It’s always fun to find a great wine, but it’s even more fun when you find out there are all kinds of connections. Such is the case with Tierra Roja Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley.
Linda Neal in the Tierra Roja vineyard
Remember when I wrote about visiting The French Laundry? One of the sommeliers took pity on me and began recommending various wines. When he found out D’Aun and I were big fans of DeSante wines he suggested Tierra Roja because David DeSante is the winemaker. Makes sense — if I like the wines David puts his name on I’m likely to like the wines he creates for others.
So I wrote an email to the owner of Tierra Roja, Linda Neal. She shipped me a couple of bottles and they were wonderful. Rich, lush, full of promise for long term aging. And these bottles were the 2011 vintage, which is not highly regarded. I can only imagine how great the wines will be in a good year!
Last August I was invited to buy their soon to be released 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. I jumped at it, of course. And then I thought, “Gee, why not just drive up to Napa and pick up my wine instead of having it shipped?” Be a fun way to see the winery and meet Linda.
That’s what I did last week, and it was a great decision. I loved the small operation at Tierra Roja — for a high end wine this is still just a small family farm. Actually, it’s a one-woman farm! Linda does most of the work in the vineyard (with help of course) and blends the pragmatism of a farmer with the passion of a wine lover. She has a special property along the Silverado Trail in the Oakville region. Her cozy home and shaded garden are nestled by the vines planted along the hillside.
Thus in the middle of the busy harvest season I find myself being hosted by Linda in her backyard as we sipped the delicious 2012 Cabernet. It’s a great wine that will easily score in the high 90’s when the “experts” get hold of it. And it has that young, just in the bottle taste which promises so much more in the future.
Oh, and all those connections I talked about earlier? Turns out Linda knows many of the folks at McEvoy Olive Oil, which is where D’Aun purchased her olive trees. Linda even laid out the vineyard that McEvoy planted on their property. So while sipping world class wine we talked about the difficulties of farming, the olive fruit fly, and even a real estate deal (she has a winery for sale if you’re interested).
You can join the Tierra Roja mailing on their website. There is a limit of 6 bottles per customer.
You can also find the wines in the most exclusive restaurants. Rarely will you find it in a retailer. More info on their website. Check it out, and tell Linda I sent you!
