Ladera Cabernet at it's peak

Until I went through my entire list of past blog posts just now, I was sure that I had featured Ladera Vineyards at least once within the past three years (it doesn’t happen often, but I was wrong [haha]).

My first visit to Ladera, which is located on Howell Mountain (northeast of St. Helena) was back in 2009 (perhaps before I started my blog). The tour was amazing; we sipped wine as we walked around the historic winery and into the caves. We probably tasted 6 or 7 wines in total, including a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignons, and a Malbec.

Last time I checked, I had 2 bottles of the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($41/bottle), 1 bottle of the 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($75/bottle), and 1 bottle of the High Plateau Cabernet Sauvignon ($65/bottle). Wines like Ladera Cabs should be aged, but I am guilty of letting the price of these bottles scare me away from opening them.

I never hesitate to open a bottle of wine that’s under $20 a bottle. Even if I’m planning on having just one glass. But when I’m dining solo and I might not be home the following evening for second-day leftovers, I don’t want to waste the good [expensive] stuff. I try to avoid thinking about wine in this way, because life is short, and wine is only wine. And it’s quite possible to wait too long.

(Last night, I actually opened two bottles of 2007 Cab from another producer that were—sadly—past their prime, before I pulled the cork on the Ladera.)

After one sip of the 2007 Ladera Napa Valley Cab, I was grateful for opening it (and I fully intend to enjoy it again tonight). In my opinion, this particular wine is at its peak.

The wine is intensely perfumed with cherry cordial, fig, leather and tar. The palate expresses pure mountain fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cassis and sturdy tannins. There are undertones of oak and wet earth followed by a long-lasting finish that is berry-licious.

I enjoyed this bold wine with a delicious duck cassoulet; it would also pair perfectly with lamb, filet mignon, short ribs, spaghetti Bolognese and mushroom risotto. 

As I write this, it makes me wonder if the 2007 vintage as a whole is peaking earlier than critics predicted…

Like the 1997 vintage, 2007 was a phenomenal year for grape growers. But nothing stays fresh forever. If you prefer to drink wine that more fruit-focused and fresh, pop the corks on those bottles of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon you may have—now. Better to drink a wine before it peaks than once it has gone downhill.

(And stock up on Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet—it’s a value for the quality. It also comes in half-bottles!)

When in Portland for the WBC...

The 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference commenced bright and early this past Friday morning, with another round of wonderful wines to taste. It's difficult to imagine tasting wine before noon, but as the saying goes, "When in Rome..." [I was in Portland for a reason!]

Winebow, an importer based in Seattle, provided a sumptuous brunch Friday morning. The featured wines were all from Mendoza, Argentina and the delicious food pairings were inspired by South American cuisine.

The Alma Negra Misterio Rosé ($24/bottle) was one of my favorites. Made from 85% Malbec and 15% Pinot Noir, this was a pale pink sparkling wine with delightful and bright flavors. The ceviche it was paired with was pretty tasty, too.

I also enjoyed the 2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Alta Malbec (spicy and fruit-forward) and the 2010 Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Reserva (a jammy, full-bodied blend of Bonarda, Malbec, Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon).

By 3 pm, we were on our way to Oregon wine country via bus (every bus went to a different winery and the destination of each bus was only disclosed once we were en route). I was pleased to find out that I was aboard the bus going to WillaKenzie Estate, a winery in Yamhill (about an hour away from our Portland hotel).

We were greeted warmly (with gift bags and 100-degree heat) at the beautiful WillaKenzie property. After the vineyard tour, we were all thoroughly drenched with sweat, but the promise of wine and food motivated us to hang in there. Our thirst was quenched with a Pinot Noir comparative tasting with wines from WillaKenzie, as well as neighboring wineries Solena Estate, Elk Cove, Belle Ponte. The winemaker/owner from each of these wineries was present to introduce and discuss their wines (this unique tasting was designed specifically for our bloggers group).

As delicious as the wines were, the highlight of the excursion was the sunset view of the Willamette Valley and the dinner of lamb and roasted vegetables that we enjoyed atop the WillaKenzie property. I would definitely visit this winery again (though preferably on a cooler day).

We were afforded a short break from wine-tasting on Saturday morning. During the lunch break, I went up to the suite of Craig Camp, owner of Cornerstone Winery, where he was hosting a Napa wine tasting.

There was a selection of 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet from various producers (including Opus One, Pride Mountain, and Far Niente). I was pleasantly surprised by the 2002 BV Georges de Latour—it was still dark and concentrated in the [plastic stemless GoVino] glass with intense blackberry flavors.

The entire line-up of Cornerstone wines were also available to taste. Knowing that I already really liked the Cornerstone Pinot Noirs (which I discovered at Pinot Days in June), I sampled the various Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignons, which were all incredible. The 2009 vintage of “The Cornerstone” was outstanding with opulent black fruit and impressive structure (the kind of wine worth dressing up for, haha). At $125 a bottle, it deserves the red carpet treatment.

Saturday night, King Estate Winery from Eugene provided us with an amazing five-course meal, prepared by their estate chef, and paired with their estate wines. The third course of wild-caught King salmon with gnocchi and sausage paired exquisitely with the King Estate Pinot Noir ($29/bottle). But the final savory course did me in—roast loin of beef and mushrooms with the NxNW Cabernet Sauvignon ($25/bottle) was an awesome duo!

As you can see, there was no shortage of amazing wines at this conference. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet some of my fellow bloggers (please see the “Blog Roll, Please” to the left of this post). 

I would also like to thank the event organizer, Zephyr Adventures, and all of the sponsors. And to all the wineries who participated in the event—your wines were very much appreciated. Cheers!