Stephen Hawk, Author at Winervana

February 28, 2025

Beau Vigne Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Beau Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Beau Vigne, pronounced “bo-veenya” and meaning “beautiful vineyard” in French, is a boutique winery located in Napa Valley, California. Founded in 1999 by Napa native Ed Snider and his wife Trish, with its first vintage release in 2002, the winery has established a reputation for producing exceptional wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Snider family’s connection to Napa Valley dates back to 1913 when Ed’s grandfather, Martin Garzoli, a Swiss-Italian immigrant, settled in the region. Garzoli was involved in winemaking and ranching in the Carneros area, laying the foundation for the family’s future in viticulture.

Beau Vigne’s estate vineyard, known as Stags Ridge, is situated within the Atlas Peak AVA, accessible via Soda Canyon Road. This high-elevation site, approximately 1,400 feet above Napa Valley, is characterized by volcanic soils, contributing to the distinctive qualities of their wines.

In its early years, Beau Vigne collaborated with notable winemakers to craft its wines. Dave Phinney, the founding winemaker, aimed to create red wines that could compete with the world’s finest. [Phinney went on to fame and fortune with his Orin Swift Wine Company and the overrated The Prisoner.] This vision was furthered by winemaker Kirk Venge, who joined in 2008 and led the winery to achieve a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

Continue reading “Beau Vigne Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2019”

February 28, 2025

Anchored Roots Savignon Blanc 2022

Anchored Roots Savignon Blanc 2022

Eric and Amy Gale are the owners and sole full-time employees of Anchored Roots, Door County, Wisconsin’s newest winery, founded in 2020.

The couple make an ideal front-of-house/back-of-house duo. Amy grew up in Milwaukee, with hospitality at the forefront of her career path. Her initial focus was event planning, from non-profit fundraisers and catering, to corporate events and weddings. This was followed by experience in tasting room management at Airfield Estates in Prosser, Washington.

Eric was born and raised in Luxemburg, Wisconsin. Perhaps predictably, while he was growing up he worked summers at a neighbor’s 60-head dairy farm. However, his academic bent led him to a Bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. He then pursued a Masters in Viticulture at Washington State University. After graduation, he landed a job at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington state’s oldest winery. His primary responsibility was overseeing the Cold Creek vineyard, Ste. Michelle’s first, originally planted in 1972.

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February 26, 2025February 27, 2025

Lanson Le Rosé NV

Lanson Le Rosé NV

Lanson Le Rosé is a signature rosé Champagne from Maison Lanson, one of the oldest Champagne houses in France. Lanson’s tradition of crafting high-quality rosé Champagne dates back over a century, making it one of the pioneers in this category.

Lanson was founded in 1760 in Reims, France, by François Delamotte, making it the sixth oldest Champagne house, initially operating under the name Maison Delamotte.

In 1798, Nicolas-Louis Delamotte, son of François, took over and partnered with Jean-Baptiste Lanson, a friend of the family.
In 1837, the company was renamed Lanson, Père et Fils to honor Jean-Baptiste Lanson’s contribution. That same year, Maison Lanson adopted the Maltese Cross as its emblem, in tribute to the son of the house’s founder, a member of the Hospitaller Order of Malta.

The first Lanson Rosé was created in 1833. On December 4, 1900, Maison Lanson received the Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, the prestigious patent awarded by the British monarch to suppliers to the Royal Court of England. Lanson was one of the first Champagne houses to be awarded this distinction, and continues to hold it today. The house maintains a strong focus on traditional methods, avoiding malolactic fermentation, which preserves the Champagne’s fresh and crisp style.

Lanson was also the first Champagne house to introduce the concept of “brut” Champagne, a drier style of sparkling wine.

The brand survived World Wars I and II, despite challenges such as vineyard destruction and economic downturns.

In 1972, Lanson introduced its prestigious “Noble Cuvée”, a high-end vintage Champagne. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Lanson continued its global expansion, particularly in the United States and Asia. In 1990, Lanson was acquired by the Groupe Marne et Champagne. In 1996, the brand was sold to Boizel Chanoine Champagne Group (BCC), now known as Lanson-BCC Group, which revitalized the house while maintaining its heritage. Continue reading “Lanson Le Rosé NV”

February 25, 2025February 25, 2025

Medici Ermete Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco 2022

Medici Ermete Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco 2022

Nestled along the Via Emilia, a historic trade route that winds through the heart of Emilia-Romagna, the Medici family’s journey into winemaking began in 1890. Remigio Medici, a successful tavern owner, was determined to make the most of the family’s vineyards, which stretched from the Via Emilia to the foothills of the Enza valley. What started as a small winery soon became a thriving family business.

