When the edifice first rose on Dry Creek Road, neighboring farmers and vintners winced, thinking it too ostentatious for their region. But as more wine lovers drove down the lane, visiting other wineries on their way to Ferrari-Carano, the Caranos’ neighbors came to appreciate the majestic and romantic slant the Villa Fiore offered the backroads of the Dry Creek Valley.

But what is a gorgeous property without fine wines to stake its claim? Here, again, there’s no problem. The wine regimen was established by George Bursick, winemaker at Ferrari-Carano for many years, but now is carried out masterfully by Aaron Piotter (for red wines) and Sarah Quider (for white wines). Steve Domenichelli, vineyard manager, says each vine is “touched by human hands six to eight times a season, to ensure the highest quality fruit.” He practices sustainable farming techniques and recycles organic matter to strengthen and protect the vineryards.

Here are some recent releases from one of California’s most interesting properties:

Ferrari-Carano 2011 Pinot Grigio (Russian River Valley, $17). Ripe and refreshingly acidic, made in the style of a vivacious Sauvignon Blanc, with lots of lemon/lime angles and fresh fruit. Score: 85

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $30). Warm fruit flavors, black cherry and plum dominate, soft angularity and soft tannins give it length, great with red meat entrees. Score: 87

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Mountain Vineyards (Alexander Valley, $42). Soft and approachable, black fruit, soft tannins, plums, cherries, slightly oaked? Score: 89

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Merlot (Sonoma County, $25). Soft red fruit, easy quaffing, gentle finish. Score: 84

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Pinot Noir Sky High Ranch (Mendocino, $46). Soft and forward, cherry plum flavors, more expressive than many PNs. Score: 90

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Prevail Back Forty (Alexander Valley, $85). Rich and stylish, deep, highly textured, dark fruit flavors, plums, black cherries, soft hint of sweet tobacco and oak. Score: 93

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Prevail West Face (Alexander Valley, $55). Ripe plush red fruit aromas, chocolate and plums on nose, rich textures, full flavors of dark fruit with hints of tobacco on finish. Score: 92

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Siena (Sonoma County, $25). Aromatic, blending dark fruit with herbs and earth aromas, soft approach, bing cherry and raspberry flavors. Score: 87

Ferrari-Carano 2008 Tresor (Sonoma County, $58). Superbly balanced, dark red fruit, chocolate and tobacco leaf aromas, black cherry, raspberry flavors. Score: 93

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, $28). soft and inconspicuous, a nice wine but without the punch that is expected of most Zins. Score: 86

Piero Antinori of the famous Tuscan winemaking house of the same name knows this perhaps better than anyone. His wines, elegant in the glass and as brilliantly colored as a Tintoretto painting, are – nevertheless – best enjoyed as an accompaniment to a fine meal.

So it makes sense that when he brought his family’s 600-year history of winemaking to California, he would want to make food-friendly wines for Americans too. In the 1980s, he bought land on the summit of Atlas Peak in Napa Valley, with spectacular views of the valley below and the sprawling vineyards that supply the raw material for his new wines. The winery was originally named after the land, Atlas Peak, but Antinori recently reconfigured the estate and renamed it Antica, a fact reported earlier on WeeklyWinePick.com.

Under the watchful eye of Marchese Antinori, and constant oversight by Glenn Salva, Antica produces some of the richest and approachable Cabernets in the Napa Valley. We met at Circa (3010 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, 703-522-3010) and sampled a range of vintages of the Cabernet accompanied by a serving of Wild Mushroom Ravioli. The ravioli were served with artichoke hearts, cremini mushrooms, and beurre noisette, and topped with herbs and goat cheese. The complexity of the flavors, spikes that raised the interest of the savory mushroom ravioli beneath, begged for a similarly complex red wine.

With Salva’s usual grace and patience, he explained not only the history of the estate but the vintage conditions of each of the wines we sampled. There was the perfectly aged 2004 Antica Cabernet Sauvignon, with scents of currant, plum, and dark fruit. A supple though austere wine braced by tannins evidently softened by age.

The 2005 Cab was richer and more complex, and opened with dark chocolate and tobacco aromas, with flavors of figs, black cherry and plum over ripe tannins. The 2006 Cab was a bit tangier and more puckery than the refined 2004 and 2005, demonstrating the impact of even a single year of additional aging on the mouthfeel of such a rich wine. Still, its black fruit flavors and vivacious acidity ensured that it will be a wine to return to later.

