THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605230057
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F7 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: HUMBLE STEWARD
SOURCE: JIM RAPER
LENGTH: 85 lines
IT IS MY practice to recommend wines, not wineries.
The 1994 chardonnay of Chateau Sip-a-lot may be delicious and deserve a fine review. But it is quite possible that the Chateau's other wines are not as good. A glowing write-up about the 1994 chardonnay should not be read as an endorsement of the winery's other varietals, or even of the previous year's chardonnay.
The fact remains, however, that just one stellar vintage of a hot varietal can garner headlines for a winery, while a steady producer of very good wines is all but ignored by the critics.
So, once in a while, I devote a column to those steady wineries, to the labels that tend to be trustworthy no matter what variety or vintage is in the bottle.
None of the four wineries I will name is likely to collect a ``wine of the year'' award anytime soon, but each has done a lot of things right during the '90s.
It is no coincidence, I believe, that each of the four owns or controls vast vineyards, giving them reliable supplies of top-notch grapes.
Here are the four:
Raymond Vineyard and Cellar - Roy Raymond Sr. married into the Beringer family and made wine for decades at Beringer Vineyards in the Napa Valley. But in 1970 he and two sons, who also had worked for Beringer, secured their own Napa tract and soon were producing Raymond wines.
The winery enjoyed a good reputation from day one. During the past few years, however, it has jumped a notch or two in size and stature. Improvements and vineyard expansion costing about $12 million were completed recently. (The winery is now co-owned by the Raymonds and a Japanese beverage company.)
Raymond chardonnays, cabernet sauvignons and sauvignon blancs from Napa Valley have been consistently fine in recent years and good values at from $9 to $14. The Raymond Amberhill California Selection Chardonnay and, more recently, the Amberhill Cabernet Sauvignon, have impressed me as varietals costing less than $10 (sometimes discounted to as low as $8).
Just now, Raymond is shaking up its lineup. Four tiers of products will emerge: the inexpensive Amberhill varietals; Raymond Estates Chardonnay from Monterey and Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley (about $12 each); Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay ($14), Cabernet Sauvignon ($17), Merlot ($17), Pinot Noir ($17) and Sauvignon Blanc ($10); and, finally, the Raymond Generation Chardonnay, Cabernet and red Meritage ($20-$45).
Preston Vineyards - Lou Preston bought a large ranch in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley in the early 1970s with the idea that he would be a grape grower. But he got the winemaking itch as well, and wine drinkers are better off for it.
This seems to be a winery anchored by the owner's integrity. I can't imagine Lou Preston sending weak or adulterated wines into the marketplace. Almost all of his wine is made from estate grapes, which are grown with an emphasis on natural, non-chemical viticulture.
The Preston Rhone-type Syrah, Viognier and Marsanne are pricey ($16-$25), but of good quality. The 1990, 1991 and 1992 Syrahs were especially complex and delicious.
The Cuvee de Fume (a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and chenin blanc) has been a consistent performer in the $10-$12 price category. The winery's best value is the Gamay Beaujolais ($9). Look for the 1994 or 1995 vintage of this fresh, spicey red.
J. Lohr Winery - Jerry Lohr, whose day job is as a custom home builder, started this winery in Santa Clara County in the early 1970s, and has grown it into a huge operation with vineyards in several regions of California.
I have drunk quite a bit of the J. Lohr Gamay ``Wild Flower'' ($8) and Chardonnay Cypress ($9) from the 1991-1994 vintages. These are well-made wines, complex for the price range.
A recent issue of ``Wine Spectator'' listed four J. Lohr wines among its ``Top 100 Values'': 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Seven Oaks ($12), 1993 Merlot California Cypress ($10), 1994 Chardonnay Monterey Riverstone ($12) and 1993 Chardonnay California Cypress ($9).
The winery also produces the Ariel line of non-alcoholic wines.
Chateau Souverain - This winery has a history of uneven performance, but it sure has gotten my attention during the past couple of years. Regular readers of my column might remember several favorable reviews of Souverain wines.
The 1994 Chardonnay Sonoma ($12) is a delightful wine for the money, and the highest rated chardonnay in the Wine Spectator list of ``Top 100 Values.'' Also making the list were the 1993 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley ($10), a powerful red, and the 1994 Sauvignon Blanc Alexander Valley Barrel Fermented ($8), a crisp, not too oaky example of the variety.
Worth a try, as well, is the 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley ($13), which has a core of blackberry fruit and attendant flavors of coffee and vanilla.
Chateau Souverain is owned by Nestle's Wine World, which also owns four other pretty good wineries - Beringer, Napa Ridge, Chateau St. Jean and Meridian. by CNB