California Wine Trip 2012: Page, Revolver, Mumm, Miraflores
I’ve spent more time than usual in various wine regions in Northern California, and I figured I’d put all my tasting notes into one post. Page Wine Cellars is a boutique winery in Yountville that also sells under the Revolver label. Miraflores is based in El Dorado — up in the Sierra Nevada foothills — where it produces quite the bevy of wines (we didn’t taste about a third of those available).
Finally, there’s mega-sparkling outfit Mumm (“You can get a whole bunch of Mumm’s.”), which surprised me with some really exemplary wines. Mumm may have the reputation of a budget, grocery store-friendly winery, but it has quite a range of wines that deserve another look.
Tasting notes follow.
Tasting Report: Semi-Random Wines of Northern California
2010 Page Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc / $25 / A- / peppery finish
2010 Page Wine Cellars Proprietary Red / $60 / B / Cabernet blend
2009 Revolver Wine Co. “The Fury” Cabernet Franc / $50 / B / pepper and plum
2009 Revolver Wine Co. “Forsaken” Petite Verdot / $50 / B+ / really juicy, pepper, cocoa
NV Revolver Wine Co. “Redemption” Petite Sirah / $NA / B+ / jammy
2010 Miraflores Chardonnay / $21 / B / big oak, butterscotch
2008 Miraflores Muscat Canelli / $15 / B+ / peaches, orange blossoms
2009 Miraflores Barbera / $23 / B-
2006 Miraflores Zinfandel / $22 / B+ / juicier, chocolate
2007 Miraflores Zinfandel / $25 / B+ / good body, licorice finish
2008 Miraflores Zinfandel / $25 / A- / more fruity, fig, currant
2005 Miraflores Syrah / $30 / B+
2006 Miraflores Syrah / $25 / B / hefty, drying finish
2007 Miraflores Syrah / $25 / B / very dry
2009 Miraflores Methode Ancienne Syrah / $30 / A- / more complexity, exciting finish
2008 Miraflores Botricelli / $40 / A / a Sauternes clone, not bad at all
NV Miraflores Principe Port / $24 / C
NV Miraflores Black Muscat / $40 / B- / astringent and medicinal
2009 Miraflores Zinfandel / $NA / B / more traditional Zin, jammy
2010 Miraflores Barbera (barrel sample) / $NA / B+ / big fruit
2010 Miraflores Cabernet Sauvignon (barrel sample) / $NA / B+ / jammy
NV Miraflores Angelica (pre-release) / $NA / B+ / fortified grape juice, almost; juicy raisin and cocoa powder character
2001 Mumm Napa DVX / $60 / A / crisp apple, lovely balance, lasting finish
2005 Mumm Napa DVX / $55 / B+ / ends with earth notes, somewhat less thrilling
2006 Mumm Napa DVX Rose / $65 / A / strawberries, cherries, lively fruit
NV Mumm Napa Brut Prestige “Extended Tirage” / $30 / B+ / long fruit character
2006 Mumm Napa Devaux Ranch / $36 / B+ / touch of sourness
NV Mumm Napa Brut Rose / $24 / B+