Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Caves & Dales

Ever wonder where something, perhaps a place or a thing, got its name? That is what crossed my mind the first time I received directions to Mountain Terraces Vineyard in Sonoma County. It is on Cavedale Road. Okay, I know what caves are, as well I know what a dale is. Well, it is one thing to know the definition of a word and quite another to experience the inspiration behind it being used to describe something. Alas, driving up Cavedale Road, on the flanks of Mt. Veeder, is simply the prelude to what awaits you upon arriving at this remarkable spot of land that is planted with over 80 acres of 9 different varietals of wine grapes. Along the twists and turns of this road you may spy a number of caves, perhaps they were used to hide illicit wine and booze during the Prohibition era, maybe their use can be traced even further back. Then there are the dales, revealing themselves in glimpses. But it is not until reaching the end of a private road which juts out from Cavedale and launches itself over the edge of the valley do you, at once, grasp the true inspiration of this place. The wine, while not subordinate, may just be secondary in this setting. And that is not dismissive at all as the nectar produced from the fruit of these vines is indeed exceptional.

A lot has been said and written on the topic of terroir, or sense of place, when it comes to wine. And while I'm not by any means an expert, there seems to be ample evidence, not to mention simple logic, that soil, drainage and exposure to sun, wind, rain and the like all influence the crop and by extension the product of that crop. In this place I get a sense to two types of 'terroir', the kind just previously mentioned as well as a kind influence on the way the tastes to me based on an association with such a remarkable place in this world. There are simply places and things that connect with the soul and here, near the top of Cavedale Road, gazing out over Sonoma Valley and beyond, sipping wine made from grapes of the vines that sprout from the rocky, violent soil that clings to the hillsides...everything just seems to 'come together'.

Ah, the wines, yes eventually there is wine poured. Audelssa is the name of the estate winery, and some of the fruit also finds a way into other wineries hands typically blended into magnificent proprietary blends of Bordeaux- and Rhone-style wines. But if the star of this show is the vineyard then the stellar cast is composed of a number of different bottlings of Cabernet Sauvingnon, Syrah and various blends. With relatively few cases produced, particularly of the 'Reserve' editions, you do feel as though you've found something truly remarkable. And if this place touches your soul, or whatever equivalent term you feel, then in fact you have.

Recent Wines
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ~ excellent fruit, balance and acidity; above average and a good value

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ~ exceptional, particularly if you enjoy a rich, lush hedonistic wine

2007 Summit, Bordeaux-style blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot ~ fruit-forward yet in a somewhat restrained way; good balance and complexity with a super long finish

2007 Summit Reserve ~ a Right Bank inspired blend of Merlot and Cab Sauv; dense, chewy, smooth and very satisfying

2006 Zephyr, Southern Rhone/CDP-style blend ~ classic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre; medium weight, bursting with bright red fruit and garden herbs; perhaps my favorite

2006 Tempest, Northern Rhone/Cote-Rotie style Syrah ~ lovely perfumed nose from the little bit of whole cluster Viognier that is used; nice fruit, cedar and smoke balance out an exquisite bottle of wine

2006 Maelstrom, 100% Syrah ~ big fruit and bold flavor with the earthiness and smoke that is typically sought out in Syrah

Mountain Terraces Vineyard
Audelssa Estate Winery

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for sharing this information. I enjoyed your blog. It is common to wines that some are name by the grapes used and the a place such as Syrah and Champagne and I think there's more.

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