WLW Blog
November 17, 2008
Top Honors at the St. Helena Appellation Tasting
The third annual Appellation St. Helena tasting (ASH) was held in the Rudd Center at the Culinary Institute of American on October 28th. The attendees are few in number but vast in knowledge and influential throughout the wine community.
What is the St. Helena Appellation?
Premium winegrowing in the St. Helena area can be traced back to the 1860s, with such noted winemakers as Charles Krug. It was Krug and H.A. Pellet who first formed the St. Helena Viticultural Club back in 1876. But it wasn't until 1995 that the St. Helena appellation was approved, nevertheless its growers never created a promotional group like most appellations do. One result is that few labels mention "St. Helena," even though it's one of the most prestigious addresses in Wine Country.
St. Helena's Unique Topography
St. Helena's Valley floor narrows to less than .5 miles across giving it a larger hillside to
valley floor ratio. The funneling Bay moisture and producing wide diurnal temperature swings set up the vines and fruit ideally each day to get the most of the warm climate. So what does this mean to the wine consumer? In general, St. Helena Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon's have an intensity of fruit that rarely is over the top, that are supported by firm tannins and good crisp acidity. According to Alan Goldfarb the Signature a St. Helena Cabernet can be described "as having "dust," which is less a liquid characteristic, but a more refined earthiness, or minerality such as slate or wet concrete. St. Helena Cabs can also be marked by dried herb and unsweetened, baking chocolate. They also have a ripeness and are "feminine" with fine tannins. The wines are high-toned, with strawberry and cherry fruit, with no black fruit aromas or flavors."
If this sounds enticing to you well you're in luck. Whitehall Lane offers two Cabernet Sauvingon's chosen as the best representation of the St. Helena appellation.
93 Points! Our 2005 St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon. According to Jim Gallagher this wine is " Dark red, purple edge: bouquet of cherry, chocolate, spice & toast; medium light body, superb fruit, good acid-tannin balance; superb finish: rich, long, luscious aftertaste, finesse style..."
Top Honors of the evening went to our 2005 St. Helena Leonardini Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at 96 Points! Gallagher's notes read "Dark red, purple edge; bouquet of cherry, chocolate, spice, nutmeg & toast; medium body, superb fruit, good acid-tannin balance; superb finish: rich, long, luscious aftertaste- lovely, robust style..."
Purchase your ASH winning Cabernet Sauvignon's today! And let us know what you think.
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November 11, 2008
Blue Skies and Red Wine
It seems only fitting that I write this entry on Veterans Day, a day after we hosted a truly special group of Air Force officers here at the winery.
Sometime back, one of our own, Mr. Doug FitzGibbon, was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of a two-star Air Force General stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, CA. And since then we have welcomed visitors from the United States Air Force, and all U.S. military branches, for a much needed break from the intensity of their duties around the globe. It's our way of supporting what they do for us.
On November 10th, we hosted 17 Air Force officers from California, Illinois, Missouri, Hawaii, and Japan who were celebrating the retirement of one of their own. Doug rolled out the red carpet and I was thrilled to join them on their private tour and tasting. After all, it's not everyday you get to shake hands with the real heroes of our nation.
The power of the coin!
If any of you have ever seen this, you will instantly relate. When someone slaps down the command coin in the officer's club, everyone must present their coin within 15 seconds, or the next rounds on them! Well, Doug has a Travis command coin of his own and couldn't resist throwing out the gauntlet. The accompanying pictures tell the rest of the story.
Needless to say, we were happy to pour our wines for these heroes and as you can see the new Belforte (port-style wine) was a big hit. And by "hit" I mean stampede!
Thanks to all of our friends at Travis and beyond, who risk their lives daily to protect and defend this great country. We salute you, and you are welcome at Whitehall Lane any time!
I wish to express a special and sincere thank you to General Sterns. After we shared a hearty handshake, I too held my very own coin, the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force coin. It gives those of us who had the opportunity to shake your hand both great pride and joy to share with you these photos. My genuine regards and please visit soon.
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October 1, 2008
New tanks cause quite the stir
On September 10th Precision Crane Service, Inc. delivered three shiny, new, 3,000 gallon tanks. These double gated tanks joined the 12 others already in the courtyard. With this new equipment our winemaker and his crew are given more options. For example, they have the ability to separate the vineyards into different tanks as they pick. Overall this will make it easier for them to manage the facility during harvest.
As soon as I heard those brakes squeech to a halt my head was up, then with camera in tow I went. I just had to see how this gigantic hydraulic truck crane was going to fit in the already heavily equipped construction zone/harvest crush pad. It was quite the event. Probably the best part of it all was watching Foreman's Tom Jr. and Dean managing this exceptionally crowded space. Good job guys, it sure wasn't an easy task.
How much more can we do at once here at Whitehall?
Let's see...
-Half ton grape bins check
-Sorting table check
-Pressing check
-Construction workers check
-Forklifts check
-Electrician's check
-Welder's check
-50-ton Hydraulic Truck Crane check
I'm glad all I had to do was stand back, way back, and take these photos:
The courtyard itself is really starting to come together. The catwalks are up and the stairs are complete. That mobile bridge that I have been hearing about will sure be nice for the cellar crew. These photos are still a little dark. Those many, many lights have yet to all be installed. But at least you get the idea.
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September 24, 2008
A 2008 Decanter World Wine Award Winner
The results are in!! The Decanter World Wine Awards attracted more than 9,000 entries this year. And I am proud to report that all three Whitehall Lane wines entered received this much coveted award. That's right, three out of three!!!
