Cabernet Sauvignon clones in France and California

I recently wrote about clones and the mechanisms utilized in France and California for their certification. In this post, I will examine the use of Cabernet Sauvignon clones in the selfsame areas.

According to Benjamin Lewin MW (Cradle of the Grape: The Origin and Spread of Cabernet Sauvignon, TONG Nº 20), the first Cabernet Sauvignon clone to be developed in France was Clone 15 in 1971. The French growers had been experiencing difficulty with Merlot so the authorities restricted all new plantings to Clone 15, largely due to its reliability. But that reliability brought along with it some attributes (high yields, large clusters, large berries) not associated with high quality wine. In addition, the clone increased the herbaceousness of Bordeaux wines throughout the 1970s, a condition only ameloriated by the development and introduction of new clones 10 years on (This narrative meshes with the first-generation objectives of the ENTAV cloning program: the production of high-yield clones in order to ensure a regular income for grape growers (Christophe Sereno, Cabernet Sauvignon Clones in France, TONG Nº 20)). This herbaceousness, driven by high yields, but aided and abetted by ripening difficulties in Bordeaux, became the measure of the typicity of Cabernet Sauvignon during this period (Lewin).

The Cabernet Sauvignon clones in use in France today are detailed in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Cabernet Sauvignon clones in France

Clone	Origin	Use Frequency (%)	Wine Style
15	AOP Bordeaux Supérieur	22	Fruity, aromatic, easy-to-drink
169	AOP Bordeaux Supérieur	27	Aromatic, good tannins, well-structured
170	Loire Valley	3	Aromatic, balanced
191	AOP St. Emilion	8	Good color, well-structured
337	AOP Côtes de Blaye	16	Good tannins, balanced
338	AOP St. Emilion	6	Aromatic, balanced
341	AOP St. Emilion	5	Good color, well-structured
412	Bordeaux	2 (along with clones 1124 and 1125)	Good color, aromatic, full-bodied, balanced
685	Southwest France	11	Fruity, aromatic, easy-to-drink
1124	Sanitation of clone 191	2 (along with clones 1124 and 1125)	Good color, well-structured
1125	Sanitary family of clone 337	2 (along with clones 1124 and 1125)	Aromatic, full-bodied, balanced

Source: Christophe Sereno: TONG #20; Clonal Selection of Cabernet Sauvignon in France, UCDavis Course, 5/15/2008

In the California case, by the late 1960s, most of the old Napa vineyards had been infected with Grape Fan Leaf virus which gradually killed the vine and affected wine quality negatively while doing so. The workhorse clone to that date had been clone 7 which, according to Bell (Anthony Bell, California Cabernet: The Search for the Best Clones, TONG Nº 20), is believed to hearken back to vines brought in from Chateau Margaux in the late 1800s. Foundation Plant Services worked diligently to free this clone of the virus, resulting in the first certified virus-free vines:

• Clone 7 -- heat-treated for 62 days; registered in 1970
• Clone 8 -- heat-treated for 168 days; registered in 1971
• Clone 11 -- heat-treated for 168 days; registered in 1974 

These three are referred to collectively as the Concannon clone. As in the French case, these early clones were characterized by :

• Large canopies
• High vigor
• Large yields
• Large clusters
• Increased mildew and rot incidence (due to the large canopies).

 Much subsequent work has been done in order to provide growers with clones with a broader array of characteristics. Table 2 lists Cabernet Sauvignon clones being utilized in California today while Table 3 enumerates the characteristics of selected members of the class.