Remigio’s son, Ermete, took the reins of the business and quickly expanded it. Ermete’s sons, Valter and Giorgio, carried the torch forward and were pivotal in broadening the winery’s reach, especially through exports, thus marking the start of the family’s international presence.

By the 1970s, Lambrusco, an iconic sparkling red wine from the Emilia-Romagna region, was experiencing a boom in the United States. Alongside Chianti, Lambrusco was one of the first Italian wines to be exported abroad, gaining widespread popularity.

Continue reading “Medici Ermete Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco 2022”

February 23, 2025February 25, 2025

Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé 2016

Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé 2016

Louis Roederer [Road-ur-ur], a distinguished champagne producer situated in Reims, France, traces its origins back to 1776, when it began as Dubois Père & Fils. While its early days were marked by still wine production, the focus soon evolved to embrace the art of crafting fine champagnes. The business underwent a transformation under the stewardship of Louis Roederer in 1833 when he not only inherited but also renamed the company for himself. He boldly ventured into international markets, focusing particularly on Russia. This endeavor gained him immense recognition, including from Tsar Nicolas II, who appointed Louis Roederer as the official wine provider to the Imperial Court of Russia.

Created in 1876, the wine made for Nicolas’ grandfather, Alexander II, was the first Cuvée de Prestige (Prestige Cuvée) of Champagne and is called Cristal, referring to the unusual clear glass of the bottle. The Tsar had pointed out to his sommelier that the design of a standard champagne bottle made the beautiful color and effervescence of champagne invisible to the eye. He therefore instructed Roederer that his personal cuvée be served in bottles made of transparent crystal glass with a flat bottom (allegedly to foil the insertion of explosives in the indentation by would-be assassins) to remedy this defect. Thus was Cristal born, and the first notion of a premium cuvée. For more than a century, the appearance of the patented Cristal bottle has remained unchanged. After the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917, Roederer decided to continue producing Cristal and to market it internationally, and it remains one of the world’s most sought-after champagnes in the world.

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January 28, 2025February 25, 2025

Austin Hope Rhone Blend 2021

Austin Hope Rhone Blend 2021

Chuck Hope and his wife Marlyn came to Paso Robles in California’s Central Coast in 1978 to farm, and eventually to start what would become Hope Family Wines. This early arrival put them on the forefront of the Central Coast becoming a world-class viticultural region. Initially, the Hopes planted apples and grapes in this then sparsely-populated area. Seeing the property’s potential for grape growing, Hope eventually replanted the apple orchards with grapes.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Hope family grew grapes for various wine producers. In the 1980s, the Wagner family, owners of Napa Valley’s Caymus Vineyards, turned to the Hope family to source Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for their Liberty School label. Thus began a long-lasting partnership between the two families.

Since that beginning, in Paso Robles specifically and throughout the region generally, Hope Family Wines has built long-standing relationships with over 50 growers. They coordinate with farmers to carefully limit crop yields to ensure concentrated flavors.

In 1996,the Hopes acquired Liberty School from the Wagners. Also in 1996, they launched Treana Winery with Chris Phelps serving as winemaker. Continue reading “Austin Hope Rhone Blend 2021”

January 21, 2025February 25, 2025

C.L. Butaud Desert Willow Mourvèdre 2021

C.L. Butaud Desert Willow Mourvèdre 2021

Texas isn’t the first place that comes to mind when most people think about wine, especially “serious” high-quality wine. And yet, Texas is fifth in the nation in both wine production and consumption. The history of grape growing in the state goes back at least to the 1660s, when Franciscan monks planted Mission grapes adjacent to their missions.* Today, Texas is home to a number of American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs; the two most prominent are the Texas High Plains AVA around Lubbock in northwestern Texas, and the Texas Hill Country AVA in central Texas west of Austin.

In his 20s, Texas native Randy Hester left a frustrating career in Psychology and adolescent mental health, and began to search for his next path in life. His first real exposure to the world of wine came during his years in restaurant management, where he discovered he had a naturally talented palate. Randy eventually moved into wine sales and distribution where he became intrigued with winemaking, and felt compelled to create his own. Continue reading “C.L. Butaud Desert Willow Mourvèdre 2021”

January 15, 2025February 25, 2025

Ulysses 2020

Ulysses 2020

Charles Hopper first planted what is now known as the Missouri Hopper Vineyard (named for his daughter rather than the state) in 1873 in what is now Oakville, California. The parcel for this vineyard was purchased from George Yount. Now owned by the Beckstoffer family, a part of the original Missouri Hopper vineyard is used to produce Ulysses, a wine from Christian Moueix, a French wine maker famous for Petrus in France and Dominus in the U.S., as well as several other top wines from the region today.

