St. Supery wins Winery of the Year award

It was not a stretch to accept an invitation to sample the wines from Napa Valley’s newest wine superstar, St. Supery Estate. Since the return of legendary winemaker Michael Scholz in 2009, St. Supery has been on fire.

The “Winery of the Year 2012” award from Wine and Spirits magazine tops off the numerous achievements Michael has accomplished since his return.

He returned from an eight-year (yes, you read it correctly) sabbatical to hone his winemaking skills. His return ignited new life into the St. Supery vineyard and its wines.

The awards and high ratings have put a spotlight on the vineyard and St. Supery’s recent success. The 2012 vintage received three scores of 90-plus from Wine and Spirits. The vineyard has always maintained high scores (2007-2010), but three 90-plus scores from one vintage is quite an achievement.

The St. Supery Estate is one of the most visited wineries in the Napa Valley. According to Chris Parker from St. Supery, “A visit to our vineyard will prove to be both memorable and educational. We strive to make the educational component of our tours engaging and informative for both novice and seasoned wine enthusiasts alike.”

St. Supery is a family-owned estate that is certified Napa Green and uses sustainable farming. This is the trend, and St. Supery is one of the most respected “green” leaders in the Napa Valley.

The CEO of St. Supery, Emma Swain, has helped guide this vineyard into an elite category of reasonably priced wines. The philosophy of Emma Swain is simple: Create quality wines of superior character and sell them at reasonable prices.

The wines I sampled were evidence the rationale and philosophy of Emma Swain and St. Supery is working. I sampled six wines, covering the gamut of winemaker Michael Scholz’s talents.

I sampled two each from the Estate portfolio, two from the Bordeaux-style blends and two from the single-vineyard series. This is what I found.

Napa Valley Estate

The 2011 St. Supery Napa Valley Estate Sauvignon Blanc from the Dollarhide vineyard: Pineapple, grapefruit and other tropical fruits dominated the aromatics, while the palate was engulfed with flavors of green apple, peach and other orchard fruits. The Sauvignon Blanc is harvested at night, fermented in stainless steel and kept chilled until bottling. At $19 a bottle, this 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is an exceptional buy.

The 2009 St. Supery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a combination of grapes from the Dollarhide and Rutherford vineyards. At 14.7 percent alcohol and aged in 100-percent French oak, toasted medium, this purple-hued, intense wine pleases your palate with dark fruit, cocoa and an undertone of sweet caramel. Rich, full-bodied and well-structured, this $29 Cabernet Sauvignon has it all.

Bordeaux-style blends

The 2011 St. Supery Napa Valley Estate Virtu is a blend of Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel-aged, bright with lemon and grapefruit flavors mixed with a subtle hint of oak, this 2011 Virtu weaves a palate-pleasing wine and a true hit at $29 a bottle.

The 2009 St. Supery Napa Valley Estate Elu is a 14.8 percent Bordeaux blend, perfectly balanced, rich and elegant with obvious hints of dark chocolate, toffee and blackberry espresso. At $64 a bottle, this sensational wine would satisfy every wine expert.

Single-Vineyard

The 2011 St. Supery Napa Valley Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, at 14.2 percent alcohol and $34, is a rich, elegant, creamy wine that is a must for those who love the element oak intertwined with the Sauvignon Blanc grape delivers.

The 2009 St. Supery Napa Valley Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is grown at the upper reaches of the Dooarhide Estate, where the grapes develop concentrated aromas and flavors with solid tannin structure. This wine is the big deal at $79 a bottle.

Visit stsupery.com to learn more about the wines and estate.

Posted by Phillip Kampe on November 29, 2012. Filed under Columns,Food,Opinion,Wine and Beyond. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry