Tag Archives: Cabernet Franc

Wine of the Week: 2008 Robert Keenan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

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Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out.  For this week, my Wine Of The Week is the 2008 Robert Keenan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Winery

Robert Keenan Winery is located in the Spring Mountain District AVA (it’s one of 16 sub-appellations of the Napa Valley AVA).  The Spring Mountain District sits on the steep terraces of the Mayacamas Mountains - well off the beaten path of Highway 29.   and high above  the Napa Valley floor at an elevation of 1,700 feet.

The site for the winery has a long history in the Napa Valley.  Robert Conradi started the first winery on site in the late 1800s, but went out of business during prohibition.  Robert Keenan, who ran his own insurance agency for 20 years before purchasing his “retirement property” –  180 acres of land in 1974.  He had an engineer redesign the original winery structure, and brought in a contractor to begin construction.

Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were the initial grapes planted.  Their first harvest was 1977.

They recently completed a solar power system on the property to supply all of the winery’s power. As a result all their estate wines carry the “Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed” phrase on the label.

Rightfully so, Keenan winery is proud of their track record with Robert Parker, Jr. As stated on their website…

See and taste for yourself why in the last eight vintages, 42 wines have been rated between 90 and 97 points by Robert Parker Jr.

Today, aside from the aforementioned Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, Keenan produces Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah. Annual production is nearly 14,000 cases.

I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting Keenan, but after tasting this wine, it’s at the top of my list for my next visit to Napa (click here for a virtual tour of the winery)!

The Wine

The wine is mostly composed of mountain fruit from the Keenan estate, with the balance of the fruit sourced from Pope Valley.  According to Keenan…”The
Estate grown Cabernet imparts amazing concentration and remarkable structure, while the portion of Cabernet harvested from Pope Valley adds complex aromas and a balanced mid-palate.”

Robert Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley

2008 Robert Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley

My tasting notes follow:

Opaque violet color and aromatically complex with dried herb, dark fruit, graphite, and chocolate aromas. On the palate it’s intense, medium-full-bodied, and supple with dusty tannins and blueberry, cassis, dried herb, vanilla and chocolate flavors. I Vinturied, but this wine would definitely benefit from some aeration. Medium-long finish – 92pts

Rating: Highly Recommended – This is wine is a fantastic value 40 bucks!  I’ve enjoyed it  more than many Napa Valley Cabs selling for 2x or 3x the price (Opus One comes to mind it’s 5x the price of this wine)!

Pair with: Juicy red meat like steaks and chops. Of course a T-bone, or Rib-eye steak are classics, but also consider lamb chops, Korean Sizzling Beef, Shepherd’s Pie, or a  Cheddar Cheese Bacon burger!

The Wine Geek Stuff:

  • Alcohol: 14.3% alcohol.
  • Closure: Cork
  • AVA: > California>> Napa Valley
  • Varietal(s): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; 76% Estate, Spring Mtn. Dist.; 24% Pope Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cooperage: Barrel aged in French and American Oak; 33% new.
  • Retail: $49
  • Cases produced: 2,240
  • Drink: now – 2023
  • >>Find this wine<<

This above wine was from my cellar – a gift from my very generous boss!

 

#Cabernet Day – In Words and in Deeds

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Yesterday was #CabernetDay – a worldwide celebration of the Cabernet grape ( you do know there’s another Cabernet beyond his royal highness Cabernet Sauvignon, right?- there’s also Cabernet Franc) .  It’s a chance to get together with friends and kick it with some Cab! Since there’s hashtag you can also kick it with your friends on social media.

“A bottle of wine begs to be shared: I have never met a miserly wine lover” – Clifton Paul Fadiman

My wife and I decided to celebrate the third annual #CabernetDay by inviting some of our wine loving friends from our community wine-tasting club over.  The Evite simply stated ”We’ll open up a couple of great bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Redmond Cellar and chop it up!”

#CabernetDay – Friend, Food, and Fun!

In other words, no blind-tasting, no tasting notes – just a communion with Cab, conversation, and cuisine (okay…it wasn’t really “cuisine” it was more like carry-out, cheese and crackers but I couldn’t resist a lame attempt at an alliteration – I give myself a “C” ;-) )

Of course when wine lovers get together there are plenty of words.  Certainly, there was talk of aromas, flavors, body, finishes, etc. But mostly we talked about other stuff  - like how to get rid of ants (Terro is literally “killer” ant control by the way), our kids, fun times like vacation and scaring the hell out of 5 year-olds on Halloween. And on this night, we also “chopped it up” on some “third rail” topics like politics, race, and discrimination. Interesting and intellectual indeed.

But beyond all the words, there is what we do, or as the saying goes – “Action speaks louder than words”.  So when I get together with my wine loving friends and we’ve got a bunch-o-bottles of wine from which to choose, I pay attention to which wine disappears first.  And that tells me more than the all words uttered about the wine.  In that regard, there was a clear winner last night – a wine that disappeared stunningly swiftly – Damn quick, fast and in a hurry!  More on that later.  I hereby offer my words in the form of tasting notes on the five wines we enjoyed last night.

Bottle #1

2010 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon

Garnet color with baked black cherry, raspberry, and dried herb aromas. On the palate it medium-bodied with tart black cherry and vanilla flavors and dusty tannins. Medium finish – 86pts.

Varietal(s) – 99% Cabernet Sauvignon/1% Syrah; Appellation – 91% Paso Robles/9%; Cooperage – French, Hungarian and American oak-25% new; Alcohol – 13.9%; SRP-$20. Production – 30,700 cases; Media sample

Bottle #2

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark garnet color with aromatic cassis, licorice, plum, and boxwood aromas. On the palate, it’s medium-full bodied with black raspberry, black currant, cocoa flavors. Slightly tannic. Young. Medium-long finish – 88 pts

Varietal(s) - 85% Cabernet Sauvignon/11% Merlot/3% Syrah, and 1% Malbec. Appellation – Napa Valley; Cooperage – Aged 20 months in small oak barrels (25% new) Alcohol – 13.5%; SRP – $28; Production: 117,000 cases; Media sample 

Bottle #3

2005 Ferrari-Carano Tresor Reserve

2005 Ferrari-Carano Trésor Reserve

2005 Ferrari-Carano Trésor (Reserve)

Deep garnet color with lifted dark fruit, anise, and earthy aromas. On the palate it medium-full bodied and smooth with well-integrated tannins, cassis, black cherry, and vanilla flavors. Long finish. - 91pts

Varietal(s) – 69% Cabernet Sauvignon/10% Malbec/8% Cabernet French/7% Merlot/6% Petit Verdot: Appellation – Sonoma County; Cooperage – Aged 20 months in French oak (45% new, 55% older ); Alcohol – 14.2%; SRP – $58; Production: Unknown

Bottle #4

2007 Piña Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Piña Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Piña Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cahoots

Deep garnet color with aromatic dark fruits, licorice, mint, and oak aromas. On the palate it’s full-bodied with well-integrated “Rutherford Dust”tannins, good acidity and ripe cherry, blueberry, and cocoa flavors. Long finish. 15.2% alcohol.

Varietal(s) - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Appellation – Napa Valley; Cooperage: Aged 18 months in French oak (50% new); Alcohol – 15.2%; SRP – $45; Production: 260 cases

Bottle #5

2008 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

2008 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

2008 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Carmine color with beguiling cassis, anise, and violet aromas. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, balanced, and fresh blueberry, cherry, vanilla flavors with well-integrated tannins. Medium-long finish. 

Varietal(s) – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon/20% Merlot/3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc; Appellation – Santa Cruz Mountains; Cooperage - 100% air-dried american oak barrels; (40% new, 50% one year old, and 10% two years old). 20 months in barrel; Alcohol – 13.5%; SRP – $38; Production: unknown

There were 9 tasters, 5 of which I would consider “hard-core” wine lovers.  We enjoyed all the wines.  But as I stated earlier there was one wine that disappeared more quickly than all the rest….

