Week of 8/25/24 : Vinography

Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

This past week included a few wines from two favorite wine producers, as well as an older icon bottling from Napa and another from Portugal.

Let’s start with a few new releases from Aperture Cellars, the father-son project by Jesse and Andy Katz. Regular readers will know that I have featured Andy’s spectacular photography here on the site over the years and that his son Jesse makes some of Sonoma County’s best wines. This week I’m tasting his Sauvignon Blanc, which is its typical blend of the richness that comes from the wine’s barrel fermentation and the lean tropical brightness of the grape variety. The Chenin Blanc that Katz produces from Clarksburg is lean and herbal, with a nice freshness. I also tasted his Sonoma County red, which is a Merlot and Malbec-dominated blend that has a nice blueberry and plum quality.

The other stalwart producer I’m continuing to taste this week is Nicolas Jay from Oregon, the joint project between Jean-Nicolas Méo (of Burgundy’s Domaine Méo-Camuzet) and music entrepreneur Jay Boberg (co-founder of IRS Records). This week I’ve got two of their single-vineyard Chardonnays, including the old-vine Bishop Creek bottling. I liked the slightly more saline Spirit Hill Bottling quite a lot for its zippy tang.

In addition to the two whites, I also tasted their single-vineyard Pinot from the biodynamically-farmed Momtazi vineyard and really enjoyed its floral berry qualities and fantastic acidity. It’s going to age beautifully.

Most people are familiar with Joseph Phelps Insignia, as this Cabernet-dominant blend is one of Napa’s iconic bottlings. I got a chance to taste the 2013 recently which is evolving beautifully. This wine typically has really beautiful, supple tannins, resulting in a velvety, alluring texture as it ages. This bottle was in excellent shape.

Finally, I’ve got arguably the most famous and collectible wine made in Portugal. Barca Velha was first produced in 1952 by Casa Ferreirinha and its legendary winemaker Fernando Nicolau de Almeida. At the time it was a rarity—a dry red table wine made from old vineyards in the Douro usually reserved for Port. The wine helped to change people’s minds about the potential for dry wines in the region and set the standard for what would eventually become a movement. Produced only in the most exceptional years, the wine has been made only 20 times since 1952. The 2011 version is the most recent that has been produced, and it’s drinking beautifully.

Notes on all these below!

Tasting Notes

2023 Aperture Cellars “Soil Specific” Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, California
Pale gold in the glass with a hint of green, this wine smells of grapefruit and green apples. In the mouth, lean grapefruit and green apple flavors are bright with excellent acidity but also silky and rich. This wine walks a fine line between richness and electricity, to great effect. 13.1% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $45. click to buy.

2023 Aperture Cellars “Soil Series” Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, grapefruit, and a hint of yellow plum. In the mouth, bright lemony notes of grapefruit and pomelo mix with a touch of golden apple peel and dried herbs. A whisper of nuttiness lingers in the finish. 12.2% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $32. click to buy.

2022 Nicolas Jay “Bishop Creek” Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton District, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon blossom, grapefruit, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, white flowers, lemon pith, and lemon juice mix with vanilla and a touch of toasted nuts. Silkiness turns to chalkiness textured with excellent acidity. Vineyard planted in 1987. Fermented with native yeasts. Aged for 15 months in French oak. 13% alcohol. 100 cases made. Score: strong 9. Cost: $80. click to buy.

2022 Nicolas Jay “Spirit Hill” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and grapefruit pith with a hint of vanilla and the barest whiff of struck match. In the mouth, saline flavors of lemon pith and pink grapefruit are zippy and bright thanks to excellent acidity. Lean and juicy with a lovely floral and grapefruit finish. Native yeast fermentation. Ages 15 months in French oak. 13% alcohol. 100 cases made. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $90. click to buy.

2022 Nicolas Jay “Momtazi” Pinot Noir, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of raspberries, flowers, and black cherries. In the mouth, powdery tannins coat the mouth and gently clasp aromatically sweet flavors of raspberry, black cherry, dried herbs, and orange peel. Excellent acidity and dried herbs linger in the finish. Very delicious, but will benefit from a bit of bottle age. Native yeast fermentation. Ages 15 months in French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. 150 cases made. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $90. click to buy.

2021 Aperture Cellars Red Blend, Sonoma County, California
Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberry, blackcurrant, and blueberries. In the mouth, dark plum and black cherry flavors mix with dried herbs and a hint of blueberries. Lightly grippy tannins coat the mouth and gently squeeze. A blend of 44% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. 14.4% alcohol. Score: strong 9. Cost: $65. click to buy.

2013 Joseph Phelps “Insignia” Red Blend, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry, cassis, and a hint of darker forest floor notes. In the mouth, rich black cherry and plum mix with dried herbs and cocoa powder. Wonderfully smooth powdery tannins take on a fleecy aspect with time, even as great acidity keeps things fresh and lively on the palate. Gorgeous. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 3% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $275. click to buy.

2011 Sogrape – Casa Ferreirinha “Barca Velha” Red Blend, Douro, Portugal
Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of crushed nuts, black cherry, bergamot, and cocoa powder. In the mouth, juicy black cherry, cocoa powder, black tea, and roasted nuts are wrapped with supple, fleecy tannins. Excellent bright acidity keeps things juicy. Hints of cedar and aromatic herbs linger in the finish. A blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, and Tinta Roriz. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $675. click to buy.