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Snowden Vineyards, “The Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon

California, United States 2014 (750mL)
Regular price$49.00
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Snowden Vineyards, “The Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon

Never mind ‘bi-coastal’: Diana Snowden Seysses has gone ‘multi-national,’ making wine at her family’s estate in Napa Valley while also serving as cellar master at Domaine Dujac, the legendary Burgundy domaine run by her husband, Jeremy Seysses. That’s some résumé, and in each instance, Snowden Seysses draws on generations of family tradition in crafting wines that are true to their respective (and dramatically different) places.
Some critics have cited her lengthy experience in Burgundy as influencing the style of Snowden’s wines, but in tasting today’s 2014 “The Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon, the only ‘Burgundian’ trait I recognize is its faithfulness to its place of origin—in this case, the Snowden Ranch in Napa’s eastern hills. We taste a lot of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon around here, including countless more-expensive examples, and many of them feel more “made” than “grown”—pumped up and stylized past the point of place recognition. Without sacrificing any of the concentration that’s by now a given in this region, this 2014 has an earthy authenticity that channels Napa Cabernets of yore. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising, considering Snowden’s proximity to iconic vineyards like Heitz and Joseph Phelps, but what is surprising is this wine’s price: Snowden is a heritage Napa property which, despite its long history and Diana’s growing notoriety, has continued to fly under the radar for most consumers. The critical recognition has caught up, however, so jump on this now before the price does, too—this is new-generation California Cabernet with an Old World soul!
Spanning roughly 160 acres, of which just 23 are planted to vineyards, the Snowden Ranch is situated east of Rutherford, with an assortment of vineyard blacks climbing from 600 to 800 feet elevation and higher. The property is positioned in the foothills of the Vaca Range, about a mile east of the Rutherford and St-Helena AVAs and about two miles south of Howell Mountain. First established as a homestead in the 1870s, the property surrounding the vineyards has been allowed to revert to its “wild,” heavily forested state.

“The Ranch” Cabernet, which the Snowdens call their “ambassador” bottling, is sourced from three estate vineyard blocks, all of which are farmed sustainably, without the use of any chemical herbicides. Soils here are predominantly comprised of volcanic material and sandy loam, and the varietal mix in the ’14 breaks down as follows: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 50% new French oak.

In the glass, it’s an opaque dark crimson with purple and garnet highlights. The nose reaches near perfection in terms of Napa Cabernet aromas, with notes of blackberry, cassis, black currant, damp violets, tobacco, dried herbs, pencil lead, raw cacao nibs, and damp earth. So many Napa wines bring the sweet without the savor—this one has both, finishing with a woodsy, underbrush-y flourish. Fresh acidity and a satisfying nip of tannin keep everything nicely tailored, and the finish is aromatic and lifted rather than syrupy and cloying. Decant this succulent wine about 30 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems, and do not hesitate to set a few bottles aside. I foresee this being a reliable go-to over the next 5-7 years, adding layers of earthy savor as it matures. This has got enough depth and appealing rusticity for a roasted lamb shoulder as in the attached recipe. It’s an outstanding Napa value and a must-try. 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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