It’s our favorite time of year again!  The weather is welcoming, the vineyard is in such a vigorous state of growth you can almost watch the grapes develop on the vine and our much-anticipated, annual winemaker dinner is just around the corner.  This year we’ve decided to honor our roots and host the dinner in the place where it all begins, the vineyard.

Join winemaker Allen Price, The Happy Farmer – Gene Kirkham, and the rest of the Casa Nuestra family for a winery version of a Farm to Table dinner at “Vine to Wine” a one-of-a-kind dining experience hosted at Casa Nuestra.

The evening will begin with a wine reception on our patio, to be followed by an al fresco dinner at an expansive table situated amidst the vines.  Taylor Brown will provide blues/folk music throughout the night as you acquaint yourself with the family that has farmed the land producing Casa Nuestra’s delicious wines for over 30 years.  Let yourself be romanced by the peacefulness of the vineyard, share a bite under the sun, amidst our ripening vines and end the night with the sweet serenade of a guitar next to a crackling fire under the stars.

Good wine, food and music only get better when they are enjoyed outdoors and with friends.   Come join us for this special event and help us to honor the people whose love of the vines and appreciation of good, hard work, have enabled us to produce premium estate wines for over three decades. 

{Ticket & Event Information}

The event will be held on June 11th at the Casa

Tickets will be on sale starting May 13th and will continue through the 1st of June.

Member tickets will be priced at $100, non-Member tickets will be priced at $125.

Tickets may be purchased online, through eventbright.

If you have questions or concerns, or would like more information regarding Wine Club Membership, please contact autumn@casanuestra.com

We hope to see you there!

and the winners are….

07 Meritage, St. Helena Estate: GOLD

07 Tinto, St. Helena Estate:  SILVER

07 Cabernet Franc, St. Helena Estate: SILVER

09 Rosado, a Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc, St. Helena Estate: SILVER

Tasters Guild International, a Wine and Food Appreciation Society based in Grand Rapids, Michigan with administrative offices in Washington D.C., has announced the results of its Twenty-Third Annual International Wine Judging held at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education in Grand Rapids.

Thirty experienced judges from around the country completed over 2,200 evaluations of wine  from 10 countries and 32 states/provinces on April 28-May 1. The judging panels were comprised of a carefully selected mix of retailers, winemakers, wine writers, restaurateurs and experienced consumers. As part of the total wine evaluation process, nearly 40% of the wines entered were randomly chosen for reevaluation to verify the accuracy and fairness of medal consideration.

Read the article in our local paper!

Elvis Presley and Casa Nuestra Winery celebrated their birthdays together this year on Jan 8, 2010. On That day Elvis would have been 75 and Casa Nuestra Winery turned 30. To highlight the birthday celebration, Casa Nuestra Winery had made arrangements with the Cameo theater of St, Helena to present a free showing of Elvis’s 1961 movie, “Wild in the Country,” a movie which was filmed on location in the Napa Valley. Part of the shoot occurred on the back lot at Casa Nuestra near the Napa River, a sequence which survived into the final cut. The Cameo Theater (then called the Roxie) was used to film the dance hall scenes in the flick.
Although Elvis is reported to have passed away in 1977, Elvis sightings continue to occur regularly at the Casa, especially down by the river, at the location which has been renamed “Elvis Rock.” Thirty years ago, Casa Nuestra Winery released its first commercial vintage, 1980 Dry Chenin Blanc, a wine which pairs agreeably with Elvis’s favorite snack, peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
In “Wild In the Country,” Elvis is cast as a youth at risk whose downward spiral into delinquency is arrested by the mature interventions of his court-appointed therapist (played by Hope Lange) and despite the randy attentions of his foster-home “sister,” (played by Hollywood “bad girl,” Tuesday Weld). This is the last movie in which Elvis was cast in a legitimate dramatic role, with a reasonable script (Clifford Odets), and a first rate supporting cast, including, in a minor role, Jason Robards. You won’t want to miss it. Admission was free to attendees that filled the house, a gift to the community from Casa Nuestra Winery.

* A list of the most current accolades -   but of course you already knew these wines were winners!