The 2007 Cab was exotically aromatic and carried hints of Eastern spices on the nose. With terrific intensity and multiple layers, this was my favorite of the afternoon. The big fruit and explosive approach shows evidence of future star-quality. The 2008 was also a tremendous wine, with chocolate and roasted coffee bean aromas, tinged by hints of earth and spice, with a soft finish.

The 2009 Cab, the vintage currently on the market (along with some remainders of the 2008), has heavenly aromas of violets and red fruit, featuring blueberry and black cherry flavors on a big, young frame.

With Antinori’s vision and Salva’s management of wine at Antica, the property will enjoy continued success and the buyer will enjoy many vintages of fine Cabernet Sauvignon.

Following that opening chapter of Edwards’ vinous life, she took the reins in Sonoma County’s Matanzas Creek Winery, honing her skills over a ten-year span, ending the stint only to become a freelance consultant for vineyards up and down the Pacific Coast.

It may have been in Oregon that she discovered the key to great Pinot Noir, but it was – and still is – in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley that she shapes gorgeous wines from that confounding grape. Together with husband, Ken Coopersmith, the couple manages five estate vineyards and produces wines that continue to stand out in every Pinot Noir tasting.

But, true to her perfectionist core, Merry resists the temptation to settle for what she has already accomplished. As quoted on her website, “People frequently ask what is the best wine I have ever made. I tell them it’s not made yet!”

With each bottle of Merry Edwards Pinot Noir, I can’t help but nod in agreement with her.

Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, $36). Smooth yet with a lively accent, rich fruit, intriguing accent of black licorice, soft textures. Score: 88

Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard (Russian River Valley, $54). Dark cherry flavors, light hint of tobacco, sage-like notes, savory accent. Score: 92

Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir Klopp Ranch (Russian River Valley, $57). Broad palate of dark fruit, accented by mineral notes, pleasingly spicy finish. Score: 92

Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir Meredith Estate (Russian River Valley, $57). Rich ripe red fruit with a berrylike taste, smooth textures, hint of milk chocolate on finish. Score: 93

Well, maybe some of it is, and that’s the reason this reasoning has gotten traction. But so many quality Merlots are left out of the conversation. Beringer’s Merlots have been stupendous for years, especially the Bancroft Ranch. Pahlmeyer and Pride have Merlots that easily stand above the crowd. Etude’s bottlings are age-worthy, and Shafer Merlots – earlier to mature – provide instant gratification. I’d push any Pinot Noir off the table to make way for a Château St. Jean Merlot, and Joe Cafaro still makes Merlots that sing.

Then there’s Duckhorn, Havens, Keenan, St. Francis, Château Ste. Michelle, and Matanzas Creek. In fact, during an extensive tasting of Merlots for a cover story in Wine News a few years back, I concluded that almost any Merlot from the cooler climes of Carneros would be a special treat.

Through the years, Merlot styles have changed and, after the initial boom-years in the 1990s, better terroir has been chosen for plantings. Below are a few recent tasting notes that might offer a primer on the grape.

  Beringer 2008 (Napa Valley, $21). A rich ruby red, with coffee and licorice aromas hosting hints on dark berries and milk chocolate, forward flavors and nicely balanced. Score: 87

Beringer 2006 Howell Mountain Bancroft Ranch (Napa Valley, $75) Up-front aromas of coffee and dark chocolate, with latent dark berry aromas, soft tannins, sumptuous red fruit, and wonderfully balanced. Score: 93

Charles Krug 2008 (Napa Valley, $24). Deep and dense in color and aroma, black cherry and petrol like Pomerol, hefty body, rich textured and dense fruit flavors. Score: 91

Castello di Gabbiano 2007 Alleanza (Tuscany, $35). Soft red fruit, rich body, tangy acidity, dry impression but fruity finish. Score: 90

Columbia Crest 2007 Reserve (Columbia Valley $30). Delicate aromas but pungent flavors. Score: 88

http://www.pridewines.com/content/default1421.html

Kenny’s latest batch of wines is another example of his consistent quality.  All of them come from fruit grown on a 100 acre hillside vineyard in Alexander Valley, which is covered with blue stones and serpentine boulders.  He bottles the wines at three quality levels.  The entry level Baby Blue is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec.  It is truly a wine for everyone; a special occasion bottle for those on a budget or a daily drinker for the collector-types.  It has that soft richness to it that is commonly found in ultra-premium Napa Cabernets that have cellared for 10 or so years.

