A Brief Visit to Calistoga Wine Country

It was an incredibly windy day on our visit to the Calistoga wine area, just north of Napa-proper. The wind knocked out the power to the traffic lights on the main thoroughfare into the Napa Valley, rendering our trip a mild agitation at the outset. However, we persevered and made a quick stop to one of our favorites at the edge of the Napa Valley, Trefethen Family Vineyards. After our visit to Trefethen, we ventured onward. On the list for the day were visits to Chateau Montelena, the famed Judgment of Paris winner, among other smaller wineries near the famed Chateau. This area of the Napa Valley is highly regarded for its production of top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, so the expectation was high for some beautiful fruit. Below are my tasting "thoughts" regarding our visits.

Chateau Montelena ($20 tasting fee, 5-6 wines tasted)
First on the list was the Chateau's Dry Riesling. Available only at the winery, the wine was very light in flavor but strong in bouquet. A strong citrus smells accompanies an almost tart palate. Mildly balanced with a touch of oak, the wine was suitable for spicy foods, with a decent acidity that could cut through meals.

My excitement increased significantly when we got to taste the Chardonnay. Ch. Montelena became famous for their Chardonnay, made in the French-style with light oaky flavors and an overall lack of the stereotypical California style, buttery and oaky Chards. This Chardonnay did not disappoint. A very beautifully balanced white, drinkable with nearly any food or suitable by itself. Just an excellent blend of flavors, hints of vanilla and orange blossoms with just a hint of oak and hazelnut on the finish. Absolutely wonderful. And, for $50 per bottle, it should be.

Other wines were somewhat forgettable at Montelena, such as the Zinfandel. The wine lacked any notes of standard CA Zins, with little depth, fruit concentration and really no flavor. Flabby. The Cabernet Sauv. was decent, although far from transcendent. The Estate Cab. was nice but overpriced ($125 per bottle). Overall, my experience at Montelena was simply that of a museum visit. Great history, but not worth the $20 tasting fee.

Summers Estate Wines
The Summers Estate Winery is located just down the road from Ch. Montelena, in a field surrounding by a horse stable and full-fledged grape vines. A beautiful tasting room with bright sunshine, we were incredibly impressed with the wines and the environment. For a $10 tasting fee (waived with wine purchase), you'll get to taste a variety of wines, mainly reds, with even a variety of styles. The Chardonnay was delightful, nice and light with your standard Chardonnay flavors, touches of citrus and oak. The crowd favorite at Summers is the Charbono, a lighter red wine only produced in CA. I thought this wine lacked considerable flavor depth, but combined with the dark chocolate served with the wine, it improved dramatically.

One of my favorites was the Knights Valley Merlot. This wine does not disappoint. Large, velvety fruit accompanies a light vanilla and toasted oak flavor. The nose is robust and this wine displays considerable complexity. Combine this wine with a dark chocolate dessert and you're evening will be perfection.

The remaining wines at Summers were all quite palatable. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the Muscat Canelli, an apertif with high sugar and orange blossom flavors. Just a touch of carbonation associated with this wine is delightful. This wine would be suitable with spicy foods as well.

The final wine I tasted was a Bordeaux-style blend called the Checkmate. I look forward to aging this particular wine in my cellar for the next 5 years. The taste was wonderfully complex and shows great signs of a wine that will age well.

Envy Wines
A hidden gem in Calistoga, the Envy Wines tasting experience was truly outstanding. We tasted 10-15 wines for a tasting fee of $10. The stars in the crowd were the 3 Petite Sirah wines we tasted in comparison as well as the To Kalon Cab from Carter. Truly outstanding. I highly recommend visiting this winery and plan to enter into their flexible wine club very soon!