VIADER® Vineyards & Winery, Napa Valley

A vineyard, a wine, a family, a legacy

2015

Forbes Highlights 2015 VIADER as Wine of the Week and an American Treat for Thanksgiving

Wines Of The Week: American Treats For Thanksgiving

Along with what is the meaning of life and what’s the nature of time at the center of a black hole, the question of which wines to drink on Thanksgiving is one of the most vexing. Theories abound, of course, though they rarely account for differences in how each family chooses to approach the traditional feast. How tart are your cranberries? What do you season your turkey with, and how do you cook it? Do you add marshmallows to your sweet potatoes or allow their natural sugars to do most of the talking? Each of these issues and more will determine what will work best with your dinner tomorrow evening.

Which is why, over the years, I’ve given up on focusing on perfect pairings—though Beaujolais Cru, Champagne, and Riesling all tend to work well with the full range of ingredients typical of the holiday—and instead have determined that this is an occasion for drinking whatever you want. It’s a day that celebrates all that we should be thankful for, and the abundance of the autumn season, and the closeness of family and friends. If that’s not cause to pop corks with abandon, then I don’t know what is.

Still, given that this is arguably the most American of holidays, I wanted to focus on domestic selections for my Wines of the Week today.

Depending on how big a crowd will be at dinner, or, let’s be honest, the family dynamics at play, you may need a wine with a bit more power. Still, balance is key, as is its ability to pair with the heartier dishes on the table. For that, my red Wine of the Week should work particularly well: The Viader Proprietary Red 2015 (SRP: $175), an exuberant wine crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the Napa Valley. It boasts 15.1% alcohol by volume and complex notes of black licorice, cassis, dark chocolate, coffee beans, grilled sage, and a hint of violets. Sweet tannins frame it all, and carry through to the black-cherry liqueur finish.

VIADER 2015 “Signature” Proprietary Red Blend “Unveils a Wonderful Sense of Place”

Imagine the pressure of crafting one great Napa wine each year. Now imagine doing that for more than three decades, using entirely estate mountain fruit. Founding winemaker Delia Viader, PhD. has been creating one proprietary wine since 1986. She now combines with her son, Alan, to make this exceptional red wine, entirely sourced from their estate vineyard on Howell Mountain. Growing up, Delia spent many years in Europe, particularly in France. She holds a PhD. which was obtained at Sorbonne University in Paris as well as business degree from University of California, Berkeley. Her business acumen told her to purchase land in Napa Valley during the wine boom of the 1980s and she stated Viader while raising four children on her own.

Delia was clearly a natural for the wine business, as she remembers her first great Pomerol wine as a teenager. She and her son, Alan, have crafted a remarkable new release with their 2015 Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine (WWB, 95), a wine with poise, richness and wonderful Napa terroir. The wine which Delia affectionately calls ‘liquid cashmere’ has a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel and old world elegance. This plush, yet powerful wine will be a remarkable wine for the cellar. Learn more about this storied Napa winery at https://viader.com.

2015 Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine- First crafted in 1989, the Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine is a Howell Mountain red blend comprised of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Cabernet Franc. The mother/son winemaking team of Delia Viader, PhD and Alan Viader have created an awesome new release red wine. Needing roughly two hours in the decanter to be fully awoken, the wine emerges with wonderful earthy terroir with red bell pepper, damp earth, sweet pipe tobacco and leather, all parading with dark and blue fruits on the nose. Silky smooth on the mid-palate, the wine unveils a wonderful sense of place. The tension, weight, mouthfeel and depth here is absolutely lovely. Blueberry compote, wild blackberry preserves, milk chocolate and roasted fig flavors all mingle beautifully in the glass. Lightly tannic, this gorgeous effort will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2019-2040- 95.”

2015 DARE by Viader Cabernet Franc Receives 93 Points in Cabernet Franc Report featured on Oregon Live

Cabernet Franc: It’s Not Just For Blending Anymore

One of the reasons why Cabernet Franc is so interesting is because of its historical significance. It’s one of the most important varieties in France, particularly in Bordeaux, and the Loire Valley, where Cabernet Franc reigns supreme. The grape is often used for Bordeaux blends, but it shows exceptionally well bottled as a single varietal–which is why it’s time to celebrate Cabernet Franc’s diversity around the world. The grape is wondrous in so many places, from France, and Italy, to the United States, Hungary, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Bulgaria, South Africa, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, New Zealand, and China, and of course, right here in Oregon.

So if you’re looking to sample some of the top producers around the world, I’ve listed some favorites recently tasted. Each showcase a sense of place, and uniqueness that each location brings to the table.

Recommended Cabernet Franc Producers:

2015 DARE® by Viader Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, California

93 Points

This is a silky yet weighty Cabernet Franc with layers of violets, red fruits, currant and plum notes, balanced by vegetal flavors of tomato, and green pepper. It finishes strong, with spice, black pepper, and cedar notes. Sold exclusively at the winery.

VIADER 2015 “V” is a “Power-Packed Barrel Sample that Delivers the Goods

Tasted as a barrel sample, the 2015 Petit Verdot V (62% Petit Verdot and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon) boasts a saturated purple color as well as a huge, decadent style in its plum and blackcurrant fruits, toasty oak, graphite, and wood smoke aromas and flavors. This beauty is full-bodied and fills the mouth with fruit, yet also has depth, structure, and length. It’s a power-packed barrel sample that delivers the goods.

2015 VIADER Proprietary Red Barrel Sample Shines in Jeb Dunnuck’s Latest Napa Tasting

Not yet bottled, the 2015 Viader Proprietary Red Blend is the same blend as the 2014 and is aging in 75% new French oak. It has slightly more density and plushness compared to the 2014, with more blue fruits, scorched earth, and graphite all showing. It’s a big, rich, yet elegant 2015 that’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and have 2+ decades of overall longevity.