An Illustration
St. Helena, California
Wine Style: New World / Cabernet
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 96 points
Article Written: March 2014
Article Updated: September 2019
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Château or Vineyard Owner:
Michael Polenske
Winemaker:
Aaron Pott
I was first introduced to BlackbirdVineyards through the former Napa Wine Company, (now the Ghost Block Tasting Room) whose focus is to introduce cult, classic, and small vineyards to larger markets. Blackbird Winery is an ultra-premium producer of Pomerol-inspired wines and has proven in the past fifteen years, (with the past three being tasted and enjoyed) to make American and Napa Merlot-driven wines compete with their French counterparts in Bordeaux. Blackbird was founded by Aubrey Dean Jenkins and Michael James Hastings in 1995, with Ma(i)sonry as their boutique tasting hub, Blackbird introduced four Meritage blends and a Rosé, with illustration leading the way as the head focal point for this review.
The first vines were planted in 1997, in the heart of the Oak Knoll District - a region known for its moderate climate and deep, gravelly soils. The vineyard's valley floor topography presents optimum growing conditions for winemaker Aaron Pott to produce elegantly styled, appropriately balanced red wines. Blackbird Vineyards takes a Bordeaux-style approach to wine production: Reliance on multi-sourced vineyards and varietals, allowing for a harmonious whole, greater than the sum of its parts.
The Blackbird Story.
The Blackbird Story.
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| Blackbird Vineyard / Illustration Wines |
Blackbird Vineyards produces an excellent palate of Meritage wines and is a private vineyard, and partner with the Ma(i)sonry Family of wines which offers a selection of boutiques, from Napa Valley all the way down to Mendoza, Argentina, and beyond. Known as the Bespoke Collection, the tasting room at Ma(i)sonry, hosts 22 partner vintners to include Pahlmeyer and Tuck Beckstoffer among them. The focus of this review is on the illustration wines which is their Pomerol inspired merlot, but also offers a Paramour and Contrarian blend along with the Arriviste collection (Rosé included) amongst their collection. All of their wines, to include are blended with merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon, and besides the Arriviste collection, all the Blackbird wines average $125.00 per bottle and up depending on the year. They have accolades from the Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, Vinous Media, The Tasting Panel Magazine, and several others on their productions of Meritage wines produced year after year.
I love a good Meritage blend, but it is hard to find the right balance for me in many wines that I have tasted from Napa. For me, Napa is the king of Cab, but until I discovered Blackbird Vineyards, most Napa if not all California Meritage blended wines were just okay in my opinion, with the occasional good year on some wines like “The Poet” from Cosentino Winery back in 2009. Also, subjectively the best Meritage blends in the world outside of Bordeaux (Heritage) come from South Africa. Unfortunately, many wines you buy in the store from South Africa are not top-notch, you really have to look hard for the good ones or fly to Stellenbosch and do a tasting. For the Blackbird illustration wines 2008-2011, I would compare them to the 2011 Troika from the Cape Chamonix Winery, in Franschhoek, and though blended with a light amount of Shiraz, the 2011 Catharina Red from the Steenberg Winery in Constantia is also a good match. Finally the 2004 Elevation 393 from the De Trafford Vineyards in Stellenbosch, which was one of my personal South African favorites that is a great tasting cousin to Blackbird. All of these wines are fantastic, and Blackbird sits with them on the high pedestal of Meritage perfection.
Wine and Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palate Experience:
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2008 Illustration
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Winemaker Notes:
75% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon offer intense aromatics of blackberry, black licorice, and dark chocolate.
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Winemaker Notes:
The rich and balanced mid-palate is rounded out with plush flavors of cherry, toffee, and cocoa powder. The finish possesses good length with dense, velvety tannins leading to a succulent tiramisu finish. The illustration is optimal to drink after decanting or can be laid down to develop further with time in the bottle. Optimum Drinking 2011-2025.
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2009
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Winemaker Notes:
81% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon offer notes of cherry and toffee with long, luscious floral aromas. The well-balanced mid-palate offers the great density and abundant flavors of coffee and stone fruit.
