A Sublime VIP Experience in Napa Valley...

While friends of this Rampant Oenophile will recall a terrific blend, OPC, that I raved about in March of this year. It was a gift, and a gracious one at that, from a good friend and business partner. Well, on this visit West, my wife and I were treated to a real VIP experience with the wine maker. Along with an autographed bottle of OPC, we sampled all of the new wines from this prolific wine making family. Matt, one of BuonCristiani’s four brothers, walked us through their new caves and we enjoyed the entire flight of the brothers’ wines on a crest at Stag’s Leap Heights overlooking the Stag’s Leap region of Napa Valley. I must say, it was a truly sublime wine experience.


While each of the wines in their impressive catalog impressed us, my personal favorite was the 2008 Napa Valley Dolcetto di Nonno, named for their grandfather. Made in the Italian style, but with the brothers’ California flair, this luscious, richly colored, beautifully balanced wine has an aroma of blueberries without the tartness. I could have enjoyed several more glasses if I didn’t have to worry about driving my car down Napa’s twisting roads. It’s a great wine for food, especially substantial Italian meals that go on for days. Keep the Dolcetto flowing.

Keep watching for upcoming reviews of their new Rosato and Chardonnay, two new white wines of surprising sophistication from a winery so far known for their bold reds.