One of the older Napa properties, Girard was started as a father/son winery back in 1975. Sourcing from a range of sites in Napa, Girard relies on the winemaking talents of Glenn Hugo, who started his career with Girard ten years ago as a harvest intern and was quickly promoted to Cellar Master and Assistant Winemaker before earning the title of Girard Winemaker. A native Texan, Glenn developed his passion for wine over 12 years in the restaurant industry before moving to Napa Valley with his wife, Pam, in 2003 to pursue his dream of becoming a winemaker. Glenn had previously stints at Provenance Vineyards, where he learned from Napa legend Tom Rinaldi, and hands-on experience at Sedna Winery and Fleury Estate Winery.
His new releases were very solid. The 2016 Girard Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 90) shows wonderful classic Napa character and beautiful citrus oil flavor with good structure. Even better was the new 2014 Girard ‘Artistry’ Red Wine (WWB, 91) which shows a great combination of weight and poise. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.girardwinery.com Here are the great new wines by Girard
2016 Girard Sauvignon Blanc- Sourced from a Santa Helena vineyard, the 2016 Girard Sauvignon Blanc opens with a bright bouquet of wet stone, nectarine and lemon oil. This has a great combination of weight and texture. Tree fruit flavors connect with wet rock and mineral elements of this wine. Enjoy this great value by Girard on a hot summer day. Drink 2017-2021- 90
2015 Girard ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel- The 2015 Girard Zinfandel is primarily sourced from the Morgan vineyard in the southeastern point of Napa Valley and the Godward vineyard in Calistoga, The nose is unmistakably Zin with baked dark fruits and bramble. Dark fruits and milk chocolate dominate the palate with nice structure. Juicy and fruity, this would pair beautifully with slow roasted meats. Drink 2017-2024- 90
2014 Girard ‘Artistry’ Red Wine- This wine is an excellent blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, and 7% Petit Verdot. Aromatics of creme de cassis and black tea are showing beautifully. There are beautifully balanced flavors of Turkish coffee, anise and blueberry pie. The tension towards the back end is really lovely. Drink 2017-2027- 91