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Teaderman, Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

Other, United States 2003 (750mL)
$85.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Teaderman, Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

Although I’ve spent the last two months scouring the great wine regions of Europe looking for unique bottles to offer on SommSelect, I haven’t forgotten the many world-class gems growing in my own backyard. I didn’t just move to the Napa Valley for the weather: I wanted to be close to great vineyards, and wines, especially those from small, unsung family producers.


Living and working here means happening upon gems like today’s wine: A library-release 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from a 1,000-case winery in Oakville, whose neighbors include some of the biggest names in California Cabernet. The Teaderman family has never made a lot of wine, so you may not have heard of their eponymous label, but they’re hardly newcomers to this storied terroir: Stan and Patty Teaderman bought their 14-acre vineyard in 1978, and for years sold Sauvignon Blanc to Robert Mondavi for his famous ‘Fumé Blanc’ bottling. Over the years, they planted more and more Cabernet Sauvignon—as any sane grower in Oakville would—and began making small amounts of wine to share with friends and family. Then came an actual label, in 2001, with the first commercial wines crafted by Silver Oak legend (and neighbor) Justin Meyer. One of their priorities from the beginning was to hold a substantial percentage of each vintage in reserve for future release, and today’s offer, culled directly from perfect storage conditions in that ‘library,’ is a testament to their patience—and confidence! They knew these wines would age beautifully, and they were right: As this dense and evocative ’03 approaches its 15th birthday, it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Today’s below-market price is a one-time offer from Teaderman to SommSelect subscribers: take advantage of it!


To pinpoint its location more precisely, the 14-acre Teaderman vineyard is on Oakville Cross Road, directly across from Groth Vineyards (another Justin Meyer project back in the day). The Teadermans describe it as having the classical clay/loam soil structure of the Oakville valley floor, but with a streak of the alluvial gravel typically found a little higher up the slope. Before they ever thought about making a bottle of wine, the Teadermans were ‘growers’ first, and I think this mentality is reflected in the style of their wines: Tasting this 2003 means tasting not just pure, ripe, dark-toned fruit but a savory, smoky soil component as well. Particularly now with some time in bottle, the primary fruit intensity of youth has given way to a more complex, earth-driven flavor profile.



It has remained ‘grower first’ at Teaderman over the years, which may explain why the brand isn’t better known, commercially: only 15%-20% of the vineyard’s production is reserved for Teaderman-labeled wines, which include just this Cabernet, a Sauvignon Blanc and a reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which they started making in 2012. The wines are vinified at a nearby custom crush facility, with production these days overseen by winemakers Tom Rinaldi, Nils Venge, and Stan Teaderman’s grandson, Dustin Kaiser.



The 2003 vintage in the Napa Valley was characterized by myriad weather challenges and a short crop, with many of the wines characterized as ‘austere’ on release; a decade-plus on, this ’03 from Teaderman has blossomed aromatically and broadened texturally, performing just as you’d expect top-quality Napa Cabernet Sauvignon to perform at this age. Better, actually—rather than go sweet and soft, this wine retains some of its youthful vigor in both color and structure. In the glass, it’s a medium ruby-black moving to garnet and orange at the rim, with a complex nose of black plum, cassis, Morello cherry, graphite, tobacco, subtle oak spices, and turned earth. Full-bodied but neither massive nor excessively alcoholic, it maintains great focus and lift on the palate—it’s a high-impact wine but in no way syrupy or cloying, with a finish marked by bright florals and a little ‘Rutherford dust’ grit. It’s always fascinating to taste a wine with this much bottle age and wager as to how much longer it has: I’m going to say another 10 years more, based on the core of fruit and underlying tannic structure still on display. That said, it’s imperative you enjoy a bottle (or two) right away: Decant it (for sediment) right before serving in Bordeaux stems at 60 degrees. It will unfold in the glass over the course of a leisurely meal and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still singing on day two. Something about the sweet/savory interplay of this wine had me thinking about the attached duck dish. It also got me thinking anew about all the greatness yet to be discovered in my hometown. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesOakville AVA
Soil
Clay/Loam w/Gravel
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
Alcohol
13.04
OAK
100% New French
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2028
Decanting
Optional (Sediment)
Pairing
Seared Duck Breast w/Port/Cherry Sauce

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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