Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The is from Morlet Families inaugural vintage of 2006. I must say it’s beautiful with a fair amount more of life ahead. The nose reveals dark cassis and a good presence of cinnamon stick. Blackberries, liqueured dark cherries, plum, poached strawberries, pomegranate extract, black raspberries float through, blueberries, vanilla, light clove & cinnamon, dark fresh florals and violets. The nose is intoxicating! The body is round, ripe and rich. The tannins nicely resolved. The structure, balance, tension and length are in an excellent spot. Mmmmm! Blackberries, liqueured dark cherries, plum, poached strawberries, dry cranberries, pomegranate extract, black raspberries float through, blueberries, vanilla, a touch of bramble, light clove & cinnamon stick, dark rich soils, dry crushed rocks, a little leather, dark fresh florals & violets. The acidity is a waterfall on the palate. The finish is; spectacular elegance, richness, balance and lasts two minutes. One of the best CA Pinot’s we’ve had in a very long time. It deserves an amen & a hallelujah! I paid $65 for this amazing wine 9 years after it’s release (the 2015 released at $115); which brings me back around to a repetitive point of mine. Look for great wines on the secondary market and pay less than producers current release pricing. That is to say, it will aid in keeping you from drinking your new releases too young that are not nearly ready to enjoy! If you are not doing this, you are doing a disservice to your palate and your wine budget. Photos of; their old historical brick building they’ve converted into their winery, interior tasting area, Luc Morlet and their Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Winemaker Luc Morlet is a fifth-generation of a French winemaking family. Growing up in Avenay-Val d’Or, he spent all his spare time working on his family’s estate. His university studies of viticulture and winemaking were put into practice during years of work in vineyards and wineries in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the south of France. Luc left France in 1996 to join his wife Jodie in her native California. Starting in 2006, Luc Morlet began handcrafting Morlet vineyard designated wines and cuvées of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the Napa Valley. As well as; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, a white Bordeaux-style blend and a Late Harvest Sémillon from Sonoma County. Luc is also the brother of Nicolas Morlet the Winemaker of Peter Michael fame. Luc is another producer I respect for his meticulous farming and low intervention winemaking techniques. While his roots are based out of France, he has adapted his skills well to the Napa Valley soils and climate. Morlet styles his wines in a harmonious and refined fashion. Their logo is based upon 19th century French artist Mathurin Moreau’s sculpture entitled, ‘L’Harmonie.’ In August 2010, Luc and and his wife Jodie purchased an estate, just north of the town of St. Helena. Since then, they have converted the historic stone building, built in 1880, into their family winery. The building was originally the Castner Winery that closed during Prohibition. Morlet is located St. Helena Appellation. The estate is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and is the exclusive fruit source for their ‘Morlet Estate’ label. The Morlet’s ‘Mon Chevalier’ vineyard is located on the hillsides of Knights Valley, overlooking the western slopes of Mount St. Helena. The vineyard benefits from their proximity to the mountain. Warm and windy climate is ideal for the long ripening of the red Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. They recently planted the 20 acre ‘Cœur de Vallée’ vineyard. These Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines are located on the Oakville Bench, If one such exists. I read a quote from a grower who has been growing in Oakville for many years. He said, “the only bench in Oakville is the one in front of the Oakville Grocery Store.” While it may or may not be true, it’s certainly a funny quote. In addition to these family acres, they buy from farmers under long-term contracts in Fort Ross-Seaview, Russian River Valley, Bennett Valley, Dry Creek and Napa Valley. All of the Morlet’s wines are handcrafted using classical Burgundy and Bordeaux winemaking techniques and are matured in 100% French oak barrels. — 8 years ago

Sean Lowry

8.9

Bought this from a wonderful wine bar in Bologna near the university area. It's a very light pink lambrusco (reminiscent of a rosé), strawberries and a little sweet flowers on the nose, and unripe/tart strawberries or red currant on the palette. Dry. Wonderful for cutting through a meaty ragu. 11% ABV. — 9 years ago

Olivier Grosliere

9.2

Très bon vin — 10 years ago

Yuka Wada-Kaneko

9.0

少し酸味があって、軽くて飲み易い☆
earthy
ポルタベッロのペストととても合う！
@Stanford Inn — 10 years ago

Neil Cornish

8.9

Perfect on this warm afternoon in Stanford. So refreshing. Spicey complexity. Pink rock. — 11 years ago