Table 2: US Cabernet Sauvignon clones by source

Source	Clones	Comments
Concannon Vineyard	7, 8, 11	Referred to as the Concannon clone; most widely planted clones in California
N/A	02, 06, 22, 23, 24, 40, 42	6 originated from Berkeley Field Station
Heritage Collection	29 (Niebaum), 30 (Disney Silverado), 31 (Mondavi selection for Tokalon)
Argentina	04, 05
Chile	12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21
France — ENTAV	15 EV, 169, 170, 337, 338, 412, 685
France — Generic	33, 34, 35, 37, 43, 47
France — Donated by producer near Bordeaux	44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50
Italy	38, 39
Germany	10,

Source: Deborah Golino, Source of Cabernet Sauvignon Clones, UCDavis Course, 5/15/2008


Table 3. Selected characteristics of selected clones used in California

Clone	Characteristics
4	Moderate producer (4 - 5 tons per acre) Strong flavor intensity Good color, aroma, and balance Little herbal character Some spiciness
6	Known as Jackson clone Low producer (1 -2 tons per acre) Vines have no leaf roll virus Dark-colored wines with firm tannins and strong flavor profile Herbal
7	Also known as the Wente Clone Grafts well Strong producer (6 - 12 tons per acre) Wines have good fruit character, deep color, good acidity and structure Herbaceous in cool growing seasons
8	No significant difference between wines made with clones 7 and 8
11	Can deliver high yields of good quality
337	Brought to CA in a suitcase Popular in the re-plantings of the 1990s Moderate producer Small clusters Small berries Minimal herbal notes Rich, red berry fruit notes Dense, complex wines with bright fruit notes
31	Low producer Similar growth pattern to clone 6 Small clusters Small berries Dense, complex wines with dark fruit flavors, good acidity, and good structure

Source: Compiled from Anthony Bell

In comparing the use of, and attitude towards, clones, Lewin found that most of the French growers use clones but have very little interest in the topic. They see very little difference between the clones and very little value in spending a lot of time and effort on trials. Most of the new plantings in the Bordeaux region are based on 337, 169, 341, 191, and 15 with 337 being "closest to a cult" due to its small berries, deep color, and the perception of producing long-lived wines.

On the other hand, there is high level of interest in Cabernet Sauvignon clones in Napa Valley as growers seek clones that work well within the reality of their specific climate and soils. The fact that meaningful differences will result based on the clone used was demonstrated in a 10-year, 14-clone trial conducted at Beaulieu Vineyards in the 1980s (Bell). In California, Clone 6 will make a herbaceous Cabernet Sauvignon wine while Clone 337 will produce a wine with the lush fruits of the international style.

One of the questions raised by the use of Cabernet Sauvignon clones is the typicity of the wine. I will cover that topic in a future post.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Clonal selection in vineyard plantings

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape variety in the world, with approximately 290,000 hectares of the vine planted worldwide in 2010 (Sereno). The grape, which is believed to have originated in the south of France, and has been recorded as growing in Bordeaux since the 17th century, is the result of a natural cross between the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc varieties. To this date, fully 50% of the 53,000 hectares planted in France is located in its area of origin.

Many a Cabernet Sauvignon vine have been planted worldwide but the two poles of excellence, if one considers production volume and consumer spend, are definitively Napa and Bordeaux. In this exercise I examine the use of Cabernet Sauvignon clones in the two regions to determine whether there are any appreciable differences in type and/or application and, if so, how it manifests. But first, some background on clones.

Early vineyards were planted/replanted with cuttings sourced from successful vines in a vineyard, a process which is referred to as massal selection. The advantage of this method is that all the good qualities of the parent plants can be passed on to these new vines but the same is also true for negative characteristics. The more modern practice is to use clonal selections as the source for these new plantings and, in so doing, pass on the desirable characteristics while eliminating those that provide negative effects. Areas of potential clonal differentiation are shown in the table below.

Component Characters	Manifestations
Vine	Upright Weeping High yield Low yield
Leaf	More lobed Less lobed
Cluster	Compact Loose
Berry	Color Size Shape Maturity pH
Flavor	Anthocyanin levels Color Muscat character
Wine	Sensory perception

Source: Deborah Golino presentation on source of Cabernet Sauvignon clones, UCD course, 5/15/2008.