2007 Cabernet Sauvingon, Napa Valley Estate- Silver Medal from
San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition

2007 Merlot, Napa Valley Estate- Silver Medal from
San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition

2007 Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley Estate- Silver Medal from
San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition

2007 Tinto St. Helena, Napa Valley Estate- Silver Medal from
San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition & Gold Medal from the 2009 San Francisco International Wine Competition

2007 Meritage, Napa Valley Estate- Silver Medal from
San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition (not yet released)

2006 Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley Estate- Best of Class & Double Gold!
Jerry Mead’s New World Int’l Wine Competition & Bronze at San Francisco Chronicle’s Int’l Wine Competition

2006 Meritage, Napa Valley Estate - Three-time Medal winner!
Pacific Rim Int’l Wine Competition, San Francisco Chronicle’s 2009 International Wine Competition and Grand Harvest Awards

2007 Tinto Classico, Old Vines, Oakville Estate Napa Valley  – Two-time Medal winner!  Silver Medal from Pacific Rim International Wine Competition and Bronze from the 2009 San Francisco International Wine Competition

2008 Chenin Blanc, Old Vines Napa Valley, St.Helena Estate – Bronze Medal from 2009 San Francisco International Wine Competition -sorry, this wine is already sold out but White Wine Only Club members will receive one bottle in October’s shipment.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Estate  Silver Medal winner!  Pacific Rim International Wine Competition

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Along with a Double Gold and Best of Class from Jerry D. Mead, our 2006 Cabernet Franc (100%) is being reviewed online, too!  See what Gabe’s View is here.

WineSkinny.com has come up with a wonderful pairing for Spring: Green’s Raw Milk Cheddar, some maple-glazed pecan halves and our 2006 Cabernet Franc! Check it out for yourself!

2006 Tinto Classico – 91 points in Wine Enthusiast! It’s in the March 2009 Issue, pp 42

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon – 90 points in the Appellation Saint Helena Tasting!
Jim Gallagher said it’s “Medium red, light purple; bouquet of raspberry, earth & toast; medium body, superb fruit, good acid-tannin balance; excellent finish: rich, long, lush aftertaste, finesse style, 2-5 years”.  Check it out!

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon in the ASH (Appellation St. Helena) Media Tasting – Nikitas Magel recommends it as having “refreshingly bright cherry and vanilla qualities”, one of the four wines he tasted that he can recommend “in good conscience”!
Check it out!

Casa Nuestra 2007 Riesling Napa Valley
“I absolutely loved this wine, for the value and for its appealing mix of zesty citrus, crisp apple, aromatic spices and touch of wildflower honey — all folding together on a mouthwateringly bright finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years.” – WineSkinny.com

2007 Dry Chenin Blanc – New World Wine said our Chenin is “simply put, a world class product on par with the best Chenin’s of Vouvray”… “Round and dry on the palate with a delightfully bright finish”!  Check it out!

Our Old Vine Tinto Classico was ranked 9.0-9.5 in a recent Oakville tasting!  Check it out!

2006 French Colombard Late Harvest Old Vines, Oakville – InsideWine.com (Luciano Comici) gave us “Outstanding Value” and said “As fresh and delightful a dessert/aperitif wine as you’re likely to find this season is this 2006 Late Harvest Colombard from tiny, but highly-respected Casa Nuestra Winery.  Made from high-grade, old-vine botrytized grapes with low residual sugar, it enchants from first drop to last, coming beautifully alive with fruit aromas and flavors that run the gamut from peaches, apricots and lemons, to pineapples, grapefruit and bananas.  This is not a clingy, syrupy-on-the-palate dessert wine, but an incredibly clean approach that works well alone, or in combination with a variety of cheeses and party snacks.  Easily a crowd favorite anywhere you bring it.  Believe me when I tell you that it is good enough to drink all day and night long if you’re lucky to get enough of it.  This is certainly one to remember for the magic it performs on the palate.  Bottled by hand with only 160 cases produced.”

Planning a Trip?  Check out www.71miles.com!  John Vlahides says that “Blends and unusual varietals are the specialty here…best of all you can picnic outside…” and we’d have to agree!

For some hidden gems in Wine Country, check out www.winetravel.com.  One gem we found while perusing the site was “An unapologetically groovy farmhouse along the Silverado Trail”.  Sound Familiar?

Did we miss somebody?  Let us know!  Delina@casanuestra.com

Matt Kramer of Wine Spectator says… “This is the kind of tasting room experience I adore. It’s the thrill of discovery, that unmatched sensation of having been there before the word got out. That seems impossible these days, but clearly it’s not.” Check out the June 30, 2003 issue of Wine Spectator or Click here to read more about Mr. Kramer’s experience at the Casa.

Casa Nuestra donates rare and specialty wines to the world’s largest charity wine auction. The “lot” was a one-of-a-kind wine tasting experience: twelve bottles which auctioned for $3000 from our library cellar, the highlights of 23 years of wine making at Casa Nuestra. All were estate bottled. Production of each vintage ranged from 150 to 400 cases, depending on the year. Each bottle has a unique place in Casa history.

