Near Perfect Harvest

2018 has been a magical year in the Napa Valley.  The weather has been near perfect, allowing for a substantial fruit set and long hang-time.  After several challenging vintages defined by drought and wildfires, Mother Nature rewarded the perseverance of Napa Valley wineries with a near perfect growing season.

This season started after adequate winter rains filled reservoirs and replenished ground water.  The vines came to life in early spring and the weather was conducive to a large fruit set.  The temperatures were moderate with no rain and minimal wind.  This all resulted in a picture perfect bloom and set.  The summer temperatures remained steady with minimal heat spikes allowing for a slow even fruit development.

This year veraison was extended with moderate temperatures allowing for a slow and steady development of fruit maturity.   As the fruit approached harvest, the mild weather continued and thick skinned red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, had ample hang-time to allow secondary flavors to develop.

The excitement surrounding the 2018 harvest is evident as I talk to colleagues.  This is a banner year for the Napa Valley and we are all very fortunate for such fantastic weather conditions after several challenging vintages.  Be on the lookout for these wines when they are released in the years to come.  This may very well be one of the greatest vintages in Napa history!

 

Napa Fires

The wine country region of Northern California has been fighting wild fires since Sunday evening.  The total devastation is not yet know, as the fires are still raging and barely contained.  There are stories emerging of thousands of homes destroyed and a number of family wineries burned to the ground.  As is normally the case with the Napa Valley, there are also stories of neighbors pulling together to save each others property.  The wine industry is a close knit bunch who have a history of pulling together during times of need.

In fact, the wine industry as a whole is one of the most charitable industries in the nation.  Through our associations we raise millions of dollars for charities, both local and national.  In addition, our individual wineries support a tremendous number of causes across the country.  We fly to local markets to support our distributors charity events and take part in local restaurant and wine shop auctions and gala’s.  We give our time, money, and wine donations to help support those who we have business relationships with.  Many wineries bottle significant quantities of large format wines specifically to donate to charity events.  Even as a very small producer, we travel 6-8 times a year just to support charity events.

Now the tides have turned.  We are the ones in need.  Families are displaced, lives lost, businesses and dreams have gone up in the smoke that has swallowed the valley.  Yet, there is always an air of positive energy as we rush to aid our neighbors.  We have been inundated with emails and calls from customers, partners, and accounts asking what they can do to help.  While the extent of the damage is not know at this time, one thing that can help is to support Napa Valley by purchasing wines.   Distribution partners can push sales for those wineries affected to keep cash flow going so wineries can continue to support employees and each other as they battle through uncertain times.

While the wineries themselves may have damage, their inventory is normally stored offsite at a storage facility or consolidator.  Distributors have access to wines and can rally their teams to help push sales.  Local wine shops can have special Napa or Sonoma themed tastings and events.   And when you are out to dinner, consider ordering a bottle to support a family winery affected by this disaster.  It may seem like a small gesture, but it will help as these families begin to piece their lives back together.

Napa Valley Community Foundation

Media Update

     

 

Wine Bottling Day

Nothing brings out the OCD in a winemaker quite like bottling.  Think about it; you have spent a tremendous amount of time harvesting, fermenting, and aging your wine.  You were there on the day it was born.  In the vineyard you watched it grow and develop wondering what it would one day become.  On harvest day your pride swells as you finally get to bring your fruit into the winery and begin your hands-on approach to helping guide your fruit to a world class wine.  You have spent countless hours monitoring, analyzing, and tasting your creation.  In the case of red wines, years have passed as you have raised your once young, bold and defiant wine into the elegant and distinguished specimen that it is today.  You have guided it through the “awkward” years and helped it mature.  Bottling is the time where you take all that hard work and long hours and prepare to present it to the world.

Bottling is also the point in which a multitude of things can go wrong.  This is the last time you will have any control over the living, breathing product that will soon go out to represent your craft and your family.

Leading up to bottling day there are a tremendous amount of logistics and operational challenges.  Bottles have to be ordered in the proper quantity and arranged to be delivered on time.  Labels have to be designed, approved, printed and checked for accuracy and quality.  Corks and capsules have to be estimated and ordered.  Case labels, tape, shrink wrap, pallets, all have to be ordered and delivered.  Labor has to be organized and scheduled.  There are a host of winery specific items that all have to be ordered like nitrogen to sparge the empty glass prior to it being filled and filters if you filter your wine.

