RARECAT Champagne in the St Helena Star
RARECAT Champagne, France ($79)
There are many vivacious personalities in the Napa Valley — people who are as unforgettable as their wines -- but one of the most dazzling is Sharon Kazan Harris, owner of RARECAT wines here in St. Helena. Sharon’s stories, such as taking a bus, nonplussed, after receiving a special invitation to Chateau Pavie when she was just 18 or 19, are rapid-fire and intermingled with tips and tricks to living an adventurous and meaningful life. When all this comes with one exquisite wine after another, you almost can’t believe your luck at having found her and RARECAT.
In addition to making a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon with iconic winemaker Joel Aiken, Sharon makes rosé, a St. Emilion wine, and a Crémant de Bordeaux, in addition to a Champagne. This richly textured and complexly divine Champagne is made in conjunction with Gonet, a highly respected Champagne house founded in 1830. Take a sip, and you will know what it is like to have a life well-lived.
Catherine Bugue is the Star’s tasting panel writer. Her weekly pursuit of a good glass of wine provides a nice supply of choices for the Wine of the Week column. If you’d like to submit a Napa Valley wine for this column, please send it to the Napa Valley Wine Academy, 2501 Oak St., Napa, CA 94559.