Behind the Cork™ - Sinegal Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Sinegal Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($79)

I recently had the opportunity to share a bottle of Sinegal Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. And, Wow, this one is amazing! Even at it’s young age.

Sinegal Estate is a family-owned winery in Napa that is situated on a 30-acre property. The winery was originally known as the Inglewood Estate in the late 1800s. The Sinegal family purchased the property in 2013 and fully renovated it.

This 2018 Sinegal Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot.

It was fermented in 90% stainless steel and 10% oak tanks then aged for 20 months in 85% new French oak barrels. And, this new oak helped create this terrific wine.

This Cab is inky deep dark purple in color with rich dark fruit aromas. On the palate it has concentrated flavors of black cherry, dark red fruit and dark chocolate. The tannin in this wine is moderate and finishes beautifully.

This 2018 Sinegal Cabernet Sauvignon is a splurge treat that’s well worth it! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Hess Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Hess Collection Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)

This Hess Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon is from Napa Valley. It a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah and 8% Malbec. It’s aged in 33% New French and American oak barrels for 20 months.

The name Lion Tamer has become their nickname for Malbec because they use this grape as a blending variety to tame powerful tannins. They say “This Cabernet Sauvignon brings all the roar of Napa Valley and when blended with a touch of Malbec, produces a big, lush wine that finishes with smooth and tamed round tannins.”

Winemaker Dave Guffy states “Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon is plush in texture with heady aromas of blackberries, black cherries and notes of freshly ground coffee. We add a touch of Malbec to the blend to develop a softness in the tannins, making this a wonderfully smooth and seamless wine. These mouthwatering tannins surround the palate, framing layered elements of bright blueberry, toasty oak and deliciously rich mocha. I find this vintage of Lion Tamer Cabernet is perfectly balanced, with well-integrated vanilla oak notes presenting on the lengthy, elegant finish.”

I found this Lion Tamer Cab to have a big, full-bodied profile with great chocolate and vanilla notes from the oak aging. The tannins were firm but not over-powering and finished smooth with lingering flavor.

This is an exceptional Cab from Napa. If you are looking for a special wine for a special occasion, this one’s for you! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White, Donna White Communications

How Does Wind Affect a Wine?

I recently had a friend return from doing some wine tasting in Napa. While he said he enjoyed the wine, he did complain that it was windy and cold. And, he said he was told that the wind helped the wine. So, he asked me "How does wind affect a wine?"

Luckily, I had recently been doing some reading, and this exact situation was described. It turns out that it's not just the wind, it a cool wind that helps.  And, as is true with many of the premiere wine growing regions, Napa is helped by the cool afternoon breezes that come in off the ocean.  These cool winds actually cause the leaves in the vineyard to close-down their tiny pores (stoma). Without going any further into plant botany, this slows down the ripening process during the growing season. And, slower ripening results in grape skins that are thicker along with smaller berries (i.e., grapes) and smaller bunches.  This produces concentrated flavors and, in red grapes, a bit more tannin. It can also help with increased acidity. All good stuff for making wine.

So, when you visit wine county and feel the cool afternoon breezes, don't complain. They are helping to make the wine even better. Cheers!

How Well Do Wines Hold Up with Time?

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, February 2018

Last time we looked at the factors that make a wine more capable of bottle aging. And, somewhat surprisingly, there are very few wines that actually hold up well in the bottle, even with proper storage.  So then, what wines do hold up?

The results reported in Wine Enthusiast's 2018 Vintage chart (February 2018) are very revealing. As you might expect, wines from the Bordeaux region of France can hold up very well. And, most of the wines from Bordeaux are still currently at their peak dating back to 1998.  Twenty years!  But beyond that, the vintage guide suggests that wines before 1998 are likely in decline and may be undrinkable.

Then there are the California wines.  Again, as you might expect, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon's are holding up well back to 1994. But, the real surprises come with other wines that just aren't as age-able.  For instance, the Napa and Sonoma Zinfandel's are only showing good back to 2007. Russian River Pinot Noir is showing good back to 2007, while a Syrah from the Central Coast of California is only holding up back to 2010.

So, the key point to remember is that only select wines are really age-worth while most others have a relatively short time that they remain drinkable. This is a lesson that a lot of us learn the hard way. We hold on to really nice wines and wait and wait for that special occasion to open them.  But, as I recently learned, I held some too long. And I'll share that story next time. Until then, Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2014 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon ($65)

Wow! Napa turns out great Cabs, and this is one of them. This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot yields a bold yet somehow delicate collection of dark fruit flavors. Its oak aging weaves in hints of chocolate, vanilla and caramel. And the finish. Oh my!  I think it's still going.  This wine has an amazingly long and velvety smooth finish like nothing I've experienced lately.

If you're looking for a great Cab, this one will delight!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission:  I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White Communications