Ripped Off and Disappointed with Blackberry Farms Tennessee

Accommodations and housekeeping

In a word they were were superb. Everyone raves about the grounds, the architecture, and the peaceful environment. I can confirm that the rooms were comfortable, clean, and well appointed. I've noticed over the years that the style and decor of most Relais and Chateau properties are pretty much the same with not a lot of difference in decor. For our stay housekeeping was very good and clearly the best service offered. They met our requests on the first request. We had no issues at all with housekeeping. Our room was right next to a community refrigerator with drinks, snacks and ice cream that we could help ourselves to on demand. Our room connected to a communal living space or living room with a wood burning fireplace that was very comfortable as well as a communal coffee service. You also had access to a very large game room and library that you could easily spend hours in close by.

Check-in service was chaotic.

When you arrive the arrival area and registration is very contracted. There was a service person in the driveway who stopped us. And when I rolled the window down a somewhat brusk individual stated, why are you here? I was somewhat taken aback. Obviously I was there because I had a reservation. And the signs directed me to that one spot. When I told the service person this I was told to wait while she went inside to find out what was going on. After a brief period I was invited into register. But it just seemed strange, the way it was handled. No welcome, just why are you here? Do they have strangers without a reservation just drive up all the time? Once I got to the registration, we went through the usual formalities, but the receptionists seem to be only interested in one thing which was advising me more than once to be aware that anything and everything, including the room charge while I was there would be subject to a 20% on top service charge. It really seemed like that was the main interest when we got checked in. It was somewhat depressing in that instead of being warmly welcomed, we were basically told, and it was our perception we want your money first. We were given a bell person to go to the room. However, the bell person assigned to us was actually the same age or older than my wife(we are both elderly). It was obvious they were physically incapable of carrying heavy luggage. My wife felt sorry for them and actually carried some of the heavier luggage into the room which I found completely unacceptable especially after being reminded multiple times of the service charge. At that point in time I expected royal service which was not provided. And the bell-person didn't say, no, don't do that, I'll do it they went ahead and let my wife carry heavy luggage in. Again simply unacceptable.

Dining

There are two dining venues, Dogwood, which is a more casual place providing three meals a day, and the Barn, which is more upscale and serving dinner only. In general the food was good but in our opinion did not match the price paid. There were some innovative dishes and flavors, and some of them worked, but then again some of them didn't work. To us most of the menu choices were what you would find elsewhere and nothing special or really different. I found it interesting that the dining venues have only received minor awards from one or two magazines but to be clear no Michelin star awards and no Mobile 4 or 5 diamond awards for either restaurant. You would think, based on their reputation and the prices they charged that that would be something you would anticipate but no, it didn't happen. Perhaps the main reason was the service again was completely unacceptable. It was extremely young untrained, and unprofessional servers. The servers were most interested in constant small talk every time they walked by your table as opposed to providing professional service. In fact we had to complain and request reducing the small talk every what seemed to be 5 minutes. It was the second time we have made that request and interestingly the first time was at another Realis and Chateau property. There were 2 or 3 professionals overseeing the operation, but they were seldom seen. They did have a world famous sommelier who was extremely helpful, but the whole dinner service taken as a whole, was simply not up to caliber to what you would expect. We were terribly disappointed overall, and we agreed with other reviewers who said they probably preferred the casual dining spot as opposed to the upscale Barn. The Barn seemed to us to be way overrated, and my wife made an interesting observation that the chefs and the sous chefs in the open kitchen seem to be depressed. They just sort of were walking around with sad faces. They weren't particularly excited about making dinner. It was just something you could feel, and you could see a lack of enthusiasm.