Chenin Blanc, when seriously made, has a cellar life perhaps greater than any other white variety – a fact known in Europe though virtually unknown in this country . Our lot contains four venerable Chenins, ranging in age from 18 to 23 years old. Few have ever tasted white wines of this age from the Napa Valley, or anywhere else in North America. The experience is not available, at any price. We have intentionally left the cellar dust and cobwebs on these bottles, the authentic patina of age. The 1980 is our first commercial vintage. The 1983 was our first entry into a commercial wine competition (San Francisco Wine Competition, double gold). The 1985, a botrytis vintage, was served by President Ronald Reagan at the White House. The 1986 Dorado is our debut late harvest Chenin and a gold and best-of-class selection,

Two debut White Reisling selections are included: a late harvest (1997) and an off-dry example (1989). The Casa history must includes our proprietary red wine, Tinto Classico (2001). Tinto is made from an authentic field mix family vineyard in Oakville which was planted in the early 1950′s – one of the oldest still-standing plantings in the region.

Two examples of Cabernet Franc are included, 1986 and 1987. We were one of the first North American wineries to initiate a Cabernet Franc program, beginning in 1986, another gold and best-of-class wine.

Casa first offered a meritage selection in 1991, under the name “Quixote.” This line is now offered as “Meritage” (1999). In that same year, 1999, we offered our debut Merlot, another gold and best-of-class wine.

Examples of all these wines have been tasted within the past 60 days, and they are known to be sound and rewarding. Please enjoy them together with the warm personal regards of Casa Nuestra.

Eugene R. Kirkham, co-owner

Casa Nuestra Winery, of St. Helena, Napa Valley will represent North America in the first international conference on Chenin Blanc to be held in the Loire Valley, France, July 2 through July 5. Casa Nuestra Winery is one of the foremost producers of ultra premium Chenin Blanc, having specialized in the variety for 23 years.

In Europe and other wine growing regions around the world, Chenin Blanc holds a place among the most noble premium white wine varieties. In contrast, in North America, the white wine market is dominated by Chardonnay, and there are very few premium wine producers still making Chenin Blanc.

The international conference, called the Rendezvous De Chenin, will occur in the ancestral homeland of the variety, the famous Loire Valley. Famed for its storybook chateaux, the Loire was historically the region where the French aristocracy built their summer residences. The white wine of the region, made from Chenin Blanc, has been justly renowned for centuries, and is especially known for this long cellar life.

The conference invited Casa Nuestra Winery to participate, together with representatives from France, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Casa is the only North American Chenin Blanc producer to be represented at the conference. The delegation from Casa Nuestra, will include co-owner and founder, Gene Kirkham, and winemaker Allen Price, who will participate in three days of tasting panels, evaluating Chenin Blanc wines from around the world.

Chenin Blanc is an extremely versatile variety, and wines in many styles are made from this grape. At the conference, the full spectrum of Chenin Blanc will be represented: dry wines, off dry wines, dessert style wines, and sparkling wines. Casa Nuestra’s trademark style is a dry Chenin Blanc, though when conditions have permitted, Casa has made a late harvest dessert Chenin. For further details on the conference see www.oenologuesdefrance.fr

Origin of “Casa Nuestra”

Over the years, we have had many comical misspellings and misstatements of our trade name. Would you believe a shipment of goods came addressed to Catch An Oyster Winery? Casa Nuestra is a Spanish name meaning “our house.” It is not, as sometimes suggested, “Cosa Nostra”, which is Italian for something else.

One astute linguist objected that Casa Nuestra is improper grammar, because the adjective should precede the noun thus: Nuestra Casa. Most Spanish linguists consulted agree that Casa Nuestra is permissible.

It was our predecessor, Tom Blackburn, who originally gave the name to the property. He intended to use Casa Nuestra as a trade name for a commercial kennel of golden retrievers. The sign “Casa Nuestra” was proudly hanging on the Silverado Trail when we first came to look in 1975. Tom loved the Mexican-Spanish heritage of California, so he called his home Casa Nuestra, and he named the vineyard La Jolla Del Norte. These names are reminders of the fact that it was the Spanish padres who first introduced viticulture to California. In the future, when California’s status as a primary wine-growing region of the world has settled in for a century or two, it may seem odd that wineries went through a period of avoiding California identification by assuming French names.

Reprinted from the Casa Nuestra Journal 1985