Your mechanic has to inspect the bottling line to make sure it is in proper working order and with several thousand moving pieces, you can be sure there will be parts to order or simple repairs to be made.  The entire line has to be completely sanitized prior to running any wine through in order to minimize any microbial contamination.

Rarely does everything come together perfectly.  There are almost always curve balls or contingency plans put in place.  After a long day, or several days of bottling you sample the product to determine the effect of bottling on your creation.  Most often there is a time period where the wine is disjointed and “beat up” from the bottling action (bottle shock).  This is another point in the cycle of production where the winemaker can only wait and see how the wine will respond.

The waiting can be cruel and the wines can be stubborn, but once the wine pulls back together, the results are magical.  In this profession there are a lot of circumstances that are out of our control.  However, solid wine-making techniques and experience usually result in a good end product.   The never ending cycle provides constant challenges and stimulation.  That is what keeps us doing what we do.

 

 

 

High Temperature Impact on Vineyards

The 2017 growing season is well underway in the Napa Valley.  We constantly remind ourselves and our vineyard clients that no matter how good you are, or what you think you have control over, Mother Nature is ultimately in charge of our livelihood.  2017 has certainly started out with Mother Nature poking us.  From an early bud break to below average temperatures, unusual spring rain, hail, and now a major heat spike,  we are reminded that we are actually farmers.  Here at CROZE we have received a lot of emails from customers asking about the current high temperatures and the effect on the vineyards.

Temperature is generally the most important aspect of fine wine growing.  The grapevine’s metabolic processes are dependent on specific temperature ranges.  Over the last week, Napa has been unusually hot.  The temperature has soared into the 100’s.  While this is certainly not a normal weather pattern for this part of the year, it is not necessarily harmful to the grapevines.  High temperatures effect vineyards differently depending on when they occur and the stage of vine development.  Currently, we are through with fruit set and are in stage of grape growth where the cells in the berries are dividing and increasing the quantity of cells within the grape.  Excessive heat during this stage of development can reduce cell division and elongation.  This can result in smaller berries and lower vineyard yields.  It is hard to say if this will have an adverse effect on final grape quality, but generally it does not.  In fact, depending on the rest of the growing season, it could have a positive effect and create smaller more intensely flavored berries.  That will greatly depend on Mother Nature’s plan for the rest of our 2017 growing season.

Heat during the period of ripening called “veraison” can impact the fruit by limiting grape pigmentation and sugar accumulation.  This stage of grape development is still a month away right now.  If excessive heat persists into the final stages of ripening and harvest, the fruit can shrivel and dehydrate.  The damage can be extensive or can be limited to just sun exposed clusters and berries.

Fine wine is an agricultural product and we strongly believe that the key to producing great wine starts in the vineyard.  Our team spends an enormous amount of time in our vineyards and partner vineyards in order to create the style of wines that you have come to recognize as CROZE & Smith Wooton.

 

Wine and Cigars

Two of my favorite vices!   However, often fervent cigar aficionados avoid fine wine with their cigars.  As I travel around the US selling wine, I almost always find a local cigar shop to visit.  I frequently talk to the patrons conducting research on their favorite beverage to pair with their cigar.  The usual response is Scotch Whisky, American Bourbon, Port, or fine French Cognac.   I always try to influence the crowd to try fine wine.

There are many responses as to why some smokers prefer not to pair cigars and wine.  Usually it has to do with what can be dominating flavors in the cigar muting the flavor of the wine or the combination of bitterness that both cigars and red wine possess.   In both cases, I think they just have not had the right wine paired with the right cigar.

Truthfully, the proper pairing can be absolutely amazing.  The earthy tobacco notes of a good smoke can accentuate the same earth tones in a fine wine.  In addition, a properly aged red wine generally shows hints of cedar and spice similar to a great cigar.

The key to enjoying this play on flavors is finding someone knowledgeable enough on both wine and cigars to help put the right cigar in your hand for the wine you are enjoying.  I can tell you on my end that you can always find someone with the proper knowledge of one or the other.  Finding that rare aficionado of both smoke and wine is a bit more of a challenge.

