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What We Say 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
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Mission Codename: The Long Wait
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Feature another exceptional wine from our friends at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2006 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Backgrounder:
The Sonoma Valley AVA is one of the oldest wine growing regions in California with the first vines being planted in the early 1800s. The AVA is located along California Route 12 and its eastern boundary are the southern end of the Mayacama mountains. The unique micro-climate with less rainfall and fog than other parts of the region along with its unique soil provides ideal growing conditions for Zinfandel and especially Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Deep and dark purple with blackish hues and a slightly inky dark core. The depth of color in this wine reaches all the way to the very edge of the glass and when swirled widely spaced fat legs inch down the side of the glass.
Smell – Medium in intensity with rich well developed aromas of ripe blackberry, mild oak, earthy notes and hints of vanilla toast and licorice.
Feel – Smooth and dry, this rich and full-bodied wine has a pleasant minerality texture braced by firm tannins and easy acidity. A slight tanginess emerges at the mid-palate and its richness lingers through to the finish.
Taste – Flavors of blackberries, black cherries and other black-fruit that are well integrated with complex notes of oak, spice, and vanilla toast. A touch of pepper and complex wild herbs add to the unique character of this wine.
Finish – Long with flavors of dark black fruit and spice supported by its tannic structure that lingers throughout the finish.
Conclusion – The 2006 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a lovely wine with well developed and integrated aromas and flavors that carry through from the nose, to its deep rich and plush attack and through to its lingering finish. This wine is drinking beautifully now but also has the structure to cellar for several years to come.
Mission Report:
As a Wine Spy, I have several methods of collecting intelligence and information about wines and wineries. Of all of the myriad ways to gather intel, the best and most reliable is my network of assets.
An asset for those who do not know, is an individual that provides valuable information, sometimes without solicitation and at other times on a just in time basis.
It is through my assets that I have learned of new releases, pending ratings and scores, shortages and more. My assets have allowed me to stay way ahead of the game and without my network, my job would be far more difficult.
I met my latest asset while vacationing near Lake Tahoe, earlier this year. After a day of snowboarding, I found myself relaxing in the hotel hot tub. It was just what I needed.
After a few minutes of soaking, I was joined by another hotel guest. We chatted as we soaked, and when the conversation turned to professions, I revealed that I was in the wine business. He revealed that he, “… works for the FBI” and was an avid wine lover.
He told me that he was a fan of a website called The Wine Spies and had I heard of it. I feigned ignorance. He went on to tell me that he was a regular customer and that he first purchased a wine from The Wine Spies more than a year ago. I asked him which wine it was and he replied, “It was from Jacuzzi Family Vineyards…” He stopped and we both considered our situation – and then we both laughed!
We talked for a while longer and when I got out of the jacuzzi, I slipped a business card into his robe and said my good-bye.
Back in my hotel room, I send a dispatch to my contact at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards. Minutes later, I confirmed that we would be giving our Operatives another chance to sample another great Jacuzzi wine for today’s offering.
Just yesterday I got a note from my new friend in the FBI. It read:
“Agent Red: You did a great job of keeping your cover during our talk in Lake Tahoe. Well done. Thanks for all of the great wines. Keep up the covert ops! Also, consider me an asset. I’ll have some great wine recommendations – and insider information – coming soon. Sincerely, Special Agent Jones”
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
About This Wine:
Wonderful bright blackberry and nuances of herb combine with vanilla and carmel from the oak. This is a full-bodied red with ample tannin. Pair with a grilled steak or pepper-crusted Salmon.
Vineyard Notes: Gold Vineyard resides on a hilltop in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma Valley. This gem vineyard lies above the fog-line and is bathed in brilliant sun during the day. The temperature drops precipitously at night as the wind from the Pacific and San Pablo Bay washes over these 17 year-old vines. They are planted in well-drained volcanic-clay soil and dry-farmed producing small berries with intense flavor.
Production Notes: This Cabernet Sauvignon was hand picked and de-stemmed – with minimal crushing. The must was then pumped to a temperature controlled stainless steel fermenting tank. The must was inoculated with a pure strain of wine yeast to ensure a complete and healthy fermentation. The grapes were pressed and the wine was moved to a settling tank. Within a few days the wines were racked from the settling tank and moved to a combination of new 35% French oak and neutral cooperage for 9 months.
About The Winery
The Jacuzzi trek to America started in 1907, when Valeriano and Francesco Jacuzzi, the second- and third-born sons of Giovanni and Teresa Jacuzzi, immigrated to Washington to work on the railroad. A warmer climate beckoned and the pair eventually made their way to southern California. Years later, they were joined by four other brothers and eventually all went to work in the aviation industry. Soon they would make American history.
In 1911 their father, Giovanni, a skilled wood worker and vineyard farmer joined them. Two weeks was enough to convince him that his sons would never go back. He then returned to Italy with Valeriano to gather up the rest of the family.
World War I intervened and the trip was delayed until the war’s end. During this time, Valeriano had met Giuseppina and fell in love, married and had their first child. Valeriano’s new family, parents and remaining siblings departed from Italy in 1920.
Soon after their arrival in early 1921, Valeriano started working with his brothers at their Jacuzzi Brothers factory. A tragic crash, over Modesto, of Jacuzzi’s first enclosed monoplane took several lives, including that of Valeriano’s brother, Giocondo. At this time, Giovanni asked his sons to cease making planes. Valeriano moved his family to Northern California and purchased a 161-acre farm in Contra Costa County.
During the depression, Valeriano, with help from his older children, planted a portion of the open farm fields with grapes and in 1936 he applied for a license to make wine for home consumption. At that time he was limited to 200 gallons (approximately 84 cases). The vineyard was planted to Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre and he sold grapes for $30-$35 a ton.
In 1937, Valeriano returned to work with his brothers at Jacuzzi Brothers, Inc. located in Berkeley, CA where they manufactured water well pumps and eventually, the bath and spa that bears their name.
Technical Analysis:
Vintage: 2006
Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Sonoma Valley
Harvest Date: October 6
Acid: 0.70 g/100ml
pH: 3.80
Aging: 9 months
Bottling Date: February 2008
Residual Sugar: 0.5%
Alcohol: 14.5%
