I had just finished a wine tasting with Podere Ciana at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan while in the new addition, I walked into the original part of the shop and another wine tasting was being offered, hosted by the importer of Podere Ciana.  It was a perfect way to finish the trip to the shop.

The first wine being poured was Prime Cellars “District 4” Chardonnay Napa Valley 2018.  Prime Cellars was founded by Ted and Lisa Henry, he a graduate of UC Davis (1999) in winemaking and had positions with Trinchero Family Estates, then head wine making positions at Jarvis, Clos du Val and Groth.  He crafted his first vintage of Prime Cellars in 2005.  Prime Cellars does not own any vineyards; they work with select tiny vineyard sites in both Coombsville and other parts of the valley.  He originally wanted to put Coombsville as a tribute, but because of the AVA rules, he couldn’t; but Napa is designated as “District 4” in the “California Grape Acreage Report” issued by the United States Department of Agriculture.  The winery makes about five different wines and total production for all is about one thousand cases.   The wine is a soft golden color and offered notes of melon, papaya, mango, honeycomb, butter, vanilla and lemon zest.  On the palate the wine displayed tones of Golden Delicious apple, mandarin orange, pear in a well-balance wine with a medium-count finish of fruit and spices.

We followed with another white wine from Matthiasson Wines Vermentino Cressida Vineyard Carneros 2023.  Matthiasson Wines began in 2003 by Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson.  Steve began as an amateur gardener and farmer and eventually co-authored the California manual on sustainable vineyard practices, as well as mentoring and teaching at UC Davis.  His wife Jill studied at Penn, and did graduated studies at UC Davis and manages the business side of the winery.   They grow both popular and have some esoteric varietals for California, such as this Vermentino.   The Cressida Vineyard is planted on the spine of a ridgetop in the upper section of Los Carneros, overlooking the Bay and the San Francisco skyline.  The soil is shale based from an ancient inland sea, which lend a distinct minerality to the wines.  The fruit was harvested on the early side to maintain the natural acidity and divided into two separate fermentation lots.  The riper portion of the fruit was fermented on the skins, while the less ripe portion was press whole cluster immediately and fermented in neutral barrels.  The lots were then blended after fermentation using only indigenous yeasts.  Seven-hundred-sixty-three cases were produced.   This straw-colored wine with a slight pink cast offered notes of ripe orchard fruits, Mandarin oranges, lemon, spices and sea salt.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of apricots, white peaches and distinct spices with a very pleasant medium-count finish of fruit, terroir and sea-spray with refreshing salinity.  It reminded me of countless Mediterranean Vermentino wines and was very enjoyable.  

We then had our first red wine of this tasting from Chateau La Grande Metairie Bordeaux Rouge 2022 from Vignobles Buffeteau.  Vignobles Buffeteau has two estates and has continued growing with four generations in neighboring villages.  They use traditional vinification methods and go out the day before harvest to eliminate unripe or rotten fruit, and then the next day the fruit is mechanically harvested, separating the grapes from the vines while in the plots and done at night to maintain the freshness and aromatics of the fruit.  They installed a new cellar in 2015 with thermos-regulated Stainless-Steel vats, and with a semi-underground ageing cellar with both concrete vats and traditional oak barrels.  The wine is ninety percent Merlot and ten percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine underwent Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation and aging for one year in Stainless- Steel vats with periodic stirring with fining and filtering.  This dark claret wine offered notes of ripe red fruits, spices and herbs.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of black and red cherry, blackberry and currants, with good acidity blended with medium tannins and a medium-count finish of fruit and herbs.