Trio of Big Reds for a hearty wine tasting ....
Lang & Reed Two-Fourteen Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2014
I've
seen this label many times over the years but admit I belive this is my
first initiation to a wine from this producer. I must say I was
impressed and will pay more attention to this label in the future. I am a
fan of Cabernet Franc and will put this on my watch list for expressive
wine drinking from a producer who appreciates and focuses on the
varietal that is normally reserved for a but fractional part of the
Bordeaux blend.
This is produced by Tracey & John Skupny, who started Lang & Reed Napa Valley in 1993 with the goal to explore the distinct charms of Cabernet Franc and to craft wines that are both expressive and enjoyable to drink.
Their wine experience spans nearly a half century working in the restaurant trade in Kansas City as wine stewards (sommeliers). They pursued their passion for wine and moved to California in 1980, eventually settling in Napa Valley in 1984.
They were intrigued with the distinction of Cabernet Franc, one of the noble varietals from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux wine regions of France. Cabernet Franc is a foundation key varietal in Bordeaux red wine blends, included to contribute aromatics and robust flavors to round out and extend the tasting profile of the blend.
In 1993, Lang & Reed Napa Valley was born with a focus on Cabernet Franc. Named after their two sons, J Reed and Jerzy Lang, Lang & Reed Napa Valley is family owned and operated. Through their winemaking, their wines tell their family story of a life dedicated to family working together to craft artisan wines.
Through exploration and investigation of all things ‘Cabernet Franc’, they selected Clone 214 that originated in the Loire Valley of France, home to some of the worlds’ most renowned Cabernet Franc vineyards and producers.
In 2007 they selected the Sugarloaf Vineyard in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley, located on a hillside slope with ideal rocky soils with moderate temperatures and cooling breezes that emanate from the nearby northern reaches of San Francisco Bay.
This new world climate combined with this old world Loire Clone 214 is the basis for Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc, the only known bottling of this unique clone in California.
Winemaker notes: "This is the eighth vintage of the Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc and, true to type, this wine shows a persistent purity of aromas and flavors. At first scent, this wine shows a nice burst of raspberry and blueberry, with a top note of violet and a backdrop of savory herbaceousness. The palate is medium bodied with beautiful Cabernet Franc purity, texture, and length. Though very appealing for immediate pleasure, the structural elements will allow this wine to age gracefully for the next 7 to 10 years."
This is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc, the Loire Entav Clone 214, sourced solely from the Napa Valley Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. The wine is aged 16 Months in French Oak Barrels. 849 Cases were produced.
This was rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator, 92 Points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 Points by Wine Advocate. James Laube of Wine Spectator says its "Best from 2020 through 2030.”This was a big hit with the crowd, all around - dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, forward full expressive ripe dark berry fruits with tangy spice and herbs, notes of tea and hints of cedar and oak with a moderate tannin lingering finish.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2536985
Domaine Des Chirats Sonoma County Rockpile Vineyard Syrah 2013
As posted in these pages back in April, this is produced by Jeff Cohn, former winemaker at Rosenblum Cellars, in collaboration with Yves Cuilleron from the Northern Rhône, third generation proprietor of Cave Cuilleron, founded by his grandfather Claude Cuilleron in 1920. Yves took over in 1987 from his Uncle. The 150 acre estate produces over 430,000 bottles of wine annually.
Jeff Cohn
and Yes Cuilleron teamed up in 2013 to produce this wine in the historic
Northern Rhône style from fruit sourced from Cohn's Rockpile vineyard. Through their collaboration they have crafted this wine in the style of a Northern Hermitage or Côte-Rôtie.
Cohn strives for elegant and
complex wines and he believes the craggy soil of the aptly named
Rockpile
produces some of the most complex and distinctive minerality in all of
California.
The 2014 vintage of this wine was rated 95 Points by Robert Parker.
Definitely more of a Northern Rhone style, this was preferred by Mandy,
moreso than Linda who opts for the more expressive approachable fruits of a new world
style.
Dark purple garnet colored, full bodied, complex and concentrated but
polished and elegant, blueberry and blackberry fruits with notes of
floral, anise, meaty bacon fat and spice, crisp acidity with firm but
approachable tannins on the lingering finish.
RM 92 points
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2320444
A previously unknown, undiscovered label, I picked up the last two remaining bottles of this rather obscure label at Binny's and wrote about this Hudson Vineyard Syrah back in December of 2018.
This
is the style and profile of Syrah that we favor, dark inky purple, full
bodied, concentrated forward black and blue berry and cherry fruits
with bright acidity accented by tones of anise, graphite, leather and
hints of pepper with a long tongue puckering finish with firm but soft
approachable tannins. This was almost over the top for some of the crowd but was a crowd-pleaser none-the-less. Not as sweet, polished or balanced as some of favorite, preferred, standard bearer Napa Syrahs, but tasty and pleasant drinking in any event.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2126714