STARS OF CABERNET 2013: Winemakers and Their Wines

On November 13, courtesy www.LearnAboutWine.com, we sat in on a one-hour seminar delivered by Jean Hoefliger, winemaker Alpha Omega; Aaron Pott, winemaker; and Lars Ryssdal, General Manager, Ackerman Family Vineyards.   And after a tasting of their wines we then enjoyed a tasting from top California (mostly Napa) Cabernet Sauvignon winemakers.  So, without further adieu, lets get our glasses out!

Hoefliger and Pott

According to Learn About Wine: Jean Hoefliger was born and raised in Switzerland.  His initial experience took him from Switzerland to Bordeaux, and South Africa, making wine at the esteemed estates of Chateau Lynch-Bages, Chateau Carbonnieux, and Meerlust.  He is now the winemaker for Alpha Omega Winery. 

Aaron Pott studied oenology at University of California, Davis. While studying at UCD, Pott explored all aspects of the theory of winemaking while working part-time in the research laboratory at Robert Mondavi Winery.  Named one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Winemakers of the Year 2012, Aaron’s personal bio on the Pott Wine website here

Ian Blackburn, the founder of LearnAboutWine, welcomed attendees to the 5th annual Stars of Cabernet and then introduced “two of his favorite…passionate people” of the Napa Valley, Hoefliger and Pott, and later Ryssdal, who each in turn introduced their wines:

Flight One 2011 Vintage 

photo 2Alpha Omega ERA Napa Valley 2011, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Nose:  Blackberry, plum, blueberry, dark seeded fruit jam, fig.

Taste: Deep, dark fruits, green peppercorn, cigar, very dark chocolate, extremely nice.  Just fewer than 800 cases produced.

 

2011 was a cold vintage year, according to Hoefliger.  The cold front ended up being amazing conditions that accounted for wines’ ripeness, lower alcohol and acidity, and balance.  The blocks were picked at the balance wanted.  The colder years’ wine, according to Hoefliger, can tone down with age.  He compared Napa to Bordeaux; as Napa has an extraordinary climate – as 99.9% of the years are almost perfect to make wine.

Aaron also talked about 2011 weather conditions; the amount of rain protected against mold and that Cabernet “is duly suited to difficult climates.”

 

Pott Wine La carte et Le Territoire, Napa Valley 2011, Cabernet Franc and Merlot

Nose: Drier fruit, dusty, stems, mint on the nose.

Taste: Nice ripe and bright cherry, plum, a layer of dusty tannins.

 

Very few wines are grown in St. Helena, according to Pott, there are many gravel benches but land is either built with residential property or too expensive for grape growers.

Potts discovered wine when he tried to order a glass of milk in a French restaurant and was told, “Milk is for babies”, and handed a glass of wine instead.  He learned about winemaking from 1993 to 1998 in France.  Then he made wines for Beringer’s properties in other countries.  In 2001 he started making wine in Napa, 2004 he came to Quintessa, and by 2008 he started his own brand and began doing consulting work for other wineries.

Hoefliger was born and raised in Switzerland.  He planned on going into the family business: so he went to law school and delved into banking.  At the same time he was spending his money on wine so he switched – to learning about and making wine.  He tasted 63 lots of wine one day and decided then and there that he “never wanted to leave that field again.”

In his career Hoefliger has made wine in South Africa and Bordeaux, went back to Switzerland to finish his degrees, but then ultimately returned to Bordeaux to finish winemaking instead.  This time Lynch Bages got his resume and called him, and he worked with them for 2000 and 2001.  But Hoefliger soon tired of France.  He wanted the creative side back, and making wine in America fit that bill.

 

Ackerman, Napa /Valley 2011 – Barrel Sample

Nose: Red cherry, antiseptic, menthol.

Taste: Acidic, red fruit, cigarette

 

Ryssdal talked about Ackerman wines, and their organic and sustainable winery facility on Howell Mountain.  The barrel sample is from all new barrels.

 

Flight Two

 

Ackerman Family Vineyards, Napa Valley 2003  $125 a bottle.

Nose: Raisin, menthol, black licorice, anise, spearmint, stewed plums.

Taste: Cigar, dried fruit, tree bark.

 

Monteverro, Toscana by Jean Hoefliger, about $160 a bottle.

Nose: Anise, tobacco, black fruit, milk chocolate covered almonds.

Taste: Nice, balanced, palate-drying yet good fruit, spice, cracked black pepper, another good one.

 

Pott Cabernet Sauvignon from Stagecoach Vineyard.  Lower yields, classic Cabernet Sauvignon.  About $110 a bottle.

Nose: Pungent stewed veggies, tomato, aromatic, velvety, silky dark red fruit.

