A Crocker & Starr Wine
Saint Helena, California, USA
Wine Style: New World / Bordeaux Blend Meritage
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 89 points
Article Written: July 2017
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:
Pam Starr
I first had the opportunity to taste the Bridesmaid Wines in 2011 through 2013 when I was part of the Napa Wine Company’s Cult Wine Central club, (now Ghost Block) where I received deliveries monthly to which Bridesmaid wines were occasionally included in the allocations. In 2013 when I visited Napa and the wine club, I learned more information about the wine, its owners, and gained a greater appreciation for this cult wine.
Bridesmaid Wines are an impressive Bordeaux-style blend of wines from the Napa Valley, designed for wine lovers and collectors. The wine is very bold, alluring, and perfectly balanced like a Meritage should be. The owner of Bridesmaid also owns Crocker and Starr, another cult wine that I first tried through the Napa Wine Club. My first experience with Bridesmaid wines was their 2007 proprietary red, a very nice wine, that over time has become a hit with 1050 cases produced in 2014, as I’m sure they will continue to grow.
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| Bridesmaid Wines / Cabernet Tasting |
Wine and Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palate Experience:
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Bridesmaid Appellation Napa Valley Cab Blend
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Winemaker Notes:
Intense inky plum color with a fuchsia rim, berry compote, and graphite aromas precede the silky entry of violets, blackberry, and Marionberry all perfectly balanced with a savory and spicy finish.
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Winemaker Notes:
The broad tannins and fresh spicy fruit flavors are great right now and will cellar well over the next 15 years.
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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:
Overall Star Rating For Bridesmaid Wine:
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89/100:
An Outstanding Tasting Experience
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Between 88 and 92 points depending on the wine
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Wines Produced by Bridemaid:
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Red: Meritage
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Grape Blends:
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Red:
Cabernet Franc 56%, Cabernet Sauvignon 28%, Merlot 15%, Petit Verdot 1%
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Barrel Types and Aging:
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60% New French oak, for 24 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.
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Alioto’s Restaurant Historic restaurant serving Sicilian-infused seafood in San Francisco, California
Casita Taqueria a fast-casual taqueria serving homemade artisan Mexican food specializing especially in tacos and burritos in St. Petersburg, 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
Cowgirl Creamery Artisan Cheese Shop “aka” Cowgirl Cantina in Point Reyes Station, California
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
The French Laundry French-American fine dining restaurant in Yountville, 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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Yearly tasting event at Hyde Park
Sydney, Australia
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Award-winning ice wines
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
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An Indian Sauvignon Blanc tasting
Nashik, Maharashtra, India
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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 Grand Cru producer
Nuits-Saint-Georges, France
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A Saint-Émillion Grand Cru
Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Bordeaux, France
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Sancerre wines
Loire Valley, 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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2012 (750 ml)
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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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R
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Bridesmaid:
700 Dowdell Ln
Saint Helena, California
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+1 707-963-2705
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Email:
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Tasting Room Hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Bridesmaid Wines:
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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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Farm-to-fork new American fare
Sonoma, California, USA
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Country style market & café w/craft beer
Dundee, Oregon, USA
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Refined eatery with Lowcountry fare and Southern Brunch
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
