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Featured Producer
& Wine (s) on Rick's WineSite Journal |
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Producer:
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Fantesca Estate and Winery |
| Owners: |
Duane & Susan Hoff |
| Address: |
2920 Spring Mountain Road
St. Helena, CA 94574 |
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Phone: |
707.968.9229 |
| Appellation: |
Spring Mountain
District, Napa Valley |
Featured
Wines: |
Fantesca Estate Napa
Valley Spring Mountain District
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir |
| Winemaker: |
Heidi Barrett |
| Website: |
http://www.fantesca.com/ |
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Duane Hoff - owner of Fantesca Estate Winery
visits with Rick and Linda and presents his Napa Valley
Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
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Journal entries: Date, Wine,
Rating, Price, Comments |
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Duane and Susan Hoff from Minneapolis purchased the
Spring Mountain property Fantesca Estate Winery. They have 10 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. Their winemakers are
Kirk
and Nils Venge and their vineyard management is done by the Maldanado's.
Winemaking was taken over in 2008 by the legendary Heidi BarrettThis is a
delicious wine. Watch for great things to come from this team.
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| A visit to
Fantesca Estate
Winery
- Napa Wine Experience 2007
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November 15, 2007 |
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2008 Chardonnay Allocation |
| Production building |
Lower vineyard |
Upper vineyard |
Fantesca 'Fortune Corkie" |
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John & Duane |
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Benchmark Tasting - AJ,
Duane, Rick & John. |
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Visit to the Winery Fantesca
Estate Winery & Vineyard, Spring Mountain, St
Helena, Napa Valley -
Sept 11, 2009 |
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Fantesca Estate & Winery
Spring Mtn Winehouse |
Fantesca Spring Mtn
Upper Vineyard |
Fantesca Spring Mtn
Lower Vineyard |
Fantesca Estate & Winery
Spring Mtn Chateau |
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| Fantesca
King Richard Pinot Noir 2007 (barrel sample),
Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (barrel sample) 2006
(pre-release tasting), Russian River Valley,
Chardonnay 2007 |
Top-off containers of
excess wine to top off the barrels during aging
storage. |
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September 21, 2013
Our gala end of summer dinner and tasting on the deck ...
Fantesca Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008
Bill's notes from Cellartracker - "Golden straw color in the glass.
Some oak on the nose belies the abundance of citrus and butter on
the palate. Exceptionally well balanced with a hint of vanilla. Our
favorite chardonnay."
WCC - 90 points. |
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September 9, 2013
Spring Mountain Classics Celebration Dinner Tasting
Fantesca Estate and Winery, Spring Mountain District Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004
Medium-full bodied, dark garnet color; complex but smooth and
polished with bright forward fruits of black currant, dark
berry and black cherry, accented by sweet dark chocolate, a hint of
cassis, and a tone of spice on the lingering refined tannin finish.
RM 91 points.
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January 1, 2013 - New Year's Eve Celebration Tasting
Fantesca Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008
Butter colored, medium bodied, a symphony of well integrated and
smooth crisp, bright, flavors of tropical fruit, melon, hints of
lychee and under current of subtle citrus with a pleasant long
lingering finish.
RM 92 points.
Bill's tasting notes for this wine from Cellartracker:
Golden straw color in the glass. An interesting contrast to the '07.
The '08 has overtones of peach and melon on the palate. The '07
leans more toward citrus flavors. Both are very clean and crisp on
the palate, making Fantesca my favorite Chardonnay although I prefer
the citrusy version. Very light on the oak.
WC 92 points. |
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September 4, 2011
Fantesca Estate and
Winery, Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2004.
Medium-full bodied, dark garnet color; complex but smooth
and polished with bright forward fruits of black currant, dark berry
and cherry, accented by sweet dark chocolate, a hint of cassis, and
a tone of spice on the lingering refined tannin finish. RM 91
points. Taken and served at Mark & Shirley's, this was the
blockbuster hit of the evening, a great complement to artisan
cheeses and rib-eye steak sandwiches. |
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May 22, 2010 Fantesca Estate & Winery Sonoma Russian River
Valley (Heidi Barrett) Chardonnay 2008 - RM
92 points: A symphony of well integrated and smooth crisp,
bright, flavors of tropical fruit, lychee, with an under current of
citrus and a pleasant long lingering finish. Heidi Barrett's first
chardonnay from Duane & Susan Hoff's Fantesca. Tasted w/ L, Pat &
Rodger, taken BYOB to dinner at elegant Les Nomades
in Chicago for gala double b-day celebration dinner. |
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October 09, 2009
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Fantesca Estate & Winery Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 -
Gala comparison tasting of recent and new
release Napa cabernets and California Pinots and fabulous beef
tenderloin dinner. Joseph Phelps Backus Napa Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004, Fantesca Winery & Estate Spring Mountain Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006, Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages 2005 Sonoma Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon blend, Sea Smoke TEN Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
2006, Ladera Pillow Road Vineyard, Sonoma Russian River Valley Pinot
Noir 2006, Alois Kracher Welschriesling TBA #6 Zwischen den Seen
1998. Tasted w/ L, Eric & Cathy and Dr Dan at his place
following memorial of DJA. |
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September 11, 2009
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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 & Winery Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
- 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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February 15, 2009
- 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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June 23, 2009
- Fantesca Estate & Winery Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 -
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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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January 23, 2009
- Fantesca Estate & Winery Spring Mountain 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
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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 C's with JK & Monica
K. |
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November 15, 2007 -
Napa Wine Experience 2007 -
Benchmark tasting - calibrating Fantesca wines against
some of the world's finest ... Araujo Eisele Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon 1995, Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon 1993,
Fantesca Chardonnay, 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,
Reviews and details coming.
Reviews and details coming. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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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