Battle of the First Growths

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com


Wearing my favorite Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran T-shirt, I find my self staring down at two glasses of deep ruby red wine. A battle in itself was about to ensue. The 2000 Chateau Margaux vs. 2000 Chateau Latour in a battle to the death, or should I say digestion! I learned a lot about these wines while tasting them over a one hour period. My initial thoughts were that the Latour was much more impressive and dense, and I felt that the Margaux was a bit lack luster on the palate but showed impressive aromatics. Over the next hour both wines saw improvement with the Margaux gaining ground on the Latour. The Margaux began to really show it true colors, this is a wine about aroma and flavor, there were layers of complex aromatics and tons of fantastic tastes to discover on the palate. There is a certain grace to Margaux that I don't believe is matched by anyone else. The Latour stayed true to its pauillac Cabernet roots. This wine was dense and full of classic Cabernet backbone. The structure and quality of fruit were impressive to say the least. The Chateau Latour made a clear statement of pedigree and position among the greatest in Bordeaux and quite possibly the world. These wines do require a lot of thought to get the most out of them but I find that an equal amount of humor is required too. I was happy to be enjoying such wonderful wines and made it a point to laugh, enjoy, and relax to better savor the moment. Grand wines deserve adoration but it's important to remember that having fun with it is just as much apart of the enjoyment of wine as tasting. Notes to follow:

2000 Chateau Latour- A layered and complex nose full of blackberry, rhubarb and plumb aromas followed by hints of black raspberry, vanilla and a touch of caramel. The palate is bold and impressive. Sporting a seriously complex mid palate of ripe baked fruits and long well structured finish, this wine has made a statement. I AM THE BEST AND I'LL ONLY IMPROVE WITH TIME.
Rating: 4.5 of 5 (Sit down wine, Classic wine, Special occasion wine)


2000 Chateau Margaux- A truly ethereal nose of lavender, black cherry and ripe strawberry complemented by hints of oak spice and vanilla shortbread. On the palate More succulent red and black fruit flavors with floral complexities and well balanced, beautifully structured, mouth feel. This wine is powerful and elegant at the same time, what a lovely treat.
Rating: 4 of 5 (Classic wine, Special occasion wine)

A perfect 5 of 5

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com

Winery: Mugnier

Vintage: 2005

Grand Cru: Musigny

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Average Price: $1400


Tasting Notes: Considered by many to be the wine of the vintage (knowing how great the 2005 vintage was that's saying a lot) the 2005 Mugnier Musigny is the greatest wine I have tasted this year by far, and is a candidate for greatest of all time. I have a feeling that if I taste this wine in 20 years it may take the "best ever" slot. My notes are as follows: The nose releases pure and beautiful aromas of black raspberry and black cherry with a lovely rose pedal and crushed mineral aspect. Hints of fine vanilla and cinnamon complete a unified and seducing bouquet. The palate is stunning to say the least. There is so much power in this wine yet a wonderful elegance as well. Succulent and ripe yet firmly structured with a ridiculously long and complex finish I'm in heaven...pure heaven...

Rating: 5 of 5 (Special occasion wine, sit down wine)

Cellaring: I would drink this at the earliest 2024, this wine will taste fantastic for 30+ years if cellared properly.

Grand Cru for the soul!

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com


Winery: Domaine DuJac

Vintage: 2003

Grand Cru: Clos de la Roche

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Average Price: $800 (Magnum)


Tasting Notes: I won't lie, we opened this decades too early on purpose. There is only one way to get a half decent idea about how long a wine will age, and that is to taste it. Here are the notes from this stunning wine. A nose only hinting at what will someday become a host of vivid aromas. A beautiful black cherry and rhubarb note with a powerful truffle and dark turned potting soil component make this nose jump right out of the glass. On the palate this wine is dense with absolutely pristine tannins. Despite the rock solid structure, there is an elegance to this wine. To me, that combination is the mark of a truly special burgundy. After a nice long finish I'm floored by this wine. The potential is nearly endless, but if I had to put a number as far as cellaring is concerned, I would say 20 years before I try this guy again.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 (Classic wine, sit down wine)

A penny for my thoughts...

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com


While perusing around my favorite wine shop in Yountville (V-wine Cellar) I was asked by the general manager of the shop to taste a flight of wines brought by a sales rep. This came not as surprise to me. The wonderful people at V-Wine Cellar have come to appreciate my two cents when it comes to potential wines they might carry. This benefits them because they get an outside opinion from a practised palate and it benefits me because I get the opportunity to learn something new about wines I would have not tasted otherwise. This particular flight was a Patz&Hall Pinot Noir tasting. I thought I would share my tasting notes with you, hope you enjoy!

