It’s a good day when I discover a winery that produces more than just one decent wine. A great day is finding a winery that makes most or all of their wines skillfully. A couple of weeks ago, I had a great day when I had an opportunity to taste through the portfolio of wines made by the Trefethen family.
The story begins in 1852, when the first grape vines were planted on 50 acres at the Oak Knoll farm in California’s Napa Valley. In 1886, a 250-acre parcel of the farm became known as the Eshcol vineyard, whose winery was designed by former sea captain Hamden McIntyre. Captain McIntyre built an ingenious state-of-the art winery that incorporated a gravity flow system. The grapes were hauled up to the third floor of the winery, where they were crushed. The juice then would flow down to the second floor, where it was vinified, and finally to the first floor, where it was stored and aged in barrels. This was truly a remarkable design at the time, and other wineries soon emulated the model.
Fast forward to 1968, when Eugene “Gene” and Catherine Trefethen were looking for something to do during their retirement and decided that growing grapes in Napa sounded like an interesting project. Interesting indeed, since California was still recovering from the decimation that Prohibition had wrought on the wine industry several decades earlier. The historic property — including the original Eshcol winery — they purchased had been vacant and in serious disrepair since 1940. But they persevered, first replanting vines and selling their grapes toother wineries in the Valley, and then, in 1973, with their son John and his wife, Janet, at the helm, founding their own winery.
Evidently they were doing something right. With just three vintages under their belt, the Trefethen’s Chardonnay won the coveted honor of Best Chardonnay in the World at the World Wine Olympics in Paris. The same quality and passion is carried on by the Trefethen family in all the wines they make. In addition, the Trefethens have the unique distinction of owning all of their own grapes since their inception. This rare attribute allows the winery to have ultimate control of how their grapes are grown and vinified, which results in wines of singular quality and long-term consistency.
Here are my favorite examples of the quality wines from the Trefethen Vineyards portfolio. The wines can be found at both Calvert Woodley and MacArthur Beverages in the District. Retail prices are approximate.
2005 Trefethen Vineyards Estate Dry Riesling, Napa Valley, Calif. ($20)
I really like the nose on this wine — the plentiful scents of peach, nectarine and lemon/lime integrate beautifully with their counterparts on the palate, where plentiful acidity keeps all the flavors fresh and light. Throw in a touch of ginger on the finish, and this impeccably structured wine is a great match to enjoy with grilled calamari.
2004 Trefethen Vineyard Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Calif. ($30)
With a nose of toasted brioche, baked apples and pears, this is no ordinary chardonnay. The fresh, forward flavors of pears and ripe apples coat the front of the palate while hints of lemon zest sneak in on the incredibly well-balanced finish. A perfect accompaniment to roast chicken.
2002 Trefethen Vineyard Estate Merlot, Napa Valley, Calif. ($30)
This is a big merlot, filled with scents of black cherries and red raspberries that flow straight onto the tongue with remarkable power and grace, where they are joined by notes of baked plums. Interesting highlights of licorice and vanilla make an appearance on the lush finish, making this a good match with hoisin roasted short ribs.
2003 Trefethen Vineyards Oak Knoll
District Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Calif. ($45)
Seductive nose of vanilla, blackberries and orange rind is captivating. Multilayered flavors of black cherries, dark plums and black currants play out over the entire tongue, where they are supported with elegance on a full-bodied frame an elegant finish. I’d like to try this with a hearty beef stew.
2001 Trefethen Vineyards
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Calif. ($75)
According to the winery’s Web site, “the Reserve wines are made exclusively from Trefethen’s Hillside and Winery Estate Vineyards. The Hillside vines, which are stressed due to rocky soil and less water, contribute structure and intensity. The Winery vines, on the valley floor rich in alluvial soil, add fruit and texture.” This combination delivers a cabernet with focused, textured flavors of blackberry jam, crème de cassis, spicy oak and lingering notes of tobacco and eucalyptus on the long, powerful finish. The balance between tannins, acidity and fruit is everything you could want in a Napa cab. Enjoy it with a simply grilled steak.
Do you have a favorite royalty of wine? E-mail me at [email protected].