I have had the good fortune of knowing a couple such professionals and always look forward to their recommendations.  Below are some of my favorite cigars to enjoy with our wines.  Yes, the wine selections are biased, but hey this is a winery blog!

Smith Wooton Cabernet Franc paired with My Father “The Judge”

This combination highlights the cedar and leather component to both the wine and the cigar.  The cigar is box pressed so it has a very slow even burn.  The smoke shows an earthiness that is perfect for Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a single vineyard CF that always displays a unique combination of floral perfume on the nose and rich earth on the palate.  The finish is smooth and reminiscent of cedar and tobacco.

Croze Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Olivia Serie ‘V’ Melania

OK, so this is a pairing that could change your life!   Make sure you have a solid 2 hours to enjoy the complexity of the wine and the cigar.  I also recommend a great playlist that will help you relax and take in all the glory.  Croze Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply complex wine that showcases balance and elegance.  That same elegance is evident in the Melania.  Both showcase earth, espresso, and underlying spice.   The ‘V’ finishes with a touch of sweetness that is perfect with the acidity of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Smith Wooton Mélange paired with Ashton Sun Grown

This is another interesting combination.  The Ashton Sun Grown cigars have a pronounced Graham Cracker note along with course black pepper spice.  The sheer richness of the Melange can handle the spice and slight sweetness of the cigar.  Melange is a dense wine that is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  The Merlot gives the wine an unctuous that highlights the creaminess of the Ashton.

If you are a cigar smoker, I urge you to try a well made fine wine with your next smoke.  The pairing can be ethereal.  For those who need help matching the right wine and cigar, I recommend the following:

The Pipe and Pint – Larry and Pete are the best in the business.  Great selection of cigars and wines, plus decades of knowledge.

Napa Cigars – Eric is fantastic and can offer great recommendations.  Wines served by the glass and a great selection of cigars.

 

5 Spring Food & Wine Pairings!

Spring has arrived and here are 5 of our favorite Spring food and wine pairings. There is nothing better than grilled meats, fresh garden vegetables and wine to make that spring day perfect!

1. Smoked Trout and Croze Viognier-One of our favorite spring activities is dropping a line in the water and pulling in a fresh trout, if that isn’t your thing head over and ask your fish monger they will even pre-fillet it upon request. The richness of the barrel aged Viognier and its natural floral aromas and fresh citrus character will balance out the smoke and rich tender fish. Serve with a fresh tomato, basil & mozzarella salad.                   
2. Sea Bass and Croze Chardonnay-Fresh sea bass and a chardonnay that exhibits fresh fruit and acid qualities are a fantastic spring match. Our chardonnay is barrel fermented with no malolactic fermentation leading to a wine that shows bright fruit and acidity that adds to the fish while cutting through the fattiness. We like to use a simple preparation for the fish of olive oil, garlic and fresh parsley as these ingredients will meld with the chardonnay. The goal of the pairing is to bring out flavors that complement each other and here we are focused on freshness.                                                                                              
3. Wild Mushroom and Burrata Cheese Bruschetta and Smith Wooton Pinot Noir-Burrata cheese has an amazing flavor and great texture that works well on crusty bread and when mixed with the flavorful mushrooms just melts in your mouth. We like to pair this entertaining dish with Pinot Noir as the earthiness of the Pinot Noir compliments the wild mushrooms flavor as well as the richness of the burrata cheese.     
4. Lamb Kabobs and Smith Wooton Cabernet Franc– I think there is something special about pairing Cabernet Franc with lamb especially if the lamb has a drizzle of olive oil and a pepper component in the dish. We will leave the lamb marinade up to you as long as you have red pepper on your kabob. The Cabernet Francs characteristics of pepper, mint and slight spices make the wine a perfect complement to the lambs  succulent flavors and natural richness. We prefer to grill the lamb as this brings a heightened smoky flavor from the lamb into the wine. We like to serve the lamb kabobs on a bed of couscous.            
5. Seared Duck breast with Huckleberry Sauce and Croze Cabernet Sauvignon-Don’t be afraid of the reputation of duck being a tricky dish to handle, this may be the most wine friendly meat. Two main points to pairing duck 1.Duck needs a wine with a bit of acidity to counter the richness of the meat 2. Duck has a gamey quality that needs an earthy wine to act as a counterbalance. If you use a fruit sauce such as huckleberry you need a complex wine that balances fruit, earth and acidity. The Croze Cabernet Sauvignon medium body and elegance will not overpower the duck while the dark fruit will compliment the sauce accompaniment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Cheers & Bon Appetit!

