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Balverne, Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon “Block 35a”

Other, United States 2012 (750mL)
$32.00
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Balverne, Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon “Block 35a”

There are always many shiny new toys to consider when shopping for California Cabernet Sauvignon, which must be frustrating for some of the “heritage” producers we love so much here at SommSelect—stalwart estates like White Rock (which, tragically, was badly damaged in the recent wildfires), Veedercrest, and Ahlgren (to name a few), whose history, consistency, traditional styling and often unbeatable value are overlooked in a market saturated with flashy newcomers.
I’d add Balverne to this list of under-the-radar classics, and the value offered by their 2012 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is really second to none. Balverne was created back in the late-1970s by a couple of now-famous UC Davis grads—Jon Kongsgaard and Doug Nalle, whose surnames now grace wineries of their own—and the brand was resurrected more recently by current owners Bob and Renee Stein, whose Windsor Oaks estate has a rich history in the Chalk Hill AVA. To put it bluntly, we were blown away by this wine, which had a real “throwback” feel both in style and price. Well-structured, perfectly (not overly) ripe, soil-expressive, balanced…the superlatives come easily and quickly. Cellar-worthy California Cabernet, at this price, is almost impossibly rare; I’ll be laying some of this down and I strongly recommend you do the same.
The Steins first acquired the former Balverne estate—a vast property in the town of Windsor that was part of the Rancho Sotoyome land grant of 1841—in 1992, after which they re-named it Windsor Oaks. For many years, they sold grapes to a wide assortment of top wineries before re-establishing a winemaking operation in 2005; the “Balverne” name re-appeared on labels in 2012, as an homage to the property’s past and to a name that enjoyed a strong following in the ’80s. Their vineyards, which are still surrounded by hundreds of acres of open space, fall within the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill AVAs.

Chalk Hill is effectively a sub-zone of Russian River, tucked into the latter’s northeastern corner and reaching toward Alexander Valley to the north. While marginally warmer than Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill does see some Pacific influence, and takes its name not from actual “chalk” (i.e. limestone) soils but from volcanic tuff that turns white and chalky in appearance when dry. The vineyard “block” referenced on the label is a steep, relatively high-elevation site that is one of the last to ripen on the property. Well-known winemaker Margaret Davenport, who retired in 2014, crafted the 2012, which supplements the Cabernet Sauvignon with dashes of Malbec (16%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). The wine was aged for two years in mostly new French oak barriques, followed by another year of aging in bottle before release. Just 463 cases were produced in total for the vintage.

In the glass, the 2012 Balverne “Block 35a” is a dark garnet red with garnet and pink reflections at the rim, and, while still young, has had a little time to knit together. The aromatics are a perfumed mix of black currant, blackberry, cassis, tobacco leaf, coffee grounds, cocoa, and pencil lead—textbook Cabernet sensations that follow through on the well-balanced, medium-plus-bodied palate. In a Cabernet landscape full of monoliths, this is powerful but well-tailored—muscular but trim and handsome rather than big and blocky. This should really hit its peak stride between 2020-25 and continue a graceful evolution beyond that, which is not to say you shouldn’t have a bottle or three now: Decant it about an hour before service at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems. It will neither weigh you down nor overpower your dinner choice, which for me would be a pan-seared duck breast with the attached accoutrements. Delicious, affordable, classic—what more could you ask? Cheers!
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Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesChalk Hill AVA
Soil
Volcanic
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 79%, Malbec 16%, Cabernet Franc 5%
Alcohol
14.4
OAK
80% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
60 Minutes
Pairing
Pan-Seared Duck Breast

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.

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