Wine

Allegedly Blackberry Farms wine list is the second best in the world compared to Bern’s steakhouse in Tampa. Having been to Bern's multiple times in my life as well as multiple trips into Bern’s wine cellars both on and off site, I can verify the truth of that statement. Especially French wines and more to the point Madam Leroy-Bize wines from Bourgogne. I was very excited about reviewing the wine list, understanding prices would be high but hoping the possibility of finding something not too expensive. No such luck. The problem is you cannot afford any of it unless you are Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffet. I was able to review the list before going and came to the conclusion I would need to take my own wines and pay the high corkage fee of $100 per bottle(++ that 20% service charge). The prices were simply unacceptable. The markup on the wines, by my estimation in some cases was close to 700%. I can assure you even Warren Buffet with all his Billions would most likely not buy most of those wines. 700% markup over retail is simply not right no matter how much money you have. I simply will not support any venue that does that. Years ago we stayed at the Delano, South Beach Miami and dined at the Blue Door restaurant. At that time I was always meeting with the Food & Beverage managers and they told me their markup was 1.5 retail and they were making money at that level, just not a killing and they wanted people to enjoy good wines with their meals. At another high end place in NYC the sommelier told me they charge those high prices because that is what they sell for in the Hong Kong wine auctions. Fine then, be honest, ship the wines to Hong Kong and sell them as money is the only thing you are interest in and could care less about the dining experience of your customers. The usual standard is 200% of retail and on rare occasion, 300% times retail, but 700% times retail is highway robbery and sends the wrong message. Contrary to popular belief I support reasonable corkage fees. Restaurants still provide glassware, service personnel, and must pay for insurance and must follow State alcohol laws when serving you your own wines so yes they should charge you a corkage fee for providing you those services in their place. Where the debate comes in is what is considered reasonable and for most of the world that is somewhere between $20 to maybe $50 dependent on the venue. Most of my wine friends consider $100 at the top end but examples like Thomas Keller’s places The French Laundry and Per Se it is his standard so for a high end place OK. But also don’t forget at Blackberry Farms on top of that is that ++ service charge. There are also unwritten rules regarding taking your own wine to a restaurant chief of which is you don’t take a wine they have on their list. So I made sure I took wines they did not have. Another unwritten rules is you take wines they would be proud to pour which I did, not Ripple or Blue Nun.

Activities

Their activity list is almost as long as their wine list. There's a ton to do at this place, and while I was in the hot tub, one afternoon a young couple was there and they expressed that they were over busy as they had actually signed up for more than they really should have, and as a result they had no downtime. That could be quite easy at BlackBerry farms so take it from us old folks with our new rule, one activity a day then a nap. We appreciated the pool space and hot tub very much. It was one of the highlights of our visit. It's small, but it was not crowded partly because it was sort of cool. But I will say that the pool was heated, and the hot tub had strong jets so you actually could get a pretty decent massage in the hot tub and then go for a swim comfortably. They also allow you to use the pool and hot tub 24/7which I found different from other places. I have always been told how extremely expensive it is to heat a pool so maybe that explains the high prices? Be aware there are very few included activities during your stay and even simple activities like a tour are to me expensive especially once you add that service charge.

Check out

Check out service was not much better than checking in. We had to call more than once to get checkout service. This time I insisted that they send someone who was strong enough to carry the luggage. I really shouldn't have to do that but based on our check in experience, I felt that it was clearly necessary to let the front desk know that they needed to have somebody younger and stronger to handle luggage and of course I was looking out for my wife also. Something interesting and positive occurred at check out. Turns out Blackberry Farms has some kind of relationship with Lexus Automobiles and one of the actual free activities you can do(and not pay a service charge) is drive around in a free demonstration ride in a Lexus SUV.   At check out there was a $100 credit off of our bill for driving up in and being a Lexus owner. What a nice surprise. Thinking about it our visit might have started out better had we been told on check in “Oh we see you have a Lexus car, you will receive a $100 credit off of your total bill at check out”. We probably would have remember nothing else. As it was we remembered “why are you here" and "don’t forget the 20% service charge”.

