Field Stone Estate Vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Field Stone Estate Vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This bottle came in a one of those pre-packaged Christmas gift baskets that we received from a business colleague a couple years ago. Such a bottle from a mystery no-name never heard of producer presents a bit of a quandary - re-gifting it will associate it with us with no foresight of what impressive it will leave. Drinking it requires a proper occasion akin to, but quite worthy of OTBN - Open That Bottle Night when our rather deep cellar offers so many worthy alternatives. So, when Linda asked for a late night glass of wine with fruit and cheese, what the heck - OTBN - Open That Bottle (to) Night!

I have to admit when I came up from the cellar, I actually brought up two bottles, this one, and a 'back-up' in the event this one required a 'do over'. What a pleasant surprise! This bottle vastly exceeded expectations and was perfect for the occasion.

Perhaps this was not serendipitous but rather a hidden gem - a diamond in the rough so to speak if we'd researched or knew anything about the label and its history. From the producer's website we learn, "Before our first winery production of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1977, Field Stone's vineyards had acquired an enviable reputation for the outstanding quality of their Cabernet grapes that were sold to Chateau Montelena, Grgich-Hills, Jordan, Simi, and Souverain wineries. From the beginning, André Tchelistcheff, our long-time consultant, emphasized the importance of planting a variety of Cabernet clones instead of just one ("a bouquet of mixed flowers is always more captivating than a vase of one," he said).  Like flowers, clonally distinct Cabernet fruit yields a strikingly broad range of different aromas and flavors. The result is more delightful blending possibilities on the winemaker's artistic palette and a singularly more intriguing, complex wine.  The budwood which we planted in our original vineyards during the sixties and early seventies was from three celebrated Napa vineyard sites:  the BV1 clone, the source of Tchelistcheff's famed Beaulieu "Georges de Latour Private Reserve" Cabernets; the May Vineyard clone, the source of Joe Heitz's acclaimed "Martha's Vineyard" Cabernets; and the Old Niebaum clone of the lionized early Niebaum Cabernets.  These Field Stone heritage clonal blocks make up the old and new Cabernet blocks of our Field Stone estate.  To these classic sources we added two new highly praised Bordeaux clones in our estate planting expansion of the nineties:  Clones 15 and 337.  Now in their full maturity, these vines have provided even further outstanding qualities to our Cabernet."

Quite an impressive pedigree and storied background, indeed. So it should come as no surprise that, while not a blockbuster, this was a very nice easy drinking Cabernet - absolutely perfect for the occasion!

This 2005 vintage release represents a blend of mature fruit from all five of the producer's distinctive estate Cabernet clones.  The producer writes, "In character this ’05 release is a truly complex, expressive, Alexander Valley Cabernet which opens up with seductive, spicy, varietal aromas. Its equally expressive mouth-filling flavors of Bing cherries, plums, and crushed blackberries are bountiful and ripe, with characteristics typical of Field Stone’s definitive “Alexander Valley Style”:  rich, fruit forward, with attractive notes of oak vanillin that never dominate." 

We agree, very true to its heritage, and, to its terroir, this was garnet colored, medium-full bodied, somewhat sophisticated and polished, but not overly complex,  nicely balanced flavors of black cherry, black berry and a layer of tea and moderately sweet black licorice turning to tones of subdued spicy oak on the moderate lingering finish.

This was perfect with truffle infused brie cheese on herb crackers and sliced pears

RM 88 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=411314

Searching WineSearch or other source sites tells us this is generally available for around $18 which would provide a reasonable QPR - Quality Price Ratio. Two fellow Cellar Tracker Tasting notes are very telling and sum it up well.

Ben C wrote, "Coffee and mocha on the nose with cherry fruit and a seemless palate. This is rather well done. I wish the labels weren't so tacky."

Matt S wrote, "Showing more dark fruit than the last bottle with some cassis and stone traces..... fruits with good acid, and equal oak and spice...... Only one more bottle left. Wish I had bought a case given the QPR."

Great fun in the continued quest to "enjoy, and help unwindWine for greater wine understanding and appreciation..  Stay tuned as I seem to recall there was also a bottle of Merlot in that basket!

http://www.fieldstonewinery.com/

2005 vintage - high achievement values

2005 vintage for high achievement values

The year 2005 was a good one for wine lovers, from casual sippers to collectors. Ideal conditions throughout the season resulted in an exceptional year in Bordeaux and Napa Valley for Bordeaux varietal lovers. One Napa producer told us that if you couldn't make good wine in 2005, you never would. In Bordeaux, basically everyone had a good year such that the second labels of the top producers were outstanding. Notably, one could also find some great finds and values from the lesser and lower priced wines, still providing the buyer many quality drinking opportunities at extraordinary value or QPR - quality price ratio. 

