The Remarkable 2005 Obsidian Ridge High Elevation Cabernet Sauvignon -
$297/Case...Let's Head for the (RED) Hills!
It's hardly a secret that given the complexion of the economy, we're
all looking for ways to maintain our lifestyles while simultaneously
cutting our expenses...a balancing act not easily performed. But
guess what?! I DID find a remarkable bottle of Cabernet that looks
and tastes like seventy-five bucks yet can be yours for only
$297.00/Case of 12. All I ask is this: JUST TASTE IT! I'd bet $ I
don't have that this is one of the best "Sub-$25" Cabernet to have
ever graced your pearly whites. As a participant in an annual wine
awards judging I'm gonna be a strong proponent for inclusion of the
Obsidian Ridge in the "Value Cabernet" Category for year 2008.
The wine business is a very cyclical. For years, Zinfandel was the
top act...hell, we were known as "The Zinfandel Shrine of America" (a
customer in D.C. came up with that, not me) then, for a time we simply
couldn't get enough Merlot to satisfy demand...when the Merlot train
derailed, Syrah became the hot item. Unfortunately, Syrah hit a brick
wall at about 90 MPH in the spring of 2007 and continues to languish
(???). Pinot Noir on the other hand, took off like Han Solo's
Millennium Falcon at the beginning of this decade and hit Hyper-drive
after "Sideways". Although slowing down, Starship Pinot continues to
fly. Cabernet on the other hand has always held a steady percentage
of our sales and has seen a resurgence of interest in the last year.
Recently, I put out a challenge (to the wholesale trade) to come up
with the greatest bang-for-the-buck California Cabernet on the
wholesale market.
On the surface, the conditions didn't seem all that difficult. The
wine must be: from a respected California AVA, contain a majority
percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, spend time in quality oak, be
approachable AND age-able, possess quintessential varietal flavors and
structure and present itself in an impressive package...i.e. it has to
"stand out"...what's the big Whoop?
Apparently, I was wrong. This was quite a large whoop after all. The
candidates began "pouring in" (intended). After tasting a number of
mediocre, overly tannic or (worse) thin and weedy candidates, the
winner became obvious...heck, nothing else came close!
Why Obsidian Ridge? Why "High Elevation"?
"Red Hills" is a new AVA (American Viticultural Appellation) located
15 miles NW of the Napa Valley at the confluence of Sonoma, Mendocino
and Lake Counties. The area is roughly 12 miles NW of Howell
Mountain, Spring Mountain and Mount Veeder (as the Gooney flaps).
Cabernet vines planted in the shallow, mineral laden soils of this
high elevation (roughly 2,700 feet), obsidian and gravel-strewn red
dirt produce intensely flavored, tiny, thick-skinned berries which
pack powerful flavors of blackberries, super-ripe Bing cherries and
exotic spices. The wines made from these grapes are muscular, deep,
complex and age-able. In the hands of talented, journeymen winemakers
Michael Terrien (Acacia and Hanzell) and Alex Beloz (MacRostie) the
O.R. Cabernets from these lofty acres possess dark fruit flavors and
tamed tannins which exhibit beautifully when teamed with quality oak
barrels.
The Cabernet is aged exclusively in superb Hungarian Oak
Obsidian Ridge is owned by the Molnar family who own and manage a
thriving Barrel production company in Patriarch Nicholas Molnar's
childhood home of Budapest, Hungary. (Nicholas escaped in 1956 one
step ahead of the Communists) Today, Peter Molnar manages the
cooperage and vineyards while Arpad Molnar keeps track of the day to
day here in California. Hungarian oak, (while being extremely similar
to top-quality French examples) imparts a unique, sweet spice element
all its own. There is a distinct sense of cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint
of sweet fennel in the barrels which, once experienced can be detected
by even the least sensitive palate.
There's a certain "tossing of the dice" in planting at these high
elevations. It's harder to get the fruit ripe (it gets damn cold up
there at night!) and water is always a problem with the shallow soils.
The fact that the property is literally covered with shiny obsidian
(lava which has cooled quickly from exposure to water at some point in
the distant past) reflecting sunlight and enhancing heat retention
which radiates into the vines adds to the equation. In addition, the
rocky soils mean additional struggling for the vines as well as rapid
drainage; the better the drainage and the less vigor the better the
wine. In a perfect world, all vines would be stressed to a certain
pre-determined calibration depending on the variety. The Romans had a
saying, "Vitis amat colles"... roughly translated "The vines love the
hills" (or "the platypus barks at midnight"...one of the two).
The Molnar's are supplying me with enough Obsidian (apparently they
have a lot of it lying around) to include a chunk within each case.
You can pour yourself a glass of this delectable Cabernet while
pondering the very existence of this remarkable material right there
in your hand!
All of these factors really do come into play in the production of
Obsidian Ridge High Elevation Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a Butt
Kicker red loaded with kegs of fruit which suggests early drinking yet
the wine possesses the tannins, muscle and depth to age up to TEN
YEARS! Simply put, You've GOT to taste this wine.
The Obsidian Ridge looks like your average $100.00 Napa
Cabernet...packaged in the wide, deeply punted, low shoulder Bordeaux
style bottle common to many super-premium cult wines that fetch silly
prices yet taste remarkably similar.
There isn't much O-R Cabernet produced hence it does not get a lot of
attention from the wine press. Once the word gets out regarding this
new AVA (and the fact that Beckstoffer among other high-profile
growers are buying up acreage like mad) and the quality of the wines
produced from its mountain vineyards, the prices will certainly
escalate. For the time being, this one's a rare bargain.
*The Connoisseur's Guide chimes in with..."Revved up in ripeness to be
sure, a surprisingly well mannered wine loaded with fine currant fruit
with all its spaces filled with very nice oak flavors. Its
appropriate tannins lend structure and spine without becoming abrasive
and it will provide equal if different pleasures both in the short
term as well as up to one-half a dozen years."
*"92-93"/RC...What more can I say? Tasted "blind" I could have easily
been convinced that this Cab sold for $50 or more. A competitor in
the Bay Area was blown away by the quality of the wine and, after
hearing the wholesale cost expected it to ship in units of 6. The guy
was flabbergasted when told that the price was for a full case of 12.
This wine is getting the same kind of response wherever it's poured.
*Gold Medal, San Francisco National Wine Competition
*2005 Obsidian Ridge "High Elevation" Cabernet Sauvignon $297/Case
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