Featured Producer & Wine (s) on Rick's WineSite Journal


 
Producer: 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.
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.
A visit to Fantesca Estate Winery - See Fantesca Estate Winery visit 2009
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle Fantesca Estate & Winery Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle - rear Fantesca Winery production building. Fantesca Winery Estate vineyard. Fantesca Estate Winery vineyard - top
Clockwise from left: stylish etched bottles, production building, lower vineyard, upper vineyard, tasting - AJ, Duane, Rick & John, John & Duane Tasting - Andy, Duane, Rick, & John. Associate Winemaker, John (left) and Duane Hoff, Proprietor
   
Fantesca King Richards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2007  
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.
Fantesca Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 bottle September 11, 2009 - Fantesca Winery & Estate Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005; Tasted at Tra Vigne Restaurant, St Helena.
Fantesca Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 bottle  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!
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle  
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. 
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle  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.
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle
 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.
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle  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.
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle  
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.
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle 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.
   
Label - Fanesca Estate Chardonnay 2005 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.
 Sea Smoke TEN Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2005 label
Chateau Pontet Canet 2000 label on McNees.org/winesite
 
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. 
Fantesca Estate & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 bottle 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.
Label - Fanesca Estate Chardonnay 2005
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.
 
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
 
Back to WineSite Journal Back to California Producer Index Back to DineSite
 
CarsChicago

DineSite

FaithFLWLibraryLinksMcNeesNapervillePhotographySports

TechSite

TravelWineSite
Click for Naperville, Illinois Forecast www.unwindwine.com
www.McNees.org
www.McNees.net 

R & L McNees Family Website - Naperville, Illinois USA © 1999-2014 All Rights Reserved. Last updated 07/01/2014 Best viewed Get Firefox - the broswer you can trust