WTN: 2 from Ladera - A Winery to Watch

[geo t.]

I had the chance to taste through 5 wines from Ladera Vineyards in the last few weeks, and came away most impressed. Owners Pat and Anne Stotesbery bought Lone Canyon Vineyard in 1997 and Chateau Woltner on Howell Mountain in 2000, and with winemaker Karen Culler, are making some very fine wines indeed. The full report is filed here; my two favorite wines were as follows:

2001 Ladera Napa Merlot Howell Mountain, 100% Merlot, $46.99, 14% alc.: Another inky, almost opaque garnet here, with a lovely perfume that features a little sea air - aquarium over rich black currant, blackberry and some blueberry, along with a perfect kiss of oak that gives it a stylish appeal. Flavors echo and expand, with deep, dark bass notes and some cinnamon and nutmeg in good proportion to the fruit. Significant tannins and balanced acids give this a solid anchor and excellent prospects for at least five years of improvement for those who can still get their hands on it (it's sold out at the winery, and limited amounts available at retail here in Michigan have mostly, if not entirely disappeared). Tannins try to clamp down on the finish, but can't restrain the exuberant fruit, and a nice note of chocolate emerges with air. I've never been big on California Merlot, but this is one that I could definitely get to know better. Yum!

2001 Ladera Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Lone Canyon, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, $56.99, 14.5% alc.: Even when decanted, this opaque purple garnet is slow to open, but with air, it becomes more and more beguiling, with a lovely perfume reminiscent of black currant, cassis, blackberry and blueberry, again, with that perfect kiss of oak that seems to be Ladera's trademark. The medium full - bodied flavors mirror these impressions, showing primary fruit with earthy undertones and significant tannins that add a bite on the palate, but over the next three hours, the wine really smoothes out, becoming more and more attractive and harmonious. Despite its sweet, perfumed character, it finishes dry, making for a very fine, food friendly Napa claret, but it needs at least a few years to begin to show at its best.

There's not a lot of this stuff around, but it's worth the effort to find some; very highly recommended!

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

[Brad Ballinger]

Carolyn Tillie will love you for this post. She works there and posts here. Also, the owners, the Stotesberrys are from Minnesota. I have to drop stuff like that whenever I can.

[geo t.]

I THOUGHT I recognized Carrie's picture in her Avatar! I didn't take the time to investigate further, as I was cross-posting the TNs on a few other forums and had to move on. Thanks for the feedback, Brad, and HI CARRIE!!! Love those Ladera Wines!!!

};^)>

Carolyn Tillie will love you for this post.  She works there and posts here.  Also, the owners, the Stotesberrys are from Minnesota.  I have to drop stuff like that whenever I can.

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[Carolyn Tillie]

How do! I had to chuckle when I read your initial GofP report -- right when I got the job, I hosted a tasting of 1990 wines that your 'left coast' reporter Alan attended. To congratulate me on my new job, someone brought a newer Ladera wine to the tasting and I really coaxed Alan to try and come up and visit me on the Mountain but it never happened. I think he's been travelling (Yosemite or something?) for quite some time...

Check out my

wine blog -- yep, it is THOSE Ladera vines I've been blogging!

Thanks for the great report... it is nice to come from someone else via coincidence!

Cheers!

Edited November 3, 2004 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[geo t.]

Glad you like the report, Carrie; as I told Nicole, it's easy to be enthusiastic about wines that are as good as those of Ladera! I had scanned your blog briefly a while back, but didn't put 2 and 2 together. Doh! My wife (and fellow Gangster) Kim and I will definitely spend some time reading through it. We're hoping to come and visit in person in the not too distant future.

Sorry to say that Allan has moved on to other projects, and is no longer our Left Coast Correspondent. Too bad he didn't take you up on your invitation; I think he would have enjoyed your wines.

Our very best regards to you, Pat, Anne, Nicole, Karen et al at Ladera!

Ciao 4 now,

geo