Eagle Eye Wines-Bold Blends
I've always said that besides great grapes, great wine only needs two things-passion and balance. Passion is what is usually found with small producers and passion is what you'll get from Bill and Roxanne Wolf, producer of Eagle Eye Wine and Alpha Wolf Olive Oil. Located on Gordon Valley Road in between Napa and Solano Counties, is the ranch that is the Wolfs' passion.
When visiting the wolf estate, be sure to wear walking shoes. The tour begins with a walk around the entire 13 acre ranch. The vineyard consists of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot,
and Malbec. Surrounding the vineyards are 5 different Tuscan varieties of olive trees. The Wolfs chose what varietal of tree goes where according to soil conditions, slope and sun exposure. Bill Wolf is eager to share with the visitor his passion for farming, from his trellising technique to organic teas that he makes for the vines. A creek runs along the back end of the property. Bill and Roxanne know and understand how important water and its eco-systems are to the valley. Because they value the environment, they are Certified FFF (fish friendly farming), Green, and Sustainable.
After the ranch walk comes the tasting. Weather permitting, the tasting takes place outside on the patio. Bill, a trained chef, has a vegetable/herb garden nearby. While visiting with Bill and Roxanne you get the feeling that after years of hard work, they are exactly where they want to be. The atmosphere is one of total contentment.
Once seated the Wolfs bring out the wine. They are unpretentious and have a bit of a rebellious side. The first thing you will notice about the wines are the labels! Each label boast a different character created and painted by Roxanne Wolf. Each character has a story. Roxanne got her inspiration for these fun designs by noticing the similarity in personality to some of the attendees as wine events and birds of prey. She can explain better when you meet her!
The next things that stands out are the blends. Take the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc for example. At 86% Sauvignon Blanc, Bill Wolf gives it a twist by adding Semillon and Muscat. His 2005 Chardonnay boasts a hint of Roussanne. His proprietary blend, Voluptuous, and Syrah both have a hint of Zinfandel. While many of these blends are unconventional, all are in balance and perfect with food. The Wolfs like to demonstrate this by serving a cheese plate with the wine.
However, what got Eagle Eye wines on this tour is price. Voluptuous is only $25, the Syrah is $22 and Muscat Canelli is $22. Most the fruit, with the exception of the Syrah, is Napa Valley fruit. The most expensive product is their estate extra virgin unfiltered olive oil, Alpha Wolf, at $20 for 375ml. However, even at $20, this a great deal for this multiple award winning olive oil.
Because Eagle Eye wines is private, tours and tastings are available to club members only.