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What We Say 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvee
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Mission Codename: Fruit from on High
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Revisit our friends at Hans Fahden and acquire their newly released 2007 Mountain Cuvée
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Hans Fahden
Wine Subject: 2008 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 2008 Mountain Cuvée, made from the winery’s finest vineyard sources.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark purple hues, with with a ring of magenta at the rim of the glass. The wine clings to the glass when spun. After a moment, thin wine stained tears from high up on the glass – before running slowly downward.
Smell – Dark and dusky, with blackberry, plum, bramble, black cherry and sweet spice. These mingle with a more subtle under-layer of sweet oak, and dried dark cranberry.
Feel – Soft on entry and across the mid-palate, this wine quickly becomes softly weighty and rich, with vibrant, youthful tannins, sweet spice and balanced acidity.
Taste – Earthy dark fruit of blackberry, black raspberry, smoky black cherry, and cassis. This fruit is layered atop of hard cracked leather, dark minerals, bakers chocolate, spice, subtle dried herbs and a hint of black pepper at the end.
Finish – Dark fruit leads to the earthen components very gradually. Both are sustained for a long time, and are gradually replaced by bramble, spice and pepper.
Conclusion – Today marks the ninth time we have featured a wine from our dear friends at Hans Fahden Winery. Each time, we are impressed with what we taste. Today’s 2008 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvée is the second successive vintage of this great wine to be featured here. Dark fruit and sweet spice meld with earthy components to deliver a wine that is at once complex and approachable. Long on the finish and big on flavor, this elegant wine is a great compliment to your finest entertaining. Drink now, or cellar for the next several years. And, if you ever find yourself in the Napa Valley, please be sure to visit the gorgeous Hans Fahden Winery.
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 RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.
ISRAEL: This cabernets proprietary designation “Mountain Cuvee” speaks to the three distinctly different vineyards at Hans Fahden Vineyards. It’s a blend of wine from each of the vineyards.
RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
ISRAEL: This is a repeat but I always love our wines with grilled beef or lamb. They were made for one another. But I think it will go great with turkey too.
RED: In your opinion, what makes the Sonoma County AVA so special?
ISRAEL: Our Sonoma County AVA is a “catch all” AVA for many wines. Our location in this isolated section of eastern Sonoma county really deserves its own designation. The altitude, climate, and volcanic soils are unique to this area and present some interesting challenges with respect to grape growing. We are looking into an AVA. We would like to have a historical reference to the Petrified Forest as well as the growing conditions.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
ISRAEL: We are getting ready to bottle our 2009 vintage soon.
RED: 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:
Deep garnet in color, this cabernet has appealing flavors of dark fruit including blackberry, dark cherry, and cassis complemented by touches of tobacco, vanilla, and spicy oak. Medium bodied, it is generous on the palate and is supported by structured yet velvety tannins. Approachable now but will definitely age well. ~ 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 26, 2008
Appellation: 100% Sonoma County
Varietal Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon /15% Merlot
Sugar At Harvest: 25 Brix
pH: 3.9
Total Acidity: 0.6 g/L
Cooperage: 24 months on 50% American and 50% French Oak
Alcohol: 14.9%
Bottled: April 11, 2011
Production: 677 cases
Release Date: November 1, 2011
