Plumpjack, Cade and Odette Napa Valley Wine Tasting with Special Guest Danielle Cyrot; Cade winemaker

"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 Danielle Cyrot from CADE winery one the Plumpjack family of wineries coming to town on Wednesday, January 24th.  This is a dinner that I put on the schedule late last year and it is already almost SOLD OUT two weeks before the event!  How often do we get to show the wines from one of Napa Valley's elite "Cult Producers" along with Chef Toni’s cuisine for less than the price of a single bottle of one of the selections on the table. Well maybe more than any other wine store as I always say we are a non profit organization doing scientific research with the world’s greatest wines!

That's right folks, we will be serving seven wines from Plumpjack including some new wines from their Howell Mountain properties Cade and Odette Winery.  Plumpjack hit the ground running with their very first wine the 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon scoring (95 Points) from the Wine Advocate,  The rest is history and for several years our allocation of this wine was 1 case per year! 

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $325 + 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 aversions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.

PLUMPJACK, CADE AND ODETTE NAPA VALLEY WINE TASTING
WITH SPECIAL GUEST DANIELLE CYROT; CADE WINEMAKER
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
7:30 PM

2022 Cade Sauvignon Blanc Napa
2022 Plumpjack Reserve Chardonnay Napa
2019 Plumpjack Merlot Napa
2018 Adaptation By Odette Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2019 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa
2017 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Howell Mountain Napa (Cork Enclosure)
2013 Cade Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain (Screwcap)

Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Lobster Enchilada with Tomatillo Salsa
Duck and Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Brown Butter and fresh Basil
Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Beef Shortrib Wellington with Peppercorn Demi
Deep Dish Double Chocolate Chip Bourbon Pecan Pie

 The fee for this tasting is $325 + 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 and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.

 All The wines from these three wineries that we have in the store on SALE!!

2022 Cade Sauvignon Blanc Napa
Price: $43.50    Your Price: $38.28

Winery Notes Our 2018 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of orange blossom, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, lime, yellow apple, and stone fruits. On the palate are notes of tangerine, white peach, lychee, citrus, banana, lemon zest, and grapefruit. The wine has a vibrant acidity, minerality, and a touch of creaminess on the finish. By fermenting the wine in stainless steel, French oak, and concrete, we are building layers of complexity in the wine. The barrel fermentations add texture, density, and viscosity to the midpalate of the wine. The concrete adds a touch of flint and minerality to the finish as well as adding some mid-palate richness. The stainless steel fermentations preserve the natural Sauvignon Blanc aromatics and the vibrant acidity and crispness.

2019 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa
Price: $136.50    Your Price: $120.12

(94 Points) The 2019 Cade Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the glass with vibrant black cherry preserves, wild blueberries and mulberries scents, giving way to a core of cassis and star anise plus a waft of chocolate box. Full-bodied, concentrated and packed with bright black fruits, it has a fine-grained texture and long, energetic finish Wine Advovate

2019 Adaptation by Odette Petite Sirah Napa
Price: $66.00    Your Price: $58.08

The 2019 Petite Sirah exhibits the varietal’s classic deep, dark purple hue, unleashing wild blackberries, mulberries, black currants, anise, and espresso beans with hints of spring flowers, cocoa powder, and oolong tea. This expressive, full-bodied wine possesses a gorgeous silky texture, nice mid-palate tension, and a long, layered finish.

2017 Adaptation by Odette Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Price: $59.00    Your Price: $51.92

Blackberry liqueur, blueberries, hints of black currants and dried herbs intertwine into one harmonious wine. The silky texture, fresh acidity and long lingering finish leave a staining impression across the palate. This is a beautiful showing of Cabernet Sauvignon in a truly magnificent vintage.

2019 Adaptation by Odette Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
Price: $82.50    Your Price: $72.60

Coming mostly from the Oso Vineyard in Pope Valley, but with fruit from sites throughout the Valley, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 2% Petite Sirah that spent 18 months all in French oak. Red and black fruits, spicy herbs, chocolate, and hints of leather all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a round, layered mouthfeel.