In the case of clonal selection, the source material has undergone a number of procedures "designed to isolate and provide premium stock to grape growers" (Jackson, Wine Science). The key objective of any clonal selection program is to improve crop yield and grape quality by providing virus-free (or impact-neutral) rootstock and scions to the grower. Viruses can negatively impact the vine in the following areas (Bisson):

• Vine
• Pruning weight
• Shoot numbers
• Yield
• Cluster numbers
• Berry
• Berry weight
• Sugar levels
• Titratable acidity
• pH
• Other measures
• Shoot weight
• Cluster weight
• Berries/cluster

In California, the body that is primarily responsible for certifying grape vine material is Foundation Plant Services, "a self-supporting service department in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis which produces, tests, maintains and distributes premium foundation level virus and disease-tested plant materials for use by California nurseries" (http://fpms.ucdavis.edu/). The FPS process is illustrated graphically in the figure below.

Source: Modified from Deborah Golino presentation on source of
Cabernet Sauvignon clones, UCD course, 5/15/2008

It normally takes 2 years for a vine to go through the process from end to end. If the vine is found to have a virus, that timeframe is extended to 7 years.

The heat therapy  identified in the Disease Elimination Phase involves exposing dormant cuttings to high temperatures (~ 38℃) for several weeks. This approach has been supplanted by shoot-tip culture, "a disease elimination technique whereby pieces of the apical growing point are excised from a plant and cultured in a sterile growth media apart from the plant. In microshoot tip therapy, as practiced at FPS, a growing tip that is less than 0.5mm is excised from the shoot tip. Many pathogens, including viruses and the crown gall bacterium, are eliminated by this technique" (http://iv.ucdavis.edu/files/72924.pdf).

The body responsible for certification of clones in France is the Institut Francais de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV; formerly ENTAV) and its regional vine selection partners (INRA Bordeaux, Chambre d'agriculture de Gironde, and Chambre d'agriculture des Pyrenees-Atlantiques for Cabernet Sauvignon). This organization began its work in the 1960s and has traversed two generations of clones with a third generation in its future (See figure immediately below). The IFV clone-certification process is illustrated in the second figure.

Jackson recommends that more than one clone be planted in a vineyard as a mechanism for increasing the variability and complexity of flavors in the finished wine. Boulton, et al. (Principles and Practices of Winemaking), suggests at least two clones should be planted in small plots and up to five or six in larger vineyards in order to avoid problems that may arise due to limited genetic variation in a single clone.

I will continue with the specifics of the Cabernet Sauvignon clones in my next post.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Australia and Wrap up: A World of Cabernet Sauvignon

The final flight in our tasting covered Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Australia but, unfortunately, the results were somewhat disappointing.  The wines tasted were: 2001 Gralyn Estate (Margaret River, Parker 94); 1997 Penley Estate (Coonawarra, Parker 91); 1994 Penfolds Bin 707 (Barossa Valley, Parker 90); and 2003 Two Hands Aphrodite (Barossa Valley, Parker 94).

These wines might have suffered from being the last wines on a rather long night where they were preceded by 17 quality wines.  The Margaret River was described as having an Irish Spring aroma and collapsing on the palate while the Penley Estate hinted at molasses and muddy water with a definite Shiraz leaning.  The Bin 707 had a "Grange nose" and was "Napa on steroids" while the Two Hands Aphrodite had a short finish and was "uninspiring."  The Bin 707 was designated WOTF but, according to the panel, this had more to do with the weakness of the field than the brilliance of the Bin 707.

At the conclusion of the Australian flight, I asked the panelists for their impressions of the Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the varying regions.  Ron began by stating that there had been impressive wines tasted from each region but that the Bordeaux wines stood out for him.  He would approach this discussion by asking the question "What wines do I want in my cellar?"  He would eliminate Australia immediately.  He liked the older California wines -- the Heitz, for example -- but they do not make wines like those anymore.  The more modern California wines seem one-dimensional with low acidity and high alcohol.  Bordeaux is the one for him.  Those wines stood out and were the most interesting.  He was also very pleased with the Leonetti.  Overall, as you tasted the wines, you could clearly tell whether you were in the Old World or New.  But with Bordeaux, he could tell where the wine is from and the vintage -- for example, whether it was a wet year, or a hot year.  He had heard that Chilean Cabs were Bordeaux-like but did not get that sense coming out of this tasting (it should be pointed out that we only had one Chilean Cab in this tasting); as a matter of fact, he felt that the Don Melchor was closer to Napa than to Bordeaux.