Taste: Very nice.  A good balance of fruit, spice rack, not overdone, nice firm tannins and titillating finish.  Want more.

 

At the close of our seminar Blackburn asked, “What favorite moment are you picking that wine for?” as tasters usually note their favorite and these 2011s all deserve note.  These are pulling back to a more elegant state, according to Blackburn, with less alcohol than in the past for Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

photo 1Walk Around Tasting

I did not taste everything, so forgive me if I missed your favorites, but I noted *Favorite wineries and **Favorite wines of mine below:

 

Somerston

2012 Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

2011 Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

2010 Stornoway, Estate Grown, Napa Valley

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Grown, Napa Valley

 

*Round Pond

2012 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc

2011 Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

ZD

2012 Chardonnay

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet

2010 Reserve Cabernet

 

Louis M. Martini

2010 Monte Rosso Cabernet

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet

2011 Sonoma County Cabernet

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Lot 1

 

Truchard

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

 

*Joseph Phelps

**2010 Insignia

 

*Mt. Brave

**Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Anakota

Montana Cabernet

**Dakota Cabernet

 

*Rombauer

2012 Chardonnay

2009 Diamond Cabernet

**2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Signorello

2011 Hope’s Cuvee Chardonnay

2010 Estate Cab

2010 Padrone

 

Lail

2012 Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc

2011 Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 J. Daniel Cuvee

 

Snowden

2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Hall

2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Tournesol

2012 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

2012 Rosé of Pinot Noir

2008 Proprietor’s Blend

 

*Steltzner

**2011 Claret

2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

**2009 Malbec

 

*St Supery

**2010 Rutherford Merlot

**2010 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

**2010 Dollarhide Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Duckhorn

2011 Decoy Napa Valley Red Wine

**2011 Decoy Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

**2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

**2010 Paraduxx Z Blend Napa Valley Red Wine

 

*Knights Bridge

**2011 Pont de Chevalier Sauvignon Blanc

**Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

**Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Pont de Chevalier To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Cain Five

**NV9 Cain Cuvee

**2009 Cain Concept – The Benchland

**2008 Cain Five

 

*Frank Family

**2012 Napa Chardonnay

2012 Napa Carneros Pinot Noir

**2010 Napa Cabernet

2009 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet

2011 Napa Zinfandel

 

Kelleher

2012 “Block 21” Sauvignon Blanc-Napa Valley

2008 “Brix Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon-Oakville

2009 “Brix Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon-Oakville

 

*Heitz

2012 Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Napa Valley Cabernet

**2007 Trailside Cabernet

**2006 Martha’s Vineyard

 

Peju

2012 Sauvignon Blanc

2010 Merlot

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Ackerman

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

*Pott

2011 Her Majesty’s Secret Service

2011 The Arsenal

 

Laurel Glen

2009 Estate Cabernet

2010 Vineyard Estate Cabernet

2011 Counterpoint Cabernet

 

Silver Trident

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Russian River Pinot Noir

 

Chappellet

Pritchard Hill Cabernet

 

Tierra Roja

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Rocca

2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Grigsby Vineyard, Yountville]

2009 Merlot, Grigsby Vineyard, Yountville

2009 Syrah, Grigsby Vineyard, Yountville

2009 Vespera, Proprietary Red Blend, Napa

 

Rosenthal

2008 Block M

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Surfrider Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Surfrider Meritage

 

Veedercrest

 

Gentleman Farmer

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Alpha Omega

2011 Chardonnay

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

The Debate Missouri Hopper

The Debate To Kalon

The Debate Dr. Crane

 

*Tanner DaFoe

**2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Robert Oatley

Signature Select Margaret River Cabernet

Finisterre Margaret River Cabernet

 

*Hawk and Horse

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 HHV/ Block Three

**2009 Latigo

 

Wente

2011 Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay

2011 Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay

2010 The Nth Degree Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay

 

*Grgigh Hills

2010 Chardonnay

2009 Merlot

**2010 Cabernet

**2009 Cabernet

 

*Bacio Divino

2012 Lucie Chardonnay

2011 Lucie Pinot Noir

**2009 Reserve Cabernet

2010 Vagabond Syrah

 

Silverado

2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Greyscale

2011 Cuvée Blanc

2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Alexander Valley Vineyards

2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Alexander School Reserve Cabernet

2009 CYRUS

 

Steven Kent

2010 Lineage

 

Heritage Link Brands

Seven Sisters “Odelia” Sweet White

House of Mandela Royal Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

House of Mandela Thembu Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

Seven Sisters “Dawn” Pinotage/Shiraz

 

*Collier Falls

**2010 Hillside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Hillside Estate Zinfandel

 

J. Davies

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley