Present Perfect : St. Clement Winery Maintains Record of Excellence Under Sapporo

JUST NORTH of St. Helena, on the west bench of Spring Mountain along Highway 29, is an immaculately trim Victorian town house with vines instead of roses in its front garden. The 1876 house is a Napa Valley landmark that has been the site of several wineries, including the present one, St. Clement.

Around the turn of the century, Fritz Rosenbaum, a San Francisco stained-glass merchant, made wines in its cellar.

In 1964, Beverly Hills real estate attorney Mike Robbins and his wife, Shirley, bought the property. When Robbins outgrew the tiny cellar, he sold the landmark to a San Francisco eye surgeon, Dr. William Casey, and his wife, Alexandra. They renamed the home St. Clement and built a handsome winery in the stone base of the mountain behind the house.

In August, 1987, the tiny winery changed hands again, this time going to the giant Japanese brewery, Sapporo. While keeping the winery name intact, Sapporo brought in new fermenters and fine French oak cooperage for aging the wines.

A few weeks ago, wine maker Dennis Johns invited me to visit St. Clement and taste the current vintages. The Victorian house, still elegantly maintained, seemed ghostly without any residents to call it home, but the winery is magnificently alive. Johns brought forth, by itself, the St. Clement 1987 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($9.50). Scents of citrus blossoms made the bouquet almost exotic and unique.

“The Pope Valley vineyard from which I get these grapes is given magnificent attention,” Johns said when I asked him about the wine’s extraordinary finesse. “Perhaps the leaf-pulling makes that difference, so the fruit is more intense in taste,” he said, referring to a method in which leaves are pulled from the vines so that the sun may reach the grapes.

Then we tasted two Chardonnays. The first, the St. Clement 1987 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($15), has a good natural balance, with no need for acid-softening malolactic fermentation. Silky and smooth, it’s ready to enjoy. The second, the St. Clement 1987 Abbott’s Vineyard Chardonnay from the Carneros ($17), is from 15-year-old vines. The wine has a tropical-fruit quality, with its almost-grapefruit taste. It has a fully dry finish, spicy but subtle in its charms.

Johns then brought out red wines, which had benefited from the new fermenters and the French oak cooperage. “All we are,” Johns declared while pouring, “is caretakers, doing our best for proper upbringing.”

The St. Clement 1984 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($15), 100% of the single varietal, was “brought up” in Allier and Nevers oak but taken from the wood in time to preserve an almost feminine bouquet. Scents of wood violets are here, the chain of tannins being subtle, the deep garnet wine almost chewy with substance. Buy it now, drink it later.

Also, two Merlots are currently available: the 1985 ($15) with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 1986 ($15) with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 1985, almost chocolaty in richness, is ready to enjoy now. The 1986 is presently drinkable, but it can do with more aging.

The St. Clement wines have continuity and style. Johns has made consistently fine quality another landmark for this singular property and its wines.