In his comments, Andrew noted that Bordeaux stood out on its own.  "You cannot confuse these wines for anything else but Bordeaux."  In a blind tasting he would have placed the Ornellaia in with the Bordeaux wines.  Ron chipped in at this point to say that he would put Italy right behind France in terms of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Andrew said that the Ornellaia was still fresh.  He found it a little hollow but would still put it in his cellar.  This tasting was an interesting window, according to Andrew, on how Cabernet Sauvignon has evolved in the New World.  For example, in Meritages he has a problem picking out the Cabernet Sauvignons from the Merlots from the Cabernet Francs, a problem he almost never encounters with Bordeaux blends which tend to be a lot more balanced.

Russell felt that the goal of the tasting was accomplished in that Cabernet Sauvignons from different parts of the world showed distinct differences in characteristics.  His bias is towards Bordeaux.  His surprise of the night was the 2003 Ducru-Beaucaillou, which showed great class and elegance.  Australia was disappointing for him in that the wines all tasted Shiraz-like but, that being said, the Penfolds was his favorite.  He enjoyed the Ornellaia.

Jeff was very sure that Australia and South American Cabernet Sauvignons were not for him (He came in with this baggage).  His preferences tend towards Napa and France depending on his mood.  If he wants the tertiary flavors like saddle leather, cedar, cigar box, etc., then he drinks Bordeaux.  According to Jeff you do not get those flavors with Napa Cabs except for wines like Dominus and some of the older Napa Cabs.  He was thrilled with the way the Heitz showed tonight.  The tasting basically served to reinforce his preferences.

I commented that I had a special place in my heart for Cabernet Sauvignons from Bolgheri but felt that the wines from Bordeaux, even the lesser ones, stood up very well against their peers from other regions. I am currently overweighting Bordeaux in my purchases in order to bring that region to a position of dominance in my cellar.  The Ducru, Leonetti, and Heitz were different, but standout, representations of Cabernet Sauvignon from my perspective.

Fred was more impresed with the New World wines than the Old but, as he says, that is his palate.  He liked the Leonetti, Revana, and Shafer.  Laurie and Lisa concurred with Fred in this position.  Laurie likes "California fruit bombs" while Lisa feels that Napa Cabs are great drinking wines which complement what you are doing today and have great flavor.

There is a clear sense of place associated with Cabernet Sauvignon from varying places around the world. Whether that difference is a result of sunlight, aspect, soil, climate, or a combination of these factors, is beyond the scope of this post.  We set out to identify regional differences and we did.

A World of Cabernet Sauvignon: Sonoma and Napa Valley

So, after a brief respite, I return to our World of Cabernet Sauvignon tasting. In previous posts I have reported on our tastings of Bordeaux and Washington/Chile/Tuscany Cabernet Sauvignons. In this post I turn to our tasting of the Sonoma/Napa Valley flight.  The Napa wines were actually tasted in two flights -- mountain and valley floor -- but will be combined in this post in the interest of efficiency.  The wines included in this flight were: 2002 Chateau St Jean; 1994 Togni; 2004 Sherwin Family Vineyards, 1995 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain; 1985 Heitz Martha's Vineyard; 1973 Inglenook; 2002 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon; and 2002 Revana.