2008 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

It was the clear winner in that regard.  Next fastest was the 2007 Piña, followed by the 2005 F-C Trésor, the 2010 Wild Horse, and the 2010 Franciscan Estate. For the value, the majority of the tasters preferred the Wild Horse.

It was a great evening great evening with friends, wine and food!  Let’s do it again next month for the #PinotSmackdown!

Other stuff you might like:

What A #CabernetDay!! Library Tasting of Monte Bello and SCM Estate at Ridge Vineyards

 

Wine Of The Week: Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot

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My Wine of the Week (“WoW”) for July 21-July 27 is the 2009 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot.

The Winery

The Robert Mondavi Winery was established in 1966 by Robert Mondavi, one of the most influential and esteemed winemakers in California history (Click here for his story).  It was the first major winery built in Napa Valley, and for decades was California’s most famous winery.  It was acquired by Constellation Brands in 2004.

It’s a beautiful property with classic California mission-style architecture, with the expansive archway and bell tower.  I must confess, I haven’t been in a long time.  I recall visiting one of my first trips to Napa.  Nowadays, I tend to visit the smaller wineries.  But after tasting this wine, and their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (see post below), I’m going to have to drop by next time I go to Napa!

The Wine

The grapes for this wine are sourced from vineyards throughout Napa Valley including a couple of Napa’s iconic vineyards, To Kalon, and Wappo Hill ( 73% Stags Leap District (including 38% Wappo Hill Vineyard); 15% To Kalon Vineyard; 12% Napa Carneros)

What struck me most about this wine is  how well-balanced it is.  That’s the exception rather than the rule at its price point of $23!

2009 Robert Mondavi Winery Merlot

My tasting notes follow:

Deep garnet color with cassis, cedarwood, and hints of tobacco aromas. On the palate it’s light-medium bodied,well-balanced with fine-grained tannins, cassis, black cherry, blueberry flavors. Medium finish – 88pts

Recommendation: Highly recommended. It’s a nice value at $23!

The Wine Geek Stuff:

Alcohol: 14.9% alcohol.

Closure: Cork.

AVA:  >California> Napa Valley

Varietal(s): 93% Merlot; 3% Cabernet Franc; 2% Cabernet Sauvignon; 2% Malbec

Cooperage: Aged in French Oak for 14 months

Retail: $23

Cases produced: Unknown

Media Sample

Many thanks to Folsom & Associates for providing the wine.

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Wine Of The Week: 2006 Miner Family Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

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My wine of the week for April 28-May 4  is the 2006 Miner Family Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

The Winery

Miner Family Winery – Napa Valley is located in the eastern hills of the Oakville AVA in Napa Valley.  They source their grapes from various vineyards throughout California, and offer a wide range of wines.  According to their company overview:

Founded in 1998 by Dave & Emily Miner, Miner is defined first and foremost by a sensational portfolio of wines, wines consistently characterized by and committed to individualistic style and uncommon quality. Each wine is crafted in a style to encapsulate the distinctive elements and the indelible fingerprints of their respective vineyards. This combination of excellent vineyard sites along with passionate and thoughtful winemaking injects the necessary components for creating profoundly joyful wines.

The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Stagecoach Vineyard, which is straddles the Atlas Peak AVA in Napa.  The Stagecoach vineyard ranges in elevation from 1,200 to 1,750, making it the largest south-facing mountain vineyard in Napa.  Aside from this wine, Miner also produces Marsanne, Merlot, and Syrah sourced from the Stagecoach vineyard.

