Three years ago next week, I attended Premiere Napa Valley - The Napa Valley Vintners Winter Barrel Auction of the 2003 vintage. I tasted many excellent wines there, but one of the top three or four was made by Bill and Dawnine Dyer under their label, designated Meteor Vineyard. All I could learn about it was that they were working with a new site in Coombsville and they were quite pleased with how it turned out. A couple weeks ago I received a call from Dawnine asking if I would like to come out to visit Meteor Vineyard and taste the premiere releases with her and Tracy Schuler. Bill and Dawnine are co-proprietors of Meteor Vineyard with Tracy and her husband, Barry.
The property is set in the rolling foothills of Mt. George on the northern outskirts of the City of Napa and is about 500 feet in elevation and is planted to several clones, including 7 and 337.
We tasted three wines (all 100% Estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon) in the cellar of the Schuler's rammed-earth home located on the property. The first wine, 2004, only produced 40 cases and there are no plans currently to release the wine commercially. In 2005, the vineyard yielded enough to produce 700 cases of Meteor Vineyard, and about 75 cases of Meteor Vineyard, Special Family Reserve.
Here are my impressions: Overall the wines possess a velvety dark purple garnet color that Dawnine describes as "blue".
2004 Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, VF 94
A nose of blackberry, pomegranate, bright cherry and hints of smoke. The palate is lean and focused showing good acidity framing the blackberry and blue plum flavors.
2005 Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, VF 94
An exotic nose of black currant, delicate flower blossom (jasmine?), espresso, blueberry and chocolate which continues to amplify and complex with aeration. The palate is lush and expansive - oozing cinnamon, toast, mocha and black currant (cassis).
2005 Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Special Family Reserve, VF 97
By selecting the top three barrels from the vintage, the partners are able to coax some noticebly extra rich characteristics into the bottle. Violet and seville orange-infused chocolate dance around the nose. The mouth entry is sublimely textured - round but powerfully focused, showing finely integrated espresso, black currant, soft date and lush sun-warmed yellow plum.
Prices and availability, TBA