• Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selection

    Silver Oak 1998 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon When Raymond T. Duncan first visited the Napa Valley in the late 1960s, he was taken by the region’s rugged beauty.  He was also wise enough to understand the potential of the fledgling wine industry.  In the 1970’s, he began to buy land in both Napa and Alexander Valleys with the goal of planting vineyards. But with his home and business in Colorado and no viticulture expertise of his own, Ray approached Justin Meyer, whom he had met through mutual friends, and asked him to plant and manage the vineyards.  Then working at Christian Brothers, Justin agreed with one condition: in addition to managing…

  • Alexander Valley,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection

    Cellar Selection

    Lancaster Estate 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley In 1995, Lancaster Estate debuted following the acquisition of Maacama Creek Winery and its estate vineyards.  Over the next two decades, from their 53 estate acres, micro-farmed in small vineyard blocks, they produced limited release Bordeaux styled wines, each with its own expression.  Their 53 hillside-acres of vineyards are located in the eastern hills of southern Alexander Valley, at the joining together of the Chalk Hill and Knights Valley appellations.  The valley is emerging as a leading location for producing Bordeaux style Cabernet-based blends to rival the finest from the Napa Valley. Color of this wine is a very deep dark red with…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Washington State,  Weekend Selection

    Weekend Selection

    Feather 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Founded in 2003, Long Shadows is the brainchild of Washington wine luminary Allen Shoup. As president and CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle and its affiliated wineries, Allen spent 20 years building the reputation of the growing region, in part by forging winemaking partnerships that brought winemakers to the Columbia Valley.  After leaving Ste. Michelle, Allen spent the next three years developing Long Shadows, a proposition that was as simple as it was complex: recruit a cadre of the finest winemakers in the world; give each vintner access to Washington State’s best grapes; and outfit a winery to accommodate a diverse group of winemakers’ exacting…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  Exceptional Red,  Merlot,  Washington State

    Exceptional Red

    Mullan Road Cellars 2012 Columbia Valley Red Wine Blend Dennis Cakebread, from the renowned Napa Valley winery, Cakebread, ventured into Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, for a Bordeaux style blend of grapes, launching Mullan Road Cellars, a wine made from grapes purchased from Walla Walla’s Seven Hills vineyard.  This is Cakebread’s first step into what could evolve into a full-fledged winery.  Time will tell if the project gets legs. Pouring a glass, the color was a very deep Ruby red, with noted aromas of dark fruit and sweet spice.  On the palate, the blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc, showed ripe dark fruit, blackberries and…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa

    Cellar Selection

      Cade 2007 Napa Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon In 2005, John Conover, Gavin Newsom and Gordon Getty founded CADE Estate Winery on Howell Mountain as a complement to the valley floor terroir of PlumpJack Winery.  Like PlumpJack, CADE takes its name from Shakespeare, who used the term to refer to the wine casks or cades used to transport wine from Bordeaux to England in Elizabethan times. Deep red with concentrated aromas of black fruit and subtle spice.  The palate is focused on dark fruit, mostly blackberry and black cherry, with a light touch of oak, leather and chocolate.  Elegant wine with a lingering finish.  Nice! Cheers!

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  Cellar Selection,  Merlot,  Petit Verdot,  Washington State

    Cellar Selection

    Andrew Will 2008 Champoux Red Andrew Will began in 1989 with a simple building (10×60), that is still standing today, where they made their first five vintages for a total of 2000 cases.  They loaded 2 trucks (that’s all they had) and moved to Vashon in 1994 and within an hour became ready for the 1994 harvest.  They harvest fruit from several areas, this wine was from Champoux vineyards, one of the first two vineyards used by Andrew Will. Opening a bottle of the 2008 Champoux, which is 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, I notice deep ruby color with a bouquet of aromatic…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa

    Cellar Selection

    Shafer 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Shafer’s signature wine, Hillside Select, is sourced from the slopes of an amphitheater-like structure of thin soil and rock, where a series of knolls and outcroppings some vineyard blocks receive southeastern sunlight, while others receive southern or western exposures.  Each afternoon cool breezes from San Francisco Bay (located about 18 miles to the south) channel into the box canyon.  The consistent see-saw of daytime heat and evening chill retains acidity within deeply ripened fruit, resulting in a wine of exquisite balance.  On this remote site, Cabernet Sauvignon vines prod their roots through thin volcanic soil before meeting weathered bedrock below.  With the hillside’s quick…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Carneros,  Exceptional Red,  Merlot,  Petit Verdot

    Exceptional Red

    Rombauer 2009 Carneros Merlot I recently commented on the Rombauer 2012 Carneros Chardonnay, see Sept. 30, 2014 review, and indicated that Koerner Rombauer was born and raised in Southern California, later became a commercial pilot with Braniff until the airline ceased operations in 1972, moved his family, two horses, and five dogs from Dallas to the Napa Valley, where they purchased 40 acres of hilltop land on the Silverado Trail, near St. Helana.  What was interesting was that the Rombauer’s had no intention of starting a winery.  They did, however, have a great appreciation for the role of wine in the fine dining experience.  Koerner’s great aunt Irma Rombauer was…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Chianti Classico,  Italy,  Sangiovese

    Exceptional Red

    Terrabianca 2009 Campaccio Toscana In the medieval times Podere Terrabianca found itself in the ambiguous situation of being situated in the part of the countryside under the rule of Florence and, at the same time, also in the diocese of the Bishop of Siena. The very first documents mentioning its presence, dated 1085, describe it as being a country estate as, in fact, its name clearly implies.  Today the winery Terrabianca is located at the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in the middle of Tuscany.  The soil consists of layers of chalk, sand and clay from the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ages which is the ideal composition to grow grapes…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Exceptional Red,  Napa

    Exceptional Red

    Heitz 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Recently I reviewed Heitz Cellars 2012 Napa Chardonnay (see my July 15, 2014 review), not overly complex, but a refreshing Chardonnay.  However, Heitz is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, so let’s get to it.  I previously mentioned that in 1966, Joe Heitz had the foresight to single vineyard designate the Cabernet grapes from the May’s vineyard and crafted the renowned Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, initiating a concept in Napa Valley.  Joe’s winemaking mastermind was evident, and the acclamation for Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, which continues for 48 years and counting, helped to usher California onto the world stage.  Heitz makes a few different Cabernet Sauvignon’s,…