The first wine tasted was the 2002 Chateau St Jean from Sonoma County.  Sonoma County is a diverse growing region with a complex terrain of small valleys, benchlands and hillsides. A coastal appellation, it is favored with fog in the morning and sunny afternoons cooled by maritime breezes. From the cool Carneros area in the south to the more moderate Russian River and Alexander Valleys further north, a wide variety of grapes can enjoy the optimum climate to achieve rich varietal flavor.  This wine had a beautiful nose, somewhat reminiscent of a Bordeaux wine.  Ron, one of our panelists, indicated that he had the 1966, a Wine Spectator wine of the year, in his cellar but felt that the 2002 presented better on the nose.  Russell felt that the wine gave a clear indication of where you were – California.  It lacked acidity but had vanilla and a brambly taste which Jeff uses as a marker for Sonoma Cabs.

The second wine tasted was the 1994 Philip Togni Vineyard, a 97-point rated wine by Parker.  Philip Togni began planting vines at the pinnacle of Spring Mountain in 1981 after having been winemaker at a number of Napa wineries. The 25-acre vineyard 200 feet up on Spring Mountain is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), Merlot (15%), Cab Franc (2%), and Petit Verdot (1%).  The 2000-case production is late-picked, “blended deliberately” and aged in 40% new French oak.  Jeff identified this wine as being Dominus-like and this launched a lengthy discussion of Dominus (everyone likes it).  This wine had good acidity, was well balanced, and, according to Jeff, would go well with a steak.

The 2004 Sherwin Family Vineyard was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator.  This wine is made from grapes grown in a 16-acre vineyard contained within a 30-acre estate.  The vineyard is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.  Ron visited this estate in 2002 and, after tasting the wine, bought three cases.  He thinks that it is a great representation of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Good balance and nice finish.

The 1995 Dunn Howell Mountain was the next wine tasted.  Dunn produces both a Howell Mountain and a Napa Valley wine -- both 100% Cabs -- but the Howell Mt is 100% Mountain fruit while the Napa Valley contains about 6% valley floor fruit.   The Howell Mountain wine is massive in fruit and tannins. The estate spans 200 acres of which 30 are planted to vine: 24 acres to Cabernet Sauvignon and six to other varietals.  The vines range between 30 and 10 years of age.  Wines are aged in 75% new French oak for 30 months.  This is a big wine with Howell Mountain tannins.  Seemingly immune to the passage of time.

Heitz Martha’s Vineyard was the first vineyard-designated wine in Napa valley (1965).  The vineyard is owned by the May family who grow grapes for Heitz.  The vineyard covers 34 acres on a gently sloping alluvial plain on the western side of Napa, close to the Mayacamas foothills, and is ringed by giant eucalyptus trees which may contribute elements to the wine.  The 1985 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard was rated 94 points by Parker.  This wine is huge and expansive on the nose.  Hints of graphite, chocolate, leather, tobacco, asian spice and earth co-exist with a decided creaminess. The wine retains some acidity, is silky smooth, balanced, and elegant with a long finish.  This is the way California wines used to be.  This wine was voted wine of the flight.

Napanook was the former Inglenook Estate which, under John Daniels, had become famous for its Inglenook Cask Selection. Grapes from this site were highly sought after for the production of high-quality Napa Cabernets. Napanook, located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, has a history that goes back to 1836 when George Yount, who gave his name to Yountville, planted the first vines in the valley there. The farm is 124 acres -- 108 of which are planted to vines -- with volcanic, heavy clay, and loam soil types.  The 1973 Inglenook exhibits aromas of tanned leather, red fruit, mushroom, and fig.  On the palate, somewhat Burgundian but with a short finish.  This wine seems to be on its way out.

The 2002 Shafer Hillside Select was rated as a 100-pointer by Robert Parker.  Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship product of Shafer Vineyards, a Stags Leap District winery founded in 1972 by John Shafer.  As the name implies, Hillside Select is crafted exclusively from selected blocks of hillside vineyards whose soil characteristics and micro-climate combine to produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines with excellent aging potential. The soil on the Shafer Stags Leap properties are primarily bale loam or volcanic -- 2- to 4-feet deep -- resting on bedrock. The warm days and cool nights result in elongated growing seasons and a near-perfect mix of ripening and acidity. The wines are aged for four and one-half years prior to public release.  The 2002 Shafer Hillside Select had a great nose: grilled steak and graphite along with a rich decadence.  On the palate vanilla, licorice, new oak, sugar cane.  Not a food wine at this time.

