|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Sign In / Register |
|
|
The winery was originally sold by Beringer to the current owners, Gerret & Tatiana Copeland and partners. There are two lines of thought in regards to the name of the winery. The first was well thought out; Bouchaine has a couple of meanings in French, however in this case it is French for the name of the person that puts corks into wines after they are bottled; the second connotation was a bit more rushed! After the sale of the winery in 1981, the owners headed out of town and their lawyer needed to come up with a name quickly and was looking for something French, so he chose his wife's maiden name of Bouchaine. Their total acreage on the estate is about 104 acres planted mostly to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They do source some of their fruit from the Sonoma Coast and the more northerly Anderson Valley. Their estate is among the southern most vineyards in the Carneros, putting them very close to the moderating effects of the Bay. In addition they are among the highest vineyards in the Carneros - in a region that for the most part is fairly close to sea level. Need a break from the up valley big bold Cabernet Sauvignons? Being a Carneros based winery, two of their most produced wines are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and they do an excellent job on both of these varietals. As Bouchaine says, "Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of wines, but Pinot Noir is the wine of kings." Nice! They make two of their estate Chardonnays in different styles, so you can get a real feel for how the actual winemaking style can affect the flavor and aroma - one see's no oak during fermentation with no malolactic fermentation and the is aged in oak and undergoes partial ML. A number of their limited production wines are only available at the winery and through their wine club. A couple of these we thoroughly enjoyed were the Mariafeld Pinot Noir (you won't even see this listed on their website), their Estate Pinot and the Pinot Meunier (a cousin of Pinot Noir). We've come across this varietal maybe 3 or 4 times in Napa as it is not commonly produced - their 2006 version has bright fruit and lively acidity. It is full of floral and fruit characteristics on the bouquet followed by a palate that drinks like an elegant Pinot Noir (rich in raspberry, chocolate & spice). Also try the Pinot Gris - the 2007 vintage has a nice gold color with a somewhat gravelly very fruit forward nose with some citrus notes on the palate. This pairs very well with shellfish. If you like dessert wine they make a very nice Bource d'Or (translates to Taste of Gold) from Chardonnay grapes. We sampled their 2007 vintage; it is decidedly amber in color, and strikes a nice balance between the flavors of honey and sugar. With a residual sugar of 19%, yes this wine is very sweet, but it is not so high in alcohol - only 11%. It is always refreshing to find a dessert wine with lower alcohol. Stone fruit and minerality nuances are found in the bouquet, with lots of peach, and honey notes on the palate - however the finish doesn't grip and never lets you go like some cloyingly sweet dessert wines, rather it is smooth and quite well balanced. Their current winemaker has over 30 years experience producing high quality Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. He was also the founder of nearby Acacia Winery. Think of the two C's when discussing the best places for bike riding in Napa - Calistoga to the extreme north in the Valley and Carneros to the south. Bouchaine is one of the most bike friendly wineries in Napa; often bikers will stop by on there own or through with one of the many local bike tour companies. Bouchaine is certainly available for bike groups as there is a large lawn and tent setup (when weather permits) behind the tasting room as well as deck seating. Most Napa wineries who have built "long games" into their grounds build Bocce Ball courts - not so with Bouchaine. Look for the fun horseshoe pit in the back! The tasting room staff is very friendly and helpful. In 2008 the tasting room was totally remodeled and now shows wonderfully. In the mood for hiking? Bouchaine has set up a unique 7/10ths of a mile, self guided vineyard walk, highlighted by 14 different stops. Not a bad way to work up a thirst by any means and plus, it is an educational tour as well. Be sure to pick up the "vineyard walk" brochure from their tasting room before you start. Several stops on the tour afford one very good views of the Carneros district, the Napa River and the San Pablo Bay. Biking, or want to have lunch here - ask about their Table for Two picnic basket service. Visit: www.bouchaine.com |
 |
|
|||||
Comments (0)Sort Comments by:
Oldest First |
Newest First
No comments found.
|
|||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
||
|
|
||||||
