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The winery is located at about 1500 feet in elevation and this area is far enough to the south that it still receives the moderating influences from the San Pablo Bay. As a result the growing season is usually a long one. Because of their location the vine growth is generally behind the valley floor; this can be a good thing especially during late season rains when their vines have not yet gone into flower. Kenzo Estate is the brainchild of Mr. Kenzo Tsujimoto - businessman and CEO of the Japanese video-game publisher Capcom Co. (this company is most known for creating games such as Resident Evil and early arcade games). Mr. Tsujimoto's model for the winery experience is refreshing; showcase luxury wines and luxury experiences in a welcoming setting at affordable prices. Word has gotten out; despite recently opening there were already a number of people enjoying the various tastings. Mr. Tsujimoto has traveled the world and has enjoyed wine for many years. He visited Napa numerous times before acquiring this piece of property in 1990. Prior to his ownership the land served as an equestrian center and incidentally in 1984 the Olympic US Polo team trained here. The property was originally planted to vines in 1998 and the first vintage was released in 2005. With 4000 hillside acres you won't see vines planted on the entire property. Only 70 acres are currently planted at the time of this review with another 30 acres being developed later in the year. Flat land is at a premium here - the terrain is mostly rolling hillsides with lots of native vegetation. Due to the elevation and deep aquifers wells had to be drilled down over 700 feet! Architect Howard Backen has certainly left his mark on various high-end properties within the Napa Valley including Kenzo Estate. His works tend to blend in with the surrounding environment and he uses a lot of earth tones and dark wood in his architecture. He has worked on a number of exclusive wineries in Napa including Harlan and Dana estates. Kenzo employs both a dream team in the winery and vineyard - Heidi Petersen Barrett is the winemaker and David Abreu is the vineyard manager. A 20,000 foot cave has been built into the hillside - its been designed with the winemaking team in mind and is extremely functional from the wide tunnels to having all the extra square footage so barrels can line the walls without having to be stacked on top of each other. There are a few Napa wineries and or producers who will pair food with their wines but its rare to find a partnership like the one Kenzo has with chef, Thomas Keller. Kenzo has partnered with Mr. Keller (French Laundry, Bouchon, Ad Hoc etc) to offer a Bouchon prepared lunch and small plates: sandwiches, salads, charcuteries and other tasty delectable's with their wines. This experience is certainly one of the highlights of visiting the estate. Kenzo produces one white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc. The 2008 Asatsuyu (meaning "morning dew" in Japanese) shows more citrus notes rather than tropical characteristics although hints of Passion fruit show on the bouquet as this wine opens up. Notes of grapefruit and lime continue from the bouquet with some interesting mineralities. Sometimes this varietal with its citrusy characteristics can be too tart or "green" on its own but this wine doesn't have those aspects and actually has a rather rounded mouth feel. This wine does not see any malolactic fermentation. Many of Heidi Peterson Barrett's red wines for her clients are priced above $100; the "signature wine" from Kenzo Estate, the Rindo is not. This wine is a red blend usually with about a 1/3 of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 2006 shows a dusty almost earthy nose in which similar characteristics show up somewhat on the finish. The tannins are balanced and linger for some time. The 2006 Murasaki (meaning "purple" in Japanese - a proprietary red blend) is our favorite. It sees slightly more new French Oak then the Rindo and longer aging. The bouquet reveals elegant notes of mocha powder some of which show up on the finish. This wine has great balance and acid management - it has structure and good flavor (mostly darker fruits). The 2006 Ai Cabernet Sauvignon is named after the Japanese art of creating indigo dye...appropriately named for the wine's dark color. This is Kenzo's "show wine", their boldest wine in the portfolio, a wine meant for aging. It is a big wine, with tons of layers, flavors and structure. The bouquet initially shows an herbal note, dustiness and a bit of cigar smoke. Spices, black pepper and black fruit follow on the palate. Kenzo Estate has some distribution in Japan and at select restaurants in California including Thomas Keller's but for the most part the wine sales are conducted directly through the winery. Allow at least 20 minutes to the winery from the Silverado Trail. For more information visit: www.kenzoestate.com or the Japanese version: www.kenzoestate.jp/ |
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