2019 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District, USA
Price: $183.00        Your Price: $161.04

(97 Points) A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Malbec, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate comes all from the cool Stags Leap District and was brought up mostly in new French oak. It’s a full-bodied, ripe, powerful 2019 that nevertheless stays balanced and weightless on the palate, with silky tannins and a rare level of polish and elegance. Giving up lots of pure cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of violets, underbrush, and high-class oak, it already offers pleasure yet is going to evolve gracefully for 20 years or more. If you’re looking for ripe, sexy, seamless, and impeccably made Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, look no further.  Jeb Dunnuck

2022 Plumpjack Reserve Chardonnay Napa
Price: $67.50    Your Price: $59.40

The 2022 PlumpJack Reserve Chardonnay is a gorgeous, multi-faceted wine. The nose delivers layers of aromas – apple, baked pear, and lemon curd mingle with white peach, apricot, and honeysuckle with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon just beneath the fruit. The palate is energetic and dynamic, beginning with rich, mouth-filling texture reminiscent of lemon curd, followed by bright acidity that evokes lemon zest and honey crisp apples. The beautiful acidity pulls the wine through the back of the palate and creates a long and structured finish.

2019 Plumpjack Merlot Napa
Price: $82.50    Your Price: $72.60

A beautiful Merlot, the 2019 from PlumpJack offers everything you could want from this variety with its plump, fleshy, medium to full-bodied profile as well as terrific aromatics of black cherries, darker berries, leafy herbs, spring flowers, and a touch of chocolate. It’s ready to go yet should continue delivering the goods over the coming decade.

2021 Plumpjack Syrah Napa
Price: $82.50        Your Price: $72.60

Our Syrah grapes are sourced from two incredible vineyards in the Napa Valley - Hudson in Los Carneros and Stagecoach on Atlas Peak. These unique AVA's provide this wine its signature characteristics.

2019 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa
Price: $175.00        Your Price: $154.00    Quantity in Stock: 1

The nose of the 2019 PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, exudes aromas of juicy blackberry, dark plum, boysenberry, and muddled raspberries, blended with notes of cardamom, cinnamon, molasses, and sage to create a gorgeous silky entry. It’s beautifully structured with finely integrated, velvety tannin, and an exceptionally long finish.

2018 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Magnum
Price: $390.00    Your Price: $343.20

(94 Points) Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate displays a deep garnet-purple color and fragrant notes of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis and wild blueberries with nuances of red roses, Chinese five spice, camphor and black olive plus a hint of charcoal. Full-bodied, the decadently rich fruit has impressive freshness lifting the palate along with firm, finely grained tannins, finishing long and fragrant.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

BIG BOTTLES of Plumpjack on SALE!

2008 PLUMPJACK CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE NAPA 3 LITER
Price: $2350.00             Sale Price: $1750.00    Quantity in Stock: 1
2008 PLUMPJACK CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE NAPA 6 LITER
Price: $5000.00             Sale Price: $3500.00    Quantity in Stock: 1
2008 PLUMPJACK CABERNET SAUVIGNON OAKVILLE NAPA 6 LITER
Price: $2350.00             Sale Price: $1750.00    Quantity in Stock: 1
2009 PLUMPJACK CABERNET SAUVIGNON OAKVILLE NAPA 6 LITER
Price: $2350.00             Sale Price: $1750.00    Quantity in Stock: 1

A bit about Plumpjack Winery:

All fourteen of the PlumpJack business enterprises thrive on the unique philosophy of the company's "core ideology," designed to initiate the roguish spirit of Shakespeare's Sir John Falstaff (Henry IV), dubbed Plump Jack by Queen Elizabeth-hence the company name. Closer to home, San Francisco composer and philanthropist, Gordon Getty, wrote an opera he called "Plump Jack." The fun-loving and irreverent spirit of PlumpJack clearly excited the sensibilities of Gordon's close friend and business associate, Gavin Newsom.

