Our trip to Napa started with a drive along a winding road to the secluded Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards. Upon arrival at the old house and small warehouse building, an unassuming man in a golf cart pulled up. I told him we were there for a tour and he suggested I check in at the winery office. The office is a small room on the back side of the fermenting facility and there we were greeted by Ronene Anderson. She gave us the option to taste with the winemaker which we were happy to accept. Tours at Anderson’s are usually given by one of the Andersons or by the winemaker, so visitors are likely to have a special experience.
Mac Sawyer Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Winemaker
That unassuming man who directed us to the winery office turned out to be Mac Sawyer who, along with vineyard owner Todd Anderson, makes the wine at Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards. Mac, accompanied by his Australian Razorback, Scout, was our gracious hosts for a private tasting in their caves cut deep into a mountainside in Conn Valley, east of Howell Mountain. He started making wines for the Andersons’ in 2000, but that’s hardly where his winemaking career started. In fact, it started in the seventh grade, when he made his first wine because of an interest in chemistry.
His interest in wine didn’t end in the seventh grade, as Mac went on to intern in some of France’s most prestigious wineries including First Growth, Chateau Cheval Blanc. Mac is a fantastic story teller and, as we sat in the cool humid cave (currently at 70% which is about 5% under Mac’s preference), tasting his treasured wines, he told us of his experiences as a graduate student in France and later as a winemaker in Monterey and Napa Valley including contributions at Groth and Clos Pagase. Humble and understated, he spoke of his time with Robert Parker, tasting in the Anderson’s own caves, as though it was another tasting with my wife and me. He couldn’t even recall most of RP’s ratings on their wines except that he had downgraded a Conn Valley Vineyards wine from 98-100 to “only 97 points”.
The 11,000 sq ft of caves, coated in red concrete are at the same time rustic and magical. They are a stark contrast to the Disney World style that many wineries in the valley choose. The smell upon entering a wine cave is unlike any other. I told Mac that I wanted to build a barrel room in my house someday. He suggested I open a small winery but unfortunately my backyard in Redondo Beach isn’t suited for grapes, otherwise I totally would… The smell, comes from the barrels where Conn Valley Vineyards chooses only French oak (40-60% new depending on the wine). Still a chemist at heart, Mac experiences with American oak every year, but has yet to find an example that imparts the same quality flavors as French. I also asked him about Hungarian barrels, which have been receiving a lot of press lately, but they “just don’t do it for him”. Who am I to argue?
Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Caves
Seeing the simple surroundings and tools at Anderson’s made me realize what I really love about wine and, more specifically winemakers: they are farmers at heart. But they are framers that have a knack for chemistry and possess a skill that goes far beyond farming or following a recipe. Wine, at the most simple level is grapes, tanks, barrels, and bottles. But what makes special wines special is the human influence that a winemaker like Mac adds. There is no formula for great wine. It’s 90% art supported by 10% science. But without that 10% science, wine is just fermented grape juice.
Despite his “everyday man” demeanor, Mac is making some extraordinary wines. His Bordeaux varietals are highly age worthy (Robert Parker gives many 25-30 years), and have a uniqueness that only 40+ years of winemaking experience can bring. Most important, in the day of $125+ Napa bottles, Conn Valley Vineyards is making high scoring wines that are relative bargains . Numerous 90+ Robert Parker wines have emerged out of Conn Valley Vineyards, and more recently, 95+ points including the 97 point 2007 Right Bank- a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
We tasted six wines and 3 barrel samples ranging from 2006 through 2009. Everything was spectacular, though different. Below you will find some notes from each wine. I would strongly suggest you track down whichever wine appeals to you. I doubt they will remain in the $50-75 range for long.
Bottle Tastings:
2008 Carneros Chardonnay- This Chardonnay, made from sourced grapes, goes through no malolactic fermentation though it is aged in French oak. Many people confuse oak aging with the texture that malolactic fermentation adds and this Chadonnay is a truly unique middle ground. It has a definite oak influence while retaining the crisp fruit that citric acid imparts. Really nice.
2007 Carneros Pinot Noir- Somewhat one dimensional but nonetheless enjoyable, I would forgo this for the other wines tasted today. This Pinot is full bodied but somewhat tart. I would guess that a couple of years in the bottle would add a complexity that could move this from average to special.
2006 Cabernet Reserve (RP 94)- This was the start of some off-the-charts Cabernets and Cabernet blends. Somewhat reticent upon pouring it started to open up in the glass and hinted at the magic to come. This wine will develop into something exceptional and, if you can still find it, it would make a great addition to any cellar.
2007 Cabernet Reserve (RP 93-95)- The 2006 was amazing until it was overshadowed by the 2007. I’ve been a huge fan of most 2007 Napa wines and this is certainly no exception. Rich, oaky, but not overly so, and complex, this is a 25 year Cabernet. Imagine opening this bottle in 2035 when we have flying cars and a Mars outpost because that’s how long it will last – that’s just 25 years from now, right?
2007 Right Bank (RP 95-97)- Equally as special, although still slightly tight, this wine will hit its stride in 5+ years and last for another 20-30. It’s made from mostly sourced fruit which, in a way makes it even more special because it exemplifies the value of a talented winemaker and ranks high on my want-to-have list.
2006 Eloge Proprietary Red (RP 95)- Every ‘Eloge’ we tasted today was spectacular and, in a vintage that I haven’t been thrilled with, this was amazing. Exceptionally complex, it’s drinking amazingly well right now but will only improve for the next 10 years. Concentrated and mouth coating, this Cabernet/Cab Franc blend would be my choice if I had to pick one Conn Valley Vineyards wine. I’ll be tracking down a few bottles myself.
Still Available at LA Wine Co: Click Here to purchase.
Barrel Samples:
2009 Carneros Chardonnay- Still cloudy because it had recently been racked, the 2009 Chardonnay shows great potential. This was already more rich than the 2008 and is likely to get even more so, as it still had a few months to spend in the barrel.
2009 Cabernet Reserve- 2009 is looking like another knock-out year for Napa Valley. This won’t be bottled for another year, but was already super rich with an amazing bouquet and a lengthy complex finish. I can’t wait to taste it from the bottle in a few years.
2008 Eloge Proprietary Red- Probably the highlight of the tasting. The 2008 vintage is receiving mixed reviews from the various wineries we talked to but Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards has done some great things with this one. Possibly eclipsing the 2006 in complexity, the 2008 Eloge was drinking great from the barrel, so I can only imagine it’s going to be fantastic from the bottle when it’s released a year or so from now.
When was the last time you tasted a value priced California Merlot you could get excited about? For me it’s been since last time I wrote up a Merlot back in May. Well, six months later I’m sitting on the couch eating my homemade Sicilian pasta and drinking a fine California Merlot. All Sideways style Merlot bashing aside, there is great Merlot grown in California and let’s not forget, that the most famous wine in the world, Bordeaux, is usually Merlot based.
Recent Comments