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What We Say 2004 Los Chamizal Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
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Mission Codename: Secret Cavern
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Wine Spies’ Operative favorite, Deerfield Ranch Winery, and procure an exclusive Library Selection for our special Elite Operative Saturday.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Deerfield Ranch Winery
Wine Subject: 2004 Los Chamazal Cabernet Sauvignon – Sonoma Valley
Winemaker: Robert Rex
Backgrounder: Located in Kenwood, California, Deerfield Ranch Winery is a Wine Spies Operative favorite. The winery has proved elusive in recent times, but Agent Red was able to secure a limited allotment of today’s 2004 Los Chamizal Cabernet Sauvignon, a balanced and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon, for our demanding Operatives.
Sonoma Valley’s first vines were planed way back in 1825 by Spanish missionaries. This unique micro-climate region receives less rain and is less influenced by the fog making this warmer AVA ideal for Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This wine is made from grapes from Peter Haywood’s Los Chamasal Vineyard. The vineyard is located in a small isolated valley near the town of Sonoma.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Darkest rub red hues, through the darker core of the wine. Color is evenly concentrated, right out the the edge of the glass. Thin, widely-spaced tears run swiftly down the glass when swirled.
Smell – Softly spiced cherry candy rushes up to greet you. Then, ripe blackberry, black cherry, leather, truffle, toasted oak, bramble, subtle walnut and brown spice emerge as the wine opens.
Feel – Cool and lightweight at the tip of the tongue. The wine becomes grippy and more full-bodies as it settles onto the mid-palate. Smooth, medium tannins and a balanced acidity offer good structure while supporting the fruit.
Taste – Black cherry and blackberry give way to leather, dark cocoa, dried cranberry, dried mission fig, bramble, cracked leather, subtle tobacco and subtle anise.
Finish – Long and very flavorful, with extended fruit flavors that gradually yield to more subtle earthen flavors.
Conclusion – This single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, from our great friends at Deerfield Ranch Winery, delivers a classic, delicious, balanced experience. The wine is gorgeous, now, and while it is drinking beautifully, we’d recommend that you also stash a few bottles away for the next few years. Today, the wine shows off delicious fruit, a balanced mouthfeel and beautiful aromatics. Our tasting panel enjoyed our sample bottles with a pizza loaded with veggies, sausage and jalapenos. An unusual pairing, to be sure, but the wine was the perfect compliment. Enjoy this delicious wine on its own, or with your own complex pairing.
Mission Report:
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Sonoma Valley region can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Deerfield Ranch
About This Wine:
Peter Haywood’s Los Chamizal Vineyards climb steep walls of a small isolated valley near the town of Sonoma. Grapevines are very sensitive to the terroir, a French word meaning “sense of place.” Terroir is made up of soil composition, slope of the hill, direction of the light, rainfall, temperature, wind, and other natural factors. Add to that the trellising, vine clonal selection, and cultivation methods, you have countless variables. Each variable has an impact, creating a slight difference in the vines, grapes and ultimately in the wine. Recognized as one of Sonoma’s best growers, Peter lavishes as much care on his vines as we do on our wine. The partnership of winemaker and grower is no better exemplified than in this blend, made from selected rows exhibiting the best micro-terroir of the vineyard. True to the Deerfield style, the Los Chamizal Cabernet Sauvignons are blends, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon expanded with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
About The Winery:
Deerfield Ranch Winery is an award-winning winery located in the heart of the Sonoma Valley at Kenwood. We specialize in small lots of handmade wine from select Northern California vineyards. Currently we have 17 vineyards under contract and make as many as 40 separate lots of wine from those vineyards.
Our wines can be tasted FREE at the Family Wineries of Sonoma Valley tasting room at 9200 Sonoma Highway (Highway 12) in Kenwood.
We make several wine varietals and blends, something for everyone, a wine for every occasion
Production lots vary from 250 cases to 1000 cases. We will produce about 8,000 cases in 2005, and plan to grow to a maximum of 25,000 cases per year in our New Winery.
About The Winemakers:
Robert Rex started making wine in 1972 in Berkeley, California. He has worked for many different wineries, started wineries for others, specializing in rebuilding wineries and starting winemaking programs for those wineries when they changed hands. He has taught winemaking and still acts as a consulting winemaker.
Michael Browne, a native of Washington state, started making wine as an intern at Deerfield Ranch Winery in 1997. Now in his 6th year at Deerfield Michael handles the day to day cellar duties at the winery. He maintains and monitors three vintages of wine in the barrel and more than 35 separate lots from the last vintage alone. He is much more than assistant winemaker, he is part of the dynamic duo of Robert and Michael, the winemakers.
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: Cabernet 75%, Merlot 12%, Cabernet Franc 10%, Malbec 2%, Petite Verdot 1%
Alcohol: 14.5%
