By Denman Moody
How are Napa Valley vintner John Tudal and the city of Oakland connected? And
what great things are up for both? Read on
…
John Tudal grew up on a 30-acre truck farm between San Francisco and Oakland.
(What would that be worth today?) In any event, for years, he helped harvest,
load produce and accompany his father to the Oakland Farmers
’ Market, unload and sell produce, etc. and became very comfortable and savvy
about business networking in downtown Oakland, and gained valuable
street-smartness.
In 1971, John’s father sold the farm and moved the family to a more serene setting, buying a
10-acre walnut farm just north of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. In 1973, the
legendary winemaker Louis P. Martini told John
’s dad to get rid of the walnuts, plant Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and “I’ll buy them.”
It was not until 1979 that Tudal began producing their own wines.
Meanwhile, John had gone into real estate financing in Oakland (where he still
has a home) and ever since has been involved in Oakland civic and business
endeavors at a very high level. In 2001, John took over the winery business
while maintaining all his Oakland connections.
Fast forward to the 2006 vintage. John had met Kirk Venge, son of famed Nils
Venge who made the first Parker 100 wine in California (the 1985 Groth Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon). He realized that Kirk was becoming a super-star wine
consultant in his own right, and with Kirk
’s advice, tweaked some things that only a pro could conceive, and the 2006
vintage for Tudal catapulted it to a new level of prominence. In fact, the
’06 Estate Cabernet won a double gold medal in the San Francisco International
Wine Competition.
The only scores I’ve seen for the ’06 Tudal Estate Cabernet and the ’06 Tudal Clift Vineyard Cabernet are 90+ and 90 for the former and 90 and 95 for
the latter. The average price for an
’06 Napa Cabernet that scored a 90, in one report I saw, was around $80. The
Tudal Estate is $45 and the Tudal Clift is $35.
And the Tudal Cabernet “50/50” (50 percent Napa, 50 percent Sonoma), got a 90+ from Spec’s nationally known wine guru Bear Dalton and carries a retail price of around
$20.
Tudal has another line called Cerruti Cellars. My favorites here are the Tractor
Shed Red and the Honker Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc). The
’09 Honker Blanc just won a double gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine
Competition. Both are around $14 retail, and all wines I
’ve mentioned from Tudal are highly recommended.
Meanwhile, Oakland was better-known for its crime than for anything upscale. The
new Jack London Market, right in the midst of where John Tudal used to work the
farmers
’ market with his dad, is the centerpiece for an incredible renaissance for this
city. In fact, looking out from a new restaurant location on the second floor
of the state-of-the-art Jack London Market Building, based on LEED (Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design foundation of sustainability), viewing San
Francisco in the distance and experiencing the massive development taking place
in the area, one would not think this possible even five years ago. And guess
whose building ensconcing his new Cerruti Cellars is right across the street?
John Tudal
’s, of course.
For updates on the Jack London Market, visit www.jacklondonmarket.com. For updates on Tudal Winery, visit www.tudalwinery.com. And if going to the Napa Valley, a visit with Tudal Winery’s entertaining tasting room guru, Doug Eisele, will be a rare treat.
Want to Produce Your Own First-Class Wine?
Years ago I vented the idea that one could now make a top quality wine without a
vineyard and without a winery. In Houston, it is now a much closer and easier
reality. Vintners Own, located at 3482 W. 12th, Suite A, in Houston, with its
well-regarded winemaker and staff can guide you through every decision
—from what wine you wish to produce (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, etc.) to what
style you want (big, bold, fruit-forward or elegant, medium bodied, etc.), and
even to your own personally-designed label. And the grapes are shipped here
from some of the finest vineyards in northern California
.
The typical “modern” winemaker (you) purchases one barrel (about 24 cases), although you can get a
half barrel or much more. And all of the steps from crushing the grapes to
final bottling are done with your supervision and as much hands-on action as
you desire. After all, it
’s your wine. And throughout the entire process, talented California vineyard
manager and winemaker Silvano Payne, who now lives in Houston, will work with
and teach you all about winemaking.
For a fun and rewarding two hours, Vintner’s Own is hosting a blending experience of Bordeaux varietals focusing around the
steps used by professionals to determine what goes into the bottle. You will
participate in each step and create your own blend. The surprise ending is that
you get to take home a case of the wine made by
you! Cost is $395, and an additional $250 for a spouse (who also gets to take home
a case). Dates are March 27 or March 28 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call Shannon
Paige for reservations, 713-880-3794. Very limited.
