Featured Producer
& Wine (s) on Rick's WineSite Journal |
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Producer:
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Fantesca Estate Winery |
Owners: |
Duane & Susan Hoff |
Address: |
2920 Spring Mountain Road
St. Helena, CA 94574 |
Phone: |
707.968.9229 |
Appellation: |
Spring Mountain, Napa Valley |
Featured
Wine: |
Fantesca Estate Napa
Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon, King Richard's Pinot Noir, Russian River
Chardonnay |
Winemaker (s): |
Heidi
Barrett |
Website: |
http://www.fantesca.com/ |
Rick and Linda with Duane Hoff - owner of Fantesca Estate Winery on Spring Mountain
and producer with his Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
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Journal entries: Date, Wine,
Rating, Price, Comments |
Duane and Susan Hoff from Minneapolis purchased the
Spring Mountain property Fantesca Estate & Winery. They have 9 acres under
vine and produce 800 cases of quality cabernet sauvignon. Their property
located at about 700 feet above the valley floor reflects the best of the
Spring Mountain appellation. Fantesca's winemaker is the esteemed Heidi
Barrett and vineyard management is Jim Barbour & team. This is a delicious wine. Watch for great things to come from this team.
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A visit to Fantesca Estate
Winery - See Fantesca Estate Winery visit 2009 |
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Clockwise from left: stylish
etched bottles, production building, lower vineyard, upper
vineyard, tasting
- AJ, Duane, Rick & John, John & Duane |
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September 11, 2009 -
Fantesca Winery & Estate visit, tasting flight;
Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (barrel tasting)
and 2006 (pre-release tasting); Fantesca Estate and
Winery King Richard Pinot Noir 2006 (pre-release bottle
tasting); Fantesca Russian River Valley Sonoma
Chardonnay 2007. More to come. |
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September 11, 2009 - Fantesca Winery & Estate Spring Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005; Tasted at Tra Vigne Restaurant, St
Helena.
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August 17, 2009 - Fantesca
Estate and Winery Spring Mountain District Napa Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon 2005 - RM 93 - Wow! This is good juice. Mouthful of
sweet red currant, spicy cinnamon, black cherry, black berry, cedar and
lively acid with a long sweet spicy oak finish held together by finely
integrated firm tannins. Over a eleven hundred different wines in the
cellar and I chose this one for our intimate anniversary dinner at home
- caprese salad, tenderloin, sweet potato, baked potato, chocolate
souffle with fresh honey laced strawberries. Yum. Oo-la-lah! We're
visiting Duane and Angela and co at the winery in two weeks to taste
their 2008 pre-release in the barrel. Can't wait! Great job with the 05!
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June 23, 2009
- Fantesca Spring Mountain Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 - RM 92 - Deep garnet
colour. Smooth, polished currant and black cherry fruits accented by
subtle mildly sweet spice, oak and hint of that Mayacamas Mountain
terroir cedar. From Rick's cellar. Wow - now in oversize almost
magnum heavy bottle! Comparison tasted against
Fisher Coach Insignia Sonoma Valley red blend
2003 which is along the same
mountain range albeit further north aand 'over the hill to the west
facing Sonoma face. RM 90 - Dark purple colour - subdued dark fruits
and slight dusty tones give way to a slight camphor note on the full
firm finish. Tasted w/ Mark G and Shannon R at
Morton's Steak House
in Naperville. |
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May 31, 2009 -
La Sirena Napa Valley Juliana Vineyard Sangiovese 1997 - WS 81 RM 88
- Better than previous tastings, showing better with age. Medium bodied,
blackberry and black cherry accented by earthy leathery oak and herbs
with a subtle mocha and firm silky tannins on the finish. Aided by
decanting. From Heidi Peterson Barrett who is also the new winemaker
for Fantesca. Fantesca Napa Valley Spring Mountain District
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - RM 92 - First tasted at the winery
from the barrel a few weeks before bottlling during our
2007 Napa
Wine Experience. Smooth, complex and polished with
bright forward fruits of cherry, black berry, currant, dark chocolate,
cassis and spice with a refined tannin finish. Tasted w/ Shannon R., Tom
C and team at Morton's in Naperville. |
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Fantesca
Winery and Estate Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
- RM 92 Refined polished, complex blackberry, black cherry,
spice, subtle hints of finely integrated mocha, cassis and
vanilla currant with fine tannins. ; Del Dotto Vineyards
Napa Valley Sangiovese 1998 - RM 89 - Flavorful black
cherry, black berry and currant fruits.; Tasted from the
cellar at Angeli's Restaurant, our favorite neighborhood
trattoria - gala (surprise) birthday dinner for L with Alec,
Marlene, Erin & Johnny, Ryan & Michelle, and Kevin & Barb.
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January 23,
2009 - Fantesca Spring Mountain Napa
Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 -
RM 92 - $49-65- Smooth, elegant,
polished, sophisticated cab - spicy currant, black cherry, berry and a
hint of mocha and anise on the fine tannin finish. |
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October 16, 2008
- Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
- RM 89; Fantesca Spring
Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004;
Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1982;
Warm-up for the gala wedding weekend wine
tasting (s). Stark contrast of three differing styles of Napa cabs -
firm full almost hard Mt Veeder vs silky almost velvety, soft and
elegant Spring Mtn cab vs earthy, leathery, licorice laced aged
vintage Napa cab. Tasted at home with L, Ryan & Michelle, and Jan
and Bill in a subset replay of our gala Napa Wine Weekend where we
tasted the Robt Craig Mt Veeder and his as yet unreleased Spring
Mountain cab from barrel. |
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July 5, 2008 - Fantesca Estate and Winery Napa Valley Spring
Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - RM 92 $65 - First
tasted at the winery from the barrel a few weeks before bottlling during
our 2007 Napa
Wine Experience. Smooth and polished with cherry, black
fruit, hint of currant, dark chocolate, cassis and spice with a refined
tannin finish. Tasted at home w/ L in a delightful evening on the deck
with fine cheeses, chocolate and fruit. We first met the producer when
he came to visit on his launch tour -
An Evening with
Duane Hoff of Fantesca Estate Winery, That 2003 release is eclipsed
by the elegant and more refined 2004.
