Don's Gillette's Wine Blog
Musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Read Don's full bio...
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Biting the Apple
Frank and I went to a tasting at San Francisco City Hall last week. It was a nice venue for it, close to our store, and an even more beautiful building inside than out. Our host was the Napa Valley Vintners Association and most of wineries pouring were of modest to mid-size. As might be expected, about 80% of the wine poured was red, Cabernet Sauvignon being dominant.
One of the attractions was that this was a chance to try more of the upcoming 2005 Cabernets, now in bottle. I saw this tasting is a "must attend", but although I'm sure that 2005 will ultimately prove a great vintage, I worry about its public reception should showcases like this one become the norm.
In 2005, there was way too much Cabernet fruit on the vine. With extra fruit comes temptation. Mother Nature, a wicked lady who can shrink a crop to bankruptcy levels, will occasionally do the opposite, taunting growers and vintners by offering them enough fruit to pay off all their loans and upgrade their transportation.
2005 was a big juicy apple, a mouthwatering treat for greedy producers. I know that many privately owned wineries have a passionate commitment to quality and I believe that many corporate-controlled wineries are well run, but most corporate CEOs have a long and loving relationship with this particular forbidden fruit.
It's still a bit early to know how many vintners took a bite in 2005, as many wineries are still pouring 2004s (Heitz is just now showing their lovely 2003 "Martha's"). Judging by the group I saw at City Hall, even some small producers were munching, although I can't really cite anyone there who ate the whole thing. Certainly there were some good 2005 Cabs at the event, but many were lackluster.
What do you get when you over-crop an otherwise great vintage? Well, the wines I am discussing seemed uniformly rich, but there just wasn't enough fruit to dominate the oak. The fruit was broadly Cabernet-like, but showed only modest concentration and even less definition. Soft tannins were the norm, but their presence represented less a stylistic choice, than a further proof of over-cropping. Boring and Wimpy, my two favorite pals. What can I say about a Cabernet-dominated event where the most memorable wine was a Merlot?
I have to say it again: I am convinced that 2005 is going to be a great vintage. Just a few days before the Napa Vintners showcase, I attended a similar Cabernet-dominated tasting where a few of the real 2005s stood up. Anyone wanting to see one of those need only try the 2005 Versant, coming later this month. That wine will tell you all you need to know.
By the way, the Merlot I liked so much was the 2005 Coho Winery "Michael Black Vineyard". It was a truly gorgeous wine, worth its $65 tariff. It's due in tomorrow.