The Soapbox and Conclusions

We truly were looking forward to this trip and nothing short of an unforgettable experience at Blackberry Farms. We have been wishing for it for over 30 years. We have multiple friends, including friends who know the owners, who have come multiple times who gave it their highest reviews. We had nothing but the best intentions of having a great time enjoying the best in accommodations, cuisine, and service. With huge disappointment our experience was in fact forgettable. For what we paid we could have had a suite at a 100 better properties. We could have stayed at the Ritz in Paris. We could have been in the Penthouse on Regents Seven Seas. But we were stuck at Blackberry Farms with mediocre food, non existent service, and an added 20% service charge. I had already written my shorter review on Trip Advisor and while there I read about a dozen reviews over the past year or two that essentially agreed with what I have told you here. I noticed that up until a couple of years ago management responded to each review, positive or negative with a comment acknowledging the writers good or bad comments. From what I could tell for the recent past at least I saw no management comments regarding customers comments so I can only come to one conclusion, management really does not care what you think. And guess what, it shows. As we drove away in our Lexus my wife and I were commenting that we were actually happy to leave. We were going to another Relais and Chateau property, The Old Edwards Inn, in Highlands NC which it turns out was 20% the cost and 1000% better food and service and we could not wait to get there. Thinking about that was very sad. After waiting 30 years to go to Blackberry Farms we could not wait to leave because we felt ripped off and will not return. But it is sad we feel that way and sadder that Blackberry Farms could care less as long as they receive that 20% service charge.

Tricks and Tips to stimulate nervous system for better health and sleep.  Please check back from time to time as I will be updating and adding tips to this blog over time.

Just before going to sleep hold an ice cube(must be an ice cube) in each palm(must be palm) for 45 seconds. Beware it is painful. Stimulates diving reflex which stimulates deeper level of sleep.

Fully exhale for an empty lung and hold exhaled breath for 15-20 seconds. It is more difficult than you know. Improves sleep quality as it turns on nervous system to improve oxygen absorption.

To eliminate carb cravings place one grain of quality salt(sea or pink) on your tongue and it will eliminate the craving within 15 seconds. You can also smell your wrist for 20 seconds to reduce cravings.

You can turn off chronic pain for about 30 minutes by causing harmless pain on the opposite side of the body.  Examples would be having a rubber band on the opposite wrist and snapping it, or holding an ice cube in you palm, or running very cold water over your opposite wrist.  This technique is based on the Gate theory of pain which says your brain can only process a limited amount of incoming data to the brain.  So by snapping a rubber band on your wrist it forces the brain to accept the message from the wrist and ignore the message from the chronic pain area for a while.

To remember someone new name, right after they tell you their name imagine wrighting their name on their forehead in your favorite color.  It will increase your recall later.

You can trigger sleep by putting something cold on your forehead.  An ice pack or pack of peas.  Lay it on your forehead until it warms up.

Generic Azelastine HCL, brand name Astepro Allergy is an over the counter nose spray at most pharmacies.  There is well done excellent valid research that clearly shows using it prevents transmission and infection of COVID 19.  I don't think anyone knows how it works but factually it clearly works in research.  Clark and I use it 3 times the day before flying or planned exposure to crowds and the morning of.  To my knowledge there are no side effects and it is harmless so something so simple and safe why not use/do it?

Important Lab Tests to Prevent Future Disease Public Service Annoucement

For disease prevention, here are 6 markers that predict disease 10 to 15 years before standard labs can catch it. Your standard yearly physical checks which are basic metabolic panel a lipid panel, and hemoglobin AIC only monitor current disease and do NOT predict future disease. Those labs only catch disease after it's already developing. We need to look upstream at what's driving disease before it shows up.

Your doctor checks fasting glucose, but not Fasting Insulin, this is backwards. Insulin can rise 10 to 15 years before glucose abnormalities show up by the time your glucose is elevated you've already been insulin resistant for almost a decade. Fasting insulin should be under 5. If it's above 10, you're heading towards metabolic disease, even if your fasting glucose looks good.

Standard Cholesterol panels are outdated. Cholesterol doesn't tell you a particle number which is really important for heart disease. Risk. Apo B (Apolipoprotein B) measures the number of atherogenic particles in your blood and the number of Apo B molecule per particle capable of penetrating the arterial wall causing inflammation of the arterial lining and causing plaque formation. This is the single best predictor in my opinion of cardiovascular risk. I am for a lab result under 80 and ideally, under 60.