PlumpJack was founded by Gavin Newsom, whose personality is revealed in response to an expression of concern upon his first appointment to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors in 1997. When asked if he was likely to "generate controversy" he replied, "If I don't, I'm not doing my job." A self-described fiscal moderate, when it comes to business decisions, Newsom exults in setting high goals for himself and his staff. Just a few of his exuberant demands for PlumpJack are to "out-innovate the competition," make the company an "excellence machine," and "live life out loud." To ensure fulfillment of his mission he makes a point of investing in "hot talent"-people who, whether they are sweeping floors, making wine, or designing interior spaces, are creating "magical moments" for PlumpJack customers.

These ideologies are carried out and implemented in the day-to-day operations of the fourteen businesses under the PlumpJack Group umbrella and guide the management team and the staff to constantly strive for excellence, value, accessibility and nothing less than heroic customer service.

A key marker of success for the company is their ability to invest a portion of PlumpJack's profits back into the community. Committed to numerous environmental, charitable, social and civic causes, PlumpJack often challenges their businesses to raise funds and promote many worthy organizations in the community.

The design firm of Leavitt-Weaver has captured Shakespeare's times and Falstaff's spirit in a number of ways. The jaunty shield that serves as the PlumpJack insignia, the muted earthen greens and taupes that hark back to earlier centuries, and their lavish use of metals create a superb combination of form, function and style. Since the company's inception, the management has insisted that the carefully selected wine lists at all of the properties be accessible to a broad spectrum of buyers-novices and sophisticates alike-and all bottles are priced close to retail.

PlumpJack Wines on Fillmore, the inaugural PlumpJack business founded in 1992 in the historic Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, added a second location across town in Noe Valley in 2001. Acquiring a liquor store in operation since prohibition, as well as a neighborhood institution, the PlumpJack and Leavitt-Weaver partnership carefully revived the space, blending nostalgic elements and retaining many of the store's features. Using a color palette inspired from the arts and crafts period, as seen on many of the City's landmark Victorians, they strived to keep the ambiance and energy of the neighborhood. Continuing the exceptional wine pricing and selection has ensured a new segment of loyal PlumpJack followers.

Their Fillmore Street restaurant, Balboa Cafe, is a major presence in the area. Jose Lemus, executive chef at Balboa Cafe, has created enticing dishes for the gourmet palate and has elaborated the Balboa's traditional menu with a few elegant additions, wisely leaving long-time favorites like the Balboa Burger on the menu.

The interior of the venerable Balboa Cafe, which first opened its doors in 1913, has maintained the feel and look of the original décor of the past eight decades. If the Balboa's long, handsome mahogany bar in San Francisco, with its traditional brass foot rail could talk, one can only imagine the tales it would tell about the legions of "beautiful women and thirsty men" who have lingered there late into the evening.

With the restaurant and the wine shop thriving, PlumpJack affixed its sword and shield to the Squaw Valley Inn on Lake Tahoe's north shore. Originally built to house the 1960 Winter Olympic delegation, the 61-room inn is now a masterpiece of comfort, design and exceptional service.

Among Leavitt-Weaver's signature design elements for the world of PlumpJack is the dramatic wood, copper and brass bar in the lounge. A copper cauldron mounted in the center of a large, square pedestal, filled with crafted metal pieces, serves as the fireplace. More than simply a decorative touch, this centerpiece creates warmth that permeates the atmosphere throughout. The playful array of copper-forged wall coverings accentuates the Inn's original stone and glass structure.
Guest services are sophisticated and personalized, and with the beauty of its décor and amenities on the scale of a grand hotel, the Inn's clientele of vacationers, business travelers and wedding parties will want for nothing. Floor to ceiling windows of the 6,000 square foot, two-story conference facility frame the majestic scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The next acquisition was a century-old Napa Valley vineyard property, renowned for producing Cabernets of exceptional quality, on Oakville Cross Road. A panoramic view of the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountains enhances the mischief and wit of the Leavitt-Weaver-designed PlumpJack Winery tasting room and its surrounding 50 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. The inaugural release of their 1995 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon created quite a stir among the wine community, and prompted Robert Parker, Jr. to assign a rating of 95+ points. That was just the beginning; if the 1995 Reserve created a commotion, the announcement of 1997 Reserve bottling with a screw cap closure-the first luxury producer to do so-turned the wine industry upside down in June, 2000. With current production of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah nearing capacity at 10,000 cases, this boutique winery has already exceeded the high expectations of its owners.

