VGS Chateau Potelle - Music Pages For Matthew Cook, Artist

A friend recommended this experience and we are so glad she did! This boutique winery is located in St. Helena and we were hosted by Anthony, a knowledgeable gentleman with a background as a chef. The experience is all about wine and food pairings – with exquisite examples of both. A lot of the descriptors they provide are food-based, and unique ones at that, such as watermelon rind and lightly toasted coriander.

Even though it was a coolish day we were hosted in a lovely outdoor setting near a bubbling fountain, protected by a large hedge. There is quite a bit of highway noise as 29 runs just the other side of the hedge. If that is likely to bother you, ask for inside seating. It didn’t distract from our experience however and it was enjoyable being outside. These are all limited production wines and not to be found anywhere else.

Upon arrival we were presented with a glass of the delightful VGS Riviera Rose. This is made from 100% Cinsault grapes from Sonoma County’s Kick Ranch. We are not familiar with this varietal and what an introduction this was! My notes include delicate water and faint peach in the nose, exquisite and understated. Their notes include the aforementioned watermelon rind and lemon blossom along with white stone fruits and strawberries. This wine has a beautiful creamy mouth feel while remaining light on the tongue and bursting with summer fruit flavors of berries and maybe a hint of spice.

We enjoyed the Rose while our host set the table and prepared our pairings. We had time to read about the coming offerings and admire the beautiful stemware. The presentation here is pretty much flawless with a folio containing a lot of whimsical yet deep information about each of the wines on offer. We asked and were told that VGS stands for Very Good Shit.

The Sauvignon Blanc was paired with an English Pea Roulette with Goat Cheese and Meyer Lemon. I have been looking forward to making pea puree and sauces this summer and we had an opportunity to discuss the chefy side of that with Anthony. This is a crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc from Napa grapes with grapefruit and pear forward in the nose. Their notes include crushed stones and the sense of terroir. A lot of zing in the mouth with citrus notes and maybe some white sugar. This wine is fermented and aged in Concrete Egg and neutral Oak. We have had other Concrete Egg wines that we were not as fond of but this one works well.

The Chardonnay was paired with Maine Lobster Salad, Fennel Puree and Pancetta, a savory bite that set off the wine. Rich and creamy both in the nose and in the mouth feel. Sophisticated acidity and a lack of any astringent oak qualities leave room for a buttery richness and a great long, lively finish. This wine is fermented mostly in new french oak, but we didn’t get a lot of the hints of sour/bitter/acid that can sometimes come from oak, but rather a very structured richness.

As delightful as all of these wines are, there was still a star of he show for us. That would be the Silver Lining. This is a Cabernet dominant blend with Petit Verdot and Petit Syrah from 2014, 2015, and 2016 that was created in the aftermath of the Napa fires and benefits the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund. Nose of coffee, tobacco, dark stone fruits, freshly trimmed hedge. Strawberries, bright cherries, tongue tingling finish with comfort spices. Paired with a House-Cured Sopressatta and a pequillo pepper hummus. This wine is so very drinkable and a particularly lovely thing to find.

Hard to tell from this picture but this bottle is floor to ceiling covered with tiles.

The last wine on this experience was the Potelle Two, another Cabernet dominant blend. This is a gorgeous dark, almost purple color with complex stone fruit, leather and spices. This was paired with a very pleasing bite of Smoked Liberty Farms Duck Breast with Fig Mostarda on Papadum. The savory mustard is a beautiful complement to the rich spice of the wine.