A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to chat with Michael Richmond, General Manager and Winemaker, of Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa Valley. I’ll be publishing my post about this incredibly interesting, forward thinking man later in the week, but until then, I thought I would entice you with a virtual taste of wines sent to me as samples from Bouchaine’s Bacchus Collection.
Located on the southern border of Napa Valley’s Carneros region, the grapes found in wines in the Bacchus Collection are grown on estate vineyards. Overlooking the Napa-Sonoma Marsh State Wildlife Area with San Francisco and a distant view of the bay, this unique area of twenty different microclimates has fog, wind, and cold temperatures at night. These small lots of wine are chosen by Michael Richmond and made available to Bacchus Wine Club members exclusively; they are not distributed nationally. Always discovering new techniques to create wines that are out of the ordinary, Richmond is proud of those in the Collection. He should be. The profile of the wines reviewed below reflect the intelligence and creativity of a winemaker who is not afraid to explore and experiment.
The 2011 Chene d’Argent Chardonnay ($30) glittered lemon-gold in the glass and aromas of crisp red apples and stone fruits were lovely. On the palate, the wine was dry and balanced with zesty acidity and notes of freshly picked apples. On the finish, more of that mouthwatering acidity coupled with juicy citrus was just what I needed with my fresh luncheon salad. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks for approximately ten months, the Chene d’Argent Chardonnay was more rich and exuded more depth than I ever expected.
Aromas of toasty oak and rich citrus in the
2011 Bouche de Beurre Chardonnay ($50) led to a buttery, creamy mouthfeel and strikingly subtle notes of citrus on the palate. With just enough oak for my taste, this Chardonnay shared a long finish and was a lovely pairing alongside a platter of almonds, dried cranberries, camembert, goat, and aged white cheddar cheeses. Thanks to the cool vintage year of 2011, grapes were chosen with even more care in order to create a “delicious and weighty wine.”
Each of the two Pinot Noirs sent offered something special. The
2012 Mariafeld Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir ($40) showed aromas of juicy raspberries and oak. On the palate, notes of white pepper, cool vanilla, sweet spice and juicy red fruits were braided with gentle tannins and acidity. The Mariafeld clone produces “expressive, fruit-driven wines” thanks to its large, loose clusters promoting airflow and preventing rot in cold, wet Switzerland where the plant material was first isolated. The Estate block vineyard is considered a consistently “high performer”.
Robust aromas in the
2012 Gee Vineyard Pinot Noir ($60) were of ripe strawberries and succulent cherries. With a lovely balance of acidity, smooth tannins, red fruit, white pepper, and spice, this young yet structured Pinot Noir could rest for another five years at least. The small, 16 acre Gee Vineyard is unique in that dry farming has been practiced for years. Small yields of grapes with concentrated fruit were aged in French oak barrels to supplement its complex flavors.
I enjoyed and appreciated all of the wines but the
2012 Estate Pinot Meunier ($40) was notable. You may have considered Petit Meunier only as a blending grape in Champagne and rarely as a still wine. Michael Richmond was inspired to make the wine at
Bouchaine by those at Domaine Chandon who are also growing Pinot Meunier. In 2012 the Gee Vineyard, not on the estate but located directly across the road from the winery, produced large berries and as a result, the wine exhibits a “juicy freshness to the fruit character”. I loved its fruit forward aromas and palate profile. Raspberries, cherries, and blueberries burst with flavor alongside subtle baking spice. Smoky oak lent an exotic flair. Balanced with a integrated tannins and food friendly acidity, the Pinot Meunier was a welcome pairing to my recipe for Cornish hens under a blanket of garlic and herb sauce.
Cheers to the wines of Bouchaine! ~ Cindy
Alan
Cindy Rynning