Weekend Highlights! Opinions on Michel-Schlumberger?

2011 Campo Vida Negroamaro. I really, really like this Mendocino-based winery's take on Italian varietals! This wine was bright and refreshing, with the characteristic tarry notes I have found in other NAs but also a very fine tangy pomegranite fruit that was delicious to me! The Arneis is brrighter and cleaner than the (adminttedly few) Italian versions. I am not usually a fan of fatter whites, so their brighter version hits my palate.

2007 Bartholemew Park Syrah. With smoked pork and amazing potatos. This was in a very nice place. Integrated oak, rich Syrah "shoe polish" flavors. Meaty notes kept peeking out over the evening. Alcohol not too prominent. Nice stuff.

2010 Forchini Russian River Pinot Noir. This was a very fine and balanced pinot. Definitely on the earthier, mushroomy side. Dark fruit. Balanced alcohol and oak. Another milepost on my long and difficult journey to actually liking Pinot Noir.

2011 Da Vera Sangratino. Dry Creek Valley. Only 12.5% abv, and it tasted like it! Lean, delicious and even refreshing fruit here. Alomost Pinot-esque...not the porty flavors I have tasted elsewhere. Enough acidity I would like to see how this ages.

Michelle Schlumberger Tasting. Based on a random decision to bicycle up Wine Creek Road (off West Dry Creek Road), I discovered this fine winery. What a beautiful little complex. Strongly drawing upon Mission architecture, the complex included a fountain courtyard that was a very pleasant place to taste. This is "Spanish" architecture done right! Anyway, they have French names for their wines which I forget , but the Chardonnay was bright and refreshing with a strong lemony note I liked. The rose of merlot was outstanding, with a pretty salmon color and tangy, almost saline cherry fruit. They had a kitchen sink blend that was only $20 that I found very interesting. Quite funky and earthy and savory with nice plum fruit. The Merlot was all about tangy cherry fruit...maybe my least favorite of the reds but still slurpable. The 2010 Cabernet was pretty classic-varietally correct cassis, already some pleasant earthy notes appearing, tangy acidity. Beautiful place and quite impressive lineup of wines!

thank you for the notes on Schlumberger..We were in Healdsburg Fall of 2012 and meant to get over there but it did not work out..Will try and go there the next time we are in the area..

thank you for the notes on Schlumberger..We were in Healdsburg Fall of 2012 and meant to get over there but it did not work out..Will try and go there the next time we are in the area..

It is a lovely place. They also offer a nice menu of food, and the tasting is seated, so you are not standing uncomfrtably at a tasting bar!

West Dry Creek Road is my single favorite cycling road in California, so I seem to be spending more time (and wine $) there! Actually more bicycles on Saturday than cars!

[Jenise]

It has been many many years--too many--since I was last in Napa, but Michel-Schlumberger was one of the best experiences of the last long-ago trip there. I'd never heard of their wines at the time, but somehow ended up on their driveway by mistake and ended up going in to taste when someone came out to invite us. They were only open by appointment then. Anyway, was really impressed. Found them more restrained and elegantly European in style than most Napa wines, and we left the winery with quite a few which were as interesting over the years afterward as I expected them to be.

Yes, Jenise. They really did strike me as very balanced wines! Of course, Michel and Schlumberger were both French.

Edited. Schlumberger was a different family. Nothing to do with oil money!