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What We Say 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvee
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Mission Codename: Peaks of Greatness
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Revisit our friends at Hans Fahden and acquire their newly released 2007 Mountain Cuvée
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Hans Fahden
Wine Subject: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvée
Winemaker: Israel Montanez
Backgrounder: Hans Fahden wines continue to be among the most popular with our Operatives. Today we are pleased to bring you Hans Fahden’s newest Cabernet Sauvignon, their exceptional 2007 Mountain Cuvée, made from the winery’s finest vineyard sources.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Deep and dark purple with garnet hues through its dense but clear core. Along the edges, the color shines deep garnet and when swirled, fast fat legs holds this wine’s color on the side of the glass.
Smell – Bold in intensity with ripe and jammy black-fruit specifically blackberry and dark currants meld with sweet exotic spice, notes of vanilla toasted oak and soft earthy aromas.
Feel – Smooth and rich, this full-boded wine is dry with rich but youthful tannins, bright acidity and a touch of spice.
Taste – Youthful and fresh, with jammy flavors of raspberry, blackberry and other dark fruit. Layers of soft toasted vanilla oak blends with pepper and exotic sweet spice. Dark earthy minerality and a touch of dark chocolate adds an approachable complexity.
Finish – The soft textured but youthful tannins grips the palate and provides a sturdy structure fro the rich and fresh fruit to linger on the palate.
Conclusion – The 2007 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvée is a delicious example of why Hans Fahden is always on of our operatives’ favorite wines. Classic rich mountain fruit, a supple but sturdy structure and a long plump finish makes this wine great right now but also gives an indication of its cellar potential.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Israel Montañez
WINE EDUCATION: Napa Valley Junior College – Enology/Winemaking Program
U.C. Davis Extension Courses; Many Wine and Viticulture Seminars; 20 years of hands on experience
CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 20 years in the industry. Far Niente, William Hill, Franciscan, and now 5 years at Hans Fahden.
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Quality wine is made in the vineyard. I like to pick by taste and need to have ripe flavors. I don’t like to handle wines more than needed. Tannin management starts early. It’s important to work with tannins early so they have time to evolve.
I am all about making rich, well-balanced wines. Ripe fruit is a must. I work hard to extract as much flavor and color without overdoing it.
WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Let the fruit hang!”
FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: The Hans Fahden 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon “Mountain Cuvee”.
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.
ISRAEL: This is the release of our 2007 “Mountain Cuvée” Cabernet Sauvignon. The “Mountain Cuvée” is our flagship wine. It’s a blend of 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot. Subtle, rich flavors of blackberry, raspberry, currant, mocha,and spice . The tannins are well integrated and the wine has a solid backbone and structure. It’s fine now but should have some nice ageability over the next eight to ten years.
WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
ISRAEL: A nice juicy piece of grilled beef or lamb. It’s classic.
WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the [REGION] so special?
ISRAEL: The altitude, climate, and rocky, volcanic soil. We have the classic conditions for growing great mountain cab. Lots of sunshine and heat during the day and cool nights. The vineyards are at 800 to 1000 feet altitude. The vines growing in our volcanic soils are low-yielding, producing small berries with deep color and intense tannins.
WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
ISRAEL: I am in the process of getting our 2007 “Narrative” Cabernet ready to bottle. Our best barrels of wine have been reserved for this Cab.
WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The approximate location of the Hans Fahden Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Hans Fahden
About This Wine:
“Subtle, rich flavors of blackberry, raspberry, currant, mocha,and spice are noted in this supple wine. The tannins are well integrated and the wine has a solid backbone and structure. It’s fine now but should have some nice ageability over the next eight to ten years.”. – Israel Montañez, Winemaker
About The Winery:
The Fahden Family, now in its third generation as growers, produces Cabernet Sauvignon. The limited production of 2,500 cases per year comes from our estate vineyards, located in the mountains on the western ridge above Calistoga.
Our Sonoma County Mountain Cabernet is always deep in color and distinct in flavor, due to the influence of the volcanic ash soils in which they are grown. There is a unique note of earthiness not found in wines grown on the valley floor. Our first vintage was bottled in 1986. It was made in the traditional style producing a wine which was a chewy, tannic monster. We have spent the last decade developing a more elegant style of wine which is consistent vintage after vintage. This style reflects a balance between the intense character of mountain fruit that ensures aging ability, and makes the wine more approachable for enjoyment during the wine’s youth.
The new style has been further complemented with a program of tannin management and blending a small amount of Merlot to create a more complex mid-palate, pleasing mouth feel and smooth full-bodied finish. The wines are aged predominantly in American oak from Appalachia and Minnesota that adds a hint of vanilla leading to a smooth finish.
Winemaking & Vineyards:
Located at 1200 feet in the Mayacamas Mountains, Hans Fahden Vineyards stretches over 100 acres and features panoramic views of Mt. St. Helena.
Early wines were crafted in the traditional California style and exhibited intense and jammy characteristics. Earthy aromas accented by smoke and cedar overtones distinctive of Bordeaux were direct results of the volcanic soil.
The Fahden Family, now in its third generation as growers, produces Cabernet Sauvignon. The limited production of 2,500 cases per year comes from our estate vineyards, located in the mountains on the western ridge above Calistoga.
Due to the influence of the volcanic ash soils in which they are grown, our Sonoma County Mountain Cabernet is deep in color and distinct in flavor and exhibits a unique note of earthiness not found in wines grown on the valley floor.
Our winemaking style reflects a balance between the intense character of mountain fruit that ensures aging ability, yet it is approachable for enjoyment during the wine’s youth.
Technical Analysis:
Harvest Date: October 29, 2007
Appellation: 100% Sonoma County
Varietal Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon /10% Merlot
Sugar At Harvest: 25.4 brix
pH: 3.68
Total Acidity: .68 g/L
Cooperage: 24 months on 50% American and 50% French Oak
Alcohol: 14.9%
Bottled: February 9, 2010
Production: 1208 cases
Release Date: June 1, 2010
