Hourglass Winery Napa Valley Wine Tasting With Special Guest Winemaker Tony Biagi Thursday, March 26th 7:30pm
"The road to great wine is littered with beer bottles." - Unknown but probably a great winemaker or two has said this…
Speaking of great winemakers we have Tony Biagi from Hourglass Winery coming to town on Thursday, March 26th. I remember meeting Tony serval years ago when he was working at Plumpjack Winery and I love his story about working in the retail business before becoming a winemaker. You need to know what great wines taste like to make them and there is no better place to get that experience than working as a sommelier in a restaurant or working for a top retail establishment.
The only reason I need to put any wine tasting on the calendar is because I want to drink the wines and we have been following Hourglass Winery since they came on the scene with the 1997 vintage. Tonight, we will be serving seven current releases from Hourglass Winery and a special dinner to compliment the amazing 2023 vintage red wines of Napa Valley.
I was just out at Premier Napa Valley a few weeks ago and I still have the taste of the 2023 vintage wines in my mouth, they were all outstanding. The 2024 vintages wines were excellent as well but you noticed a difference with the 2023’s as they have an incredible amount of ripe luscious fruit, forward and seductive but they have the depth and complexity to last for decades in your cellar. They are going through their baby fat stage right now and like most great vintages may close down for a bit in a year or so. The best time to check these youngsters out from 2023 is right now, it is amazing how great they taste for such young wines.
It was great to catch up with tony at a few of the events for Premier Napa Valley and we look forward to having him at the Wine Bar for the first time in a few weeks. The fee for this tasting which includes dinner and gratuity is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Hourglass Winery Napa Valley Wine Tasting
With Special Guest Winemaker Tony Biagi
Thursday, March 26th
7:30pm
2024 Hourglass Sauvignon Blanc Napa
2023 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Blend Napa
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon HGIII Napa
2023 Hourglass Merlot Blueline Vineyard Napa
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Franc Blueline Estate Napa
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate Napa
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa
Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad with Fontodi Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic
Seared NY Sirloin with Blue Cheese Au Gratin Potato and Cabernet Natural Sauce
Chocolate Torte
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner and gratuity is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.
A bit about Hourglass Winery:
The idea of Hourglass was born from a place, yet ultimately would become a journey of human discovery. The interplay of terroir and artistic intention yields wines of unique personality that possess an intriguing dialectic: rich with layers of concentration yet vibrant with a tensional edge; classically structured yet silky in texture; unquestionably modern but with traditional stripes.
So how does that come about?
Tony Biagi is a postmodernist, in life and how he applies his craft as a winemaker. Among his many unique talents is his ability to synthesize traditional techniques with cutting-edge theory—a classicist/modernist yin and yang. He approaches winemaking as an artist informed by science, accepting there is certain alchemy in winemaking that may never be fully understood.
Tony explains, “Think of making wine as assembling a complex puzzle, and each puzzle piece has a synergistic response to the other. Change any one of the pieces and you change the entire picture. We want the picture to have particular focal points and counterpoints. Within each vintage, we make minute decisions in our farming and winemaking based on the differences each year brings—shaping each puzzle piece—to give us the most vivid, multidimensional picture: with our Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, a pure black fruit piece for depth, a tangy acid piece for lift, a color piece to fit with a tannin piece to influence refined structure; one to smooth texture, one for length, one for aromatics, and so on…Then, we go about marrying the individual pieces together as early as we can and give them 22 months in French Oak, allowing them to integrate into a whole.”
As demonstrated in his debut 2012 vintage with Hourglass, Tony approaches the puzzle from the center, building his wines from the inside out. He first establishes a classic structural core, using the most cutting-edge means possible to encourage tannin and color to bond in a tight weave. “That tannin/color relationship is critical to everything else we do; we go to great lengths in our vineyard practices, maceration protocols and cellar procedures to encourage that,” he explains. Once the weave is refined, Tony builds mouthfeel around it with layers of silky textural depth, emphasizing the purity of fruit expression. “I want my wines to be rich, but if that’s all they are they become one dimensional and monotonous,” he outlines. To that end, Tony wires richness against acidity and minerality, bringing energy into the equation. This counterpoise results in a sum that is alive on the palate while deep in concentration.
Meeting through a tasting group of Napa’s most promising young winemakers, Jeff and Tony discovered a synergy of ideas and quickly developed a “mutual mentorship” as they call it. “We both had 20 years under our belt and had followed the pendulum swing of ripeness Napa experienced. We have learned a great deal in the process and have very clear ideas about what we want to retain and what we want to refine,” Jeff notes.
Jeff continues by pointing out, “We’re in a refinement phase of what we started some 20 years ago. Our objective is to farm to very precise moments when grape chemistry is in balance. The goal is not to chase some mythical ideal of a vineyard’s ‘ultimate expression of terroir,’ as if that occurs magically. The objective is to find our ultimate expression of that vineyard. Terroir is real, but it’s subject to interpretation. We drive to find a balancing point where the vineyard delivers the dialectic puzzle pieces we are looking for. If we get that right, Tony has what he needs to work his magic.”
Tony Biagi (winemaker of the year 2020 Vinous Media)
“I am fortunate to have the opportunity to taste with talented winemakers all over the world. This year, one person stands out. Tony Biagi is not only gifted as a winemaker, he also has a talent for mentoring young, emerging winemakers.