Kenny’s flagship Cabernets are good candidates for such cellaring.  The elegance of these complex and powerful reds needs time to emerge.  I brought the 2008 and 2009 to a dinner party full of wine-savvy friends and they were a big hit, though one person expressed regret that I was not able to bring vintages from earlier in the decade so that he could get a real sense of the wine’s potential.   I reminded him that with wine, good things come to those who wait.

We had reached Atlas Peak, the mountain but also the former name of a winery. Founded originally by a partnership between Marchese Piero Antinori, Bollinger, and Whitbread, Atlas Peak Winery was host to newly planted Italian varietals as well as the first ever Sangiovese Symposium in 1997.

The Italian grapes struggled to survive and, now, the new enterprise called Antica has returned to Napa Valley’s preeminent grapes: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, though some Sangiovese is still vinified by winemaker Nate Weis on the property.

Antinori’s style shows through in the wines, the estate, and the layout of the vineyards, green lines of lush vines that cascade down the slopes from this aerie. Hidden from Napa’s busy commerce on Route 29 and surrounded by lazy hills and cultured vineyards, the landscape below us seemed snatched from a photographer’s rendering of the bucolic beauty of Tuscany. So it is no surprise that the wines should show elegance, respect for tradition, and bountiful flavors. 

The 2009 Chardonnay ($35) has scents of pear and apple, with luscious textures and layered flavors, interwoven with a racy thread of minerality. It would be a perfect pair for trout almondine. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) shows black cherry fruit and, while still a little closed, seems to be coming out of hibernation.

So most of us have huddled inside our homes where the air conditioner groans under loads that violate manufacturers’ specs and wait for deliverance. As the perceptibly cooler air wafts about and slowly curbs the rising body temperature, thoughts turn to red wine.

What else? I’ve always said that A/C was invented to make it possible to drink red wine in summertime.

It seemed like a perfect time to test the reports of a superior vintage coming from California in 2007. Vintage scores in the high-90s by many wine publications suggest that there’s much to look forward to.

But why wait for the next anniversary or the hoped-for kid’s scholarship? With temperatures holding steady at Underworld levels, we need to take care of ourselves – - now.

Souverain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $17). Scents of wet earth and oak, black cherry, plums on nose, currants, black cherry, soft textures, full body.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, $25). First impression is tobacco smoke and oak, with deep long lasting dark fruit aromas and flavors.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $30). Black cherry, cassis and plums on the nose, same impression on the palate, dense cherry flavors, intense, long finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Alexander Valley, $45). Rich, dark fruit and licorice accents on the nose, followed by cranberry, plums, and cassis on the palate, with licorice and mint accents.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte RossoVineyard (Sonoma Valley, $50). Black cherry, cola, and plums on nose and palate, soft approach, incredibly deep and textured, a magnificent wine.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Tresor (Alexander Valley, $58). Rich vibrant aromas of dark fruit and earth notes, mocha and cassis dominates the flavor profile, layers of black cherry and boisenberry, soft silky finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $75). Brewed coffee aromas, with concentrated black cherry flavors, dense and chewy, soft tannins, hint of chocolate on finish.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho del Oso (Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, $75). Superb balance, richly textured dense and concentrated, reminiscent of black fruit, herbs, and subtle earth tones, this is a keeper.

Chateau St. Jean 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages (Sonoma County, $75). Packed with black plum and black cherry aromas, dense and chewy, black plum flavors accented by roasted coffee bean, slight hints of mocha on finish.

Wrong.

Champagne is made in France and, despite Gaul’s claim to having helped the Colonists wrest their freedom from Mother England, there’s no reason for us to pop their sparkling wine when we have so much of our own to enjoy.

Known as Champagne around the town of that name about 2 hours northeast of Paris, this famous libation was supposedly created by a blind monk named Dom Perignon who, when he tasted this liquid he couldn’t see, proudly proclaimed “I’m drinking stars!” That makes for good Hollywood movies, but trapping bubbles inside a bottle was probably first accomplished by an impatient vintner who bottled his wine before the bubbling of fermentation had truly subsided.

