With the advent of fall and the holidays soon to follow, our senses are full to overflowing with the evocative scents of the season. Think earthy leaves on an autumnal stroll, logs burning in the fireplace, the smell of a savory roast in the oven, pungent cheeses teamed with toasted nuts, and all manner of seasonal baked goods redolent with classic spices of cinnamon, clove nutmeg and cardamom. Such varied aromas, flavors and textures command an equally inspired selection of seasonal wines to pair with them. During this time of family and friend gatherings, it makes sense to consider serving Napa Valley and Sonoma County family-owned wines. Here are a few to consider:
Baldacci Family Vineyards: Brenda and Thomas Baldacci purchased their Napa property in 1998, and for several years, they sold the grapes from their Stags Leap estate to other producers such as Clos du Val, Rombauer, and Shafer. In 2003, they started releasing their own award-winning bottlings with fruit sourced from their own estate, in addition to grapes from Oakville, Coombsville and Howell Mountain. Their son Michael now serves as the Baldacci Family Vineyards winemaker, crafting lovely wines such as this 2021 Proprietary Red Blend which is textured and structured, with savory and spicy notes. The 2022 Carneros Chardonnay is illustrative of the best Napa Chardonnays. It has voluptuous mouthfeel, with flavors of tropical fruit, lemon curd, and honeysuckle.
Goosecross Cellars: Christi Coors Ficeli, a descendant of beer pioneer Adolph Coors, and her husband Dave Ficeli acquired Goosecross Cellars in 2013. The couple chose to keep the winery’s original name, which was inspired by a pair of lost geese that once frequented the area, and they set about transforming the tasting room and visitor center into a Yountville jewel, just off Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail on State Lane. From the winery’s estate vineyard comes this hallmark Holly’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Holly’s Block, named after Christi’s grandmother and located just off of the winery patio, is the heart of Goosecross. Winemaker Bill Nancarrow’s three best barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon from Holly’s Block are selected to be blended into this wonderful offering. In 2021, Bill and Christi made three separate picks of Holly’s as they observed different rates of maturity within the block which revealed different and complex characters. Every barrel of Holly’s is aged separately, allowing Goosecross to choose and create one of the winery’s most treasured and special wines. Another option is the 2021 State Lane Cabernet Franc, featuring an earthy, aromatic bouquet of black plum, bay leaf, briny olives and warm mulling spices. (Perfect for the holidays!) The palate has notes of berry compote, cardamom, fig newton, oak, and allspice. Yum!
Flora Springs Estate Winery & Vineyards: Flora Springs general manager Nat Komes’ grandparents (Jerry and Flora Komes) founded the family winery in St. Helena, long before the region became an official AVA. “My grandparents recognized this area as an incredible place to grow wine grapes, with the climate and soils particularly well-suited to Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Nat, whose family recently sold-off part of their holdings in order to create a smaller, more up-to-date winemaking facility in a family-owned production warehouse They retained much of their prized vineyard holdings including the cherished Komes Vineyard in Rutherford, the source of this ripe and succulent Trilogy classic Bordeaux blend, and the Crossroads Vineyard in Oakville, home to the prized Sauvignon Blanc clone vines that produce zesty Soliloquy, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Malvasia.
Garden Creek: Production is small at Garden Creek, located in the eastern hills of the Mayacamas Mountains, near the town of Geyserville. Proprietors and winemakers Justin and Karin Warnelius-Miller craft approximately 1,800 cases of Garden Creek Tesserae, a classic Cabernet Sauvignon blend, and 400 cases of Garden Creek Chardonnay. For the Estate Chardonnay, 11 individual clones are grown, from which a range of three to eight are utilized in the varying vintages. Aged one year in French barriques with an additional three years in cellar upon release, this wine is luscious and sophisticated with noble wine depth. The winery’s flagship wine, Tesserae, is a Cabernet Sauvignon aged two years in French barriques with an additional six years in bottle upon release. A quiet luxury, this sophisticated wine exudes grace and power.
Kenefick Ranch: For two and a half decades, premium Napa Valley labels such as Caymus, Shafer, Eisele, Nickel and Nickel, Cade, B Cellars, and Venge used Kenefick Ranch grapes in their award-winning wines. Finally, in 2002, founder Dr. Tom Kenefick started the family’s own Kenefick Ranch label, utilizing the prized, quality fruit grown within their 125 acre Calistoga AVA property. The winery is now overseen by second-generation proprietor Chris Kenefick (Tom’s son), who grew up playing and working within the vineyard that produces the family’s award-winning wines. Try the crisp 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, the aromatic citrus notes, lychee and melon elements of which pair particularly well with oysters.
Theorem: When Kisha and Jason Itkin first visited the Diamond Mountain property they would come to own as Theorem Vineyards, it was love at first sight. The Houston based couple recognized the stunning property’s potential and understood that the site’s unique location (with its minimal fog, abundant sunlight, and volcanic soils) would yield greatness in the vineyard and in their finished wines. And they were right. Theorem is best known for its Cabernets (Voir Dire and Hawk’s Prey, both estate grown), but this world-class Moon Mountain District Syrah from the winery’s rugged high elevation Moon Mountain Estate vineyard is equally enthralling. Explosively aromatic (think green olive and sage), the palate features blackberry, wild herbs and a bit of the black pepper that excites any Syrah fan. This wine will pair well with turkey, stuffing, lamb, and any kind of barbecue.
Photos courtesy of each winery, except otherwise noted