Biagi has made a meaningful difference everywhere he has been. An early stint in retail in the mid-1990s provided an opportunity to taste the first generation of cult wines just as they were getting started. Internships at Dry Creek and Hess led to a full-time job at Duckhorn, when it was still a relatively small winery. “That was my first experience working with world-class vineyards,” Biagi told me. “We sourced from Vine Hill Ranch, Spottswoode, Oakville Ranch, J.J. Cohn and other top sites.” Stops at Paraduxx and Neal Family Vineyards followed.
I first met Biagi around 2011 at PlumpJack, where he was making bold, luscious wines. A year later Biagi was looking for a role where he could also make wine on his own, so he went to Hourglass, but not before putting the pieces in place for a smooth transition at the three wineries in the PlumpJack group and staying on as a consultant for several years. Biagi took over Hourglass, which was stylistically adrift at the time, and brought a clear identity to those wines. Biagi then launched his own label, Patria, in 2013 in partnership with Kimberly Jones, one of the most respected distributors in California. The first few vintages have been positively stellar.
Quietly and very much behind the scenes, Biagi consulted as Clos du Val moved away from an emphasis on volume towards a greater focus on quality under winemaker Ted Henry. The change in the wines was dramatic and sudden. Sinegal was next, where Biagi worked alongside winemaker Ryan Knoth to help the estate get off the ground. Other recent projects include Amici with winemaker Jesse Fox, Lasseter with winemaker Danielle Langlois and Alma Rosa with winemaker Samra Morris. In every one of these cases, Biagi has provided guidance, but always pushed his protégés into the spotlight and given them all the credit. In today’s world, that is exceedingly rare. In a relatively new role as winemaker at The Vineyardist, Biagi has ushered in small but noticeable refinements to wines that were already superb. For all these reasons, Tony Biagi is my Winemaker of the Year for 2020.” Vinous Media
All the Wines from Hourglass Winery in the store on SALE!!
2023 Hourglass Merlot Blueline Vineyard Napa
Price: $85.00 Your Price: $74.80
A powerhouse vintage, the 2023 Blueline Estate Merlot is intense, dark and brooding. Aromas of ripe dark plum and red cherry intertwine with savory notes of black olive tapenade, hoisin, mandarin orange peel and leafy herbs. The fruit deepens and intensifies through the mid-palate, finishing with darker notes of black sour cherry and crème de cassis. Seamless from start to finish, the expansive, weighted, and rich texture counters with natural acidity, supple tannins, and Blueline’s vibrant minerality.
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Franc Blueline Estate Napa
Price: $159.00 Your Price: $139.92
(95-97 Points) Offering up faint herbal nuances and hints of tobacco leaf, the 2023 Cabernet Franc Blueline Estate folds in expressive notes of black cherries and raspberries. It's medium- to full-bodied, nicely smooth and structured, with excellent length and dusty tannins on the lingering finish. The prospective blend I was shown was 88% Cabernet Franc and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Balanced and complex, it should drink well for at least two decades. Wine Advocate
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate Napa
Price: $142.50 Your Price: $125.40
(96 points) Ultra-classic and lights-out good, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate is based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 5% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec, aged for 22 months in 80% new French oak. Red and black fruits, spicy wood, tobacco, and savory herb and chocolate nuances all emerge from this beauty, which is medium to full-bodied, balanced, has fine tannins, and a great finish. It does everything right and is well worth your time and money. There are roughly 990 cases produced. Drink bottles any time over the coming 15-20 years. Drink 2025-2045. Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2025)
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa
Price: $217.50 Your Price: $191.40
(96-98 Points) From the original home of Hourglass—a four-acre parcel just east of Highway 29 that's overlooked by Tychson Hill—the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate sings with exotic cherry and stone fruit elements, delicate florals and a hint of vanilla. It's full-bodied and firmly tannic but ripe and just needs a bit more time before it reaches its full potential. Wine Advocate
2023 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon HGIII Napa
Price: $52.50 Your Price: $46.20
The 2023 vintage of HGIII offers a bold yet refined expression of its signature blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah. Aromas of ripe boysenberry, fig compote, and berry jam are lifted by floral notes of geranium, accented with fennel and a touch of licorice. On the palate, bright, youthful tannins frame a rich core of dark fruit, balanced by savory nuances of baker’s chocolate and coconut macaroon. Aging in a precise mix of new and seasoned barrels adds structure and complexity, resulting in a wine that is powerful, polished, and enduring, with a finish that lingers gracefully.
2023 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Blend Napa
Price: $39.75 Your Price: $34.98
They have two vineyards this is from the blueline vineyard in Calistoga and with some purchased fruit Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend this wine has a good amount of ripe currant and plum fruit with notes of fresh plowed earth coco and cigar box spice. A big and chewy wine with ripe round tannins with dark chocolate, cigar box, earthy notes nice complexity for a wine at this price. Finish 45+ Excellent +
2024 Hourglass Sauvignon Blanc Napa
Price: $40.00 Your Price: $35.20
Equally textural and refreshing, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc presents primary aromas of tropical and stone fruit taking center stage. Mango and guava are complemented by Meyer lemon, lime zest, and orange blossom. On the palate, crisp Granny Smith apple, zippy lemon balm, and honeyed nectarine intertwine with hints of brioche and wet stone minerality, providing nuanced layers of flavor. With 3% Semillon adding further depth, and a combination of steel and oak barrel ageing contributing to unparalleled texture. Frequent lees stirring adds mid-palate richness to offset the vibrant natural acidity, resulting in a well-balanced and harmonious finish.
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