Sunday, April 28, 2013

Collector's Series: The Vineyard House: Under-the-Radar Cult Wine from Oakville

The latest release from The Vineyard House
Have you ever stumbled upon something so amazing and special, that part of you wants to shout about it from the rooftops? But at the same time, you want to keep it close to you, and maybe just tell a select few? That is exactly how I feel about The Vineyard House (TVH). It all started when somehow I found my way onto the Lot18 Elite list and was offered this incredible wine. A few things about the bottle's description immediately peaked my interest...cult wine, extremely limited production, bordering some of Napa's finest estates (Bond, Far Niente...the list goes on), and an opportunity to try the next big thing before everyone knows about it.  I thought, "What the heck, I'm going to buy a bottle of this."

Welcome to The Vineyard House
 While I was waiting for my first TVH bottle to arrive, I began researching the winery and discovered that it was Gil Nickel's son Jeremy who started this amazing winery in memory of his father. If you are familiar with Far Niente or Nickel & Nickel, Gil Nickel is the Napa legend who founded these amazing wineries. I decided that I had to see this place for myself, so I contacted the winery and made an appointment for a tasting.

Gorgeous Tasting in the Vineyard
When we arrived at the property, we were warmly greeted by Todd Blum, a consultant for this growing winery. He was very knowledgeable, funny, and definitely the kind of guy that any wine collector could spend the entire day with. We hiked around the property, learning all about the history behind the property, the crafting of the wine, and plans for the winery's future. The tasting was incredible, two beautiful vintages (06' and 07') on a table in the vineyard with a cheese plate. The wines were so complex and delicious, easily ones that both of us would compare to the best that we had ever tasted. The single offering is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot and Malbec. I am excited to report that I enjoyed the 2008 vintage last Thursday at Gary Danko, and it was the best cabernet I've ever tasted. The food was amazing and this wine truly complemented the meal (and maybe even slightly stole the show during a few courses).

Enjoying the 2008 Vintage at Gary Danko
 One detail about our conversation at the winery that I found truly amazing, was about the two blind tastings that Jeremy Nickel conducts annually with his wine. The Vineyard House, along with some of the best wines in Napa Valley, including: Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Hundred Acre, Harlan Estate, and Bryant Family are all tasted blindly and ranked by a group of sommeliers, winemakers, wine critics, etc. I loved this because it shows the vineyards commitment to challenge itself and continue to work to improve against the best of the best. Year after year, TVH consistently is ranked in the top three. In short order, this will be the next Napa cult cabernet, and collectors will fight over each bottle in the 350 cases produced. The Vineyard House is a winery that I plan to follow over the years, because it has set the bar. If I ever find another wine (that I can afford), that would even come close to it, I may need to plan a blind tasting of my own!

Walking through the Vineyard


Tips - The Vineyard House:
  • I would recommend planning a visit to the winery if you are a wine collector or if you are a wine enthusiast seeking very special wines that are completely under the radar
  • TVH is by appointment only, please try to schedule far in advance for a private tasting and tour
  • To schedule your appointment, fill out the form under "Contact Us" on their website
  • Plan to spend approximately 2 hours for this experience
  • For updates on the winery, like their Facebook page

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Willamette Valley Series: Brick House Vineyards, The Biodynamic Hidden Gem


Porch at Brick House
Brick House Vineyards is an amazing hidden gem in the Willamette Valley that Alex and I had the pleasure of visiting during our trip. We arrived at the vineyard and enjoyed an amazing view from the laid-back winery. It was interesting (and very cool) that the full production facility and the tasting room were combined in this cozy little house. I loved that they had a wood burning fire to warm up the chilly wines on the cold winter's day. The charm alone, made this visit well worth the trip, and the amazing wines will bring us back. We were fortunate enough to enjoy our tasting with another young couple who both work in the wine industry in Paso Robles and Santa Barbara, which made for great conversation and recommendations for the rest of our trip.

Enjoying the Tasting
 All of the wines were very delicious and bio-dynamic (think organic but to a whole new level, for more info click here). We tasted a beautiful Chardonnay, Gamay Noir (my first!), and several amazing Pinot Noirs. The wine that we tasted at Brick House had a very unique style to them that was completely different from anything else that we tasted during our Oregon stay. The wines are elegant, reserved, and extremely complex; a fun treat for any wine collector or pinot lover looking for something interesting. This was the first winery in Oregon that we purchased wine at and we enjoyed one bottle recently with a close friend and fellow pinot lover. We unanimously agreed that the Evelyn Pinot Noir was a wonderful, elegant, and very special pinot that we will have to purchase again. If you have not been to this gorgeous winery, it is one that you will not want to miss on your next Willamette Valley trip!



Tips - Brick House Vineyards:
  • The winery is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday by appointment. To book your tasting, call (503) 538-5136.
  • Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to get here, it is off the beaten path.
  • Plan to spend approximately 1 hour to enjoy your tasting.
  • If you would like to make a day trip in this area, plan a tour or tasting at neighbor Archery Summit and stop in Bergstrom Wines tasting room, all three are completely different and are within a 10 minute drive.