The 2005 Bordeaux was a robust vintage with very full bodied and ripe fruits with very high tannins and the acids were high. The fruit was so ripe and round that the young harsh qualities of a new vintage were completely masked by the enormous fruit content. The quality wines had extraordinary high concentration.The great Bordeaux vintage was among the best in the last 40 years such that it was easy to find exceptionally good wines throughout all the regions and types of Bordeaux.

 The 2005 Bordeaux season was marked by low rainfall, with precipitation during the preceding winter, following the 2004 harvest through the 2005 growing season to the harvest that year totalling less than 50% of what is usual, based on an average figure for the preceding three decades. Fortunately, vines with deep roots from mature vineyards can cope well with low levels of rainfall. The drought of 2003 encouraged the vines to search deep for water, setting them up very nicely for dry 2005. The 2005 precipitation was light and came interspersed nicely throughout the year. The weather remained warm but not overly hot throughout, with temperatures generally just above average.

As a result of great years in Bordeaux and Napa, we stocked some lesser labels for future drinking than we would otherwise obtain in normal years. Tonight we pulled two such labels for a BYOB family dinner at our favorite local trattoria, Angelis Italian. Both showed well while presenting contrasting styles to complement our dinner. 
 

Chateau de Reignac Bordeaux Superiere 2005

Dark ruby purple color, full bodied, tight concentrated blackberry and black cherry fruits accented by smoke, cassis and lead pencil with firm tannins on the moderate finish. Simple blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.

RM 90 points - 91-93 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate January 2007

Geyser Peak Winery, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Easy simple drinking with medium body, round ripe berry, black raspberry and plum fruits with moderate to high tannins on a short finish. Blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Shiraz; 4% Petit Verdot.

RM 88 points.

 

 

California Cabernet New Release Discoveries - Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge & Hoopes Estate Discovered

California Cabernet Spring '10 Release Tasting - Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge & Hoopes Estate Discovered

Tasting of recent California Cabernet Sauvignon releases uncovers some new discoveries - Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge and Hoopes Estate Cabernet Sauvignons. Malloy's Finest Wine and Spirits in Lisle, Illinois hosted their annual gala spring tasting of 120 wines. I focused on six California Cabernets - four known and two new discoveries uncovering some some nice surprises.

Wines tasted:

Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage Red Wine 2007
Hoopes Estate Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Arrowood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

We've long known Rodney Strong Cabernets and Symmetry Meritage wines and especially enjoyed their recent vintages of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a pleasant surprise to discover their new single vineyard designated Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, from a 140 acre property in the hills near Cloverdale, Sonoma County Alexander Valley. I deemed this best in class of this tasting.

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, barrell aged 22 months in French Oak with 40% new barrels. Deep dark purple in color, firm but very approachable, full bodied with rich extracted black and blue berry fruits, ripe plum, hints of vanilla, dark chocolate and touch of spice. this wine exhibited complexity, depth and polish with a well balanced acidity on a long finish. RM 93 points. 

The Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage Red Wine 2007 was also impressive. This Bordeaux blend consisting of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 3% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot was aged 26 months in French oak barrels. Dark inky purple color, medium to full bodied with flavors of blackberry and plum fruits,  layers of cassis, dark chocolate and a hint of spice on a smooth soft lingering finish that belays its 15.1% content.  RM 91 points.

Another new discovery of the tasting was Hoopes Family Estate Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. Dark color, full bodied, firm, intense and complex blackberry, black cherry and black raspberry fruits with a layer of spice, leather and tobacco box on a firm tannin lingering finish. This would be a great accompaniement to hearty cheese or grilled steak. RM 92 points.

A good benchmark to measure these wines against was the Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.  Dark ink color, full bodied, complex and sophisticated dark berry fruit with hint of  cassis, licorice, touch of smoke and mocha on the long lingering finish. RM 92 points.

Robert Parker gave the Beringer 95 points, revealing his more sophisticated palet that likely apprecated the complex sophistication of this wine, while I tended to favor the more forward perhaps narrower but deeper cabs above.

Arrowood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. This wine was more subdued and almost delicate compared against the 'big'hitter's' above.

From vineyards near the lower Sonoma Valley hillside winery, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits predominant black berry and black cherry fruits, a hint of cassis, toasty oak and a touch of mocha on the soft finish. RM 89 points.

Rounding out the tasting was  Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 
Dark color, medium-full bodied, black cherry fruits with hint of earth and cassis framed by balanced acidity and tannins. RM 89 points.

Kudos and thanks to Malloy's Finest Wine and Spirits in Lisle for hosting this quality event.