The High Sensitivity C Reactive Protein measures systemic inflammation. Chronic inflammation drives nearly every chronic disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer demand dementia. The standard crp only catches acute inflammation, whereas HSCRP catches low-grade chronic inflammation. Most people want it under 1.0 ideally you want it under 0.5.

Elevated homocysteine increases risk for cardiovascular disease stroke and cognitive decline. It's a marker of methylation issues and often indicates B vitamin deficiency, including B6 B12 and folate. Homocysteine results should be under 10 ideally under 7.

Your doctor checks serum magnesium, which is useless for this reason. Serum magnesiums stay normal even when you're severely deficient, because your body pulls it from cells to maintain blood levels. A Red Blood Cell Magnesium shows you what's inside your cells where it matters. Most people are deficient.

Vitamin D isn't just for bone health. It's a hormone that affects immune function, mood, cardiovascular health and cancer risk. Of interest other than skin cancer as populations go away from the equator the incidence of many cancers actually go down and in my opinion demonstrates how Vitamin D most likely helps prevent many cancers( https://1library.net/article/latitude-and-cancer-incidence-or-mortality.y9ro6jwy#google_vignette). Also recall that significant number of people who died from Covid 19 were found to be Vitamin D deficient. The Optimal range depends on different researchers but I like to aim between 60 and 80 ng per milliliter. It only becomes too high by most accounts over 100. I take 50,000 units weekly and my levels are consistently 60.

Here's one problem with our healthcare system. Insurance often doesn't cover these labs. Unless you have a specific diagnosis, doctors are trained to treat disease, not prevent it. These markers catch dysfunction before it becomes a disease which doesn't fit the current medical level. Be your own advocate. Ask your doctor to add these labs if they won't find a functional medicine, doctor or order them yourself for services like lab or request these labs could give you a 10 to 15 year Head Start when preventing disease prevention is much cheaper than treatment. These 6 labs can uncover problems a decade before they become diagnoses and direct you as to what areas to modify in your life to reduce risk. For many of these increased risk issues the key to prevention is a healthy diet, modest exercise, and judicious use of supplements to correct documented deficiency's.

ARNP's and PA's and AI will never replace Physicians

I was asked to put this comment in my blog for wider distribution as a public service announcement for the historical record.

I totally disagree with Bill Gates who says AI will eliminate the need for Physicians.  Years ago testifying at trial in a malpractice case I was cross examined by the opposing attorney who confronted me aggressively asking me how I could testify as an expert on something that was in no medical textbook and there was no supporting evidence in the literature to back up my testimony. My answer was 30 years of training and experience and not everything in medicine is in the literature and textbooks and I just "knew" it was the right answer and in the end my opinion was upheld and supported. Maybe AI might be able to deal with some super easy questions but Medicine will always have an "Art" to it which involves physicians with the training and experience to make the tough calls and diagnosis. For the same reason physician extenders like PA's and ARNP's can never replace fully trained and experienced MD/DO's. I spent a year as the supervising MD's in an ER and 20% of the diagnosis made by PA's and ARNP's were flat wrong and could have harmed the patient. It was not that they were not dedicated, compassionate, and ethical because they were. It was because they lacked adequate training and experience for the task at hand. Ask yourself when you are critical at risk of death who do you want taking care of you and your family? If you don't speak up and take a stand you will get what you paid for and advocated for, with silence being no advocacy and receiving unnecessary and dangerous care.

Bainbridge Island and Traveling to Seattle(SEATAC)

Bainbridge Island and Traveling to Seattle(SEATAC)

Restaurants

​Miguelitos Cocina Mexicana

This restaurant is within walking distance to my sister-in-laws home. We had a very nice dinner here. I would call it Mexican New World Fusion cuisine. Many new and interesting dishes. Good cocktails but a limited wine list. Reasonable prices and the food was very tasty. I recommend it.

Cafe Hitchcock

Had lunch here on arrival. It is on the main shopping street and we had great service and a tasty lunch. I had pulled pork that was quite good, a surprise to me in this part of the world. Decent wine list with reasonable prices. Nice place for quick casual lunch.

One of the draws of Bainbridge Island is how lush it is. Beautiful trees, plants, bushes, and millions of colorful flowers everywhere. Frankly I do not remember seeing such a lush environment in my life with maybe the exception of the Butchart Gardens on Victoria island we visited last year. Admittedly Victoria Island is not that far from Bainbridge and would be expected to have similar weather and rain. The bottom line is both of these areas are a Northwest rain forest and get plenty of rain with a moderate climate and temperature for now. While we were there end of May it was cold and again I was not prepared and had to buy another sweatshirt or 2 to be warm. I am slowly collecting a sweatshirt collection from the cooler places on Earth. We were told it really does not get warmer until June. Makes me think of an old quote we use on Amelia Island where we have 11 months of summer and 1 month of winter. Bainbridge Island to me is the opposite. 11 months of winter followed by 1 month of summer. If you like lush green rain forests with millions of flowers Bainbridge Island is the place to go.

Transportation at SEATAC and Travel Challenges in general

Bob Dylan famously stated, "The times they are a-changin'" and he truly captured the essence of travel, particularly for individuals over the age of 65. It is widely recognized that travel is becoming increasingly challenging, and as we grow older, it often feels nearly impossible. We traveled to SEATAC (Seattle/Tacoma International Airport) and subsequently to Honolulu, Hawaii. Despite our efforts to ensure a comfortable and pain-free journey, we encountered numerous obstacles that ultimately exhausted us. Upon our arrival at SEATAC, we quickly discovered that public transportation options, including taxis, Ubers, and hotel shuttle buses, were not advisable. All these services are limited to drop-off and pick-up at the 3rd Floor Garage, and after making the lengthy trek there, we had to wait over an hour for the hotel shuttle bus, while we were unable to secure an Uber or taxi due to the thousands (not an exaggeration) of people queuing for the same. This situation unfolded at 11 PM, with street traffic congested for miles. The explanation provided was due to construction and the arrival and departure of cruise ships, but that does not account for the entirety of the chaos. We quickly recognized the necessity of booking a limousine service for any future trips to and from SEATAC. For long-distance journeys, we now reserve a hotel midway through our travels to allow for a restful overnight break before continuing. Thus far, Delta, our preferred airline, permits us to book multiple flight segments without imposing excessive charges, which was beneficial on this trip as we had four flights. However, we still endured four six-hour flights with varying levels of comfort. On our first night, we stayed at the Hilton Airport and Conference Center, a place we had previously enjoyed but can no longer endorse. Their airport shuttle service is exceedingly slow, and the hotel is understaffed, resulting in minimal service. The dining options are subpar, and the hot tub is not heated, which was a significant disappointment for me. Additionally, when I attempted to book other rooms throughout the week, as we were coming and going, I found that each time I booked for a different day, the rates increased. We eventually stayed the rest of the time at Residence Inn at the airport where the service was better, the rooms were bigger and more comfortable, and the Shuttle service was better.

I highly recommend having access to at least one airport lounge. Generally, we prefer the Delta lounges, as we find them to be the best option available. With the AMEX Platinum card, we also have access to Centurion Lounges; however, these are only located in a limited number of airports, and overall, we believe the food and atmosphere at Delta Sky Lounges are superior. Additionally, we possess a Priority Pass, which offers the main advantage of having the highest number of lounges in a significant number of airports worldwide, and while they may be smaller, they suffice in a pinch. Please note that at times, you may need to wait for entry due to crowding, or there may be restrictions on when you can enter, such as not being allowed in more than three hours before your next flight. Typically, lounges provide a satisfactory meal, and seating is usually spacious. Some lounges even offer shower facilities. For long-haul flights, we are currently able to afford first class, and it indeed makes a noticeable difference. For reasons unknown, the cost of First Class is significantly lower when departing from Orlando (MCO). I am presently disappointed with the new seating configuration of Delta's Airbus 321 aircraft, as there is a lack of legroom even in First Class, making it challenging to exit from the window seat during the flight to use the restroom. The food quality is also subpar, and the level of helpfulness and attention from the flight crew varies greatly. Delta has the potential to improve. As I recall with Delta at least the older First Class configuation with Boeing 737’s is better and you might want to select those flights over the Airbus 321.

