WASHINGTON — Jay Turnipseed is a man with two mistresses. Fortunately, they both seem to get along. They are two of the most popular wineries in Napa Valley: Franciscan Estate and Mount Veeder Winery. And luckily for Turnipseed, the winemaker, the two properties have a lot in common.
Mount Veeder Winery was born from the hard work and dedication of Michael and Arlene Bernstein. The Bernsteins first discovered the rugged property in the early 1960s and later bought it as a rustic retreat.
In the ensuing years, they transformed it into an enviable vineyard, almost by accident. After farming the property’s prune orchard for the first few years, a farmhand who lived on the property presented the Bernsteins with a bundle of castoff grapevine cuttings. Michael stuck the unrooted cuttings into the ground and never gave them a drop of water.
Miraculously, of the 60 cuttings planted, 58 lived. Michael turned his full attention to the vines and built his land into a thriving vineyard, ultimately making history as the first vintner in Napa Valley to plant one property to all five of the classic Bordeaux varieties: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The first wine produced from Mount Veeder Winery was the 1973 cabernet sauvignon. Since that first vintage, Mount Veeder Winery has expanded to three vineyard ranches nestled high in the Mayacamas Mountains, and it continues to produce powerful, bold wines that are a true expression of this unique wine-growing region.
Franciscan Estate has had its roots deeply embedded in the soil of Napa Valley for over 35 years. Founded in 1972, and purchased in 1975 by industry revolutionaries Justin Meyer and Raymond Duncan, Franciscan Estate’s rich history was born out of a strong devotion to small-lot winemaking and a pioneering spirit.
These ideals have been a hallmark for of the estate and continue to inspire the winemakers to craft world-class Napa Valley wines. Franciscan is located in Oakville, right in the heart of the Napa Valley. The 240-acre parcel of prized land features loamy, gravely, well-draining soil which adds great structure to the wines.
Just like the aforementioned Mount Veeder, this location in the heart of the Napa Valley allows the Bordeaux varietals to enjoy the cooling marine influences while still receiving plenty of sun and heat. When you combine the location with dry-farming techniques, the vines produce smaller, concentrated fruit, which builds wine of good structure, body and texture. This optimal blend gives our fruit the ability to maintain its vibrancy and ripen to its full potential.
So Turnipseed, along with his colleague Marla Carroll and head winemaker Janet Myers, use the two properties to their maximum advantage to craft wines that provide some of the best values in California. But Turnipseed’s road to these remarkable properties came about a little bit later in life.
It was during a stint as a waiter in a San Diego, California, restaurant that Turnipseed got bit by the wine bug in a big way. He was serving a guest a bottle of 1953 Chateau Margaux when the patron graciously offered Turnipseed a taste. That’s when he had his “aah ha” moment. Turnipseed remembers, “I had about two sips and I thought, ‘So THIS is what all the fuss is about.’ Within days, I was figuring out how to get into wine.”
Turnipseed left the San Diego restaurant industry and enrolled in the Viticulture and Oenology program at UC Davis in 2000. As an “older” student, he focused on three research projects that included the effects of pruning, thinning and crop load on finished wine sensory characteristics.
“These projects were integral in shaping the way I look at how wine is made,” he explains. “I learned early on that what happens in the vineyard affects what happens in the glass.”
After graduation in June 2002, Turnipseed joined Gallo of Sonoma, first as an intern, then as Enologist. He joined Franciscan Estate in May 2004, and is thrilled to have an opportunity to work with Magnificat, a Bordeaux blend like the wine that changed his life.
Turnipseed says: “It’s just a wonderful feeling to walk Franciscan Estate’s Oakville vineyard and know that the quality is there to make unparalleled Bordeaux-style wines. I hope one day someone uncorks a bottle of MAGNIFICAT that I had a hand in and says, ‘So THIS is what all the fuss is about …’”
Given the wines I sampled during a recent dinner with Turnipseed, I would say the odds are very good.
If you’re looking for a rich, supple and vibrantly acidic Sauvignon Blanc, then the 2014 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is for you. Turnipseed describes this wine as “the Loire meets New Zealand by way of Napa Valley.” It features aromas of lime, grapefruit peel, and lychee and notes of honeysuckle and lemon grass. It’s very aromatic and inviting. Bright, round flavors bursting with fresh fruit, juicy lime, lychee and Meyer lemon. The clean mouth feel tingles with refreshing minerality and a long finish of lime zest, vanilla, and grapefruit. $17
Merlot is often maligned (thanks, “Sideways!”), but the 2013 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Merlot is so wonderful, it will make you burn your copy of the movie in effigy. The deep aromas of ripe plum, rich dark fruit, violets and dark chocolate are perfume in a glass. Hints of licorice, vanilla, blackberry, and tobacco envelop the tongue up front while smooth and full bodied dark cherry fruit and layers of baking spices and cocoa glide in on the vibrant yet plush finish, topped off with sweet notes of cassis and chocolate. $23
If you look up Napa Valley Cabernet in the dictionary, chances are good that the 2013 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley will be the definition. While it is mostly cabernet sauvignon (81 percent), there are bits and pieces of merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah blended in for balance and depth.
The wine shines with layers of juicy dark plum, vibrant blackberry and dark chocolate flavors that blend in with Bing cherries and cola notes to create a complex and full palate. The rich, velvety structure delivers a smooth and seamless finish of cassis, blackberry jam, and rosemary. $44
In 1985, Franciscan introduced Magnificat, one of the original Meritage blends of California, using all five of the classic Bordeaux varietals. The 2012 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Magnificat is a blend of 73 percent cabernet sauvignon, 19 percent merlot, 3 percent Petit Verdot, 3 percent Malbec, and 2 percent Cabernet Franc. It possesses a very complex nose of dark plum, dried cherry and mocha.
Dominate flavors of blackberry, black cherry and cassis hit the palate like a velvet glove while hints of black pepper and cocoa work their way in on the back of the tongue. The mouth feel is full, yet seamless, with ripe tannins woven into a supple and full palate that lead to a long finish of dark fruit, toasty vanilla notes and savory hints of tobacco and black olive. $55
