Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley – Unwrapping the Last Bottle
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
2010 Buccella is a Cabernet Sauvignon (86%) with Malbec 6%, Petit Verdot 3%, Merlot 3% and Cabernet Franc 2%. Robert Parker rated this wine at 95 points a few years back. I acquired it eleven years ago and it has been resting with “its brothers” very quietly in the cellar. On the eyes this is a deep black color and medium-full viscosity. The fragrance is black cherry and blueberry. On the palate, it opens to express both the blueberry and cherry with distinction. Secondary flavors of vanilla and dark fruits abound. Key to this wine is the finish with soft and smooth silky tannins, this is not your normal big and sharp Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Rather than pick you up and slap you upside the head, this comes and caresses and warms you like a comforter next to a fireplace in winter. The style is as unique as its label. Absolutely one of my top twenty wines. Hard to find a 2010 rated 95 points by Robert Parker and price ranges from $185 to $225. The current release is their 2020 vintage. The wine comes in at 14.5% alcohol.
Unfortunately, this was my last bottle of Buccella!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Pulled this bottle out of the cellar to pair with freshly cut 2” filet mignon steaks purchased at Swingle Meat Market in Jackson. Seasoned, seared and BBQ’ed at 1500° on the grill to a beautiful medium rare finish. Served with a dollop of Blue cheese crumbles on top. Accompanied by fresh snap peas sauteed with garlic, a small Yukon Gold potato and a fresh salad with cooked bacon, cherry tomatoes and blue cheese. A perfect pairing for this tender filet mignon that was easily cut with a butter knife! The smooth tannins were sufficient to cut through the meat, and the taste was remarkable with both the meat and Blue cheese. This was the best tasting filet mignon in recent memory.
This was the first time we stopped by Swingle Meat Company, and we will most certainly be stopping regularly going forward. Great beef and other products are both freshly cut while you wait or some are frozen. They are a family-owned business and have been in business since 1945.
The Winery
Buccella is a small artisan and boutique winery committed to making limited quantities of luxury wines. They are in the southern area of Napa with fruit coming from some of the premiere vineyards in Napa Valley.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
It is not often a wine goes without an identifying label with the winery name on the front. Their name and information being located on the back of the bottle. Collectors know that Buccella wines have this identifiable wax logo stamped on the bottle. It is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional silver tastevin cup used for tasting in Bordeaux and other areas. This along with the name “bucella”, a Latin word meaning mouthful, provides a perfect representation of this exquisite wine. The winery was founded in 2002 by Bill Deem and his wife Alicia who are still actively involved in the business.
The Winemaker & Consultant
The wine was made by Rebekah Wineburg who was the winemaker there from 2009-2015. Renowned winemaker Celia Welch was the consulting winemaker for 3 years at Buccella. Rebekah is now the winemaker at Quintessa and owner/winemaker at Post and Vine Wines. The current winemaker at Buccella is Bradley Schroeder
Sláinte,
Michael
2012 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
The Outpost Wines under years of leadership of Frank & Kathy Dotzler was sold July 23, 2018. Located at 2200–foot elevation in Angwin on Howell Mountain (east side of Napa Valley). The buyer being AXA Millésimes, the wine division of the large French insurance company. They own wineries in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal and Hungary. Those wineries include Château Pichon-Longueville Baron in Bordeaux, Domaine de l’Arlot in Burgundy, Quinta do Noval in Portugal’s Douro Valley and Disznókő in Hungary.
Previously I visited the winery yearly picking up allocations of wine, but have not visited since the buyout.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 20 months in 80% new French oak barrels. Double decanted and filtered before serving. The wine on the eyes is a deep brick red with a medium heavy viscosity. Blueberry, lush blackberries, pepper and fresh violets on the nose. On the palate, it burst forth with vanilla pipe tobacco, licorice and both blueberry and blackberry flavors. The tannins are present but caressingly soft and Howell Mountain minerality lingers on the finish. The 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon on Wine Searcher retails today for $262/bottle and was rated 93 points. K & L lists it for $170/bottle and shows Robert Parker giving it 96 points.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was a last-minute dinner and wine pairing. Picked up all meat frozen raviolis and a spicy marinara sauce. Accompanied by fresh sourdough French bread and a Cesar’s salad. Still an excellent choice with the Cabernet Sauvignon enveloping the meat ravioli and softening the spicy sauce. No doubt we overshot the pairing with the wine but it was all good!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Gracianna Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
It seemed only appropriated to start off Memorial weekend thinking of those who sacrificed so much for all of us. Gracianna meaning giving thanks and being grateful.
The Winery
Photo from Gracianna website
The name Gracianna is for Trini Amador III’s (owner) great grandmother (Gracianna) and they wanted to incorporate all they had to be grateful for and show their gratitude. Even on the back of the bottle, it reads “Gracianna is for those who have something to be grateful for”. The winery is set next to the Russian River on the well know “Miracle Mile” home of some of the best Pinots just outside of Healdsburg. The “Miracle Mile” is the confluence of a tectonic age, alluvial soils left by a wandering river, water flowing off the Sonoma Mountain range which carried with it eroded volcanic material–all of these factors created soil with large amounts of clay in the central portion of the Russian River Valley appellation.
Photo from Gracianna website
Gracianna produces several thousand cases per year of which 70% is for various Pinot’s. The balance of production is for Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sparkling Brut Rosé – Blush Cuvée. All their Pinot’s are produced in the Burgundian style with French barrels. They use clones 667 and 777 for their Pinot’s in the vineyard and then blend the two. The wine making is a “family affair” with all giving “gratitude” for the fruit of the vineyard.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Those familiar with Napa Valley are no stranger to Stagecoach Vineyards which ranges from 1,100 to 1,750 feet elevation. At this elevation the fog is typically lower providing the fruit a longer ripening season. More time on the vine results in bold, ripe fruit providing a robust experience.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, with aging in 100% French oak barrels. Only 95 cases were produced and 15.2% alcohol. Priced at $128/bottle and currently as of this writing is on sale (check their website). This wine won a Gold Medal at the 2024 SF Chronicle Competition, a Gold Medal at the 2024 Sommeliers Choice Awards, Silver Medal at the Press Democrat North Coast Challenge and a Silver Medal at the 2024 Los Angeles Invitational Wine Challenge.
First on the eyes and deep dark hue of red, almost black hints of the lushness to follow. On the nose blackberries and blueberries waft gently into the senses. Once on the palate the bright and “bursting flavors” of the dark fruits of black cherries, blackberries and blueberries are dominant. Secondary flavors and mid-palate provide hints of dark roasted coffee and vanilla. On the finish, the tannins start off strong and bold but are tamed down with soft vanilla residual notes, making this a complex and delightful wine concluding each sip with finesse and grace.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I am thankful that this wine is now on my annual list of Best Wines Tasted for 2025! Only 2-3% of the approximate 1800 wines tasted yearly make this list that is published at years end.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled this wine specifically for this seared filet mignon at 1500 degrees this evening and served medium rare. Accompanied by a Yukon Gold potato and sauteed asparagus. Also served for an unusual dessert was a salad of halved cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, sea salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Mixed in were a few semi-dried tomatoes from Italy that were mixed in sunflower oil, salt, sugar, parsley leaves, powered garlic and oregano leaves. This made for a perfect conclusion to the meal.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
An excellent food and wine pairing this evening leaving the dinner table completely full and appreciating fine food and wine.
Sláinte,
Michael