The Wine

This wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc

2006 Miner Family Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Cost: Unknown; Bottle received as a gift

Alcohol: 14.5%

My tasting notes follow:

Dark garnet color with dark fruit, sweet oak and a hint of earthy aromas. On the palate it’s elegant, smooth, well-balanced, and medium-bodied with well integrated fine tannins, and black cherry, cassis,  and anise flavors  with a lengthy finish – 91pts

Pairing with food

Pair with foods that traditionally work well with Cabernet Sauvignon like Cheddar or Gouda cheese, steaks, hamburgers, or lamb.  If it’s adventure you seek, I’d recommend trying this one with a rare Ahi tuna steak!

I was somewhat familiar with Miner because their wines are poured at the Press Club, a wine lounge in downtown San Francisco.  I hadn’t tried their Cab before now though, and I’ve not been to the winery in Napa.  The next time I’m in Napa though, they are on my list!

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Wine Of The Week – 2007 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

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My wine of the week for February 25th to March 2nd was a no-brainer for my wine of the week. Last Saturday was Open That Bottle Night, an event held annually, the last Saturday in February. According to the organizers:

Every year since 2000, on a special Saturday night in February, friends, couples and groups around the world get together to enjoy particular bottles of wine, champagne and spirits. The bottle that you enjoy, traditionally, is one that you have been saving for some special event that, so far, has never quite happened. Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) is the event you have been waiting for…the time when you are entitled to uncork that cherished bottle and enjoy the contents. It doesn’t matter if the wine is expensive or low cost, white or red, or even if it is still good. What matters are the memories.

We opened up the 2007 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (bottle 1 of 3). My tasting notes follow:

Dark opaque violet color with reticent dark fruit, dried herb, sweet cigar box aromas. On the palate, nice amplitude, plush tannins, and vivid blackberry, cassis, mocha, vanilla flavors. Medium-long finish. Glad I’ve got a couple of more bottles. Will be interesting to see how it evolves. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot; 18 mos. in 100% new French oak; 93% To Kalon Vineyard and 7% Oakville AVA; alcohol 15.9% – 92pts

It was an excellent Cab, from an iconic Napa Valley winery! I’m looking forward to seeing how the other bottles evolve!

Tasted 2/25/2012.

Wine Words Demystified: Meritage

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You know the deal, the more some folks learn about a topic, the more shortcuts/slang/acronyms/initials/technical jargon can be tossed around.  I’m here to help you understand those sometimes mysterious words and phrases, thus - Wine Words Demystified!

This week’s word is meritage (rhymes with heritage)…

According to Karen MacNeil‘s The Wine Bible:

 A United States trademarked designation, adopted in 1988 by the Meritage Association for California wines that are a blend of the varieties of grapes used in Bordeaux.  A red Meritage might be made up of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc.  A white Meritage would be a blend of sauvignon blanc and sémillon…Producers may choose to not use the term Meritage even if their wine meets the qualifications.

In other words, it’s a Bordeaux blend without using the term Bordeaux on the label, which would infringe upon the Bordeaux region in France’s legally protected designation of origin.  The word itself is a combination of the words “merit”, and “heritage”.  According to the Meritage Alliance:

A Red Meritage is a blend of two or more of the red “noble” Bordeaux varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and the rarer St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenère. If the blend includes any other grape variety, it is, by definition, not a Meritage. Also, to qualify as a Meritage, no single grape variety can make up more than 90% of the blend.

To qualify as a White Meritage, a wine must be a blend of at least two of three specific white “noble” varieties — Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon or Muscadelle du Bordelais. No single variety can make up more than 90% of the blend. The wine does not qualify as a Meritage if the blend includes any other grape variety.

I’ve not come across any white wines labeled as Meritage in my wine travels.  Have you?


Calling All Cabernet Lovers – #Cabernet Day Is Almost Here!

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A week from today, September 1st,  is Cabernet Day (click here for the 411 including a list of meetup locations, participating wineries, etc).  Cabernet Day is a worldwide virtual wine tasting that’s focused on Cabernet.  Of course that includes Cabernet Sauvignon, but also includes Cabernet Franc (a parent, along with Sauvignon Blanc of Cabernet Sauvignon), and Cab Blends.