Christian Moueix is one of the few winemakers to produce classic wines in both the old and new worlds, and he is also one of the most well-known. The son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, a Bordeaux wine merchant, he was born in Libourne, France in 1946. After completing his agricultural engineering studies in Paris and graduate studies in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis in 1968-69, he joined his father’s company in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, and in 1991 became its president. He oversaw the legendary Chateau Petrus for 38 years, ending with the 2008 vintage. Continue reading “Ulysses 2020”

January 11, 2025February 25, 2025

C.L. Butaud Farmhouse Tempranillo 2021

C.L. Butaud Farmhouse Vineyards Tempranillo 2021 Click here for tasting notes.

C.L. Butaud Farmhouse Tempranillo 2021

January 9, 2025February 25, 2025

C.L. Butaud Cease & Desist Red Wine Blend 2021

C.L. Butaud Cease & Desist Red Wine Blend 2021

January 9, 2025February 25, 2025

C.L. Butaud Blanc de Noir 2023

C.L. Butaud Blanc de Noir 2023

December 13, 2024February 25, 2025

Lombardi Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022

Lombardi Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022

Tony Lombardi was born into a family of small business owners, and grew up in Sonoma County. His first job in the wine business came in 1998 when he joined the hospitality team at Clos Du Bois Winery, located in Geyserville, California.

From 2001 to 2013, Lombardi held senior leadership positions in marketing, public relations, and sales for such companies as Allied Domecq Wines, Beam Wine Estates, J Vineyards & Winery, Ascentia Wine Estates, and Kosta Browne Winery.

In partnership with his wife Christine, Lombardi founded Lombardi Wines in 2013 with a barrel of Chardonnay and a barrel of Pinot Noir. He describes himself as a storyteller/connector at heart, and loves to tell the unique and interesting personal stories of Sonoma and Napa wineries and winemakers, and connect them and their wines to people across the country. As part of that effort, he was encouraged to take the leap of faith in creating his own label from his former employers Dan Kosta and Michael Browne. They told him, “We did it, so should you!”

Lombardi hired Cabell Coursey in 2015 to be his winemaker and viticulturist/grower relations manager after he had held those jobs for three years at Kosta Browne. Coursey also toils at his own winery, Coursey Graves. Prior to those efforts, he was the winemaker with Andy Smith at Dumol. Well traveled, he has made wines all over the world, including Burgundy, New Zealand, Oregon, and California. Continue reading “Lombardi Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022”

December 10, 2024February 25, 2025

HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Kathryn Walt Hall has a most impressive resume. To touch on just a few of the high points, she is the proprietor of HALL Wines and WALT Wines [family businesses she has been involved with for over thirty years], was assistant city attorney in Berkeley, California, worked as an attorney and businesswoman in Dallas, Texas, and has served on numerous non-profit and institutional boards, with an emphasis on issues related to social care and mental health. From 1997 to July 2001, Ms. Hall served as the United States Ambassador to Austria. In the midst of this, together with her husband Craig she has raised four children.

HALL wines hail from five estate vineyards: Sacrashe (Rutherford), Bergfeld (St. Helena), Hardester (Napa Valley), Atlas Peak Estate, (Atlas Peak), and T Bar T Ranch (Alexander Valley). From these 500 acres come classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. In each vineyard, small-vine farming is employed to produce low-yield, high-concentration fruit.

Continue reading “HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019”

December 9, 2024February 25, 2025

Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Kathryn Walt Hall has a most impressive curriculum vitae. To touch on just a few of the high points, she is the proprietor of HALL Wines and WALT Wines [family businesses she has been involved with for over thirty years], was assistant city attorney in Berkeley, California, worked as an attorney and businesswoman in Dallas, Texas, and has served on numerous non-profit and institutional boards, with an emphasis on issues related to social care and mental health. From 1997 to July 2001, Ms. Hall served as the United States Ambassador to Austria. In the midst of this, together with her husband Craig she has raised four children.

Continue reading ” Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012″

December 9, 2024February 25, 2025

HALL T Bar T Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2012

HALL T Bar T Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Continue reading “HALL T Bar T Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2012”