by Rebekah Wineberg, Paul Marcus Wines
Only one hour north of Rockridge, nestled between the Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges, lies the Napa Valley, famous world-wide for its wines. Of all the wines produced in Napa, by far the most renowned are those Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. Countless books have been written about them, and perhaps thats why my fellow writers at Paul Marcus Wines have neglected them. With the focus on local in this newsletter, its time to take a look at Napa Cabernets.
Winegrowing in the Napa Valley goes back to the 1800s, but the history of modern Napa starts in the 1960s and 70s. It was at this time that a few visionaries, such as Warren Winiarski of Stags Leap Wine Cellars and Robert Mondovi of Robert Mondovi Winery, began planting over the old prune and walnut orchards with grapesbelieving they could be made into world-class wines. The first modern vineyards were planted in the California sprawl style, which looks exactly as it sounds. These vineyards have wide-spaced, large vines with overflowing canopies. The plants were often field selections from the best blocks in neighbors vineyards.
Since that time, the Napa wine industry has benefited from growing knowledge of Napa Valleys unique soil and climate conditionsthe terroir, as its calledand increasing skill in the vineyard and winery. Many of the large, messy, vineyards of the past have been replaced with tightly spaced plantings made possible by research into the small vines school of viticulture. This research has given rise to new clones (sub-varieties of a particular grape varietyin this case, Cabernet Sauvignon) that produce smaller quantities of superior fruit when the vines are planted close together. The old system allowed the farmer to grow 10-15 tons of grapes per acre, while the new system produces a mere 3-8but these 3-8 tons can fetch nearly 10 times the price. Even so, nothing is absoluteyou still see both styles of viticulture in use all over the Valley.
All this is interesting, but what really counts is the wine. Cabernet-based wines from Napa, and California in general, have come into their own in the last 10 years. The dominance of the big brands has cooled, and the small grower-producers are stepping up into the spotlight. In Napa alone there are over 300 producers bottling and selling their own wines.
In general, Napa Cabernets are concentratedbig wines with aromas of ripe black and red fruits like blackberry, cherry, and plum. They are full-bodied, sometimes robust, with smooth tannins and often exhibit toasty oak and vanilla character. They pair well with steak, game, cheeses, and barbecue.
Favorite Napa Cabs at Paul Marcus Wines:
Michael Pozzan, 2003 Napa Cuvee No. 9 ($13.99):
On the lighter side for Napa Cab. A fruit-driven wine with cherry and raspberry on the nose and a hint of drying tannin in the finish.
Madigan, 2003 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($17):
Much riper, even liqueur-like on the nose. The mouth shows smooth and evolved tannins and some oak. This is a new style Napa Cab, big and full-bodied.
White Rock, 2001 Napa Valley Claret ($40):
This wine is unfiltered, so dont be alarmed at the tartrate crystals in your glass. I found that it took a long time for the flavor to open up, so next time Ill decant it an hour before serving. The color and flavor both are dark, cassis and molasses. The mouth is full-bodied with lush, silky tannin and a long finish.
Corison, 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60):
A very classic Cabernet Sauvignon nose. I noted cherry, spice, a mineral character and a hint of fresh green pepper. The wine is wonderfully balanced with a good acidity. The mouth is full-bodied, with smooth tannin but a firm structure and a long finish.