In summary, choose your flights well and research the aircraft configuration(no more Boeing 777 business class, especially British Air) arrange for layovers, at airports that are crowded spend the money and pre-order a limo service, and pick hotels that are consistent in price and comfort and you will arrive at your destination less stressed out.

The Best Limo Service at SEATAC

I need to mention Seattle Exclusive Limo, 206-371-4755, seattleexclusivelimo.com, SeattleExclusive@gmail.com. Never have I had such a wonderful experience with a transportation company. I prearranged 4 trips from the hotel to the Bainbridge Ferry, to the hotels, and back to the airport and the trips were seamless. My trips completely removed all the problems I had originally arriving at SEATAC and my driver was on time every time. To me the cost was reasonable and well worth the cost to completely eliminate all barriers for a comfortable and painless ride. They also answered all phone calls immediately. I ended up tipping over the top because I want them there for my next trip to SEATAC. I highly, highly recommend them.

Travel Challenges in General

Bob Dylan famously stated, "The times they are a-changing'" and he truly captured the essence of travel, particularly for individuals over the age of 65. It is widely recognized that travel is becoming increasingly challenging, and as we grow older, it often feels nearly impossible. We traveled to SEATAC (Seattle/Tacoma International Airport) and subsequently to Honolulu, Hawaii. Despite our efforts to ensure a comfortable and pain-free journey, we encountered numerous obstacles that ultimately exhausted us. Upon our arrival at SEATAC, we quickly discovered that public transportation options, including taxis, Ubers, and hotel shuttle buses, were not advisable. All these services are limited to drop-off and pick-up at the 3rd Floor Garage, and after making the lengthy trek there, we had to wait over an hour for the hotel shuttle bus, while we were unable to secure an Uber or taxi due to the thousands (not an exaggeration) of people queuing for the same. This situation unfolded at 11 PM, with street traffic congested for miles. The explanation provided was due to construction and the arrival and departure of cruise ships, but that does not account for the entirety of the chaos. We quickly recognized the necessity of booking a limousine service for any future trips to and from SEATAC. For long-distance journeys, we now reserve a hotel midway through our travels to allow for a restful overnight break before continuing. Thus far, Delta, our preferred airline, permits us to book multiple flight segments without imposing excessive charges, which was beneficial on this trip as we had four flights. However, we still endured four six-hour flights with varying levels of comfort. On our first night, we stayed at the Hilton Airport and Conference Center, a place we had previously enjoyed but can no longer endorse. Their airport shuttle service is exceedingly slow, and the hotel is understaffed, resulting in minimal service. The dining options are subpar, and the hot tub is not heated, which was a significant disappointment for me. Additionally, when I attempted to book other rooms throughout the week, as we were coming and going, I found that each time I booked for a different day, the rates increased. We eventually stayed the rest of the time at Residence Inn at the airport where the service was better, the rooms were bigger and more comfortable, and the Shuttle service was better and the prices were stable.

I highly recommend having access to at least one airport lounge. Generally, we prefer the Delta lounges, as we find them to be the best option available. With the AMEX Platinum card, we also have access to Centurion Lounges; however, these are only located in a limited number of airports, and overall, we believe the food and atmosphere at Delta Sky Lounges are superior. Additionally, we possess a Priority Pass, which offers the main advantage of having the highest number of lounges in a significant number of airports worldwide, and while they may be smaller, they suffice in a pinch. Please note that at times, you may need to wait for entry due to crowding, or there may be restrictions on when you can enter, such as not being allowed in more than three hours before your next flight. Typically, lounges provide a satisfactory meal, and seating is usually spacious. Some lounges even offer shower facilities. 