Patz & Hall, 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir:
Right off the bat I was floored by the complex aromas of black raspberry, black cherry and candied bacon. Secondary aromas of slightly dried cranberry and fresh strawberry rounded out the nose. The palate was pure and pleasing. More of the lovely fresh fruits from the nose and well balanced approach make this a solid Pinot Noir in my book.
Score: 3.5 out of 5

Patz & Hall, 2007 Jenkins Ranch:
Black cherries jump right out at me as well as a bourbon quality that reminds me of a well made Manhattan. The palate fell apart a little bit on me. The flavors of black cherry, cola and ripe strawberry were there but I found an awkward bubble gum component on the mid palate that rubbed me the wrong way. I must say that the tannin was quite ripe and delicious.
Score: 3 out of 5

Patz & Hall, 2006 Chenoweth Ranch:
OK, I know this might sound a bit odd but this wine smelled like Banana nut bread with yummy walnuts all over the place. I know that seems like a bad thing but I actually quite enjoyed these interesting aromas mixed with hints of maraschino cherry, red liquorice and vanilla spice. The palate showed some blackberry and black cherry flavors coupled with a fine tannin structure. I really enjoyed this one.
Score: 3.5 out of 5

Patz & Hall, 2006 Pisoni Vineyard:
Ah, the legendary Pisoni Vineyard. This wine certainly stood out from the rest much like the great Gary Pisoni himself. On the nose I found a hedonistic grouping of blackberry jam, blueberry cobbler, shortbread and fresh strawberries. The palate was full, luscious and consuming. Layers of huckleberry jam and wild strawberry coupled with a creamy texture and long finish this was certainly a wine to be reckoned with.
Score: 4 out of 5

Dessert Please!

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com



Winery: Château Rieussec


Vintage: 2001


Appellation: Sauternes AOC


Varietal: Semillion/Sauvignon Blanc


Average Price: $150.00


Tasting Notes: By far the greatest and most memorable Sauterne I have ever tasted (yes, including Y'quem). A rich and profound aroma of pure organic honey, Creme Brulee and ripe apricots, trumped by the impeccably balanced and rich flavors on the palate. Well over a minute after taking my first taste, this wine is still lingering, amazing length and perfect acidity. I expect this the age well over 30 years.


Food Pairing Suggestions: I had this wine with an amazing dish prepared by chef Casey Gibson of restaurant 58 degrees in Sacramento CA. Chef Gibson presented a blue cheese panna cotta topped with organic honey "caviar" garnished with fresh raspberry and Spanish almonds. A truly ethereal pairing!


Winery Notes: Chateau Rieussec is one of 11 Prémier Cru properties designated in the 1855 classification, and was originally owned by Carmelite monks pre-dating the French Revolution. Currently the Chateau is owned by the Lafite-Rothschild group. The vineyards border that of the great Chateau Y'quem and consistently produce wines that rival Y'quem in Quality.

A truly divine wine!

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information."



Winery: Domain du Pegau, Cuvee da Capo

Vintage: 2003

Appellation: Chateauneuf du Pape, Cuvee da Capo

Varietal: Grenache, Syrah predominate

Average Price: $600 (may be considerably more at auction)

Tasting Notes: A powerful yet precisely balanced wine, dense layers of ripe cherry Asian plumb and black raspberry are nearly overshadowed by copious amounts of herbs de Provence, sweet basil and roasted meats. The palate has everything I could ever ask for in a wine. Amazing structure, absolutely complex flavors of black cherry, rhubarb and ripe strawberry mixed with a classic hint of pepper. The long finish caps off one of the greatest wines I have tasted this year. If you ever have the chance to taste this masterpiece, savor the moment!

Rating: (on a 1-5 scale) 4.5

The Young Connoisseur part 3

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information."