Buffalo Hanger Steak

Buffalo was once considered an exotic protein, but has become much more available in the last ten years.  7.5 million pounds of Buffalo meat is consumed annually in the US.   Many local gourmet grocery stores now carry various cuts of buffalo in their inventory.  If you cannot find buffalo at your local purveyor, you can easily order it online. I like to use #D’Artagnan.  The product is shipped frozen or fresh and arrives on ice within a day, depending on order date.

Buffalo has gained in popularity due to fact that it has a rich flavor similar to beef, but has reduced fat and cholesterol.  It has roughly 80% less fat than beef and 22% less cholesterol in the same serving size.  When cooking Buffalo, it is important not to over-cook it.  Without the large amount of intramuscular fat, the meat can dry out fast and goes from beautiful to dull with even slight over-cooking.  So, make sure you keep the meat medium-rare.  I also like to marinate Buffalo steaks, which I normally do not do with Beef.

One of the things I love about Buffalo is that it lends itself to a number of wine pairing possibilities.  While it has the richness to stand up to deep reds, it can also pair beautifully with less tannic red wines.  I love to pair classic varietals, like Merlot and Cabernet Franc with it.

Merlot has a bright fruit character that seems to lift the richness of the Buffalo.  The right Merlot will offer a  balanced acidity that helps cleanse the palate.  This creates a sensation that stimulates the appetite and opens the taste receptors.

A varietal that is even better with Buffalo is a well made Cabernet Franc.  This wine has a beautiful herb perfume with spice and darker red fruit undertones.  With the right aging, this wine is elegant and silky on the finish.  The flavors play perfectly with the finesse of the steak.  I also love our Smith Wooton Mélange with Buffalo.  As a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it brings the best of both worlds to the party.

We cook and serve Buffalo many different ways here at the CROZE Kitchen.  Hanger steak has become a favorite, but we also braise Buffalo short ribs, and sear Buffalo tenderloin.  I highly recommend you add this flavorful and versatile protein to your arsenal and have a blast researching wines that pair perfectly with your creations!

Cheers

Buffalo Hanger Steak from D’Artagnan

Buffalo from the CROZE Kitchen, with Oyster Mushrooms, Smoked Onion and Asparagus

Smith Wooton Melange

Pesce Spada con Pomodoro

Swordfish in a fresh tomato sauce is a great dish when you can find extremely fresh, high quality swordfish.  The bright acidity of the tomato highlights the rich flavors of the swordfish.  This is a dish that surprises many people as you do not generally think of fish cooked with a “red” sauce.  However the combination is fantastic.

Start by selecting a great piece of swordfish.   The flesh should be firm and the steak should smell like sea water.  I like to get a steak that  is at least 1 inch thick.  Cut the skin away from the flesh and dice the fish into 3/4inch cubes.  Toss the cubes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Saute over medium high heat in a non stick skillet until just barely cooked through.  Remove the fish from the pan and place on a plate to rest.

Add you pasta (use what ever shape of pasta you like) to a large pot of salted water that is boiling and give it a stir.  While your pasta is cooking you can easily prepare the Pomodoro sauce.  In a non-reactive saute pan, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and add finely diced onion.  Saute the onion over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes.  Once the onion is soft, add fresh chopped garlic, salt pepper and a littler crushed red pepper flakes.  At this point I like to add a ladle full of the starchy pasta water.  Once that reduces, add crushed fresh plum tomatoes (I peel the tomatoes prior to use and crush them by hand.  You can peel the tomatoes by scoring the top and dropping them into boiling water for a few seconds.  Remove them from the boiling water and drop them in an ice water bath)  Of course you can use high quality canned tomatoes if it is not tomato season.

