Napa Valley: A Legacy of Greatness

by Randal Caparoso

The late André Tchelistcheff—Beaulieu Vineyards' legendary winemaker from 1938 to 1968—was a giant among men. Actually, he stood around 5'2", but his deep, slightly slanted Russian eyes, half-serious and half-bemused, commanded military attention in every room he stood.

Attendees of a recent, annual meeting of sommeliers from across the country, the Sommelier Summit, were treated to a symposium by other god-like figures of the California wine industry: a panel consisting of Robert and Margrit Mondavi, Justin Meyer of Silver Oak, Jamie Davies of Schramsberg, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich of Grgich Hills, and Agustin Huneeus of Franciscan and Quintessa. In baseball terms, this would be like a meeting of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays. These living legends reminisced about the start of the "Golden Age" of California wine in the 1960s. But always their memories came back to their collective mentor, André Tchelistcheff, the man who revolutionized California winemaking for them all.

In an interview with Tchelistcheff on Maui in 1983, he said there were about 4,000 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in Napa Valley (today there are over 15,000). Said Tchelistcheff in his usual convoluted terms, "California's best red wine is Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Within the 450 acres that we used to have in Beaulieu Vineyards, I had only 40 acres that was [sic] able to produce 'Private Reserve.' After 43 years of experience working in Napa Valley, I can locate just specific sections, specific physical and chemical constitutions of soil, that can create great Cabernet. I do not believe that technology or science alone can replace natural elements. Someday California will have an appellation of origin system similar to France that will connect grape variety with particular regimes of soil and climate."

In 1992 in Honolulu, Tchelistcheff was asked about the latest viticultural advances in the news; in particular, the new technology of trellising and vine "canopy management." This technology was resulting in claims that even better and greater quantities of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon could be produced, as long as the fruit-to-leaf ratio on vines are kept in proper balance. Suddenly a dark cloud seemed to roll over Tchelistcheff's glowing eyes and he said, "That is rubbish—you should not believe everything you read! You must not forget that when it comes to the vineyard, Mother Nature is still in charge, and Mother Nature has expressed her wish that great vineyards should grow only so much great wine, and no more. There is more Cabernet Sauvignon being grown in Napa Valley than ever before, but there will never be more than a few Cabernets of true 'Private Reserve' quality."

After tasting three incredible line-ups of contemporary-style Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon put together for the recent Sommelier Summit, one should be inclined to believe Tchelistcheff.

In one blind tasting involving 10 Cabernet Sauvignons from the very heart of Napa Valley, known as the Rutherford Bench, the 1999 Beaulieu Georges de Latour Private Reserve still held sway over more recently established big names, such as Sullivan, Pine Ridge, Livingston and Quintessa, as wonderful as they all were. Whereas the 1999 Sullivan Reserve was thick and brawny, the 1999 Beaulieu was lush and velvety. Whereas the 1999 Pine Ridge Rutherford was plump and round, the 1999 Beaulieu was dense and ramrod straight. Whereas the 1999 Quintessa seemed to epitomize a controlled elegance, the 1999 Beaulieu seemed to operate on a more natural, monumental scale. The B.V. Reserve came across as the finest California Cabernet Sauvignon in years.

The recent Legends of Napa Valley symposium proved that after all these years, Schramsberg still makes probably the finest sparkling wine in California. The 1997 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs was beautifully balanced, long, silky and sensuous. At that event Jamie Davies' referred to her sparkling wine as Champagne—as if to say, "I don't care how incorrect it is to call a California wine by a French regional name, I've always thought of my wine as Champagne (and certainly as being as good as Champagne), so that's that." Until there is another sparkler in this world that is as sinewy dry yet unspeakably delicate, and with as breathtaking a scent (like hot biscuits dabbed with honey) as the 1997 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, the rest of us should be inclined to call it Champagne, too!

There are a number of other memorable wines coming from Napa Valley. It's still a mecca, after all, in spite of the surge of great things coming out of Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Mendocino and the like. Here are other Napa Valley favorites, all of them as red as they come:

= 1999 Frog's Leap, Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon–In spite of his predilection for wines that are 100 percent organically grown, natural yeast fermented, and vinified without the use of sulphur, Frog's Leap winemaker-proprietor John Williams has never made a flaky Cabernet Sauvignon. In the 1999 vintage he combines a seriously full feel and muscle-bound tannin with rich, almost sweetly layered flavors of black currant-like Cabernet fruit, and aromas of wild berries unfettered by the pungent, new oak qualities that seem to be the rule rather than exception in contemporary Napa Valley-style Cabernet Sauvignons.

= 1999 Dalla Valle, Maya–This is a proprietary label made up of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) and Cabernet Franc (45%). If you assume that the large percentage of Cabernet Franc makes this a lighter, gentler style of red wine than those dominated by the classically robust Cabernet Sauvignon, guess again. The red rock-encrusted soils of the Maya vineyard give a Cabernet Franc-infused wine that is every bit as big, thick and explosive as any pure Cabernet Sauvignon. The one small difference is the plethora of sweet, raspberry and violet-like perfumes (as opposed to the black-curranty, minty aspects of Cabernet Sauvignons) typical of the Cabernet Franc grape. This wine is so strong, so concentrated, yet so wonderfully lush and juicy, a preponderance of smoky oak aromatics only adds to the frame. The 1999 Maya practically kicks you from behind in the teeth, but you can't help smiling as you drink it down.

= 1999 Franciscan, Oakville Magnificat–This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (68%), Merlot (13%), Cabernet Franc (17%) and Malbec (2%) is fashioned like the classic red wines of France's Bordeaux—the combination of grape varieties adding up to a dramatic and fascinating array of flavors—yet epitomizes the soft, round, sun-kissed qualities of Napa Valley-grown red wine. The Magnificat's sweetly suggestive, black cherry-like tone comes wrapped in chocolaty nuances and rounded, harmonious (rather than tyrannical) tannins. What an immensely satisfying wine.

= 1999 Mount Veeder Reserve–Like the Magnificat, this is a multi-grape blend (Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec). But unlike the Magnificat, this is a mountain-grown (rather than Napa Valley floor-grown) style of red wine—meaning an unrepentantly big, black, brazenly brawny structure, buoyed by wonderfully concentrated aromas and flavors resembling sweet cassis and blackberry liqueurs. The tannins are massive, but so is the intensity of fruit, giving complete balance to the wine's exaggerated scale. It's a big banger with charm to boot.

= 2000 Rudd Vineyards, Oakville Estate Proprietary Red–This is a spanking new kid on the block—the 2000 is proprietor Leslie Rudd's first stab at a Bordeaux-style red (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot)—and when it comes out in October, 2002 all Cabernet Sauvignon-lovers should stand in line for it. It's a doozy: positively oozing with red, black and blue berry-like fruit, studded with smoky oak and tea-like notes in the fragrance, slapping and strapping the palate with precociously intense flavors filled out by perfectly rounded tannins. Does this estate have the makings of a 21st century classic? One can't say for sure, but probably even André Tchelisticheff would approve of the sheer intelligence that is so apparent in this wine's intrinsic sense of balance, scale, harmony and texture.

© Randal Caparoso