The sparkling wine domesticated by the Dom was more controlled and intentional, avoiding the side effects of gassiness and resulting in an effervescent and almost giddy wine – resulting in a lot of effervescent conversation and, well, giddy imbibers.

The science behind making sparkling wine is now well understood and capably repeated in every wine producing region in the world. Some countries have their own monikers for the wine, such as Prosecco in Italy and Cava in Spain. Most just call it sparkling wine.

But sparkling wine, dubbed ‘bubbly’ by its intimate fans, is a perfect pursuit for America. One rap against American wine is that it is – or was – too sterile, too scientific; more test tube craft than art. That reputation is no longer fair, but even if it was, the production of sparkling wine lends itself to science more than any other winemaking practice. So if the Americans are more careful in their alchemy than Old World masters, our bubblies should sparkle! And they do.

So this July 4, let’s tip a glass of American sparkling wine and watch the fireworks light up the sky! Here are some suggestions:

Domaine Carneros Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Rêve (Carneros, $85). Elegant and approachable.
Domaine Carneros Brut (Carneros, $26). Crisp and creamy.
Domaine Chandon Brut (Napa County, $27). Yeast, hazelnut, and cream dominate.
Gloria Ferrer 2002 Royal Cuvee Brut (Carneros, $32). Golden hue, lemon zest accent, vivacious bubbles, soft yet plush.
Gloria Ferrer Val de Vi (Sonoma County, $22). Very aromatic and richly textured, a great wine for the price.
Iron Horse Wedding Cuvée (Russian River Valley, $40). Forget the name; this wine’s special.
J Cuvee 20 (Russian River Valley, $20). Sparklingly fresh, very approachable.
Mumm Cuvée Napa (California, $20). Reliably fun, refreshing fruity flavors.
Roederer Estate Brut Rosé (Anderson Valley, $25). Complex and cerebral.
Scharffenberger Brut (Mendocino County, $20). Citrus and nuts.
Schramsberg Brut Rosé (California, $25). Strawberry and raspberry notes prevail.

For the cost-conscious, there are a few nice bottles with a playful twist, but still decent flavors.

Korbel Brut (California, $16)
Barefoot Bubbly Brut (California, $10)
Barefoot Bubbly Moscato Spumante (California, $10)

Lots of terrific wines were poured last year, and this year many of these gracious winemakers are returning for the event.  Among them Bonny Doon Vineyard, Fess Parker Winery and Cline Cellars.  Newcomers include Stolpman Vineyards, Veritas, and Justin Winery, to name a few.  Look for a recap and a review of the wines in this column after the event.

“While Massican takes its name from a coastal mountain range in southern Italy, proprietor and winemaker Dan Petroski draws his inspiration from the blended wines of Friuli in the eastern hills of northern Italy.

“His white wine “annia” is a blend of dry-farmed Friulano from sixty-three year old vines, a floral “Muscat Clone” of Chardonnay from Carneros and Ribolla Gialla (Yellow Ribolla) from legendary Napa Valley Italian grape aficionado George Vare. Mr. Vare’s famed vineyard, planted in metamorphic soils at the base of Mount Veeder, is the only known planting of Ribolla in the country and provides grapes to some of the finest winemakers in the Napa Valley.
With subtle honeysuckle and orange-blossom notes mingling with aromas of white peach and Bosc pear, “annia” is quite fragrant. When the wine hits the palate the fresh citrus flavors provide laser-like focus and impressive length.
“The bright, crisp style and modest 12.8% alcohol level make this wine the ideal compliment for salad and seafood courses at The French Laundry. The bad news? With only 238 cases of this wine produced, I expect that it will be sold-out in a Milan-minute.”

Chef Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry has garnered world-wide acclaim from every leading lifestyle publication and newspaper.  It is an icon.  To some it is the equivalent of Mecca.  I began my pilgrimage 6 weeks ago when I called for a reservation and was placed on the waiting list.  I booked my flights and hotel, with faith that I would show up at the gate and be deemed worthy.  The stars aligned and a cancellation 3 days prior to my Saturday visit secured me a table, and I will get to enjoy Mr. Kelly’s recommendation personally.

To be continued…