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February 13, 2008 -
Fantesca
Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay 2005 -
RM 90;
Simi Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2005 -
Tasted at Larry & Kelly's with JK & Monica K. |
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January 12, 2008
- Varied selection of diverse
wines to accompany a festive dinner.
Fantesca Carneros Napa Valley
Chardonnay 2005 - RM 90
Sea Smoke 'TEN' Central Coast Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
2005 - RM 92 -
Winemaker notes - The 2005 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir shows
deep extraction and intensity of flavor, maintains good
balance across the palate, and culminates in a firm, but
velvety finish. Aromas of dark plum, black cherry, currants,
as well as cedar and a hint of earthiness are characteristic
of this wine. Ten Clones, from which the wine takes its
name.
Darioush
Napa Valley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 - RM 91 -
Dark, complex with full forward black
berry, black cherry and currant fruit, well balanced and
polished with nicely integrated tannin finish.
Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac Bordeaux 2000 - RM 92 -
Elegant floral, earthy leather, cassis, smoky black berry -
long firm silky smooth tannins.
Kracher
Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese Neusiedlersee Zwischen
den Seen No. 6 1998 - RM
92
RP 92 - RP Review -
"Reveals
loads of sweet white and yellow fruits. It is crammed with
overripe fruit flavors, as well as the distinctive effects
of spicy botrytis. This superbly focused wine has bountiful
levels of acidity to cope with its lush, opulently thick
character. Drink this refined, liquid botrytis, over the
next 20+ years."
(92 points,
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #149).
Tasted w/ L, Linda A. and Dr Dan at his place w/ fabulous
beef tenderloin & stuffed pork chops. |
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November 15, 2007 - Benchmark tasting - calibrating
Fantesca
Estate Winery wines against some of the world's finest ...
Araujo Eisele Vineyard Cabernet
Sauvignon 1995, Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon 1993, Fantesca Spring
Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, 2004, 2005
(from barrel),
Fantesca Spring Mountain Petit Verdot 2005
(from barrel),
Plumpjack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1995, Chateau Marqaux 1983,
Chateau Domaine Romanee Conti La Tache 1993.
Tasting conducted at the winery with Andy M,, Duane Hoff, Fantesca
proprietor, and John, Fantesca associate winemaker during
2007 Napa Wine Experience. |
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May 7, 2007 - Fantesca
Estate & Winery Napa Valley Spring Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 -
RM 93 - Full bodied, firm structured,
polished, well balanced harmonious flavors of red currant,
raspberry, blackberry, spice, and a hint of cassis on a long
firm tannin finish.
Fantesca
Estate & Winery Los Carneros Chardonnay 2005
- RM 91-
Well balanced, full bodied -
essence of citrus, buttery, subtle oak and nut fruits on a
long full puckering finish. Limited production releases
available at the winery on-line and at some finest
restaurants(www.fantesca.com)
- get some while you can!
The second release for of this 'dream team' of the new
owners Duane & Susan Huff and winemakers Kirk and Nils Venge.
Tasted compliments of the producers, these are a real treat,
worthy of a special occasion such as our gala family steak
and king crableg dinner w/ L, Alec, Erin & Johnny. |
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May 2,
2007 -
Fantesca Estate & Winery Napa Valley Spring Mountain Cabernet
Sauvignon 2002 - RM 92 RP 90 - Dark
ink colour, firm tannins and concentrated,
black currant, licorice with a finish of black raspberry and hint of
dark chocolate. Tasted with Chris S.,
Michael S., Gene G., and KD at Smith & Wollensky in
Chicago - DoDIIS dinner. |
Oct 15,
2006 - Fantesca Estate Winery Spring Mountain Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 - RM 94 W&S 94, WS
91, WA 90 - Wonderful full aromas of fruit, floral, vanilla, and a
hint of smoke and eucalyptus. Burst of flavor of black currant, ripe
black raspberry, plum, spice, a hint of caramel, vanilla, smoke -
all accented by silky, velvety full and firm yet very approachable
tannins that are seamlessly integrated and long on the finish.
Tasted at Del Frisco's Steakhouse in NYC w/ Eric W, Kirk D
and NY friends. |
Sept 20, 2006
- Fantesca Spring Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 - RM
94 WA 90, WS 91 WE 94 - Fabulous first release from this new label
and producers - Duane and Susan Hoff and their Spring Mountain
property Fantesca Estate Winery. Wonderful full aromas of fruit,
floral, vanilla, and a hint of smoke and eucalyptus. Burst of flavor
of black currant, ripe raspberry, plum, spice, a hint of caramel,
vanilla, smoke - all accented by silky, velvety full and firm yet
approachable tannins that are seamlessly integrated and long on the
finish. Aged in moderate toast 70-80 new French Oak. Delicious wine.
Tasted with producer Duane Hoff on his inaugural launch release
marketing tour stop in Chicago. Only 800 cases produced. Get it
while you can at www.fantesca.com. |
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