The final wine in the flight was the 2002 Revana Family Vineyards, a 95-point (Wine Enthusiast) wine.  Revana is located to the north of St. Helena on gravelly soils.  The vines, first planted in 1998, are in eight separate blocks covering a total of 9 acres.  The blocks, five of which are Cabernet Sauvignon, are farmed and vinified separately.  Winter rains provide a constant supply of gravel, soil, and nutrients to valley floor vineyards.  Warm days and cool nights provide the perfect environment for the right balance of sugar and acidity.  This wine had aromas of licorice, spice, graphite, blackcurrant, cassis, and broccoli.  On the palate a nice attack but a missing finish.


Our final flight was Cabernet Sauvignon’s from Australia and those will be covered in my next post.

A World of Cabernet Sauvignon: Chile, Washington, and Tuscany

I recently convened a tasting panel at the Vines Bar and Grill on Sand Lake Road in Orlando to investigate the characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon grown under differing soil and climatic conditions. The tasting was titled ‘A World of Cabernet Sauvignon’ and its intent and framework were detailed in a previous post.  The tasting was divided into four flights: Bordeaux; Chile/Washington State/Bolgheri; Napa/Sonoma; and Margaret River/Coonawarra/Barossa Valley.  The Bordeaux flight was covered previously.  The second flight, covered herein, included the following wines: 1997 Don Melchor (Maipo Valley, Chile); 2006 Quilceda Creek (Columbia Valley, WA); 2003 Leonetti Reserve (Walla Walla Valley, WA); and 1998 Ornellaia (Bolgheri, Tuscany). 

The 1997 Don Melchor (Parker 94 points) from Concha Y Toro was the first wine tasted in this flight.  The Puente Alto Vineyard, the source of the grapes for this wine, is located south of Santiago in the Maipo Valley at elevations varying between 1200 and 1500 feet. The climate is Mediterranean with 350 to 450 mm of rain annually and thermal oscillation in excess of 68 degrees. The soil is a combination of riverine deposits and eroded rock. The winery contends that its proximity to the Maipo Canyon renders its vineyards the coolest in the region. The Puente Alto Vineyard consists of contiguous sub-divided plots with each of the six Cabernet Sauvignon blocks having its own distinctive style.


Panel tasting notes:  This wine exhibited a lot of green on the nose; bell pepper and dill.  Ron felt that it showed up as new world immediately but, while enjoyable, he found it non-complex.  Andrew indicated that he would not call it non-complex; rather, he would say that geographically it is an indication of Chilean Cabernet.  Vegetal notes are more pronounced in the wines of Chile, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, and lends to them being easily distinguishable.  In response to a query about the ripeness of the fruit Andrew said that the grapes were ripe enough but this is the way that the grapes have adapted to the land.  Ron commented that these wines were no longer the value they used to be.

On the palate, mint, camphor and eucalyptus flavors, clay, very soft acidity, and a rich mouth feel.  A lot of fruit and indications of a hot vintage.  Uni-dimensional.