A few rays of natural sunlight peer through the partly closed window blinds of an office at The Professional Culinary Institute (PCI) in Campbell Ca. The light almost seems to dance across the gleaming hard wood floors that wrap around the modern curves of this food and wine Mecca. I don’t believe I should be in this part of the building; I kind of snuck in when someone opens the electronically locked door. Curiosity has gotten the best of me I suppose. I knew even then, before my training had begun, that there was something special about this place. I had a feeling that my life would be changed here forever. I felt as if I had finally found what I always knew I was searching for. Class at PCI would begin for me in a week, but I felt a little reconnaissance was in order. Just then the door to the cellar and wine classroom opened. Out came David Glancy a Master Sommelier and wine department chair at PCI. I introduced myself and asked to take a quick peak at the classroom where I would be learning how to become a sommelier. The room was amazing to say the least. Three rows of seating where each student had his or her own sink and tasting station equipped with under lighting built into the desks. Flat screen TV’s hung on either side of the classroom and a giant projection screen in the middle. Facing the students on the opposite side of the classroom was a giant glass wine cellar that looked to hold at least a thousand bottles. This was going to be home for the next few months, this is where I would learn the art of the sommelier.

In any profession or craft it is important to seek out the very best mentors to learn from. To be the best you have to surround yourself with the best. At PCI a Master Sommelier David Glancy oversees the sommelier program. I opted for the night classes because I was driving from Sacramento to San Jose every week to get to class and wanted to make time for traffic etc. The primary night class instructor was a Master Sommelier as well, Catherine Fallis. Both Catherine and David are outstanding instructors who really seemed to be dedicated to the proper training and preparation of their sommelier students.

So what was a normal day like at PCI? Classes were broken up into modules, each module covered a separate area or region of wine i.e wines of Germany, wines of France. Those modules were divided up into smaller sections focused on important sub regions etc. Each day we began with a few hours of lecture on a particular sub region we were focusing on. These lectures were very interactive and entertaining to say the least. The hard data we needed for our studies was provided along with fun and interesting stories from our Master Sommelier instructors that added the comical and real dimension to learning. After the lectures were over, the class would run through practical trials of wine service. Opening Champagne bottles properly, decanting old wines from sediment using a candle and decanter according to the court’s standards and proper service of both. The day would end with a tasting of 8-12 wines from the focused sub region we were reviewing that day. The Master Sommelier instructors would walk us through the tasting and discuss classic characteristics of the wines and what made them standard representations of their respective regions. At the end of each module a final exam was given along with a blind tasting of any classic wine from any classic wine region. Upon completion of the final exam the students (which numbered around 20 per class) would sit down together and enjoy a meal prepared by the expert chefs and students at PCI’s culinary school. These meals would consist of the cuisine from the module we had just completed. As an added bonus the students were allowed to open any wine they wanted from the cellar to drink with dinner! Wine was certainly not the only focus of the program at PCI. All together we spent nearly four weeks studying liquors, spirits, beers and cigars. A sommelier must have a working knowledge of all these beverages and luxuries. The learning did not just happen in the classroom. We took a trip to both Cooper-garrod winery in Saratoga and Testarosa winery in Los Gatos. The winemakers were sure to give us a hands run through the wine production from the vineyards to the final product, as well as barrel tastings. Needless to say spending three days per week for 5 and a half months attending these classes was a pure immersion into the world of the sommelier. As part of an agreement with the Court of Master Sommeliers and PCI, the Level 1 and 2 exams were given to all students one after another at the end of the program. Thus is how I received my certified sommelier pin. I view PCI as a sommeliers boot camp in a way. The relationships I built there have continued to grow and benefit as the time goes on, from a networking point of view PCI is priceless for the young connoisseur.

I have the training; I have the pin on my lapel, now what to do? Dive into a sommelier position at a restaurant, right? I very well could have gone that way but I felt like there was still something more out there for me to learn. I felt that even though I had so much great training something was still missing. I wanted to learn more about the production of wine, something I knew little about. A friend of mine and a mentor Jason Moore of Modus Operandi wines in Napa asked me if I would come work a harvest for him after completing my sommelier certification. Without a second thought I said yes and moved to the Napa Valley. I haven’t looked back since. My time in the Valley as a young connoisseur has been full of beautiful moments, tasteful adventures and above all else food, wine, and the pursuit!

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Handcrafted Pinot Noir

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information."


Winery: Sojourn Cellars

Vintage: 2007

Appellation: Sonoma Coast

Vineyard: Sangiacomo

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Erich Bradley

Average Price: $48

Winery Notes: Sojourn Cellars is not interested in making anything but the most expressive and well rounded wines they can produce. Specializing in Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sojourns careful attention to detail starts in the vineyard. Only fruit from unique and expressive terroirs is aloud to be cultivated and carefully crafted into beautiful wines that everyone should have the pleasure of enjoying.

