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98 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 Lucky Stag: An SLD Assessment of the 2O17 Vintage After lunch, the somms buckled down and spent the next ve hours on a "barrel crawl," during which they visited four dif- ferent wineries to review the 2017 vintage. The rst stop, Quixote Winery, showed wines with a structure as interesting as that of its facility, the only building in the U.S. designed by revered Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Quixote Assistant Winemaker Robert Smith didn't seem too worried about the effects of last year's rampant wildres while pouring the 2017 Malbec for one of the somms. "We're pretty happy with the way things turned out considering the res," he explained. "We'll be making some quality- centric decisions in the next year, but 85–90 percent of our grapes were in." Much of the discussion at Baldacci Family Vineyards centered around its oak program, with a fascinating tasting show - casing various species of French oak and their differences. General Manager Kellie Duckhorn also engaged in a frank discus - sion with the somms regarding Baldacci's dry Gewürztraminer ; while the somms loved it, Duckhorn says it can be a tough variety to sell. Odette Estate Winemaker Jeff Owens, meanwhile, presented both the 2016 and (unnished) 2017 vintage of the only two wines offered by the boutique luxury label. "What we have to offer here in Stags Leap is the ultimate combination of power and nesse," he said, adding that he felt that the 2017 vintage would be in line with what Odette has produced thus far. "I think if you have ultimate balance you can appreci - ate a wine now and still might be able to enjoy it 25 years later." At the end of the crawl, we followed Michael Beaulac through his maze of cave tunnels at Pine Ridge Vineyards. Past a Dale Chihuly sculpture and through the Cellar 47 lounge to another non- descript tunnel, we came upon samples of the Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet and the beloved Pine Ridge Vineyards For tis Cabernet. "We feature fruit from a few different areas," Beaulac explained. "The Howell Mountain fruit is amazing and Oakville and Rutherford are great AVAs—and I'm not just saying this be - cause of why you're all here—but to me the Stags Leap is the most compelling fruit that we bring in." Being a straightforward kind of guy, Beaulac gave an assessment of the 2017 vintage that was not as optimistic as the others. "Most of us were really fortunate here in Stags Leap, but there's wine out there that will be bottled and it won't be good," he said. "That's my full disclosure, and I can say that because we had wine that was tainted [from another AVA] and somebody bought it—and we're not the only one. I think the SLD was lucky." Ending with a Grand Opening During the next stop at Clos Du Val, President Steven Tamburelli stepped over a four-by-four as he led the large group into a room that would soon become a wine library in the new visitor center, scheduled to open this fall. Guests of the winery will be able to enjoy Clos Du Val treasures dating back to 1972 in neigh - boring private rooms. (Regarding the ongoing construction process, Tamburelli said they're "using as many sustainable materials as [they] can.") Clos Du Val's efforts at expansion have mirrored its recent winemaking renais - sance, which was best exemplied in the Clos Du Val Three Graces Red Blend served with dinner later that evening. "Our winemaker has complete license to do whatever the hell he wants to the wine, with no varietal or vineyard restraints," Tamburelli said. "He's just been tasked to make the best wine he possibly can. This Winemaker Jeff Owens of Odette Estate strives to widen the drinking window with well-balanced wine. Natalia Pecherkina, Sommelier at Halls Chophouse in Charleston, SC, accompanies Winemaker Michael Beaulac of Pine Ridge Vineyards as he leads the group through his network of tunnels.