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Mission Codename: Picture of greatness

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Investigate Hauck Cellars and their delicious Tableau Bordeaux style Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Hauck Cellars

Wine Subject: 2006 Tableau Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Mike Loykasek and Randall Watkins

Backgrounder:

Sonoma County is well known for producing some of the best wines in California, however, not long ago, Sonoma was better know as a provider of grapes for blending despite some of the best vineyards in the region having been planted in the 1800s. In the 1960s that all changed when Simi Winery in Alexander Valley changed hands. With a tremendous diversity of soil, climates and aspect, Sonoma County is now home to over 200 wineries spread across several diverse valleys such as Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander Valley as well as hillside vineyards with the distinct mountain Terroir to the Mayacama range.

Today’s selection is a blend of 80% Caberent Sauvignon as well as 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc from a the Redwood Hill Vineyard which is located 1500 feet above the valley floor.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dense and deep purple with its intense color expanding to the very edge of the glass. With its dense and barely clear core, when swirled, this wine leaves tightly spaced thick legs race down to the wine below.

Smell – Rich and bold aromas of black and red fruit are well integrated with fresh and toasted oak, spice and cocoa.

Feel – Rich and plush, this expansive full-bodied wine is smooth and dry with supple but firm drying tannins and balanced acidity. Chewy and mouth coating, hints of dark minerality also linger on the palate log into the finish.

Taste – Generous red and black fruit including rich black and red cherry and blackberry meld with exotic and hot spice, fresh and toasted oak notes, soft herbal hints and cocoa and mocha flavors.

Finish – This wine finishes long with its firm and finely grained tannins and minerality lingering on as the red and black fruit fades leaving hints of cocoa and spice behind.

Conclusion – The 2006 Hauck Cellars Tableau Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and delicious Cabernet that shows great balance in its component varietals. Plush and generous fruit on both the nose and palate. Well structured but smooth and supple with staying power that lingers into the finish. Perfectly paired with a simple grilled steak and good friends.

Mission Report:

WINERY OWNERS INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Greg and Jennifer Hauck

WINE EDUCATION: Full-time Tasters

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Delamontanya, Everett Ridge, Hauck Cellars

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Don’t cut corners – the best grapes and barrels with careful winemaking

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”The best time to have white wine, is when there is no red wine.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 2005

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Greg and Jennifer. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Tableau Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JENNIFER: We’re excited to be featuring our wine with you, today!

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

GREG: I didn’t drink much wine when I was younger. My first trip to the wine country in the early 90s was an eye opener. We bought a couple of special bottles at Stag’s Leap and paired them with Christmas dinner. From that time on I’ve never really enjoyed a meal that did not involve wine on the table.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

GREG: Our personal cellar has changed dramatically over the years, but I think earlier I was most influenced by Pride and Shafer. I think our style is ever evolving, but we do have one constant philosophy on our wines: make a wine that is fun to sip on its own, but gets serious when the food arrives. We are now more Sonoma-centric, with favorites like Lancaster Estate.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

JENNIFER: As our label says, “We make small quantities of the wines we love to drink.” Jennifer and I make the varietals that we love most in the style that we want. I insist on dry wines with plenty of oak – sometimes my winemakers think I am heavy handed on the oak, but I say there is no such thing as too much oak.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

GREG: The 2006 Redwood Hill Cabernet is known as “Tableau”, which in French means “painting.” Jennifer was a French teacher for years and wanted to give our proprietary red a French name, and since we consider this our masterpiece Bordeaux blend, it was named Tableau. The fruit comes from a great little six acre vineyard that sits 1,500 feet above Sonoma County. While it is technically a Cabernet Sauvignon, we did blend 10% each Merlot and Cab Franc from the Redwood Hill Vineyard this vintage. We love how this wine is evolving in bottle. Each passing month the wine seems to become deeper and more complex, with the lingering cherry and chocolate notes really starting to express themselves now. The wine aged in 65% new French oak for 22 months and has now been in bottle for two years. While we love the way it is drinking now, I think the 2006 Tableau has its best years ahead.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

JENNIFER: Tableau begs for a prime cut filet with a red wine reduction. We also love it in the winter time with braised beef dishes – one bottle in the sauce, the other in the glass.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes Sonoma County so special?

GREG: Jennifer and I love Sonoma County. We were lucky enough to be in a position to live anywhere in the world when we chose to leave Atlanta to make wine in Sonoma County. This area is the perfect blend of a true agricultural community mixed with relaxed, but sophisticated living. And we are lucky to have such a great selection of restaurants to go with all the great wines produced here.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

GREG: Jennifer and I run the tasting room full time. The daily winemaking duties fall to Randall Watkins, our lead winemaker (Mike Loykasek made the 2006 Tableau and continues with us as a consultant). I also do all the outside sales, which mostly consists of local restaurants. Right now I am working on the barrel program for the 2010 harvest and getting ready to hit the vineyards (if the weather ever gets warm and we can harvest). We’ve just finished blending and bottling the 2008 cabs and meritages, so all our concentration is on harvest.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

BOTH: Approach them often!

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

JENNIFER: We’re a true boutique family winery. We only make 1,500 cases each year, so it is very unusual for us to feature our wines outside of the tasting room. We’re glad the Wine Spies found us and hope to see your clients in our tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. Visit our website!

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 Hauck Cellars tasting room in Healdsburg, CA can be seen in this satellite photo.