Placeholder Image

Malk Family Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon

Other, United States 2013 (750mL)
$79.00
/
Your cart is empty.
  • In stock, ready to ship
  • Inventory on the way
Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Malk Family Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon

The Stags Leap District—home to many of California’s most celebrated Cabernets—was among the many wine-growing areas damaged in the horrific wildfires in Northern California. Just a few weeks ago we were tasting this wine at our warehouse in Sonoma and marveling at how much truly serious wine is grown in our backyard—and how much there is still to discover.
Malk Family Vineyards was a new discovery for me, and it’s the kind of wine which checks off all aspects of serious Napa Cabernet: On the one hand, it has a very classic Napa Valley profile, summoning memories of great wines from the ’70s and ’80s with its structure and savor. On the other hand, it still manages to be thoroughly modern, luxurious and exceptionally refined. We taste our fair share of ‘boutique’ Cabernets around here, and if I were a betting man I would have wagered that this wine cost well north of $100 (and could easily compete with the very top wines of the region). I was already excited to offer this wine given its quality-to-price, but with everything that’s been going on in our area these last few weeks, it feels especially good to celebrate a small Napa Valley label. My appreciation for the region has deepened tremendously as I’ve watched the wine community come together to battle the fires and help each other out. We offer great wines from all over the world on this site, but these days our heads and hearts are in California—so stay tuned for other “local” selections.
But on to this: Brian Malk was born and raised in South Africa where he was exposed to wine at an early age—thanks to his grandfather’s wine farm outside of Capetown. He made the voyage to America in 1978 and took the plunge in 1997, when he and his wife purchased a small property in Stags Leap District. The following year, they broke ground and started planting vines. Now with 20 years of experience (I’m a little embarassed that it took me this long to discover them), Brian’s motto is simple and true: “Excellence is all we are about. This is my passion, not a business.” 

Stags Leap District AVA rose to immediate fame in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting when Napa’s finest competed with the great growths of Bordeaux. After a Cabernet from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was awarded first place, the region became an overnight success and has been revered ever since. Malk’s bottling is a near-perfect expression of the AVA: pure purple and blue fruit, seamlessly integrated tannins, and a constant balance of depth and delicacy. This is what sets Stags Leap apart from other AVAs. 

The district itself is barely a mile wide and three miles long. It lies on the valley floor with interspersed hills and shares an eastern border with the Vaca Range. Malk’s two-acre property neighbors the famed Fay Vineyard (home to the first plantings in the district) and runs from the valley floor up to the eastern slopes of the Vaca Range. Terrain here on the valley floor is largely alluvial and volcanic, with rockier soils as you head up the range. Grapes were harvested and hand-sorted. They underwent a three-week fermentation triggered by native yeasts and were sent to rest in 70% new French oak for 20 months. Afterwards, the wine was bottled and laid to rest for an additional 18 months. 

In the glass, 2013 Malk Cabernet pours an opaque purple core blending into dark ruby on the rim. It hugs the outer walls of the glass, immediately revealing its richness and concentration. On the nose, the wine unabashedly greets you with dense black fruit that moves into more savory aspects: Blackberry, boysenberry, cassis, blueberry and black raspberry is immediately followed by exotic spices, tobacco, violet, cedar, leather, vanilla, cacao, cinnamon and crushed earth. The palate quickly confirms the nose with rich blue and purple fruit at the forefront, balanced acidity, and silky-smooth tannins on the finish—all which combine to create a brilliant wine. The wine is without a doubt full-bodied, but never in an aggressive fashion thanks to pronounced acidity and secondary notes that so very often graced Cabernets of yore. This wine was crafted so well and deserves to be opened now, although it will no doubt continue improving over the next 5-10 years (easily 15+ with proper storage). This should be decanted for at least 30 minutes in Bordeaux stems and served around 60-65 degrees. Malk knocked it out of the park with this vintage and the wine deserves to be paired with something special. This succulent dish is well-worth the effort. Enjoy!
Placeholder Image
Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesStags Leap District
Soil
Sandy Loam & Volcanic
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
Alcohol
14.0
OAK
70% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Braised Short Ribs

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Others We Love