Darioush 2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Nowhere is the connection between wine and culture more evident than in the history of Persia. Discoveries dating to 5,000 B.C. in the Zagros Mountains of Northern Iran show that winemaking emerged as permanent communities replaced nomadic life and a new age of wine culture began. Darioush Khaledi was instilled at an early age with the winemaking craft of his father, inspired by wine culture in the literary city of Shiraz – in modern day Iran – and the ancient city of Persepolis. He became a lifelong collector, seeking out old world wines infused with tradition and energized by modern technique. Aspiring to the ideals…
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Frank Family Vineyards 2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon First constructed as the Larkmead Winery in 1884, the building was refinished with native sandstone from the nearby hills in 1906 and still stands tall today. The massive stone edifice is considered an archetype of California’s wine country; it appears on the National Register of Historical Places and is listed as a Point of Historical Interest in the state of California. The Frank Family Vineyards focuses their energies on making superb wines, producing Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Petite Syrah and several distinctively different Cabernet Sauvignons. Today I am tasting their Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I noticed a vivid deep ruby color and concentrated…
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Darioush 2008 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Nowhere is the connection between wine and culture more evident than in the history of Persia. Discoveries dating to 5,000 B.C. in the Zagros Mountains of Northern Iran show that winemaking emerged as permanent communities replaced nomadic life and a new age of wine culture began. Darioush Khaledi was instilled at an early age with the winemaking craft of his father, inspired by wine culture in the literary city of Shiraz – in modern day Iran – and the ancient city of Persepolis. He became a lifelong collector, seeking out old world wines infused with tradition and energized by modern technique. Aspiring to the ideals…
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Caymus 2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon In 1971 Charlie Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery. If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in Napa Valley and move to Australia. Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards. The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Caymus has focused their efforts in the production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon, and make a few more…
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Honig 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon In 1964, Louis Honig purchased a 68-acre ranch in Rutherford, in the heart of the Napa Valley. The vineyard was planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which he sold to neighboring wineries. Louis dreamed of the day he could retire from his San Francisco advertising agency and make wine from his vineyard. Unfortunately Louis passed away before he could realize his dream, leaving the estate to his family. In 1981, as a tribute to his legacy, his family produced a few hundred cases of Louis Honig Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard’s old tractor barn. After the wine won a Gold Medal at…
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Clos Du Val 2010 Stags Leap District Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Clos Du Val, French for “small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972 in the now legendary Stags Leap District of Napa Valley by Franco-American entrepreneur John Goelet. After a worldwide search to purchase vineyard properties from which to craft world-class wines, 150 acres in Stags Leap and 180 acres in Carneros were chosen, solidifying Clos Du Val’s iconic stature and formidable place in Napa Valley history. Today, Winemaker Kristy Melton, handcrafts wines to reflect the classic style, finesse and grace Clos Du Val is known for. The Three Graces, Splendor, Mirth and Joy have adorned Clos…
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Turley 2012 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Born in Tennessee and raised in Georgia, Larry Turley of Turley Wine Cellars has spent the better part of his life on a farm. Being in the south, there were primarily tobacco and dairy farms; nevertheless, his respect for the land and its cultivation began at a young age. As an adult, Larry channeled this passion for preservation towards people, studying medicine and working as an emergency room physician. Because Larry has never met an old vine vineyard he didn’t like, Turley makes 28 separate wines from 35 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s. Often weak and decaying, these…
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Robert Mondavi 2010 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Robert Mondavi winery, located in Oakville, CA, makes a number of outstanding and consistent quality wines and established his winery in 1966 with a vision to have his Napa Valley wines to be among the world’s finest. Robert Mondavi also believed his wines should reflect its “roots” and be a signature creation from a combination of the soil, climate and production techniques, both new and old, which transforms the grapes into a fine wine. Opening a bottle of 2010 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, I noticed a dark purple, almost inky color with blue and black fruit aromas. The wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet…
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Chateau St. Jean 2010 Cinq Cépages The estate of Chateau St. Jean is located at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge in the Sonoma Valley near Kenwood, California. The estate was founded in 1973 and recognized as a true leader in “Vineyard Designated” wines. The winemaker, Margo Van Staaveren, brings with her 30 years of experience and draws out the best that Chateau St. Jean vineyards has to offer. I opened a bottle of Cinq Cépages, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, and noticed a deep ruby color with aromas of complex dark black fruit, cacao and spice with oaky notes. The attack…
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Ferrari-Carano 2009 Mountain Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon The Ferrari-Carano Winery was founded in 1981 by Don and Rhonda Carano and is located in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. If you enjoy pairing food with wine, be sure to visit the Ferrari-Carano website where Rhonda has a number of recipes. So if you are adventurous and have a passion for good food and wine, then try some of her recipes. I opened the 2009 Mountain Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and noticed a deep Ruby color with subtle aromas of black fruits. The palate shows dark berries and cherries, somewhat complex with the presence of firm tannins. The wine is aged in French…