Hello again my friends, Isn't it supposed to be Summer? I for one am getting a wee bit tired of the constant precipitation. The Grape Vines NEED SUN!! I managed to slog my way to visit the only winery and tasting room in Downtown Napa, and it's a winner! VINOCE (which means "wine nut" in Italian divided by German) Winery is our subject today and you get 2 wineries in one! Vinoce produces a Sauv Blanc, a Mount Veeder Estate blend, and a reserve Cab Sauv. Their other label, Twenty Rows, produces a Sauv Blanc, a Napa Valley Merlot, a Napa Valley Cab Sauv, and THE GRAPPLER. We'll just call everything Vinoce until I get to tasting info, to make things easier on me.
The Nuss family, Brian, Lori, and son Tim planted their Mt Veeder Estate in 1989 and began producing Vinoce in 1996. They started Twenty Rows in 2003 to bring to market a quality affordable wine for everyday drinking. Twice they won Best Cab for $20 and under and I have to give them a lot of credit for staying the course and continuing to produce excellent, yet affordable wines. The tastings are usually handled by Tim or Lori in the barrel room, or you can do a sit down in the foyer. This is a great place to sit down, relax and enjoy the people, wine, and pleasant atmosphere they provide. Now let's talk about the wines!
2009 Vinoce Sauv Blanc - $22 btl/1200 cases - a very rich SB with melon and grapefruit tones and easy to drink.
2009 Twenty Rows Merlot - $20 btl/2000 cases - Spring Mountain and Oakville grapes this Merlot sports a nice blueberry and spice nose, slight smoky chocolate mouth with a soft finish.
2009 THE GRAPPLER - $20 btl/800 cases - 75% Napa Valley Zinfandel/25% Amador (Sierra Foothills) Syrah blend. Powerful ripe spicy cherry with tobacco hints and full mouth feel. Lingering dark fruit finish with a touch of raspberry. This wine smacks you right in the kisser and doesn't let go! I Like It!!! A definite for my top wines under $20 list(coming in September) and a great value. I'm buying a case.
2009 Twenty Rows Cab Sauv - $20 btl/10,000 cases - 90% Mt Veeder and Yountville Cab, with 10% Oak Knoll Merlot. Light tannins with luscious dark fruit notes. Very accessible, enjoyable Cabernet.
2007 Vinoce Mount Veeder Estate - $60 btl/450 cases - a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Merlot. Has a cornucopia of flavors! Dark berry, mineral, and cedar all well integrated. Beautiful texture and lingering finish. Will age well.
2007 Vinoce Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $75 btl/120 cases - 90% Cab Sauv, 5% Cab Franc, and 5% Merlot. Great nose dark fruit, chocolate, and tobacco. Medium tannins. Great flavors but still a little tight. I would drink 2014 thru 2020.
What more can I say? A great wine tour stop with outstanding affordable wines and hand crafted family Estate wines. Lou highly recommends you check this place out!! Check out their websites: www.vinoce.com and www.twentyrows.com
Lou
