Showing posts with label chateauneuf-du-pape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chateauneuf-du-pape. Show all posts

The Canadian Invasion: Round 3

On Saturday, February 7, 2015 The Hilltop Winery hosted 23 wine enthusiasts from Canada and the United States.

The Hilltop Winery always enjoys hosting this annual event before the Grammy's not just for the great wine and food but also for the fellowship of our WPO friends from Canada.

We kicked off the evening with a quick taste of the Collard-Picard Champagne with Hibiscus liquor, a Chardonnay from Hunnicutt Wines or the Cabernet Sauvignon in Magnum also from Hunnicutt Wines.  Then we made our way to the cellar for a special tasting of Italian wines.

After our initial toast, Sommelier Mike Wojo pulled a special selection of Italian wines from 1982 to 2001 for comparison and slipped in two younger American Italian wines just to shake it up.

After the official Italian wine tasting, we moved on to a select group of reds that were just out of this world (see list below).  This is also where we went back to taste a late entrant, a 2012 Morlet Chardonnay Magnum brought to the party by our local YPO friend Brad.

Monrose Catering Company out of Malibu, CA, once again provided the food.  Thank you Richard and your staff for a wonderful evening of treats.  And let’s not forget our pizza chef de cuisine Edgardo.  His pizzas are the best!

Enough about the food, let’s get on to the wines.

Champagne

  • Collard-Picard, Cuvee Dom. Picard Grand Cru (2 Magnums)

White

  • 2012 Hunnicutt Chardonnay (2 bottles)
  • 2012 Morlet Chardonnay (Magnum)

Italian Conducted Tasting

Wines from Italy
  • 1982 Marchesi di Barolo
  • 1988 Marchesi di Barolo
  • 2000 Pieve Santa Restituta, Brunello di Montachino
  • 2000 Trunotto Barbaresco
  • 2000 Gaja- Larghe Costa Russi
  • 2000 Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido
  • 2000 Brunello di Montalcino, Castel Giocondo
  • 2001 Siro Pacenti Brunnello di Montacino
  • 2001 Fratelli Revello Barolo
  • 2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo
  • 2001 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino

Wines from America
  • 2007 Col Solare, Columbia Valley
  • 2011 Saggi, Columbia Valley

Red

  • 1998 Domaine du Saillou Chateauneuf du Pape
  • 2007 Hunnicutt Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Magnum)
  • 2007 Kolbalt Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  • 2008 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain
  • 2010 Justice Fantesca Red Wine, Napa Valley

Port

  • 1977 Fonseca's Vintage Port

So as the say, all good things must come to an end and as we bid farewell to our Canadian and local YPO/WPO friends, we look forward to seeing you again.

In the meantime, feel free to go HERE for pictures to remember our evening together.

"I Should Have Drank It By Now" Party

On Saturday, August 17, 2013 The Hilltop Winery hosted two-dozen of their friends and family in an effort to thin out the cellar of bottles of wine that should have already been consumed.

Everyone did their best to thin out the 4,000+ bottles that are housed in a cellar, on top of a hill, buried in a backyard!

The outdoor wood fired pizza oven was once again a major hit with the attendees.  Pizza’s made to order was a nice touch to a perfect evening of wine and fellowship.

The sunset was spectacular and we have the pictures to prove it!

The following wines were tasted:

White

  • 1991 Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay
  • 1997 Batar Agricola Querciabella
  • 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet
  • 2006 Staglin Chardonnay
  • 2006 Jayson Chardonnay
  • 2006 Les Corbins Meursault
  • 2007 Macon-Chaintre White Burgundy (two bottles)
  • 2008 Bjornstad Chardonnay
  • 2008 Hubert Lamy Saint Aubin
  • 2009 La Follette Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyard
  • 2009 Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay

Rose


  • 2005 Stagliano Rosato di Sangiovese (three bottles)
  • 2011 Bandol La Bastide Blanche

Red

  • 1974 Sterling Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1985 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1985 Chateau Olivier Graves Leognan
  • 1986 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1987 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  • 1988 Chateau Bouscaut Pessac-Leognan
  • 1990 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Bosquet des Papes
  • 1990 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  • 1994 Talley Pinot Noir
  • 1994 Maya
  • 1995 Chateau Marguex, Premier Grand Cru Classe
  • 1996 Rubino della Plazzola
  • 1997 Turkey Flat Shiraz
  • 1998 Spottswode Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  • 2000 Maya
  • 2001 Serpico Del Feudi Di San Gregorio
  • 2003 Duckhorn Merlot, Napa Valley
  • 2003 Clos du Val Pinot Noir, Carneros Vineyard
  • 2003 Fess Parker Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
  • 2007 Pets Petite Sirah
  • 2007 Roc Du Bel Air Bordeaux Superieur
  • 2008 Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2010 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon

Dessert Wine

  • 2005 Chateau De Cosse, Sauternes

For a complete slideshow of the event go HERE.

7th Annual West Institute Wine Reception and Dinner

On Thursday, July 18, 2013 The Hilltop Winery hosted 26 Institute staff, faculty and volunteer wine enthusiasts to a great wine tasting event.

We even worked with the local chamber of commerce to make sure the weather was as great as the wine.  And it was a chamber of commerce kind of day!

This year we had a dozen newbies to the hilltop.  The other 14 (and you know who you are) are seasoned veterans who made the annual pilgrimage, once again, to the hilltop.  We enjoyed the following wines:

White

  • 2009 Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay
  • 2011 Muirwood Chardonnay
  • 2011 Rombauer Chardonnay
  • 2012 Natalie Brander Cuvee Chardonnay

Red
  • 2003 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain
  • 2003 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  • 2003 Frasier Cabernet Sauvignon, Momento
  • 2003 Hunnicut Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2003 Surh Luchtel Cabernet Sauvignon

And once again, our special guest and faculty member Brian Baker from Chateau Montelena Winery brought three special bottles to taste.

  • 1985 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Bottled
  • 1990 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Bottled
  • 1999 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Bottled

We couldn't help ourselves and then we did a see something, pull something!  These wines were added to the list of magnums we took to Sam's by the Beach.

  • 1970 Barolo Marcheri de Barolo
  • 1979 BV Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled
  • 1989 Chateau Lynch-Bages Bordeaux
  • 1993 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon

Now it was finally time to pull the magnums and head off to our favorite restaurant, Sam's by The Beach in Santa Monica, CA with proprietor Sam Elias.  He always takes great care of us each year.

The Magnums lifted from the cellar and taken for a ride to Sam's included:

  • 1993 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum
  • 1996 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum
  • 2007 Domaine de Saint Siffrein Chateauneuf-Du-Pape (Magnum - two bottles)
  • 2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Magnum

Sam and his incredible staff served us a wonderful three course meal that complimented the wines.

As the evening came to a close we said our goodbyes, piled into our cabs, headed back to the hotel, and were off to LAX airport in the morning.

For a complete slideshow of the event click HERE.