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What folks are saying about Tulocay wines
2002 TULOCAY AMADOR COUNTY ZINFANDEL
Why do people like wine country so much? Is it the beauty of the countryside?
Or the amazing food that's always the perfect match for whichever bottle
is on the table? Or perhaps the mildly condoned if not slightly tolerated
drinking and driving? Well, I have a theory. I think the reason we love visiting
wine country is all of these things plus something more- I think we love
to meet the people behind the wine we drink and see where the grapes come
from, because it enhances our drinking experience.
When you love a wine and then you meet the winemaker and fall in love with
him (as a person, of course) you then love the wine exponentially more. If
you can remember the curve of the hillside where the vines grew every time
you take a sip, the wine is that much better. It becomes a special occasion
every time you open a bottle. You share stories with your friends about the
crazy guy who ran the place as if you are in on some great secret. The bottle
and the wine inside are no longer some liquid that you imbibe in order to
relax- you are drinking a place, a moment in time, a personality. Because
of your visit to wine country, you will enjoy this wine in a way which stimulates
all of your senses, not just taste and smell, for the rest of your life.
I say all this because this winery, Tulocay, happens to be the first winery
that I visited after I got into the wine business. At the time it was the
only California wine that we carried in our little wine store in Brooklyn.
We carried it because it was a small production, hand crafted wine and it
happened to also taste very good. So, when I went to Napa on a little field
trip to learn about wine making, I decided that I would visit Tulocay.
I spent my days working with Lance Cutler, an almost mythical wine making
figure in the Sonoma scene. Unfortunately, Lance no longer made wine for
public consumption. He made wines in a sort of co-op system for him and his
friends, as well as a few thousand cases of a wine that was way out of my
price range. In the few days I was there I witnessed and assisted in every
aspect of the wine making process, from picking grapes, to corking bottles.
There was a lot of wine drinking as well, and eating of course and even a
crawfish boil. It was a great trip. On one of my last days I headed over
to Tulocay to meet up with the owner, Bill Cadman, and hopefully taste through
some of his wines.
I met Bill outside his home on the hillside above Tulocay cemetery.
He walked me through the garage where the wines were made and then
sat me down in his “tasting
room,” which happened to be a picnic table overlooking the
rolling green pastures below his property. Any of you that have tasted
in Napa probably know that most tasting rooms are nowhere near this
cool. We talked and tasted and watched the sun set and laughed. I
left loving the man, and loving his wines even more. I returned to
Brooklyn and made it my crusade to tell the world (well at least
my neighborhood) about the wonders of Tulocay.
A few weeks ago, Derek and I went to Napa to meet my father and his wife,
Linda. We stayed with Mike and Mary Ellen, the wonderful folks that had put
me up several years back. On Saturday we all drove to Sonoma and had lunch
with Lance and his wife Sandy. We bought some of the most amazing food ever
from the taco truck across the street and washed it all down with about seven
bottles of red wine. Then, Derek, my dad, Linda and myself set off to visit
Bill Cadman at Tulocay. It was as if I had never left that hillside picnic
table. We sat and watched the horses in the meadow below, tasting through
bottle after bottle of amazing wine. We all fell in love again. My father
and I both bought a case and left hugging Bill as if he was an old friend
we hadn't seen in ages. And now I have a case of his wines, and I know that
every time I open up a bottle I'll be back on that green hillside laughing
with Bill.
It's hard to find Tulocay, but if you do, I recommend buying it. All of
his wines are good. His Chardonnays and Pinots are elegant and balanced,
tasting more like Burgundies than Napa wines. He also makes great Cabernets
and Syrahs, and really great Zinfandels. This Zinfandel from Amador County
is a 2002, and still going strong. The nose has hints of spearmint and earth,
with wild brambly blackberries. The palate is all silky dark fruit and cocoa.
It's a big wine, with structure and ripe tannins that make it a great pairing
for red meats or big cheeses. But, it's also great to drink on its own with
a few people you love on a hillside in the sun.
***
Tulocay Winery is an iconoclastic winery in Napa Valley, and it is one
the wineries I always reference in the midst of the answer to the question, “What’s
a good wine I should buy.”
To me, Tulocay falls into that category
of satisfying not only my need for a reliable wine across varietals,
but it also satisfies the requirements for which good ‘friends and family’ wine
recommendations are made:
- The wine is classically structured, but fruit
forward
- The wine is reasonably priced
- The label speaks to a classic wine sensibility
- The winery has a bit of
personality and is “authentic”
- The wine is not available
on the end-cap at your local “Piggly-Wiggly”
Not
only is the Tulocay not available on end-cap at the Piggly-Wiggly,
but it is scarce. Tulocay does not sell online, though you can sign up
for the wine club and you can phone in orders. I have purchased mine
at JV’s
in Napa and on the Internet at a NYC wine retailer and you can find
it elsewhere by looking at the usual places — wine-searcher.com or winezap.com....
Every wine I have had from Tulocay has been pleasurable with a sense of
place, in a distinctive California style. It’s hard to balance approachable,
but classic, yet that’s what Tulocay does, at a reachable price
point, to boot.
***
"It can be hard to find small, unique wineries in the Napa Valley these
days. Another one of my favorites is Tulocay Winery. The winemaker and
owner, Bill Cadman, is more interested in crafting a fine wine than trying
to fit into the mainstream. This is reflected in his delicious Pinots and
bold Cabs."
