Monsieur Eric H. It is amazing how different the Petaluma Gap is from Carneros, even with the similar soil types. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow so you can taste through the 2007 efforts out of barrel!

“far-less deserving wineries placed in the kingdom of Napa Valley”? Sounds a little neener-neener to me but I do not take it personally - I am enjoying wines from everywhere, my ‘expertise’ comes from watching the industry grow over the past 30 years from inside Napa Valley.

happy sipping

Regarding Napa. I never said anything about the price– which is a function of demand (though since we are on the topic I certainly think there are better deals to be found than many Napa Cabernet’s currently available). I was making a comment about variation in flavor profile and stylistic difference, of which I would contend there is relatively little. The wines which are accepted by critics, and via trickle-down, by the public are wines that meet a certain profile. This is the reason why a Cabernet still in the 12% alcohol range is rarely seen anymore, why American oak has generally been pushed to the side, etc. etc. Not being a fan of American oak I have no problem with that, but, I think that people like Bob Travers at Mayacamas, Cathy Corison, and Randy Dunn should be lauded for flying in the face of convention regarding “physiological maturity,” risking economic repercussions, and making wine of greater elegance and lower alcohol. My point is that the relatively small geographic area encompassed by Napa Valley, along with an “accepted” style of wine, makes for a very limited range in flavor profile. I am not saying that there are a number of amazing wines coming from Napa, but I am saying that there are a lot of really boring wines also being made.

Cabernet also has a limited area in which it makes excellent wines. It is not geographically accepting. Syrah and Zinfandel for instance, make unique and interesting wines everywhere from the Amador foothills, Mendocino, Paso Robles to Sonoma, and as such make a better mirror for the uniqueness of a given terroir.

My other comment about Napa was regarding Syrah being made there. I think the wines I mentioned are very good wines. I also think there are examples of Syrah that are just as good, if not better, being made throughout the state that have yet to be commercially “discovered” by a broad range of consumers. I am sure that this is because moving from Napa Cabernet to Napa Syrah is an easier bridge to cross, mentally and organoleptically, than going from Napa Cabernet to Yorkville Highlands or Chalone Syrah. Producers of Syrah made outside of Napa need to figure out a way to increase people’s awareness of Syrah more generally.

Somehow Syrah needs to stop being a hand-sell, but a go-to varietal.