SAVINGS ALERT!: If you are lucky enough to grab 6 or more bottles of this great wine before we sell out, use coupon code SUPERSONOMA and we’ll give you Free Ground Shipping

EXCEPTIONAL WINE ALERT!: Today’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bomber, stunner of a spectacular wine!

Mission Codename: The Random Zone

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Mayo Family Winery. Secure their highly sought-after Random Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Mayo Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Random Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Michel Berthoud

Winemaker intel brief: Long-term Wine Spies Operatives know this, but newer Operatives should know that Michel Berthoud was formerly the winemaker for Arrowood Winery. A few months ago we featured an Arrowood wine here.

Backgrounder: Last month we featured another superb Mayo Reserve red. The wine was so well received by those that were able to get their hands on some that requests for a second May Family wine have been pouring in. In particular, their Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be the in-demand wine of choice among our thirsty Operatives. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes below, followed by the great experience that he had in meeting Jeffrey Mayo and his staff at the Mayo Reserve Room

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with concentrated color right out to its ruby edges, and great clarity through its almost solid heart of garnet. When swirled, the wine settles fast, but then leaves behind thick and slow-moving legs

Smell – Deeply fragrant with a big intensity of ripe black fruits of blackberry, blueberry, smoky plum, cherries and soft oak with violet, anise, earth, mushroom and mildest cigar box rounding out the nose

Feel – Initially smooth and slightly round, them quickly grippy with big tannins, full-bodied with solid flavor intensity

Taste – Richly layered flavors of black and red fruit balanced with oak, dried herbs, subtle salty licorice and a mild minerality

Finish – Long, long, long, with lush and mouth-filling flavors that linger forever

Conclusion – This is an incredible Cabernet Sauvignon that is ready to drink now, but will reward the patient for years to come. If you love expressive and big Cabernet Sauvignon but don’t want your senses to be blown out by an over-the-top example, this wine is strongly recommended. Present here are beautiful aromas, rich and lucious flavors, a fantastic mouth-feel and a super long finish. These all add up to deliver a wine that is exciting to drink and a pleasure to share. We first encountered Random Ridge fruit (found in this wine, too) from Random Ridge Winery and wine legend, Bill Hawley, when we featured his wine earlier this year. Bill grows fruit at the highest-possible elevation in Napa, on his estate vineyards, at the tippy-top of Mt. Veeder. Bill’s influence and that of his incredible fruit are aparent in this wine. So, too, is the Mayo Reserve signature style; The wine has a bold and big character – kinda like our friend Jeffrey Mayo – but you also find a special lush quality to the wine. Is Jeff a lush? You’ll have to ask him!

DECANT ALERT!: This wine dies not pussy-foot around. Right out of the freshly opened bottle, the wine can tend to be a little brazen – but decant for a few hours and the patient will be rewarded with more subtlety and calmer fruits.

Mission Report:

The following is a retransmisison of Agent Red’s initial visit to the Mayo Reserve Room, a mission that we suggest you also undertake:

I love you, Jeffrey Mayo! Thank you for “tricking” me into into experiencing the wonder and deliciousness of your Mayo Family Reserve Room.

It began like this: On the recommendation, no, the insistence of a few dedicated Wine Spies Operatives, I made an appointment to visit with Jeffrey Mayo, who runs the winery. Appointment secured, I conducted my usual thorough background investigation. What I learned was impressive; The Mayo family, their winemaker and their wines were all very well respected. I looked forward to my meeting with Jeffrey, and the simple tasting that would accompany the meet.

I arrived on time at the winery’s Reserve Room, a unique place where wine lovers can enjoy a flight of Mayo Family Reserve wines along with food pairings created by resident Chef Billy Oliver. I assumed that Jeffrey had me meet him at the Reserve Room because it was convenient to his schedule. Instead, I found that he had planned a subtle subterfuge.

Jeffrey welcomed me when I arrived and immediately asked me if I wanted to experience the wine and food pairing that they were famous for. I politely declined, citing a recent lunch, but then Jeffrey told me that he had a ‘small wine emergency’ to attend to. He was apologetic and he assured me that he would be back after about 30 minutes, the perfect amount of time to enjoy the complete tasting. I accepted, knowing that it would, at the very least, be an interesting experience. Instead of interesting, however, it turned out to be incredible.

Firstly, the Chef Billy Oliver and the rest of the Reserve Rooms staff were all great – and they made me feel right at home.

Glasses lined up, four wines were poured. Then a beautifully presented plate of food samples arrived! I was given ample time to explore each Mayo Family Reserve wine before tasting its accompanying paired food. We tasted through the whites first and then came to today’s 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, which was paired with a Creole-Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Blackberry Salsa. Firstly, the wine was exquisite! Big and bold and rich and layered with aromas and flavors, I wondered what the pairing would be like. I nearly fell out of my chair as bit into Chef Billy’s concoction! Delicious does not even begin to describe it. This was a pairing to die for.

(Don’t worry, we’ll include the recipe with your order!)

The rest of the pairing exercise was rife with much ‘ooohing’ and ‘ahhing’ and not just from me. A local innkeeper came in to enjoy the pairing as well. She’ll be insisting that her guests pay the Mayo Family Reserve Room a visit when enjoying their stay in her Sonoma County inn.

At the end of the pairing, I was well sated and very happy that I had indulged. Jeffrey returned and I could tell by the smile on his face that his mission was accomplished.

We chatted for a while and, right then and there, he agreed to allow our Operatives the opportunity to purchase all of his remaining 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, as it was clearly my favorite of the afternoon.

Thanks, Jeff! I’m certain that our Operatives will love the wine, too.

Wine Spies Winery Check:

The Mayo Reserve Room, where Agent Red had his exquisite tasting adventure, can be seen in this satellite photo.

The Mayo Family winery main tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.