exploring Aligoté acky Young is co-propri- etor (with her husband Jim JYoung) and director of wine making for St. Helena based Young Inglewood Vineyards where a precious one-third acre is dedicated to growing Aligoté. Jacky is a self-avowed “Burgundy nut” and planted this block with Aligoté (as is of- ten done in Bur- gundy) because she knew Char- donnay would not do well on their ALLEN site. The first vin- BALIK tage produced in 2015 was a mere 10 cases from 3-year-old vines where she “hand-squeezed” the grapes as the quantity was too small for the mechanical press. A true labor of love! A couple weeks ago, Jacky SUBMITTED PHOTOS invited a group of industry Chris Carpenter at Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard, one of two Australian wineries owned by Jackson Family. professionals to taste a range of Aligotés from California, Ore- gon and across Burgundy. Jacky proved a deft organizer and conducted the tasting in an in- Not a Stranger in a Strange Land formal, but structured, format where each flight, served blind, The map of Chris region he doesn’t work in: the had a theme and the selection Barossa Valley. included some of the world’s Carpenter’s wine Arguably Australia’s best- most revered Aligoté producers. known place on its wine map, the Flight One (four wines) world reads more river valley 90 minutes north of represented Burgundy’s McLaren Vale began to capture “Haut-producers” exhibiting like an atlas. the attention of the wine critic more varietal typicity from Robert Parker more than 20 years four different vintages – 2011 TONY POER ago. through 2016. Flight Two (three As general manager of Napa “There’s a lot going on in Aus- wines) showed varying stylis- Valley vineyards for Jackson tralia right now with the wine tic impressions from the same Family Wines, Chris Carpenter culture,” he said. “I think for (2017) vintage. Flight Three is a prolific California vintner. many years, particularly around (four wines) paired two notable He heads up winemaking at Shiraz, it was being driven by the Burgundian producers with re- Oakville’s Cardinale Estate and success of brands that Robert cent and library vintages from does the same for Lokoya, Mt. Parker had anointed.” each ranging from 1995 to 2015. Brave and La Jota Vineyard, all Some of that critic’s favorite Attending the tasting were owned by Jackson Family. He is wines, he noted, went “a little a highly regarded Napa wine- the company’s standard-bearing The Hickinbotham estate in McLaren Vale, South Australia. too far on the ripening scale. But maker with a master’s degree winemaker. the Aussies are coming back on in viticulture from the Uni- Not quite settled after years his wife, Barbara Banke, decided calendar is centered on an annual that, especially in the Barossa.” versity of Burgundy Aaron spent building a stellar Napa nearly two decades ago to estab- harvest trip in March. As a vint- He pointed out that wine- Pott; noted viticulturist and Valley career, the veteran vint- lish a Southern Hemisphere out- ner working in two hemispheres, makers in McLaren Vale didn’t winemaker Steve Mathiason ner opted in 2012 to flip things post there. he oversees a harvest and crush receive the same critical atten- with his wife and partner Jill; on their head and make for the Carpenter was preparing for not once, but twice a year. tion in the ‘90s but have distin- Hill Family Estate and Oak Antipodes. his next trip to Clarendon, a He seems to welcome the chal- guished themselves in their own Knoll Farming principle Doug “I’m connected to the South village near the South Australia lenge the last several years have way. “They’ve concentrated a Hill; Young Inglewood wine- Australia community,” Carpen- capital city of Adelaide and home brought to his life. lot on producing wines that re- maker Scott Young; Burgundy ter said in late February of his to Hickinbotham Clarendon In the Veeder Room, an ele- ally speak to the terroir. So, it’s aficionado Josh Shapiro from thrice-yearly sojourns in the Vineyard, one of two Australian gant meeting space at Cardinale been very exciting, because there San Francisco’s Flatiron Wines wine-centric Australian state. wineries owned by Jackson Fam- Estate, the tall, gravelly-voiced are some beautiful McLaren Vale and Carolyn Scheinberg of the “Understanding that has been a ily. On top of his local responsi- winemaker talked about his wines over there that we don’t Crenn Restaurant Group in San great revelation to me.” bilities, he has directed the wine- Australian project. A winery see here.” Francisco. His destination is always Mc- making at Hickinbotham for its colleague opened a bottle each Hickinbotham is a notable Together, under the able Laren Vale, one of the principal last seven vintages. of Hickinbotham’s newly-re- exception. Along with its other guidance of Jacky we tasted, grapegrowing regions in sunny, Compared to most winemak- leased Merlot and Cabernet McLaren Vale property, Yangarra California-esque South Aus- ers, Chris Carpenter follows an Sauvignon. Carpenter started Please see BALIK, Page C5 tralia. The late Jess Jackson and unusual schedule. His Australian the conversation discussing a Please see CARPENTER, Page C2 1881 Napa Wine History Museum opens in Oakville REGISTER STAFF tensive collection of historic out the Valley” by tasting Caber- 1881 Napa, a wine history mu- wine relics from Europe and the net Sauvignons from 12 different seum, has opened in Oakville in United States, antique decanters, sub-appellations. the historic mansion adjacent to original artifacts from the Early Guests can also sample wines the Oakville Grocery. California Wine Trade Archive from a blend of Napa Valley grapes, The project is the creation of and background on all of the 16 including a sparkling wine, Sau- vintner Jean-Charles Boisset, sub-appellations of Napa Valley vignon Blanc, rosé, Chardonnay, who bought the property earlier and the founders and pioneers of red blend, Merlot and a Cabernet this year. those areas. Sauvignon, all made for 1881 Napa At the official opening, Boisset The museum is open to vis- by Winemaker Thane Knutson. said, “America is really the reflec- itors free of charge. Visitors to 1881 Napa is at 7856 St. Helena tion of the people of the past that 1881 Napa can also taste wines Highway in Oakville and is open really crafted this valley and cre- from throughout Napa Valley daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ated the valley… This is your 101 via rotating comparative tastings Reservations are recommended. class on the history of California, with themes such as “Majestic the pioneers of Napa Valley, the Mountains Versus Plush Valley” LOWELL DOWNEY PHOTO terroir — you can taste history and “Is it Cool to be Hot or Hot to The 1881 Napa Wine History here.