There are few things in this world that I enjoy more than strolling up and down the aisles of a wine shop, perusing labels and fantasizing about the contents inside the bottles. (I know, I need to get out more.) The only thing that could possibly make this pastime more enjoyable is to be able to actually taste the contents. And if I could buy these wines before they are even released to the general retail-buying public — at a discount no less — then you’re talking my kind of nirvana.
Last Saturday afternoon, I found it at the 22nd Annual California Barrel Tasting, the brainchild of the late Addy Bassin, the original owner of MacArthur Beverages in the District.
Addy originally designed the event to mimic Bordeaux’s Union de Grand Cru, the annual weeklong affair where members of the wine trade descend upon the region to get a sneak peak of the newly vinified Grand Cru wines. He wanted to give Washington-area consumers the same type of exposure to the then-fledgling California wine industry so they could have an opportunity to purchase the work-in-progress domestic wines at a discount. Delivery ofthe wines usually takes a couple of years, until they would be made available to the retail-buying public. This practice is known as buying “futures.”
You might want to invest in the future of the 2005 vintage, since it appears to be another winner for California wines. The season started off a little wet, with rainfall that continued well into spring. Cool weather continued into the beginning of the summer, but stable, warm temperatures dominated the summer and lasted into the fall, resulting in a larger-than-normal crop.
One winemaker confessed, “I dropped [trimmed excess] fruit three times and still ended up with an embarrassing amount of grapes.” But the long hang time on the vine produced ripe grapes with great acid levels, solid sugars and firm tannins. A recipe for a great vintage.
Here is a summary of my favorites from the barrel tasting. Prices listed are the “pre-release” price offered through MacArthur Beverages (202-338-1433) and are subject to limited availability and later delivery.
Unless otherwise noted, all wines are from Napa Valley, California.
The Big Winners
2005 Axios Cabernet Sauvignon ($95)
I know that I am beginning to sound like a broken record on this wine, but local wine producer Gus Kalaris continues his year-to-year streak of making another beautiful cab, full of ripe black fruit built on a frame made for aging. The anticipated retail price of $135 makes this a relative bargain now.
2005 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon ($64)
Winemaker Tony Soter adds just a pinch of cabernet franc to lend this red beauty great structure and unbelievable length featuring rich, jammy fruit and notes of mocha and chocolate on the finish.
2005 EMH “Black Cat” Cabernet Sauvignon ($55)
If you have ever wanted to own a “cult cabernet,” this is your chance. Only 160 cases of thisrich, forward-styled wine are produced from the minuscule two-thirds of an acre vineyard. Notes of cassis and concentrated blackberries are kept company by big, sweet tannins.
2005 Fisher “Wedding Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon ($100) and “Coach Insignia” ($60)
From the Detroit family of automotive fame comes two remarkable wines. The “Wedding” cab delivers luscious black fruits, minerals and spices built around prominent tannins. The “Coach” provides softer flavors of black raspberries and cocoa with sweet tannins that you can enjoy while you’re waiting for its big brother to soften.
2005 Miner Family “The Oracle” ($60)
A Bordeaux-style blend uses all five typical varietals to provide great structure and palate-coating flavors of black cherry, blackberries, violets and mocha. It’s in my future.
2005 Larkin “Jack Larkin” Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($70)
One of two wines at the tasting made from Pritchard Hill fruit, this one offers up loads of ripe, jammy black fruit, licorice and espresso all held up by great structure and acidity. This wine sold out last year, so now is a good opportunity to grab it early.
2005 Girard Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)
The other wine made from Pritchard Hill Vineyard is wow-er-ful. Only 500 cases of this massive wine, featuring black cherry, mocha and cassis, were made. The long finish and superb structure makes it a candidate for the cellar, if you can resist drinking it.
Best of the Rest
The following 2005 wines are great values to consider as a futures purchase:
Ruston Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($35), Judd’s Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($34) and Madrigal Cabernet Sauvignon ($36).
If buying quality wine is in your future, then futures might be your ticket to buying quality wine.
Do you have a favorite royalty of wine? E-mail me at [email protected].