Tasting Notes: Bold and rich aromas of fig, black cherry and apricot give way to an alluring spice and ever so intriguing mint. The palate boasts more of the expressive fruit flavours promised on the nose with an absolutely stunning round and structured approach. Lively acidity and extremely refined tannins give way to a long and satisfying finish. This Pinot Noir is truly art in a glass.

Overall Rating: 97 points

Food Pairing Suggestions: Try this wine with your favourite poultry or pork dishes. I would especially love to see this paired with rosemary lamb chop and Pinot Noir reduction. Delicious!

The Young Connoisseur…part 2

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information."

A sommelier! “What an important and official sounding title” I thought to myself as I was introduced to Jeff, a sommelier at a newly opened wine bar in my home town of Sacramento, California. I knew right away that I wanted to be able to call myself a sommelier. That summer I frequented the wine bar whenever I could, asking Jeff questions, trying to learn everything I could about the world of wine. Because I was a struggling student just out of the military, I focused on the wines that I could afford. Rose wines and whites were generally less expensive than reds, so that’s where I began my wine experience.

I learned about the impact that geography and climate have on wine through tasting these types of wines. A white wine, for example, tends to be more honest about where it’s from or just easier to discern a style and location. I quickly learned that flavor profiles in white wines were prone to quick and drastic changes as a result of climate, whereas red wines were less obvious. Think of the change in flavor and smell of a white wine as a light switch where there is simply off and on. The change in a red wine is more like the track lighting in an art gallery with a slower progression from off to on. I learned about the difference between new world and old world white wines. Wines from cool old world regions tended to have more muted, mineral, or even green tones. Compared to white wines in warmer new world regions the flavors and aromas are much more intense and fruit oriented. Many white varietals and roses are un-oaked, or are at least oaked far less than reds. This allowed me get to know the flavor profiles of white varieties quicker and easier when I began tasting. That being said, there are certainly discernible differences in cool old world red wines and warmer new world red wines, but the whites helped me hone in on just how much climate and geography affects a wines’ flavor and aroma.

I’m not sure how I understood this so early on in my wine adventure, but I believed that there was something more to wine than just tasting and drinking. Each time I visited the wine bar, I made a real effort to get to know the people working there. Through my interactions with people at the wine bar and the new wines I experienced, several things became crystal clear to me. The enjoyment of wine, that is, drinking or tasting, is only half of what wine is all about. The other half is rooted in the human spirit. Wine is as much an act of the heart as it is of the senses. The context within which we all enjoy wine is truly the most important part. Only when one can grasp this concept can he or she unlock all the joys that wine has to offer. You, the reader, will come to find that my blogs are as much about what is around the glass as what is in it. Once I understood the bigger picture of wine I also knew, without a single ounce of doubt in my heart, that a life of wine shared with family and friends, meant a life of stimulation and happiness, of loving and being loved in return. There is no better time in our history than now to incorporate these ideals into our lives. There is no better way to live life.

One beautiful afternoon I was sitting enjoying a glass of Cremant d’ Alsace when a few well dressed people walked into the wine bar for what seemed to be a business lunch. I noticed that throughout their lunch there was one gentleman in the group who would wax poetic about a wine they were drinking or about a recent soiree in Napa Valley. It was obvious that he had a decent knowledge of wine. Shortly after his party finished their wine and food, they picked up their brief cases and whisked back to the “real world” far away from the fantasy I seemed to be enjoying. There it was -- the epiphany I was waiting for. I knew then, as the businessmen walked out the door, exactly what I needed to do. In order to truly understand the world of wine, I had to dedicate 100 % of my time to it. I couldn’t have a day job, my focus had to be on everything wine. I knew that this would require sacrifice, both financially and in my personal life. What was more important to me was finding what would get me to where I needed to be. I would find my way into the wine industry through the sommelier program at the Professional Culinary Institute (PCI) in Campbell, California. What took place over the five months I spent at PCI would change my life forever and propel me head on into the world I live in now….Part 3 to be posted next week..

Small in size, big in quality!

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information.

Winery: Radio-Coteau

Vintage: 2006

Appellation: Sonoma Coast

Vineyard: Terra Neuma

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Eric Sussman

Average Price: $75

Winery Notes: Radio-Coteau is small in size yet big in quality. Eric Sussman believes in a more hands off Burgundian style of winemaking that helps instil a real sense of place in his small lot wines from the western Sonoma coast.