— Larry Monte, posted on the New
York Times wine blog
***
"Large wineries are impressive, but small wineries should not be overlooked. Worth special mention was the afternoon we spent on the deck with Bill Cadman, owner and vintner of Tulocay. Joining us were a couple up from San Francisco for the day and his cats. We drank several different wines, ate asiago cheese and lazed about all afternoon. By comparison to the big guys, his winery, pieced together with shoestring and bailing wire, is the Millennium Falcon of wineries. Bill has been making wine since the ’70s
and his Casanova Vineyard Zinfandel was
by far the best we tasted anywhere." — Rebecca Henn & David Celento
***
90 • Tulocay 2002 Merlot Sierra Oaks Vineyard, El Dorado County — Beverage
Testing Institute
Brilliant ruby red hue. Tobacco, cherry, sage and oak aromas. Medium-full
with very good concentration, this is an impressive, 'serious' Merlot that
has the structure to age for several years. The oak is nicely integrated
and there are firm tannins.
Ruby black color.
Pistachio nougat, cherry compote, and beeswax aromas follow through on
a round, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with sundried
tomato, raspberry sorbet, coco-mint and sweet spice accents. Finishes
with a long, tangy refreshing fade. A big, yet remarkably balanced and
food friendly zin. Pair with ostrich and stews.
89 • Tulocay NV Sierra Oaks Vineyard, Syrah, El Dorado — Beverage
Testing Institute
Deep
garnet color. Roasted nuts and peppers with a whiff of vapor. A supple
entry leads to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with tangy boysenberry,
creme brulee and grilled yellow pepper notes. Finishes with a crisp,
peppery, honeyed apple skin accented fade. A bit heavy on the alcohol,
but very tasty.
Deep garnet black color. Aromas of smoky
oak, toffee, sautéed berries
and peppers follow through on a vibrant, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity
medium-full body with tangy dried currant , lavender, and craisin notes.
Finishes with a long, juicy nut, smoked meat, and herb accented fade.
A tangy, refreshing and complex table wine to pair with rich Moroccan meat
or mole dishes.
92 • Tulocay 2006 Haynes Vineyard, Syrah, Napa Valley — Beverage
Testing Institute
Opaque
garnet amethyst color. Vibrant spicy blueberry and eucalyptus aromas
jump from the glass and follow through on silky entry leads to a juicy
dry-yet-fruity full body with accented of strawberry puree and creamy vanilla.
Finishes with a long, blueberry skin, earth, and exotic peppercorn fade
with dusty tannins. A full-throttled flavor machine; try with cassoulet.
93 • Tulocay 2007 Haynes Vineyard, Syrah, Napa Valley. Cellar Selection — Beverage
Testing Institute
Inky amethyst color. Rich aromas of chocolate covered espresso bean, orange
marmalade, berry pie,and bacon bits follow through on a satiny entry
to a fruity-yet-dry medium-full body with layer of dried berries, citrus,
and nuts. Finishes with a spicy, mocha, roasted nut, and grenadine fade.
Very rich and appetizing.
91 • Tulocay 2008 Haynes Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Napa Valley — Beverage
Testing Institute
Deep
ruby black violet color. Dense jammy aromas of black raspberry, anise,
black pepper and cherry custard with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full
body and a plush, tangy cocoa cream and nougat accented finish. Excellent
balance and intensity.
***
Tulocay Winery is the oldest active winery in the Coombsville area
of Napa (located just North East of the actual town of Napa). All
their wines are from small single vineyards with their focus on
Cabernets, Zinfandels, Syrahs and Merlots. An experience at this
winery is a step back into time to the mid 1970's when Napa was still
relatively unknown on the International scope and all the flash and
outside money had not yet entered the Napa Wine industry. This is
one of the best values in all of Napa for the quality of wine when
compared to the pricing. The owner (Bill Cadman) founded this winery
in 1975 and was the winemaker for many years (he now has a consultant
winemaker). Bill actually came to the valley without any experience
in the wine industry but quickly picked up knowledge with stints
at Charles Krug, Heitz, Clos du Val, and Mondavi (all long time Napa
wineries still in existence by the way). Tulocay as Bill will tell
you tongue in cheek, means "fine wines at reasonable prices" but
in actuality it is an Indian word.
A taste here is very relaxed and weather permitting is outside on
a patio shaded by the oaks overlooking the small winery. For a low
production winery Tulocay makes large variety of different types
of wines. We started out with their Pinot noir - this is not a rich
dense Pinot as you might find with some of the Carneros Pinot houses,
rather it is made more traditionally and is very elegant both in
aroma and on the palate. The Pinot noir is partly what Tulocay is
known for and was one of the first wines they started producing.
Most of his grapes come from long term relationships he has established
over the years as he owns no vineyards himself. Bill makes several
nice Cabernet Sauvignons which pair well with foods including the
single vineyard Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon (produced every year since
1981). The 2002 has very nice color with a nose containing notes
of smokiness and hints of oak. There is nice fruit on the palate
with good structure. The mouth feel is smooth and the tannins are
not gripping.
His Casanova Zinfandel is one of the best wines he makes, but the
last vintage of this is 2002 and is only available for purchase at
the winery. The fruit source for this wine was key as it was from
that magical little red hill in the eastern slopes of the Oakville
Appellation, where you find all "high end wineries" - Dalla
Valle and Showket among others. Not to worry too much, Tulocay makes
another Zinfandel from Amador county grown grapes. One aspect which
differentiates Tulocay from almost all Napa wineries is the wines
here are typically 3-4 years older than other wineries' current vintages
and at press time all the wines we were tasting were six and seven
years old. Not a bad thing for a consumer - to already have the wines
aged! One other nice thing is that these wines are not priced higher
despite the additional aging. Even Bill's new releases, the Napa
Cabernet's based on quality are extremely affordable. Their philosophy
is wine should be enjoyed by family and friends, rather than as a
social status to show off. Be sure to visit the "cave" which
is actually a C-Train storage unit, but it does contain a "flying
bat" to help make this "cave" more authentic! The
winery is small but you can take a quick tour and Bill has accumulated
a great deal of wine making knowledge over the years.
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