The 2007 Quilceda Creek (Parker 100 points) was the next wine up.  Quilceda Creek was founded in 1979 and produces a signature Cabernet, two single-vineyard Cabs, and a red blend.  Grapes for the signature Cabernet are sourced from the Tapteil,  Klipsun, and Discovery vineyards. Tapteil Vineyard is a 25-acre property owned by Larry Pearson and located in the Red Mountain AVA.  It is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (15 acres), Cabernet Franc (2 acres) and Merlot (2.5 acres).  The Cabernet Sauvignon is known for concentration of color and supple tannins while the Merlot is known for the production of rich, dark wines. The vineyard sits between 750 and 900 feet on Warden silt loam soil and has a southwest facing slope.  Klipsun Vineyard sits on 280 acres – of which 120 are planted to vine (28 acres Merlot, 60.7 acres Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.2 acres Semillon, 12.6 acres Sauvignon Blanc, 5 acres Syrah, and .5 acres Nebbiola – on the western slope of Red Mountain.  This vineyard produces 300 tons of grapes annually and its fruit is renowned for structure and aromatics.  It has been designated one of the top 25 vineyards in the world by Wine and Spirits magazine.  Discovery Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills AVA) was first planted in 2005 and is home to 17 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 acres of Syrah, and 1 acre of Petit Verdot.  It sits between 500 and 590 feet on wind-blown loess over fractured basalt soil with a south/southeast aspect.

Panel tasting notes:  According to Ron, Quilceda Creek has averaged 99 Parker points since the 1999 vintage.  He remembers Parker’s 1999 tasting notes describing Quilceda Creek as somewhere between a Margaux and a La Mission Haut-Brion so he called the winery immediately and got on their mailing list.

Dulce de leche and caramel on the nose.  Rich and creamy on the palate and reminiscent of cake batter.  Great mouth feel.  Acid and tannin balance out the massive fruit structure.  Highly extracted without being jammy.  Still young but loads of promise.  In Ron’s opinion not a 100-point wine.

The third wine tasted was the 2003 Leonetti Reserve (Parker 97 points).  Leonetti Cellar sources fruit for its wines from Seven Hills, Loess, and Mill Creek Upland Vineyards.  Seven Hills Vineyard was planted in 1980 and, as such, was one of the first vineyards in Walla Walla.  It is currently owned by Gary Figgins, Marty Clubb, and Bob Rupar and its output is sold to 25 premium wineries.  The 235 acres of vineyard sits on Edingford silt loam (wind-blown glacial loess) at between 850 and 1050 feet elevation.  Loess Vineyard sits on 28 acres at 1050 to 1150 feet elevation on Walla Walla silt loam soil.   The primary varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,  Petit Verdot, and Malbec and the wines are known for intense aromatics, red and dark fruits, and balance.  Mill Creek Upland is a 16-acre property sitting between 1485 and 1600 feet elevation with a south/southwest aspect.  The soil is Athena and Walla Walla silt loam.  Primary varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Sangiovese.  Wines exhibit traditional mountain fruit characteristics with dry, dark color, great acidity, dark fruits and dried herbs.

Panel tasting notes:  Raspberry and blackberry on the nose along with a certain creaminess.  The components of the wine hang together well.  Beef stock and petrol flavors.  Well integrated tannins.  Ron described the wine as refreshing and in a “perfect place” in terms of development.  Andrew felt that this wine presented much better on the nose than it did on the palate.  This wine was selected as the wine of the flight.

The final wine in this flight was the 1998 Ornellaia.  This wine was rated 93 points by Robert Parker but was rated 96 points by Wine Spectator and crowned 2001 Wine of the Year by that publication.  Full details on the Ornellaia vineyards and winemaking practices are contained in the post on my visit to the Ornellaia estate.

Panel tasting notes:  On the nose vegetal aromas, tobacco, dried earth, spice. Overall, though, a somewhat muted nose (panel agreed on the need for some more decant time).  A lively debate on the Bordeaux-ness of this wine ensued.  Ron felt that it was Bordeaux-like while I argued for the intrusion of some new world elements into the mix.  We felt that the wine was timid on the attack but built well towards the mid-palate.  Great balance.  Well integrated, even in this youthful phase, with the promise of phenomenal longevity.

The room was abuzz.  We were oblivious to the world outside our glass-encased room.  We were drinking very good wine and engaging in spirited discussions about those wines. There was an intoxicating level of dynamism and give and take.  We were in a zone and learning, and tasting, and debunking myths and sacred cows.  I was loving it.

Next up, Napa and Sonoma.