Last fall I had the chance to visit Cuvaison, one of the beautiful spots in Carneros, with sweeping views of the Napa Valley. Steve Rogstad has made these wines for many years and has a signature style of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that focuses on poise and texture. I have long admired these wines and fondly recall tasting some impressive early 2000s Chardonnay when I was in graduate school. It is hard to believe that this winery was first founded back in 1969. Then in1979 they acquired 400 acres of highly prized land north of San Pablo Bay in the Los Carneros district of Napa Valley which is a site that is highly influenced by fog and cooler temperatures from the bay.
I love the new wines by Cuvaison which come from the 2020 vintage. These are wines that did not see any smoke influence. As a killer value check out the 2020 Cuvaison ‘Estate’ Chardonnay (OB, 91) which is soft and elegant with classic Carneros tension and salty undertones. The best wine I tried is the 2020 Cuvaison ‘Coeurtina’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is dense and viscous with a good sense of minerality. These wines start at roughly 25 dollars with the top wines topping at 60 dollars. Learn more about this outstanding producer at https://www.cuvaison.com and here are the killer top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir releases by Cuvaison.
2020 Cuvaison ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The really good 2020 Cuvaison ‘Estate’ Chardonnay was stored for 11 months in 25% new French oak prior to bottling. It comes off very soft and round on the mouth, with buttercream, cardamom dusted Challah bread and nectarine flavors, with good tension. Enjoy over the next five to seven years. Drink 2022-2028- 91
2020 Cuvaison ‘Coeurtina’ Chardonnay- The 2020 ‘Coeurtina’ Chardonnay is a gorgeous new effort by winemaker Steve Rogstad. A play on words, this wine is named after the Cortina clay soil that is found at their estate vineyard. Aged for 5 months in French oak barrels (50% new) this opens with bright Japanese pear and vanilla cream on the nose, with flinty undercurrents. The palate is fresh, soft and beautifully textured, as this seamlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Finishing very long, this is highly refined stuff that has both the finesse and stuffing to cellar well for another ten years. Drink 2022-2030-93
2020 Cuvaison ‘Kite Tail’ Chardonnay- The 2020 Cuvaison ‘Kite Tail’ Chardonnay is a gorgeous new bottling from this Carneros estate. Stored for 16 months in French oak barriques (50% new), this comes from the most windy part of the vineyard. Baking spices, poached pear and marzipan notes combine on the nose. The palate is very fresh and finesse-driven, with a very lengthy finish. Gorgeous to consume now, this has some excellent aging potential. Drink 2022-2030- 92