The Barrel Select Cab is made entirely from Hillside Vineyard fruit (located on the Oregon side of the Columbia Valley AVA). The vineyard has stunning views of mighty Mt. Hood and the Columbia River. It is fairly steeply sloped and it is home to a number of different grape varieties—in fact, cab may not even be its best one!
The 2007 Barrel Select Cab is a plushly textured mix of berries, tobacco, mocha and eucalyptus. It makes a fine foil for braises and grilled meats, and is surprisingly chocolate friendly, too. It's drinking wonderfully now, but will certainly evolve over the next 10 years.
72 cases produced
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Beacon Wine & Spirits for $38.99/bottle
Pierre is blend of 52% syrah and 48% cabernet sauvignon from the McKinley Springs Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, an up-and-coming appellation recently carved out of the huge Columbia Valley AVA. Named for Alexis’ father, Pierre is also a tribute to a humble vin de pays they shared on their first date.
The combination of cab and syrah has never been one that I've been fond of, though the Australians certainly do a good job with it. To me, syrah and cab are so themselves that it doesn't work to put them in the same bottle. It's like telling two Type As to defer to each other. And when I got a sample of Pierre from the Pouillons, I thought that it would probably be well made, but I didn't anticipate telling them I loved it. So much for assumptions made by former wine writers!
The 2007 Pierre seamlessly integrates a bold kirsch-like texture with notes of cherry, tobacco and dusty earth. Pair it with burgers and other grilled fare.
375 cases produced
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Beacon Wine & Spirits for $24.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!!!!!
Penn Wine & Spirits for $25/bottle
Vestry Wines for $25/bottle
West Side Steakhouse for $13/glass; $42/bottle
The 2008 Katydid is what is referred to as a GSM. That is, it's a blend of three grapes that are particularly important in the Southern Rhône. And thanks to our friends in Australia, it is a category that has caught on in may parts of the wine-making world. The '08 Katydid is a blend of 60% grenache/30% syrah/10% mourvèdre from two vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.
Concentrated and kirsch-like in the Southern Rhône style (Alexis trained at Château Beaucastel), the ’08 Katydid shows expressive violet, cherry, licorice and dried tobacco notes. Pair it with grilled meats, the more char on them, the better.
277-case production; each variety vinted separately in neutral oak
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New York Vintners for $31/bottle
NOTE: The 2010 version of Black Dot is available in New York City as of November 2010. Please refer to the separate entry for information about it and where to find it.
An unusual non-vintage blend of 33% syrah/25% primitivo/25% cabernet sauvignon/17% grenache from two vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA (the cab is from the 2007 vintage; the others from the 2008 vintage).
I could tell the story behind this odd, little wine, but instead, click on this link: Black Dot story.
This "vintage" of the Black Dot is as supple as it is sassy with floral notes of strawberry preserves, earth and licorice with a touch of smoke. It pairs well with grilled fare and even pizza.
292 cases produced
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Beacon Wine & Spirits for $19.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
Ehrlich's Wines & Liquors for $21/bottle
Martin Brothers Wines & Spirits for $18.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
Suburban Wines & Spirits for $19.99/bottle
Blue Hill Restaurant (price to be determined)
Dovetail for $52/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
P.D. O'Hurley's @ West End for $13/glass; $33/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
The 2010 version of the always-non-vintage Black Dot is another unusual blend. This one is composed of 35% grenache/30% zinfandel/25% syrah/10% cabernet sauvignon from two vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA (the cab is from the 2008 vintage; the others from the 2009 vintage). The '09 version had primitivo in it; this "year's" has zin instead.
But before you experts out there say zin and primitivo are genetically the same, don't bet the house on it. Google the subject and you will find lots of disagreement and equivocation out there. I'm not a plant geneticist, but I do know that at least according to the TTB (the arbiters of what may and may not be placed on a bottle of wine produced in this great country of ours or brought into it), the two are not considered synonymous.
I can also assure you that while this version of BD (as I call it) is similar in texture and style, it's not synoymous with the 2009 version either.
Thisone shows off its grenache and zin with concentrated red fruit compote notes, rounded out by a syrah-like vivacity. It pairs well with grilled fare and pizza.
334-case production; each variety vinted separately in neutral French oak.
14% alcohol
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Beacon for $24.99/bottle
First & Vine for $29.99/bottle
Maslow 6 for $24/bottle
P.D. O'Hurley's @ West End for $13/glass; $33/bottle
Dovetail for $55/bottle
Kennedy's for $15/glass; $45/bottle
Harry’s Vineyard is located at 500 feet above sea level in Coombsville just east of the city of Napa. The soil is clay formed out of weathered volcanic rock.
The 2006 Harry’s Cab is reserved and earthy, and opens to plum and berry fruit, cedar and bittersweet chocolate notes. It is both approachable now and built to last thanks to its zesty, bay-influenced acidity.
221 cases produced
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Blue Hill Restaurant for $110/bottle
This three-vineyard blend is the exception to the Hesperian single-vineyard rule.
The 2006 Napa Cab shows lovely varietal plum, pencil shavings and crushed herb scents. Its citrusy liveliness is a deft counterpoint to ripe cherry, mixed berries and milk chocolate flavors.
320 cases produced
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Martin Brothers Wines & Spirits for $35.99/bottle
Penn Wine & Spirits for $37/bottle
Pour for $54/bottle
Deux Amis for $120/bottle
Dovetail for $92/bottle
West Side Steakhouse for $65/bottle
The fruit for the Rutherford Cab is sourced from the Heritage Vineyard, which borders Conn Creek in the prestigious Rutherford appellation.
The 2006 Rutherford Cab shows intriguing scents of mulberry, tangy red fruit, green olive and the area’s telltale dust. It’s creamy and plush in the mouth with integrated flavors of blackberry, coffee bean and mocha.
99 cases produced
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Embassy Wines & Spirits for $47.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!
First & Vine for $55.99/bottle
Martin Brothers Wines & Spirits for $43.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!
Penn Wine & Spirits for $46/bottle SOLD OUT!!
Blue Hill for $110/bottle
The fruit for this mountain cab is sourced from Tony’s Vineyard, which is composed primarily of volcanic rock and located 1,650 feet above sea level.
The 2006 Spring Mountain Cab is intense, yet in control, with fresh notes of plum, cherry, red currant and dust. Its taut acidity and balance suggest a very long life, though it’s lovely to drink now.
123 cases produced
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First & Vine for $55.99/bottle
Frankly Wines for $49.99/bottle
Made up of 80% cab and 20% merlot, Anatomy No. 1 is a blend of fruit from several vineyards located predominantly in the Napa Valley’s southern half.
The 2007 Anatomy No. 1 is intensely fruit forward, but retains its balance with lively cherry, blackberry and tobacco leaf notes. It is vivacious and direct, making it food friendly and easy to drink.
250-case production; aging in 20% new French oak, 30% once- and 50% twice-used French oak.
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California Wine Merchants for $29.99/bottle
Embassy for $37.99/bottle
First & Vine for $32.99/bottle
Dovetail for $71/bottle
P.D. O'Hurley's @West End for $14/glass; $44/bottle
Kennedy's for $16/glass; $55/bottle
West Side Steakhouse for $55/bottle