Ed Thralls of Wine Tonite provides this explanation of what a virtual tasting is all about:

For those new to social media, an online Social Media Community Tasting is simply when people who love wine gather socially both at physical locations, such as wineries, wine shops and their own homes, and virtually via Twitter, Facebook or any social channel turning the event into one big wine party! Throughout the event, wine-lovers from across the country and the globe will share their thoughts on the wines they’ve chosen to drink on this night and “conversing” with like-minded connoisseurs…


Remnant of a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon

Here’s how you can participate.  It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Pick a wine for the #CabernetDay tasting, or go to a participating winery, restaurant, or meetup location.

2. Whether you’re at home, at a restaurant, winery, or at meetup location post your comments on your favorite social media site such as FB, Twitter, YouTube, etc. for others to see using the “#CabernetDay” hashtag.  Adding the hash tag make your comments searchable.  I recommend Twitter – that’s where most of the action takes place.

3. Join the on-line conversation by searching on the #CabernetDay hash tag.  It’s a great way to get recommendations from other Cabernet lovers, and ask questions of winemakers, and wine enthusiasts.

I’m planning to celebrate twice!  First, I’m planning to attend a vertical tasting of the iconic Monte Bello Cabernet at Ridge Vineyards , then later than evening I’m going to pop and pour (well maybe, pop, decant, and pour) what I expect be a great bottle of Cab, the 2005 Kendall-Jackson Meritage Stature!

So catch a Cab, and laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll;-)  I hope to see you online!

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Everything’s coming up Rosés – for me.

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Over the last few weeks we’ve enjoyed a variety of  foods, including marinated grilled chicken, spaghetti with Italian sausage, paella valenciana, grilled salmon and makhani chicken, an  Indian dish.  We’ve had one type of wine with all those different foods – Rosés, which we paired well with them all.  For me, Rosé is the perfect summer wine, and one of the most versatile wines for pairing with all kinds of foods.  The better ones are good all year round.  They have the chillability of white wine, and the bright fruit flavors of red wine.

Rosés are made from red (or black)  grapes.  They may be made from a single type of grape, or a variety of grapes.  For example, of the three Rosés we’ve had recently,  one was Syrah based, one was  grenache based (88% grenache, 12% syrah), and one was  sangiovese based.  Rosés owe their color the process of fermenting grape juices with their skins for a short period of time.  Whereas red wine is fermented entirely with grape skins, and white wine is fermented entirely without grape skins.   The longer the juice is in contact with the skins the darker the color of the wine.

Rosés can be dry or sweet and the are usually pink,  or washed red in color. I definitely prefer the dry style popularized in Europe, but gaining in popularity here in the US, as opposed to a sweet Rosé such a White Zinfandel which has become  popular in the US.  By dry, I mean the wine has very little residual sugar (An off-dry wine has just a touch of sweetness) A sweet Rosé is less versatile, and tend to not be as complex as the drier style. Typical aromas of Rosés are cherry, berries, and melon.

The beauty of Rosé is that it can be both  an easy drinking thirst-quencher on a hot day, while still pairing well with so many foods — from cheeses to sandwiches, grilled chicken, and seafood — and it  goes especially well with internationally spiced dishes including Indian, Moroccan, and Asian fare.  They tend to not be expensive (between $10-$20/bottle), and also tend to be lower in alcohol.

The most highly regarded Rosés come from France, in particular Provence, and Tavel, but they’re made all over the world.  In California,  they tend to be Grenache, and Pinot Noir based.  Rosés  may also be made from Cabernet Franc, Gamay and several Italian grape varieties such as Sangiovese, and Barbera. They should be served chilled and drunk young.

While Rosé  is the perfect summer time wine, don’t forget about Rosé for Thanksgiving and or Christmas dinner.  Since it’s one of the easier wines to pair with food, it’s a great wine to pair with the many flavors of a holiday meal.

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