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Checkerboard Vineyards, “Kings Row” Red

California, United States 2015 (750mL)
$165.00
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Earth
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Checkerboard Vineyards, “Kings Row” Red

Wines like today’s precision-crafted Cabernet Sauvignon are the vinous equivalent of bespoke tailoring—or, given that this one hails from Diamond Mountain, gem-cutting. “Kings Row,” from Checkerboard Vineyards, is shaped and polished by seasoned Napa Valley diamond-cutter Martha McClellan (who’s also crafted gems for the likes of Harlan, Sloane, and Merryvale), from mountain fruit grown 1,200 feet above the valley floor.
This is rarefied air we’re breathing here, a wine with gravity and presence, and while the word “value” may seem out of place here, I’d say it’s all about context: You can all-too-easily spend twice as much on Napa reds that don’t come close to Kings Row’s power, refinement, and sense of place. So yes, when viewed in context, I’d call it a value, but it is also a thrilling luxury—an indulgence for lovers of Napa Cabernet and classified-growth Bordeaux alike. Working directly with the winery, which sells the majority of its tiny production through its mailing list, we managed to pry away a few bottles of today’s 2015 to share with SommSelect subscribers. When the price for bespoke beats the off-the-rack option, there’s no better choice—up to three bottles per person today until our allocation disappears!
Precious gems and fine wine both begin with the land. In 1998, savvy real estate moguls Dennis O’Neil and Stephen Martin founded Checkerboard Vineyards by scouting the very finest plots on Diamond Mountain. The estate now covers 342 acres, with just 14 very selectively planted to vine. The vineyards are tended by one of the region’s most acclaimed viticulturists, Jim Barbour, along with the esteemed Martha McClellan, who joined the team in 2006 to produce the first vintage. McClellan had first came to the Napa Valley in the early 1990s, at the time the only American woman with a degree in enology and viticulture from the University of Geisenheim in Germany. She proceeded to leave her mark on elite wine brands across Napa Valley, soon gaining status as a “flying winemaker” whose consulting skills were high in demand. These days, McClellan not only leads the winemaking team at Checkerboard but continues to widely consult and operate her own brand, Levy and McClellan.

Situated on the slopes of Diamond Mountain in Calistoga, Checkerboard Vineyards is home to a winery, cave complex, and four vineyard sites. Kings Row Red is taken from the lower blocks of Aurora Vineyard, which is tucked on a knoll midway up the mountain at an elevation of 1,200 feet. While half the vineyard consists of rich volcanic soils riddled with basalt and loamy red clay, the other half is a gravelly mix of white volcanic ash and decomposed rhyolite. Full southern exposure and plenty of light burns away the region’s moody summer fog, ensuring fruit ripens fully and robustly. During a typical harvest, McClellan marks off specific blocks and even vines for each pick. She then conducts up to 100 picks, with each lot undergoing separate fermentation and aging. 

The 2015 vintage in California came during a drought, bringing greatly reduced but highly coveted yields of small berries with mind-blowing intensity. 2015 Checkerboard Kings Row puts this intensity on brilliant display, offering pure plum and cassis fruit laced with exotic herbal notes, graphite, and a dusting of mocha. Lively and luscious, the wine is comprised of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is softened by 7.5% Merlot and deepened by a balance of Petit Verdot. After whole-berry fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine was barrel-aged for 27 months. You’ll want to open the bottles about an hour before serving, and serve this wine at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems. With its beautifully focused flavors and finely knit tannins, Kings Row will nicely complement the blackened beef of the attached grilled steak recipe. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesDiamond Mountain—Napa Valley
Soil
Basalt, Loam & Rhyolite
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 85% w/ Merlot & Petit Verdot
Alcohol
14.9
OAK
100% New French
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
One Hour
Pairing
Fillet Steak

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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