For long-haul flights, we are currently able to afford first class, and it indeed makes a noticeable difference. For reasons unknown, the cost of First Class is significantly lower when departing from Orlando (MCO). I am presently disappointed with the new seating configuration of Delta's Airbus 321 aircraft, as there is a lack of legroom even in First Class, making it challenging to exit from the window seat during the flight to use the restroom. The food quality is also subpar, and the level of helpfulness and attention from the flight crew varies greatly. Delta has the potential to improve. As I recall with Delta at least the older First Class configuration with Boeing 737’s is better and you might want to select those flights over the Airbus 321.

In summary, choose your flights well and research the aircraft configuration(no more Boeing 777 business class, especially British Air) arrange for layovers, at airports that are crowded spend the money and pre-order a limo service, and pick hotels that are consistent in price and comfort and you will arrive at your destination less stressed out.

Tit for Tat Del Dotto and Napa Valley December 2024

As usual I have failed to keep up with this Blog. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say. Life as we know just gets in the way. So today I have a few items to advise you on and some great wines to recommend.

Some Tips on tasting wines and recent insights.

1. When tasting lots of wines you get palate/nose fatigue. To freshen your tasting ability and reset your senses try smelling your elbow or body.

2. The higher the acid in a wine the higher the saliva production. If you have increasing watery secretions in the mouth your are drinking a higher acid wine.

3. Wines fermented at higher temperatures show less fruit. As usual heat kills wine.

4. Wine fermented in concrete which goes back 2000 years to Roman times presents differences in wine production. A couple of years ago we visited a vineyard in Bordeaux/Blaye that were still using 2000 year old concrete vats built by the Romans and they were square in size. At modern vineyards you will frequently see egg shaped vats that are made with concrete. Wine fermented in concrete it is harder to control the temperature of fermentation so the wine maker usually doesn’t meaning a certain acceptance of loss of fruit. Also the lees(Lees are deposits of dead yeast or residual yeast and other particles that precipitate to the bottom of a vat of wine after fermentation and aging) do not settle so it makes no sense to tamp down the lees like you see being done in stainless tanks. By not tamping down the lees the wine increases in complexity due to increased surface contact with the lees.

Del Dotto Napa Valley

Making our second annual trip to the Del Dotto White Truffle Dinner we spent a day with Dave Del Dotto tasting some of his recent offerings listed here. Dave continues to lead an innovative and forward looking team with lots of surprises in his wines. You really have to visit to taste his wines and I do recommend scheduling a visit when you are in Napa. All of the vineyards today charge tasting fee's as they simply can no longer give away that much free wine. Del Dotto is clearly the best tasting experience in the Valley that I have experienced and it comes with great food and pizza so I highly recommend lunch. You must make reservations as they are always busy. Don't miss the cave tour and tasting in the caves as it will be memorable.

2012 Vineyard 887 Cabernet

There is a unique smoky nose here. The alcohol is high at 15.5% and too me it was hot and overwhelming so the fruit was sort of hidden.

2021 Family Chardonnay Reserve

Has a nice nose. Lots of pear in the taste along with apple. Has a good finish. In general we like this wine and have purchased a case or two. To me the family reserve wines are usually the better ones here.

2012 Rutherford Vineyards

As a rule I love Rutherford and Oakville wines in general. This one starts with a nice oaky nose and despite an alcohol content of 15.4% I found the wine to be soft and feminine. There is plenty of fruit on the taste with hints of licorice. So it is farily complex. The mouthfeel is nice so it is a wine I can recommend

2015 St Helena Family Cabernet

The main attraction to this wine was an exceptional long finish, more than most. It had a basic Cab nose and taste along with another high alcohol monster at 15.2%. As a family favorite it is compelling and has plenty of fruit

2014 Villa Del Lago

One of Dave’s top 2 wines and my personal favorite. It is an exceptional wine with layers of complexity and finesse hard to find. It is very complex with lots of berry flavors in the nose and taste and surprisingly a taste of dark cherry. Like all of Daves wine plenty of alcohol but perfect balance and a pleasant velvet mouthfeel. It also has a good finish.