Keeping with the spirit of revival, the long-awaited restoration of the historical 1960's rock club, MatrixFillmore, was completed in late 2001. A complete departure for PlumpJack in style and look, the sleek, evocative MatrixFillmore was exactly what the neighborhood-and the city-needed. Invitingly warm with a glass façade, concrete log fireplace in the room's center, and plum velvet furniture and walls, MatrixFillmore captures the modern edge with a 61-inch plasma video screen and performance stage with state of the art sound system for live bands and DJ. Menus of classic and popular specialty cocktails include: a Peach Tea Mojito, Chocolate Chip Martini, Apple Cart, Sugar Magnolia and Mountain Cane Daiquiri.

Looking to extend the brand through a different segment of the retail market, PlumpJackSport was launched in Winter 2002 in The Village at Squaw Valley PlumpJackSport carries premier lines that reflect the tastes of its sophisticated clientele including: Rossignol, Salomon, Polo Ralph Lauren and MaxStudio to name just a few. Its immediate success prompted a second store, which opened at The Carneros Inn in 2007 featuring designer resort wear.

In January 2005, PlumpJack Group expanded their presence in the Napa Valley when they took over management of The Carneros Inn, a luxury resort in the Carneros region that offers 86 guest cottages and 24 private Homes, The Orchard fractional ownership units, The Town Square with includes a local Market and the area's first post office, award-winning spa, and three eateries, the guest only Hilltop Dining Room and The Boon Fly Café and FARM at The Carneros Inn which are both open to the public. The Inn is the first and only resort in the world-renowned Carneros wine region. As the management company for The Carneros Inn, PlumpJack Group is able to highlight their expertise in the food, wine and hospitality industries. Each of the private cottages at The Carneros Inn is furnished in a casually elegant style and nestled in a lush garden courtyard with private deck. The property also boasts terrace dining and an infinity pool overlooking the beautiful rolling hills and vineyards, an architecturally dramatic restaurant, bar and spa facilities, and most importantly, first-class service delivered with warmth and ease.

Perched high upon Napa's elusive Howell Mountain, among a dramatic hillside of Manzanita trees is CADE Winery, the latest addition to the PlumpJack family. The unique, state-of-the-art, LEED certified facility producing an exquisite Estate Cabernet as well as an enticing Sauvignon Blanc and a rich Cabernet Sauvignon from local artisanal grapes. CADE's first release is the 2006 CADE Sauvignon Blanc and CADE's first Cabernet Sauvignon was released in the spring of 2008.

Then they founded Odette Estate Winery with a guiding philosophy of environmental responsibility and a commitment to preserving their special spot in the Stags Leap District for generations to come.

Organic farming is a natural decision and it’s just as important that the winery construction and operation reflect these priorities. To this end, they hired architect Juan Carlos Fernandez to design their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified estate winery. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five critical areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. At Odette Estate, this includes the use of:

Recycled shipping containers serve as the winemaking office and lab
Recycled marine plywood flooring
Concrete mixed with fly ash, a coal by-product that reduces the use of cement
Perforated aluminum panels for sun protection and natural airflow, reducing the need for cooling
8500 square feet of planted living roof
Naturally insulated caves
Individually jacketed fermentation tanks
Polycarbonate paneling and solar panels minimize the use of electricity
Rainwater capture for irrigation
Electrical car outlets to encourage green transportation