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Winemaker Notes:
The finish is persistent in length with sophisticated tannins leading to a smooth mouthfeel. Drinking well upon release, Illustration will age beautifully with time in the cellar. Blackbird’s 2009 vintage wines display grapes farmed with ideal hang time, offering wines with bright flavors, balanced sugars, and acidity. Optimum Drinking 2012-2025
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2010
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Winemaker Notes:
48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon offer elegant notes of mocha and toffee with opulent red fruit and iris aromas. The well-balanced mid-palate offers the great density and abundant flavors of cocoa, butterscotch and stone fruit.
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Winemaker Notes:
The finish is persistent in length with sophisticated tannins leading to a smooth mouthfeel. Drinking well upon release, Illustration will age beautifully with time in the cellar. Blackbird’s 2010 vintage wines display grapes farmed from a lower-yielding harvest that produced supple wines with European-style texture and pronounced complexity. Optimum Drinking 2013-2026.
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2011
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Winemaker Notes:
75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon offer cinnamon and black licorice, with opulent red fruit and iris aromas. The softly structured mid-palate offers the great density and abundant flavors of black cherry, tobacco, and cedar.
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Winemaker Notes:
The finish is persistent in length with sophisticated tannins leading to a smooth mouthfeel. Drinking well upon release, Illustration will age beautifully with time in the cellar. The cooler-than-normal 2011 Napa Valley grape- growing season concluded in an expedited harvest. The outcome was a vintage with flavors developed at lower Brix, resulting in truly elegant wines with European-style texture and great complexity. Optimum Drinking 2014-2027
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Arriviste Rosé 2012
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Winemaker Notes:
38% Merlot - 36% Cabernet Sauvignon - 26% Cabernet Franc is a salmon red-colored Rosé. On the nose, strawberry and iris aromas meld with notes of savory spice.
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Winemaker Notes:
The wine displays enticing flavors of tart cherry and bright citrus on the mid-palate, carrying clean minerality and bright acidity on to the lingering finish. The 2012 Napa Valley growing season saw near-optimal conditions, allowing for an abundance of perfectly ripe grapes with a smooth balance of acids and sugars
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Plus check out these other adventures in food and wine from California on Wine Dine and Play:
Final notes, review basics, and observations:
*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
I refer to myself as an oenophile though, oenophilia is defined as “a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation.” In a general sense, oenophilia also refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by a layman — which I am, and not qualified as a professional. I just enjoy drinking it, so my rating is based on enjoyment and the overall experience, not the science of an expert, and thus subjective, not objective. See the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ on how I arrived at the rating percentage below:
Review basics:
Overall Star Rating For Blackbird Vineyard 2008-2011:
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96/100:
An Extraordinary Tasting Experience
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Robert Parker The Wine Advocate
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91/100 on the 2010 Illustration
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91/100 on the 2010 Illustration
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93/100 on the 2011 Illustration
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92/100 on the 2011 Illustration
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Wines Produced by Blackbird Vineyard:
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Red: Meritage, and Rosé
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Grape Blends:
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Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Cabernet Franc
Rosé: 38% Merlot - 36% Cabernet Sauvignon - 26% Cabernet Franc
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Barrel Types and Aging:
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French Oak - 75% new, 25% seasoned for 21 months
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Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
California:
Sub-Napa AVA’s:
Other California wines, wineries (Château’s), or food articles on Wine Dine and Play:
Napa - A Sip and Taste in Wine County A 3-day tour of wineries and fine dining restaurants in Napa County, California
Blackbird Vineyards Wine Tasting An ultra-premium terroir in Napa, California
Castello di Amorosa Tuscan inspired castle with wine — friends of the Baron - Calistoga, Napa, California
Chateau Montelena The famed Bottle Shock “Judgement of Paris” winner in Calistoga, California
Crocker and Star Wine Tasting Capturing the essence of Cabernet in St Helena, California
Emmolo Wine Tasting A merlot comparable to no other in Rutherford, California
Flying Horse Wine Tasting A spirited winery with Arabian horses in Oakville, California
