Napa Wine Country = Great Experiences

by Frank Mangio

It's been a few years since I had set foot on the hallowed wine country of Napa Valley, perhaps the most talked about appellation in all the world. There is a saying that I want to start out with : the more things change, the more they remain the same. In meeting new people, experienced hands and tasting new wines, I got the feeling that there is a unity of spirit in Napa Valley, that they genuinely believe theirs is distinctly the highest quality wine in the world as it has been for some time.

With that roadmap for the over 400 wineries in a 30 mile stretch from Napa to Calistoga and the easy decision to break this report into a two part column, let’s begin the journey: a sweeping world-class tasting from Carneros in the south; Oak Knoll, Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford in the middle; then St. Helena, Spring Mountain, Calistogoa and Howell Mountain in the north. The down economy has dented the Napa Valley story but you would never know it by listening to wineries like V. Sattui Winery just north of St. Helena and Sattui’s colossal Castello di Amorosa, just south of Calistoga. Tom Davies, the President of V. Sattui pointed out the many customer experiences that draw people into his facility, built up over his 30 years with the present owner Dario Sattui.

“We have 4 acres of winery grounds and picnic tables at the, and 34 acres elsewhere,” he began. “We sell ourselves direct to the public in many ways. We wanted to celebrate the Italian lifestyle with old world flavor and atmosphere. Our Italian deli and food store in the middle of the main wine tasting room is just one example of getting people off Highway 29 and into the winery. We started just the 2nd wine club in Napa Valley in the 70’s. We give customers what they want…a wine experience. We are now showing outdoor movies in our picnic area and on Saturday July 31 we’ll host the V. Sattui annual Italian Festa by reservation from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. It will be a huge dinner, dancing, Italian music and discounts on our wines. It is especially significant to our winery since this year is our 125th Anniversary from our beginnings as a supplier in San Francisco in 1885 founded by Vittorio Sattui.”

V. Sattui has four different and stylish wine tasting rooms. 300 year old bricks line the walls holding collectors’ library wines in the Gold Room, reserved for wine club members. 40,000 members are signed up in the many wine clubs that account for nearly half the wine sales at V. Sattui. The winery now sells about 70,000 cases direct and offers some 45 different wine styles.

My recommendations include: Pinot Noir Carneros Creek 2008. $25. - smooth, velvet style, illuminated by bright cherry fruit. A gold medal winner in the West Coast Wine Competition. Zinfandel Ramazotti Vineyard Sonoma 2007. $36. - spicy and richly flavored, and one of 9 different Zins offered. 2 gold medals: Amenti del Vino and Long Beach Grand Cru.

Dario Sattui’s greatest triumph was my next stop: the great Castello di Amorosa, open to the public in 2007. This 17 year project is an exacting replica of a Tuscan castle with 107 rooms totaling 120,000 square feet, 8 levels including 4 underground with all-European materials and the best craftsmen in Italy to build it all by hand. It attracts more than 400,000 visitors a year. Here the wines tilt toward Italian style, with a 2006 Sangiovese $26. and a 2005 La Castellana Super Tuscan $65. that are typical of the style. Traditional approaches and growing areas around the castle produce intense, well-balanced flavors similar to Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, which happens to be Dario Sattui’s homeland.

Next week we will be looking at other wineries that are keeping Napa Valley on top. For V. Sattui, access www.vsattui.com. For Castello di Amorosa, go to castellodiamorosa.com.

Note: In last week’s column on Rhone varietals and Paso Robles, we featured early efforts in planting Syrah based grapes, and should have mentioned Eberly Winery, a pioneer for this wine country. Gary Eberle planted the first Syrah in 1974. It was successful and by the late 70’s he had about 40 acres. Find out more at www.eberlewinery.com.

Wine Bytes
Gondola Cruises at Loews in Coronado are again going every Wednesday at 6:30pm through the canals of the Coronado Cays for $45. pp. Wine tastings are included on the gondolas with sommelier Kurt Kirschenman. Private cruises can be arranged as well as RSVPs by calling 619-429-6317.

Firenze Trattoria in Encinitas now has Jazz on the patio every Sunday through September from 4:30 to 8pm as a free service for their customers. More information at 760-944-9000.

La Costa Wine Company has legendary Cakebread Winery of Napa Valley for a tasting Fri. July 30 from 5 to 8:30pm. Cost is $25. each. They have just opened their Artisan Cheese Shop with cut-to-order service. Contact 760-431-8455.

The Grand Del Mar’s Addison has Tastings on the Terrace on select Wednesdays for July and August, from 6 to 7pm. Whites for July , reds for August. No RSVP required. Enjoy the wines July 21, Aug. 4, 11 and 18. $20. pp. More information at 858-314-1900.