Layne Albert

9.6

Celebrating the beginning of A&M university 2014 — 11 years ago

John D

8.9

Quite a successful Joe Fiola hybrid test bottle. Good deep color to the edges, deep dark fruit nose, nice tannins and fruit finish. Have to figure out which MD wineries are using this hybrid! — 11 years ago

Lama Riachi

9.1

Great local wine from Stanford, South Africa — 12 years ago

Andrew Tucker

10

Limited-run Silver Oak inspired red blend. Reserved for Morgan's Graduation. — 12 years ago

Neal Krishna Devaraj

9.2

At university of Ottawa after seminar. Very nice — 8 years ago

Lauren Young

9.4

Drinking beautifully- Cabernet Sauvignon (42%), Cabernet Franc (38%), Petite Verdot (10%) and Merlot (10%) — 8 years ago

Lauren Young

8.9

A fine somewhat restrained Cabernet but still stands up to a good ribeye. Opens up well. — 9 years ago

Jim Chen

9.0

Stanford Sierra camp 2016, right after 2011 Kistler Occidental. — 9 years ago

Jeff Ball

9.8

Nice initial floral 'pop' then smooth finish. We're enjoying this sake with wagyu beef and lettuce wraps at Pod in University City. Reminiscent of Wakatake. — 9 years ago

Patricia Schnitzer

9.1

Aug 31, 2015. Excellent wine to celebrate my official last day of work at (unnamed) University. And, in my lovely new home. Yummy, full bodied. Perfect. — 10 years ago

Dart Parker

9.3

Still enjoying the spoils from my Bachelor party. Nat, this was Quite a treat! Thank you. — 11 years ago

Len Ferrington

9.0

Deb said this really good. I did not taste it. Possibly bought at Snelling & University. — 11 years ago

Erin Crain

9.4

The Heritage Vineyard #Zinfandel, 2011 - nice fruit and well balanced. Made by winemaker Scott Harvey, vineyard is the University of California, Davis research station in Oakville, traditional head trained and spur pruned in "goblet" style old vines. Sponsored by the Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers. Zinfandel.org — 11 years ago

Len Ferrington

9.4

Deb likes it. Bought with meal at Caffe Biaggio, Raymond & University. — 11 years ago

Angela Black

10

Used it to make a grape and rosemary red wine sauce (Top Chef University recipe) and then drank it with dinner (pork chops with sauce and asparagus). Made the sauce really tasty. Very smooth and drinkable — 12 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid Crimson with a tawny rim. Enticing aromas of Cassis, blueberries, dust, cedar and memories of McBarens Plum Cake Pipe Tobacco when I smoked a pipe at University. Medium fine tannins. Fruit drying out to a savoury delicious Claret. No further cellaring necessary. This is why one cellars Bordeaux. — 8 years ago

Jim McCusker

8.9

A little disjoint compared to when I've had this before - uneven on the palate with a clipped finish. If this were a wine I'd call it bottle shock - but still a good beer to start off a return visit to my Alma Mater, Bucknell University! — 8 years ago

Chad Winter

9.0

Opened October 2016 — 9 years ago

Dan Para

9.3

Stanford Alumni Association selection, 1989.
— 9 years ago

Amy Wood

9.1

I really loved this — 9 years ago

George Hesse

9.4

With my dear friend Ken Wegner. We graduated from Denison University thirty years ago today!!! Amazing. Nice aged nose. Great way to end an excellent evening. — 10 years ago

Kelvin Ko

9.2

Stunning, this Chateaux is always my favorite from the region. Glad to share it with my bros from stanford! — 10 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.3

A deep dark wine with lots if dark licorice spice blackberry jam violet floral notes espresso very complex array of 5th generation from walla walla the family owns a granite company gonzaga university went to Florence Italy fell in love with wine and came home bought 20 acres planted everything himself. Big and chewy on the palate with a good hand of tannins with an array of that sice and earth from the nose through the finish 45+ — 11 years ago

Petra Thieriot

Owner/Importer Dee Vine Wines

10

This stunning #organic #Riesling brings back good memories to my time @hsgeisenheim University. I'm so happy to see my Prof's wine on the list. — 11 years ago

with Dade

Blake Schneider

8.9

"Yes, I know - I went to Stanford." #humblehermosa — 12 years ago

with Andi