Gustavo Winery Artisan winemaker whose story is tied to “The Judgement of Paris” in Napa, California
Hoopes Winery Tasting Cult cabernet winemaker with Liparita and Hoopes labels in Oakville, California
Jonata Winery Tasting Screaming Eagles sister winery, El Desafio cab, in Santa Barbara, California
Kamen Estates Low yield, high quality + film writing in Sonoma, California
Ma(i)sonry Wine Tasting An aesthetic portfolio of wines in Yountville, California
Mirror Wine Tasting A beautiful Cabernet from a family of entrepreneurs in St Helena, California
Ottimino Winery Exclusive red Zinfandel producer partnered with William Knuttel in Sonoma, California
Row 11 Santa Maria Pinot An Old World style Pinot from Santa Maria, California
Row 11 Tasting Pinot grapes using Dijon clones in Santa Maria, California
Silver Oak Cellars Near the Silverado Trail, known for high-end Cabernet in Oakville, California
Twomey Wine Tasting Napa and Sonoma wines owned by Silver Oak, Calistoga, Napa California
Volker Eisele Wine Tasting An elegant family estate in the Chiles Valley district of St Helena, California
California cuisine is a style of cuisine marked by an interest in fusion cuisine (integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients) and in the use of freshly prepared local ingredients. The food is typically prepared with strong attention to presentation. Foods low in saturated fats and high in fresh vegetables and fruits with lean meats and seafood from the California coast often define the style.
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse Chain (180+) for pub grub and brewed beer; reviewed in Pinellas Park, Florida
Casita Taqueria a fast-casual taqueria serving homemade artisan Mexican food specializing especially in tacos and burritos in St. Petersburg, Florida
Ciccio Cali inspired cuisine from California using antibiotic-free meats, organic and Non-GMO vegetables in St. Petersburg, Florida
FarmTable Cucina organic, sustainable, and local with a focus on Italian and New American themes in St. Petersburg, Florida
FarmTable Kitchen Casual Cal-Italian cuisine and chef tables in St. Petersburg, Florida
Fleur de Lys Lavish French-Californian by Hubert Keller in San Francisco, California
Gaia Restaurant Organic and sustainable concept in American Canyon, California (Renamed Table 29 Bistro and Bar)
Greystone CIA Restaurant CIA School restaurant formally called Wine Spectator now GateHouse in Calistoga, California
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Wipeout Bar and Grill Surf shack theme with California and Mexican cuisine in San Francisco, California
Wolfgang Puck Celebrity Chef’s California cuisine and fine dining chain; reviewed in Orlando, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A Few New World Favorites:
New World wines are those wines produced outside the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe and the Middle East, in particular from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, United States (California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington State,Virginia),Thailand, and Uruguay.
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A pioneering Wine estate in Malgas
Western Cape, South Africa
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The High Note Pinot Vineyard
Cromwell, New Zealand
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Outstanding Pinot and Chardonnay
Gruyere, Yarra Valley Australia
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Some Old World Favorites:
Old World wine refers primarily to wine made in Europe but can also include other regions of the Mediterranean basin with long histories of winemaking such as North Africa and the Near East. These countries include Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Moldova, Morocco Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey.
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A Haddad Estate Shiraz from the Jordan River Valley
Madaba, Jordan
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One Winemaker, Various Regions
Giesta Dão, Mortágua
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Grand Cru Classe with a castle
Vougeot, Burgundy, France
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major wine countries and connoisseur’s**
Currency rates in the top wine-producing & wine purchasing countries:
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Price Chart :
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All Illustration Wines (750 ml) 2008-2016
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$$$
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South African Rand (ZAR)
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RRRRR
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Cost of Wine Tasting (p/p):
Signature Flight: $35.00
Curated flights: $15.00 - $50.00
Blackbird Vineyard:
604 Main Street
Napa, California
94559, USA
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+01(707) 944-0889
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Email:
Website contact:
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Tasting Room Hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
The Ma(i)sonry Tasting Room
10:30am - 5:30pm
During spring and summer, tastings can run until 830 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Blackbird Vineyards:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Chain serving Chicago-style deep dish pizza & other Italian eats
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
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Classic Mediterranean Cuisine
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.”
- David Auerbach
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