2014 The Beast

When I think of the Beast I think BOLD. It is sort of how it got named. Someone was drinking it and said “this is a beast of a wine”. Most of us agree. It opens with a bold smoky nose with lots of charcoal smell and taste. In many ways it is too bold with a lot of tannin and maybe not as smooth, especially when compared to the Villa Del Lago. Dave also brought out a 2020 Single Cluster Beast and to me it had a much richer taste and a predominance of licorice. A significant number of vintages of the Beast have been rated 100 points by the professionals which I can confirm.

Carter Cellars

Owner and vintner Mark Carter has built a portfolio of great California Cabernets over the years with a long line of 100 point wines. In fact this year his wines received his 25th 100 point score. I have now met him twice over the past two years and he is a great guy to taste wine with and clearly is passionate regarding his wines. For decades he controls a significant portion of the Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyards one of the original and oldest Cabernet vineyards in the valley.

2022 The Haze $95

The nose opens with a sweet and smoky flavor. I noticed blackberry fruit on the nose. There's lots of fruit in this wine, as I also detected boysenberry along with the blackberry. There was a huge amount of tannin in this wine, so it's very bold. I also picked up some licorice but Despite all of the positives, I didn't find it particularly complex.

2022 Carter Carter $175

The nose opens with a lot of fruit and floral aromas with hints of honeysuckle, pencil, and graphite. This wine was more complex than the previous one. There was a good mix of floral and Earth tones. The wine presented a fair amount of sweet taste and there was a velvet mouthfeel. It had a pretty nice finish. The wine was a primary profile of Berry flavorsand moderate tannins. The alcohol content in this one is 15.2%, which was not particularly noticeable.

2022 Beckstoffer Las Piedras La Bam $260

This wine has a more simple basic nose of fruit with some mild smoke and the fruit. I found this wine to have a bitter Disjointed candy flavor taste that I did not like. Interestingly the 2021 was 100 point rated, but I was just not that impressed with the 2022. There was a high concentration of tannin in this clearly young puppy but you could still taste the fruit

2021 Beckstoffer Las Piedras La Bam

A bit more complex on the nose. Nice cinnamon and floral hints. The mouth feel is very nice and there is a sweetness to the wine taste. It has a little more alcohol and I described it as hot in my notes. The tannin was moderate. Overall I preferred this to the 2022 and thought it was a better wine.

2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon The Grand Daddy $260

Starts with a nice sweet balanced nose. Again some hot alcohol and a lot of tannin, so very young. There was a short finish. It may be the grand daddy but not for at least 10 years in bottle.

2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon The O.G. $260

Starts with a nice tobacco cigar smoke nose. It has a classic Cabernet taste with balanced alcohol and tannin. The wine presents again as very young and tannic but fruit is there. I detected some licorice here. It is a nice drinkable wine for now and will age well.

2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon The GTO 1.5L $650

Mark Carter’s Opus one landmark wine and rich, smoky, graphite nose followed with a hedonistic velvet mouthfeel. One of Carters best balanced wines. It has again high alcohol of 15.2% but due to the exceptional balancee you do not notice it.

Theorem Vineyards

On my own separate from our usual Napa guide I made reservations at Theorem estate grown wines. This vineyard was established in 1878 and is located on the northern slope of Diamond Mountain in Calistoga, California, approximately 1,100 feet above sea level.  The vineyard benefits from volcanic soil, ample sunlight, and cooling afternoon winds, which contribute to the quality of its wines.  Visitors can enjoy stunning views of Mount St. Helena, a noted private chef, and various tasting venues that offer a unique experience.  The estate produces world-class wines, including its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon.  I have loved California Mountain vineyards for years and Theorem is one of my favorites, especially their Chardonnay, and we usually buy a case or two per year.  We tasted the following wines and all were world class and again found the Chardonnay compelling and purchased a case. Their tasting room is spectacular so book a visit. Advance reservations are required.

2022 Moon Mountain Sauvignon Blanc

2022 Moon Mountain Chardonnay

2022 Moon Mountain 100% Syrah

2022 Moon Mountain 100% Cabernet Sauvignon