and my home away from home, closed last week after five years
The Vacaville Wine Styles (Kabs Club) was a fantastic venue for convivality, for amazing music played by passionate local amateurs (and professionals). We are all going to miss it. The poor economy, somnolent character of downtown Vacaville (Vacaville is a freeway chain store and big box kind of town), high rent, excessive franchise fees, and lack of deep community support are all factors. As a somewhat antisocial person, WineStyles was a godsend to me, and to a group of like minded souls. I will really miss the sense of community that Kevin and Beau created.
We did go out well, with a nice range of wines.
1999 Beringer "Spring Mountain" showed some maturity in the color, and the palate had very nice red fruit, with a hint of green pepper. Very lithe and elegant mature flavors of minerality???? red cassis, earth, and strawberry. Thanks Peter and Carol!
2002 J. Lohr "Pau" was a nice surprise to me, as I have been primarily familiar with their "supermarket wines" (the winery's term, not mine
) Another lithe and balanced wine, with substantial tannins. A little darker than the Beringer, but still towards the lighter, red fruit side. Also earthy and true to the expressed goal to create a "Bordeaux-esque" California blend. Nice. Thanks Joe and Donna! (I dog sat for them over a long weekend trip to Paso. This was a very nice gift!) 2007 Williamson Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. had not in the past liked many Dry Creek cabernets, but this one showed young but well. I liked the rich but not jammy mouth feel, the well-balanced smokey oak, and the red and black fruit character. Substantial "funk" and earthyness as well...not a fruity cough syrup wine at all! I need to check these guys out next time I am in the Healdsburg area! Thanks John!
2007 Vellum. An attempt to create a "St. Julien" style Napa cab from vineyards primarily in the cooler southern side of the valley. Chewy tannins, but well structured. Palate shows a nice mix of cassis and lighter blackberry fruit, with some minerality definitely showing. Lighter body for a Napa Cab. A nice wine from a passionate new partnership.
