10/04/24 - Napa Grill, ZÜrich
location
Napa Grill, Zürich - Switzerland (map link here)
corkage charge
60CHF per bottle
introduction
Wow, what can I say about this incredible Napa-focused steakhouse! The staff are so welcoming and fantastic, the chef nods as we enter and the Maître d' ensures our bags will be safe. This I must note is quite important, as @wineymofo had just that morning picked up two bottles of the famous 1985 Heitz Martha. Biri the head sommelier remembers us and instantly gives an update on his travels to the Valley. Recently he’d been to FUTO, one for the list, and we tell him a little more about our summer trip. Next, we are shown upstairs to the private tasting room, which has the most extraordinary collection of Californian wines we’ve ever seen in one display. We talk a bit more about the room itself, there is a large wooden ring attached the ceiling - we find out this lowers to extend the round table for much larger gatherings! The beautiful artwork on the wall - the one and only Harlan estate! Such an experience, just to spend a moment enjoying what treasures lay behind the large, wall-to-ceiling glass cabinets!
Clearly the owner is a serious collector and has poured passion into this wonderful restaurant. We also learn that he is a regular on the Premiere Napa Valley auction scene that runs annually, with the wooden barrel tops to showcase the various lots won, presented on the main stairwell that connects the ground floor restaurant and the upper private function room. Although we were bringing a bottle tonight for corkage, we must highlight that Napa Grill has an extraordinary wine list. It is focused entirely on Californian offerings and separated by each AVA (American Viticultural Area), which is a great way to browse through the valley. Some of the Premier Napa Valley auction bottles are also on offer as well. Other touches, such as background country music and the finest chunks of USDA Flannery meat shipped across the pond, brings us a little closer to stateside! The atmosphere, food and Cali wine experience is the finest in Europe.
the wine
2014 Bevan Cellars, Tench Vineyard EE
2014 Bevan Cellars, Tench Vineyard EE
Russell Bevan is currently the winemaker at over a dozen wineries (notably PerUs, Adversity Cellars, Carter). Tonight I have brought one of his flagship bottles from the original Bevan Cellars label that he started in 2004. Mostly made up of Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Tench vineyard, a small parcel which runs right along the fence-line of the $2000+ a bottle Screaming Eagle estate. Tench vineyard sits just off the Silverado trail in Oakville, on the east-side of the mid-basin. With signature rocky and iron rich golden-red soils, Tench produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. Russell also has a singular, more focused Tench bottling, of which I have the ‘16 and ‘18 in cellar. However, the 2014 Tench EE cuvee tonight is a Bordeaux-blend that brings together the quality from both Tench and Russell’s other Sugarloaf Mountain site in Southern Napa.
Our Sommelier Biri grins as I hand the 2014 bottle over for splash decanting, he knows it is going to be a good choice. The lack of rainfall in 2014 resulted in smaller berries with much more concentrated flavours, a prominent factor in the outstanding quality of 2014 Napa Valley wines. Now at ten years, this has really entered into a fantastic drinking window - some bottle evolution has occurred, but the rich primary fruit is still front and centre, with quite some power.
Straight away we can sense the magic. This has a deep, opulent nose. Intoxicating, as it opens in the glass. Deep black in colour - showing real density, with primary dark fruits at this stage. It remains energetic for the whole evening and with a persistent and long finish. Such a good partner for the meat and was enjoyed long after we had eaten and as we started playing cards. It’s a proprietary blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Tench and 35% Cabernet Franc from Sugarloaf, coming in at a cool 15.5% ABV (!), with only 220 cases made of this beautiful, exclusive wine. Fantastic quality, sourced at $155, imported for the very special occasion that is the annual Zurich trip! Rating: AW96.
2018 Checkerboard Aurora Vineyard [Coravin pour]
2018 Checkerboard, Aurora Vineyard
This was an unexpected premium Coravin pour and a chance to sample this stunning wine that has been on my wishlist for a while! [50CHF a glass].
Initially fresh on the finish, the 2018 Checkerboard Aurora bursts with beautiful pure blue fruit, it quickly developed weight in the glass and within 15-30 minutes was showing significant depth and quality. Of course, it could go on to take air for a few hours, but it was showing so well. I’m not surprised, as I have now started to explore other 2018 Napa bottles, realising how accessible these are with a short decant and the right glassware. Martha McClellan at the helm here since 2006 amongst her other esteemed projects (Sloan, Levy & McClellan, Toymaker). All which is evident in the quality of the winemaking. For this 2018 Aurora bottle we sampled, 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot. 15.1% ABV.
So a bit more about the main Aurora Vineyard and the Checkerboard sites. Aurora is nestled in a small valley midway up Diamond Mountain, on the north-west side of the valley. As a large knoll that projects off the mountainside, it gives the vineyard full Southern exposure and open light from the East and West and protection from Napa Valley's summer fog. Six acres of the vineyard are planted in the knoll's rich, volcanic soils that are riddled with basalt cobble in a loamy red clay. The remaining six acres are planted in a deep gravely mix of white volcanic ash. Checkerboard bottles are extremely sought after and although i’m currently on the membership list, but bottles are scarce and the direct-from-winery prices are simply eye-watering!! It is equally difficult to secure bottles on the secondary market - but I remain on the lookout for more Aurora and their other interesting site-specific bottles:
Nash Creek - a steep, sloping terrace composed almost entirely of rhyolite and sitting at the highest point, at 2000ft elevation.
Kings Row is a bordeaux-blend using some of the best fruit from the main Aurora vineyard, at 1200ft and with the distinctive King chess piece vs the normal checkerboard design.
Coyote Ridge (famed because Coyote are known to roam around the Diamond Mountain district) sitting on rich red iron soils, with its own microclimate at 900ft.
As a side note, I’m very interested in putting together a Checkerboard Coyote Ridge vs Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace neighbourly shootout, both roughly at the same elevation! Rating: AW97.
the meat
950g 30 day dry age Porterhouse, Flannery USDA prime beef imported from California. No words needed, utter heaven.
The Cards
Wineymofo 5 - Aultrawines 2
Sharper readers may notice the recent trend forming exclusively in favour of the Cali Card King, @wineymofo.
I will certainly have to get my act together for when we’re in the valley.