Tasting notes: A powerful and perfume filled nose with aromas of fresh cherry, ripe strawberry and intriguing hints of wood spice and vanilla. On the palate more of the fresh red fruits are kept in line by a stunning, well refined tannin structure. Just the right amount of acidity to give the wine an overall freshness and lift. A long and well rounded finish complements this exceptional Pinot Noir.

Overall rating: 91 points

Food Pairing Suggestions: Radio-Coteau is blessed to have a cellar master who is also a chef. There are many great recipes located on their web site www.radiocoteau.com For this Pinot Noir I recommend trying a slow roasted pork loin or seasoned squab.

“The Young Connoisseur”…part 1

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information.

In this life we are blessed with many talents, gifts, opportunities and moments of joy. Unfortunately the world we live in is not a perfect Utopia like so many of us pray and hope for. Our blessings are both unique to each individual and shared with many others. We all must do our best to cherish these blessing, hold them dear to our hearts and find ways to bring about more of them to our every day lives. Often, these blessings are in disguise, and it’s not until much later that we realized just how great they were and how much of an impact they had on our lives. I can pinpoint the exact moment that would eventually lead me to one of the most positive choices of my life - the choice to dedicate my life to wine, food, people and of course the pursuit of happiness.

I found myself at the age of 19 in the middle of a controversial war. The date was January 2005 and as a tanker in the U.S Army I had just began what would prove to be more difficult and life changing than I could ever imagine. During one of my first missions in Baghdad my vehicle convoy came under attack by a road side bomb and a few snipers. No one was seriously wounded that day but I can remember very clearly the profound effect this had on me. I’ve always said it felt as if I learned a lifetime of lessons in a single moment, and I stick to that statement. On that day, back in my barracks I made a promise to myself that I have never broken and one that I never will. I promised myself that if I made it back home alive and got out of the Army that I would never waste one second of my life doing anything I didn’t really love to do. I made myself swear that I would never take one moment, not one breath for granted, and that I would use every minute of my life to better myself and the people around me. So how did I go from war to wine? Though the contrast of war and wine seems tremendous what is important to understand is that my love for wine, food and family began years before the military. As a child I grew up watching my father cook. He love to create flavorful dishes and always included me in the process. I would receive tastes of whatever he was preparing, and he would ask me if I thought it needed more spice or salt. It wasn’t long before I could accurately identify a full range of smells and flavors. Thus my palate was honed at a young age. I learned to savor a good meal and to appreciate flavor above all else. At dinner wine was often present, and if I was lucky I was able to procure a small glass, maybe an ounce at most. Wine always captivated me as a child. Growing up Catholic I learned that even Jesus enjoyed wine with his friends and family! Needless to say I had a good idea of what I enjoyed most in life by the time I did get out of the military, and I set out to follow that passion with steadfast commitment.

Part 2 will be posted next week...

Modus Operandi 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information.”

Winery: Modus Operandi
Vintage: 2006
Appellation: Napa Valley AVA
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Jason Moore
Oak: 100% French Oak
Average Price: $65

Winery Notes: Jason Moore is a young winemaker with copious amounts of talent and passion for winemaking. Moving to northern California from Dallas Texas on nothing more than a prayer, Jason set out to make luscious full flavoured wines, just the kind he loves to drink. Through hard work, many sacrifices and years of apprenticeships in Napa coupled with wine classes at UC Davis; Jason created Modus Operandi and released his first wines in 2004. Keep this young man on your radar screen and pick up a bottle of his extremely limited production wines. Go to www.moduswines.com for more information.

Tasting notes: The 2006 Modus Cabernet Sauvignon shows warming aromas of cinnamon, huckleberry, black cherry and baked blueberries, with a touch of caramel, soft leather and sweet oak to round out a truly hedonistic nose. Luscious, full, and loaded with well balanced flavours, the palate maintains rich dark fruit flavours from the nose as well as a delicious meaty spice note, and hints of toasted caramel to complement a long and satisfying finish.

Overall rating: 90+ points

Food Pairing Suggestions: The complexity of the 2006 Modus Cabernet allows for a much wider range of food pairings. Traditional grilled or BBQ meats are always a great idea to pair with a powerful Cabernet but this wine will drink well with wild bore, pheasant and other full flavoured game. For desert try a glass with a few pieces of 50-60% Cocoa artisan chocolates.