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AJ Pearce, “Massoumi Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, United States 2013 (750mL)
Regular price$75.00
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AJ Pearce, “Massoumi Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon

In many “Old World” regions (Barolo, Rioja, etc.) aging a wine in barrels for three-plus years is not just the norm, but in some cases, the law. In the Napa Valley, such lengthy wood (and, subsequently, bottle) aging is usually reserved for the top of the top of the line, and prices typically reflect that investment.
Today’s powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from AJ Pearce Wines has been given the full-throttle cult Cabernet treatment, including a three-year élevage in French oak, yet it is about half the price of the wines it is designed to compete with. Sourced from the Coombsville AVA—perhaps the most currently talked-about sub-appellation of the Napa Valley, enjoying the cooling influence of the San Pablo Bay—this is a new and distinctive addition to the ranks of Napa’s boutique labels, run by two young upstarts who’ve found a nice balance of density and freshness in this 2013 Cabernet. This is drinking lusciously now and is perfectly calibrated for the chilly months ahead. If you’re a cult Cabernet fan, this is a new name to know.
This small-production label is the creation of Jarred Pearce and his business partner, Andrew James (AJ) Renda, and both their stories follow a similar arc through the wine trade en route to actually producing some wine of their own. When Jarred turned 21, he landed a job at Oakville Grocery, a Napa staple since 1881 that offers locally sourced food and boutique wines. After immersing himself in the wine trade and meeting a number of winemakers, he became dead set on joining their ranks. He enrolled in viticulture and winemaking classes and subsequently worked alongside major-league names like Heidi Barrett and Philippe Melka. In 2007, Jarred’s inaugural bottle of Syrah was made at the winery he was apprenticing, and it didn’t take long for recognition to start pouring in. Their small-batch successes further increased after Andrew opened up a collective wine bar for local, small-production wines (AJ Pearce is in the lineup, of course). 

Today’s wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Massoumi Vineyard in Coombsville. From the start, they were adamant about sourcing from single-vineyard sites within Coombsville because it does the best job of retaining acidity, due to large diurnal shifts and a thick fog that coats the valley. The ground here is mostly loamy, but volcanic soils are scattered throughout; the vineyard is only a mile from the base of Mount George. The wine was racked four times in the winery and spent 36 months in 40% new French oak. It was bottled after a light filtration.

In the glass, the wine reveals an extracted, dark purple core leading out to slight garnet and magenta reflections on the rim. 2013 shows immense fruit and this wine is driven by black and blue: blackberry, black currant, boysenberry, and blueberry liqueur, followed by damp violet, cacao, vanilla, tobacco, turned earth, and an exotic spice/leather combination. You may even catch a note of mint-chocolate, which can be attributed to a small portion of vines abutting a row of eucalyptus. The palate confirms what we all expected: A full-bodied, dense Cabernet in one of the most polished and richest styles. Thanks to the long oak regimen, the tannins have softened up and created a silky, supple finish. With this luscious style and sheer amount of rich fruit, I believe this wine’s finest drinking window will be over the next five years. I advise decanting for 30 minutes (though if you re-cork, it will show well for several days) in large Bordeaux stems around 60-65 degrees. Serve alongside rich and tender braised beef cheeks and enjoy a hedonistic experience. Cheers!
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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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