Re-season the sauce and toss in a little fresh basil. Add the cubes of swordfish and bring the sauce up to temperature over medium heat.   Drain your pasta when it is still al dente and add it to the sauce.  Cook the pasta and sauce together for 2-3 minutes to bring the dish together.  Serve in a deep bowl and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.  Serve the dish with a white wine that has generous acidity.

I like to pair this with our Croze Viognier, as the bright acidity on the finish really compliments the dish.

Food, Family, & Wine

With the holiday season in full swing, it is time to start thinking about three of my favorite things:  food, family, & wine (not necessarily in the correct priority order).  Over the years I have read so many opinions on serving wine with holiday meals and they generally make me laugh.  Some people think you should serve less valued wines, some recommend top shelf, others swear by specific regions or varietals.  I tend to approach the holidays like any special time and serve wines that, quite frankly, I love to drink.  I do not believe this is a time to go out of your comfort zone.  Choose wines that you love and share them with family and friends.  “Wine people” tend to over-complicate and overthink special occasions.

As a winemaker, I love to showcase our CROZE Viognier and Smith Wooton Cabernet Franc with the traditional holiday meals.  I believe that these wines pair well with the traditional fare, but more importantly, I love to drink and share them with family and friends.  I typically host Thanksgiving and prepare most of the classic dishes associated with the holiday.  However, we do add Oysters and Dungeness Crab to the line-up as every good Californian should.

As a varietal, Viognier is a great holiday wine.  It bridges the gap between high acidity white wines and rich, heavy wines like Chardonnay.  It has a richness in flavor and aroma, yet still finishes with great acidity.

Likewise, Cabernet Franc is a very versatile red wine.  A well made, balanced Cabernet Franc can be a great match to roast poultry as well as rib roast.  It has a beautiful elegance and finesse that compliments a wide range of foods.  There is just enough tannin to take on beef yet enough elegance and acidity to compliment poultry.

The only real rule of the holiday table is that there has to be wine on it and people you love around it!  Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Croze and Smith Wooton Wines.

 

 

 

Mélange…whats in a name?

The French word Mélange translates to the English word blend.  We chose this as the name of our new Smith Wooton Wine for several reasons.  The first, and most obvious, is that this wine is a blend of two grape varietals.  In addition, we wanted to pay homage to the Old World wine making techniques we use in the cellar to produce our wines.  Finally, we wanted to give a nod to one of our influences, Louis De Coninck, who grew the Merlot for this blend.

To make Mélange we selected two of the most iconic vineyards in Napa for their respective varietals; the Flinn Vineyard for Cabernet Franc and the Long Meadow Ranch Vineyard for Merlot.  Flinn Vineyard was formally known as Gallagher’s Vineyard and is located just south of Stags Leap on the Silverado Trail in Napa.  This vineyard has been the source of our Smith Wooton Cabernet Franc for almost 15 years now.  We have a long history with this gem and have developed farming techniques to showcase the characteristics of Cabernet Franc that we desire in our wines.

The Long Meadow Ranch Vineyard has a 30+ year history of producing world class Merlot.  This vineyard is owned and farmed by a 9th generation Bordeaux winemaker.  The wine is grown in a style that resembles the Right Bank wines of Bordeaux.  There is an elegance and age worthy quality that immediately shines in the Merlot’s created from this estate. (Check out Beaucanon Estate)

Like all of our wines, we use small lot fermentation techniques to greater influence flavor extractions.  This method is highly labor intensive, but the results are extraordinary.  The varietals were fermented separately and blended after fermentation was complete.  The wines are hand stirred three times a day to gently extract flavor components without increasing harsh tannins and astringency.

Finally, this was an opportunity to acknowledge the French influence that we have adapted from our time working with Louis De Coninck.  Louis has been a great ally to Croze and Smith Wooton.  We have sourced grapes from him over the years and have produced some of our most memorable wines from estate.  Louis has shared his opinions and knowledge of wine making with us over the years and we know that he has influenced our processes.

So what is in a name?  A lot more than most consumers realize.  The 2013 Smith Wooton Mélange is representation of our family, as well as those families who work tirelessly to grow world class grapes.  We have a strong connection to our growers and we feel it is important that our customers get to know the people behind our products.