I would like to thank Heather Griffin of Summit Lake Vineyards, and George Hendry of Hendry Wines.
Part One: Angwin:
The four previous times that I have visited Napa Valley it has been in autumn; right before, or during harvest. My latest visit occurred in winter, late February, near the end of their rainy season. Driving out from San Francisco you are struck by the deep green of the hillsides, hills that in September are all burnt straw and dry brown dirt. In winter they become alive, verdant hills dotted with grazing cows. As you make your way through Sonoma you see vineyards with vines bare of fruit with yellow wild mustard flowering between the rows.
It is a truly beautiful time of year, at times slightly chilled (yet nothing compared to our flinty North Eastern standards) and largely free from the monotonous bustle of tourists. In February the locals fill the restaurants and the winemakers have the time to talk. It is a good time for an education…
Summit Lake Vineyards is part of the Howell Mt. Appellation and is located near the sleepy mountain town of Angwin. Angwin is a decent hike from the cosmopolitan coziness of St. Helena, and is largely populated by Seventh Day Adventists; a religious sect that does not partake in the vinous perils of alcohol, in fact it is a dry town, which is too bad because Angwin rests on some very respectable Napa Mountain terrior. The soil in Angwin is rich in iron, which makes for wine capable of showing mineral notes. That minerality, along with its long sun on the slopes and cool mountain climate make for wines of true complexity. No over the top, fruit bombs here, but wines whose virtue resides in their restraint and balance.
A tasting at Summit Lake is a completely unpretentious affair. Wine is shared around the kitchen table; the conversation is at times lively, always friendly, and if you listen you may just walk away learning something new. For instance, the 2008 vintage has been very problematic. It was unseasonably cold around harvest, the cold air could literally be seen, sometimes lingering over a creek and freezing it. At Summit Lake their Zinfandel grapes froze and they lost most of their yield. What survived made great wine, but the supply for that particular vintage will be very limited.
Not so much a problem in Angwin, but a major problem in other parts of the valley, and California in general, were the wildfires of ’08. Not only were many vineyards destroyed, the smoke-taint that hung on many of the grapes never left them. Smoke-taint is not something that can be washed away, nor disguised by a crafty wine-maker. Once it is on the grapes it stays in the wine.
With that in mind, I dined that very night in Rutherford, a town on the valley floor, at a place called the Rutherford Grill. A great, casual place to dine (they do not take reservations). The grilled artichokes are absolutely amazing, and they keep you coming back. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, Sequanna, from the Santa Lucia Highlands. I tasted the crushed raspberry fruit you would expect to get from a Pinot, then something else… vegetal? Then I realized—smoke! I looked at the menu, and sure enough it was a 2008!
I cannot discuss my time at Summit Lake without mentioning my tasting of the 2007 Cabernet. It truly was a revelation! Not one of your jammy, fruit monsters that are frequently bred on the valley floor, but elegant, with refined tannins in harmony with good acidity, and a touch of minerality on the long, smooth finish. It reminded me more of good Bordeaux than Napa valley Cabernet.
Summit Lake is also makes what is perhaps the best Port made in California. It is made from the Zinfandel grape, and grain alcohol (not the traditional brandy) is used to fortify it. Anne first introduced me to this Port, on our first date we shared a glass or two, and it was also paired with desert on our wedding day. I have always loved port, and I collect vintage Ports from Portugal: a) because I love port, and b) because they last, almost for forever, even under conditions that are less than ideal.
Summit Lake’s port is named after the wine-maker, Bob Brakesman’s, granddaughter Clair and is called Clair Riley’s Pirate Reserve Zinfandel Port. Why pirate? It was supposed to be Private, but you try telling an excited three year old that they can not have their very own Pirate wine… the label has a lovely picture of a silver pirate ship sailing into the clouds under a starry sky.
