2006 Pine Ridge Winery Dijon Clones Chardonnay
Mission Codename: Return to the Ridge
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Wine Spies Operative favorite, Pine Ridge Vineyards, and secure an ample allocation of their exceptional Carneros Dijon Clone Chardonnay for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Pine Ridge Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 Dijon Clones Carneros Chardonnay – Napa Valley
Winemaker: Michael Beaulac
Backgrounder: Carneros Chardonnay is revered for its quality, elegance and smoothness. The Carneros viticultural area, a wine growing region which straddles the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, has been a great source of wine that we have featured here. Always, those wine have been of supreme quality. The cool Carneros region provides ideal growing conditions for Chardonnay – and Chardonnay literally thrives there. Today’s Chardonnay is truly representative of the the best that region has to offer
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – A beautiful and glittering straw yellow, this wine maintains its color right out to the edges of the glass. Showing off a springy and fast-settling surface when swirled, this wine leaves behind clusters of skinny legs that are slow to emerge before they march steadily down the glass
Smell – On opening, this wine presents a heady rush of aromas of pear, peach, nectarine, soft citrus flower, green apple and soft earthy arugula. After some swirling time, the wine opens up to reveal additional aromas of yeasty baked honey croissant, subtle buttered popcorn, soft cinnamon, green fig, soft oak and wet river rock (minerals)
Feel – Light on initial entry, then round and silky across the mid-palate, the wine then shows off a medium-bodied structure that fills the palate as soft yet structured tannins take hold
Taste – Delicious and balanced with bright fruit against a richer and more serious Burgundian style with flavors of green apples, tangelo, apricot, toasty vanilla, subtle butter, soft minerals and white flowers
Finish – This wine finishes long and clean with long-lingering flavors that are supported by the great acidity and mineral components
Conclusion – This is a fantastic Chardonnay that we cannot stop sipping. We also can’t stop talking about it. This wine has inspired long conversations about Chardonnay – and how, when done right, Chardonnay can be the most appealing and delicious of all the whites. This is not an overly buttery or overly lightweight California Chardonnay. Rather, it is a wine for those who are looking for a fun wine to either sip casually, or dissect, analyzing and appreciating the finer points of the wine. We encourage you to enjoy the wine under a variety of conditions and settings. We enjoyed the wine on its own and again with brick oven pizza. In both cases, the wine was the perfect companion. If you love truly outstanding Chardonnay, I would encourage you to stock up on this ready to drink marvel!
Mission Report:
Agent Red caught up with Michael Beaulac recently. What follows is a transcript of their conversation about today’s great wine from Pine Ridge Vineyards:
AGENT RED: Greetings, Michael. We are thrilled to be showing Pine Ridges stupendous Dijon Clones Chardonnay today. The wine is really fantastic. Thanks so much for the wine, and for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
MICHAEL BEAULAC: My great pleasure to be with you, again, Red.
RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
MICHAEL: I had a bottle of Jean Gros Vosne-Romanee and realized what a very good bottle of wine could taste like.
RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?
MICHAEL: The school of hard knocks, started as a cellar rat and worked my way up!
RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?
MICHAEL: Elegance is the key. A wine should have velvet tannins that cover the palate and once swallowed should linger for several seconds
RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
MICHAEL: Christain Mouiex
RED: How long have you been making wine?
MICHAEL: 21 harvests
RED: Who do you make wine for?
MICHAEL: [poss answers: myself, consumers, wine reviewers] Consumers, there is nothing better than to be in a restaurant and seeing someone enjoying a bottle that I made .
RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa Valley so special?
MICHAEL: Napa is THE perfect place to grow grapes. The warm , sunny days followed by the cool nights lets the grapes ripe n with the right balance of flavor, sugar and acidity.
RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?
MICHAEL: Just go for it. Everyone is so helpful in this business.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
MICHAEL: Getting my Dijon Clone Chardonnay and Le Petit Clos Chardonnay ready for bottling.
RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today
MICHAEL: This wine is beautiful blend of French and California styles – the beauty of Carneros fruit in a vibrant style that retains these fruit flavors. We don’t put this wine through malolactic fermentation so there is a nice acidity that makes it perfect for food, but yet there is a lot of complexity that comes from barrel fermentation and French oak aging for nine months. It has lovely tropical fruit aromas of peach and nectarine with hints of vanilla and toast on the nose. Bright citrus flavors and a creamy, silky texture on the palate makes this wine a delight to drink – it has beautiful balance that has become the hallmark of this bottling.
RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
MICHAEL: Lamb Loin with Shallot-Porcini Crust & Sage Butter from our winery chef Eric Maczko
RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know
MICHAEL: I could tell you, but then I’d have to, well, you know…
RED: Fair enough! Tell me, what is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?
MICHAEL: For summertime, our delicious Chardonnay, and for winter, our classic Napa Valley Cabernet
RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?
MICHAEL: Always remember that the wine is made in the vineyard and should show its place of origin. Even more importantly, wine is about sharing with friends and family – don’t over-think it.
RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?
MICHAEL: Petrus. I love Bordeaux wines – one of the reasons I am working at Pine Ridge. They were were founded on this style of wine and we continue to craft wines that have great balance.
RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?
MICHAEL: What do you like best about your job? I have the best job in the world. I get to make wine in the most prestigious grape growing area of the world, Napa Valley, and I then get to share and enjoy that wine with everyone I meet.
RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
MICHAEL: My pleasure. Thanks for being a fan of our wines.
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Pine Ridge Winery in the Stags’ Leap district in Napa County can be seen in this satellite photo.
