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Our Latest Favorites
All Napa-two Cabs & a Fine Red Blend
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Greetings!
The town of Napa feels like a sweepstakes winner with $99 million in "stimulus" funds coming to complete the Napa River flood protection project (levees, floodwalls, river widening and river bypass work). "In the works," for over a decade, this boost allows Napa to see the proverbial light at the end of this long construction tunnel. Having weathered construction of various intensities over the seven year life of Back Room Wines, the hope that there is an end to Downtown Napa's construction sometime before my hair ALL turns gray is as refreshing as a glass of Pinot Grigio. I won't hold my breath, but I won't stock up on Grecian Formula either.
With so many good wines here to recommend, the challenge in my emails is more about focus than number of choices. Many of you write me for specific recommendations, and for this I thank you. Keep them coming, for I have oodles of ideas for you. For this email, I have three excellent wines to recommend to you. All are from Napa Valley and all three shook me up last week when I tried them. Made me shimmy more than shake, to be honest. Not sure if shimmy gets the point across though. How about a shimmy-shake? Let's move one. Three latest favorites are just below, with notes.
BURGUNDY TASTING THIS FRIDAY NIGHT! Wine geeks and the wine-curious both come to see what we select for our semi-annual Burgundy tasting. We'll pour you a flight of three whites: Chablis, Marsannay and an almost-Meursault. Then, three reds: Pernand-Vergelesses, Marsannay (again) and Morey St. Denis. I've tasted them all, carry all in the shop, and am excited for you to try them this Friday night. The tasting is from 5 to 8 P.M., come anytime during those hours, and costs $20.
Wines will be on sale for 10% discount. Here are the wines in this Friday's Burgundy tasting.
Special Thursday night tasting this week.
Diane de Puymorin of Chateau d'Or et de Gueules, in Costieres de Nimes, France, will be here. We'll taste six of her Southern French wines-red, white and rosé. Casual tasting-come anytime from 5:30 to 7:30 (although best is you're here by 6:30), try the wines, and purchase what you'd like at 10% discount. This tasting is FREE.
Hungry Like The Wolf,
Dan.
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Three Latest Favorites
All Napa, all red, all delicious!
RELIC "Ritual" Rhone/Provence-Style Red,
Napa Valley 2007 $49 net
Back Room has been a fan and supporter of Relic Wines since their beginning. Relic is Owned and made by Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton, two extremely thoughtful, mindful, hard-working and talented people. Napa Valley's in good hands with folks like Mike and Schatzi as the "next generation." The Relic wines go well beyond Napa, and today we stick to these parts with "Ritual," their outstanding Southern Rhone/Provence-Style Red.
The blend: 55% Mourvedre, 22% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 5% Petite Sirah. Most of the fruit comes organic vineyards in Napa's Pope Valley (beyond Howell Mountain, in the northeast corner of Napa County). Nose
of curry & pie spice, pomegranate, smoky cherry, violets & tobacco.
Taste mulberries, raspberries, rosewater, truffle. This smooth, luscious, full-flavored red is about spice, fruit and texture. Only 8 barrels made, and just one of these was new, so the fruit takes precedent. I just made oxtail stew this weekend-first time ever-and I wish I'd had a bottle of Ritual to pair with it. Wait a second, I have leftovers...215 cases made.
CLARK CLAUDON  Cabernet Sauvignon
"Three Stones"
Napa Valley 2006 $48 Laurie Claudon came in last week with the latest releases from their mountain Estate vineyard. All top-notch, but the shimmy-shake wine for me is "Three Stones," very much the equal (I feel) to their Estate Cab at close to half the price. "Three Stones," in reference to the three generations of Claudons, is almost all Estate Cab at 90%. The other 10% is Merlot and Cab Franc grown elsewhere, giving the wine flesh, smoothness and enjoyability now, in its youth. "It costs us about the same to make Three Stones as it does the Estate, but sales-wise it makes sense to sell it for much less," Laurie tells me. I'm all for good sense.
Alluring nose of cassis, spice cake, malted chocolate (the oak) and cherry liqueur. Loads of berries & cherries, both red & black, in the flavor along with cocoa, rare filet of beef and pomegranate. Long, silky sensations and flavors of classic Napa Cab on the finish. It's big but not "massive." We think it's just right! Only 288 cases made.
HOOPES Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville, Napa Valley 2006 $63 Sometimes we like explanations of who, where, how, why...sometimes it's best when it comes from the gut (and in this case, from the nose and mouth as well). This is coming from down deep: The '06 Hoopes Cabernet is
just plain good.
From the first vintage, Hoopes Cab is all Estate from Oakville, in the heart of The Valley. Made by Jason Fisher (he makes Cosentino and Fountainhead as well), this Cab always delivers. When I drank the '06 the other day, I was stoked at its yumminess. Dang me!
Fans of hedonistic Cabs line up here. Dark fruits, ample chocolate cream, five spice, some licorice, luscious, rich. It's loaded with fine, polished tannins that melt into the wine effortlessly. You've heard it all before from me...if I haven't steared you wrong before, I have no intention of starting now. Bad for biz, you know? Check out the Hoopes!
The Three Favorites Mixed Case
Four bottles of each: $595
(includes 10% case discount)
Three Favorites Half Case
Two bottles of each: $309
(includes 5% discount)
To order, call toll free at 877-322-2576
Order online here,
Reply to this email, or COME TO THE SHOP.
Thank you for reading.
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74 followers on Twitter. Rome wasn't built in a day!
I'm following Barry Zito (baseball), Ronn Owens (Radio Talk) and Guy Fieri (Food Channel). My BWOTD's come out almost every day.
Here's my entry from Sunday: BWOTD Domaine
Solitude Cotes du Rhone '07 $14. Exhibit A for greatness of vintage.
Red/blackfruits, spice, breadth & what structure for CdR
C'mon, check it out and follow Back Room Wines on Twitter. Only the best wine suggestions from this wine sippin', keyboard-tappin' social media dude. Here's where to find me on Twitter.
Drink more Sagrantino de Montefalco.
Dan
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Daniel Dawson
Back Room Wines
Corner of First & Main Streets (First Street Entrance)
Downtown Napa, California 94559
Phone: (707) 226-1378 Toll Free # is 877-322-2576
Visit our website here
email: daniel@backroomwines.com
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BURGUNDY TASTING
This Friday,
May 8
5 to 8 P.M.
3 fine whites.
3 fine reds.
Chablis, Marsannay,
Morey St Denis, Pernand-
Vergelesses included.
$20/tasting
Here's the Burgundy line-up
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BACK ROOM'S
SEVENTH ANNUAL
ROSÉ TASTING
Next Friday,
May 15,
5 to 8 P.M.
Seven Rosé wines to enjoy from France & California (mostly)
$10/tasting
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