Decanter's reputation for its unique judging process has caused the competition to be referred to as the 'ultimate terrior competition,' and this year was no different. The judging was rigorous and few wines received recognition. In total 9,219 wines were entered. Only 64% of the wines entered were awarded a medal. And of those only 12.4% won a silver medal. The Chairman of the Awards, Steven Spurrier, said "winning a silver medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards is the equivalent of winning a gold from other competitions.'
Silver Medal Winner!
Standing out in this competitive 12.4% silver medal category, our 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. A 100% Cabernet, a 100% assurance! For 15 years Whitehall Lane has used fruit harvested from select vine rows in the Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena and the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford for the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon program. Every year this fruit matures beautifully and 2005 was no exception. In 2005, a small Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard block on the eastern hills of Napa Valley was also included. This wine displays the finesse, smoothness and power that has become the signature for Whitehall Lane Cabernet. It's a wine that displays great balance, ripeness and offers lingering flavors that lead to a long, silky smooth finish. Enjoy to 2020.
Bronze Medal Winner!
2005 Napa Valley Merlot- Since the early 1980's, Whitehall Lane has utilized the art of blending to make their Merlot with layers of flavors, complexity and balance. Cabernet Sauvignon was added to the blend for more weight in the mid-palate and increased length on the finish. The 7% Syrah enhances the aromas, texture and adds complexity to the wine. This appealing wine offers aromas of blackberry, violet and oak. It gains its depth from a combination of plum, wild berries and cola flavors that are beautifully balanced and lingering. The wine is ready to enjoy now and will also improve with cellaring to 2009.
Bronze Medal Winner!
2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- Balance and finesse are prominent in this classic Cabernet. From the enticing aromas to the long, smooth finish, this wine is captivating and delicious. It's a blend of lush fruit with aromas of deep blackberry, currant and toasted oak. The wine has rich texture and flavors of cherry, plum and toasty vanilla. With ample fruit, good weight in the mid-palate and velvety tannins, this beautifully balanced wine is ready to enjoy now, but with aging potential to 2014.
To order your 2008 Decanter World Wine Award winners and other remarkable Whitehall Lane wines click here.
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September 2, 2008
Harvest is here!!
Harvest is here and as you can see in these photos, the construction workers are still here too. We were way too optimistic thinking that we would have the first construction project in Napa Valley to actually finish on-time and under budget! You just can't argue with the fire department especially when it seemed most of California was ablaze.
So, in the last week we moved a few things around, made the crush pad off limits to the construction crew and got back to what we do best...making wine.
Dean is loving the covered and expanded crush area. There is ample room for sorting grapes and every bin of grapes that arrives now rests in the shade before being dumped, sorted, destemmed, sorted some more and ever so gently made into wine. Thus far we have seen a little Pinot Noir and the Sauvignon Blanc is coming in ripe and juicy! Being new to the process, I'm amazed at how many grapes there are. They taste sweet and delicious and I would eat a whole bunch if it weren't for the seeds and my boss!
As for the construction progress, it continues. The fire sprinklers should finally be going up and we expect stucco soon. The crew promises not to get in our way and we have reminded them...if we can't make wine, we can't pay the bills!
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August 28, 2008
Bottles UP!!
Bottling season has officially come to a close. The banging, crashing, and altogether commotion has been silenced, at least till after harvest. Enjoy these unprofessional snap shots of our bottling line.
Yes, we have our own bottling line. It is a luxury for a winery of our size to have its own bottling line. Where else would someone from marketing be able to join in on the line?
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August 22, 2008
Wine Pairings...Who knew it is really rather simple? Not I
When dining out first and foremost I recommend deciding on how much money you want to spend beforehand. It relieves some of the pressure when you're looking through the wine list, or wine book at certain places. Sometimes I think they make those wine lists so extensive to try and further intimidate us newbies. It's a good thing I'm not shy (a vast understatement) and usually ask for recommendations. Which brings me to my next tip: be friendly but honest with your server. If your budget for a bottle of wine is $30, why not say "I'm having the (some amazing dish) and my date is having (another amazing dish), what wine would you suggest that is around $30?" While this may seem unusual, it actually allows the staff to serve you best. Being direct is the way to go because it allows you to have the ultimate dining experience, at which you return by compensating the service staff accordingly. (Don't bit the hand that feeds you!)
When pairing wines it helps to think of wine like a condiment. Like ketchup makes Mac & Cheese taste better, wine makes food taste better. Thought I was going to say French Fries there, huh? Yes, I may have reached more people if I had gone that route but trust me for those out there who have enjoyed this killer combo, I hit the nail on the head.
Some people choose their wine first, and then choose food to go with it. Others choose wine to go with their food. Either way, the first thing you want to consider is balance. You don't want the wine to overpower the food, and you don't want the food to overpower the wine. Rule of thumb: Lighter foods tend to go better with white wines. While heavier foods go better with red wine. Nevertheless in restaurants I've ordered Cabernet Sauvignon with sushi and Chardonnay with tomato soup, so in the end there really are no rules. Just start with something you like then give a new combo a whirl. Let your creative (grape) juices flow... pun intended. And if you find yourself enjoying an uncommon pairing, please share with us. Let's see who's thinking outside the box.
Fail proof selection- Whitehall's 2004 Silver Anniversary Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, so smooth and accessible it will accompany any dish just beautifully. Added Bonus: The glass-on-glass closure is sure to impress your dining companion.
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