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Big Vine Cabernet
A $19 Napa Cab that competes with the $50s
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Greetings!
Ask me in August where my fleece jacket is and usually I'd reply "I think in the closet but I'm not certain." But this August I know exactly where it is: I'm wearing it, and probably won't shed it until noon. This is the story, so far, of vintage 2010 in Northern California.
"The only veraison (grapes turning from green to red) I've seen are the table grapes in my backyard," David Mahaffey of Miss Olivia Brion told me last Sunday. Indeed, the vineyards are hanging nothing but green grapes: an unusual look in August. A late flowering, cool and overcast mornings and temps usually in the high 70s and low 80s makes for dodgy times for grapes who need the heat (like Cabernet Sauvignon). Grapes have up to 3 months left to hang, weather permitting, so there are more chapters to be written for vintage 2010. Safe to say that it'll be a high-acid vintage: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Wines have the potential to be fantastic. The "big boy" grapes like Cab and Zin, however, could go many directions. The best farmers are earning their keep right now: low yields are particularly important this year as fewer grapes have a better chance to fuller ripen on the vine. Those who sacrifice quantity (of grapes) for quality will make the best wines. Of course, a dry, very sunny and warm-to-hot next two months would be a blessing.
Thursday and Friday Tasting Events This Week
BRING A BLIND BOTTLE this Thursday night, August 5 (tomorrow), 6 to 8.
This is the perfect tasting for wine-students. Taste 10 to 20 wines blind and guess the grape.
TOMATOES and WINE 
this Friday night, August 6, 5 to 8.
We've picked four wines that taste great by themselves and EVEN BETTER with fresh summer tomatoes. Try them all along with heaps of fresh tomatoes.
More info on both events just below, right hand side.
It's so noisy at the fair, but all your friends are there.
Dan
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Money Wine
August 4, 2010
Money Wine: a wine that anyone who loves good, rich, utterly delicious wine will enjoy A LOT, and is an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE.
TODAY
A wildly successful, nineteen dollar Napa Cabernet that strutted its stuff in last Friday's Is it $15 or $50? Tasting.
BIG VINE Cabernet Sauvignon$19...$200 for a case  |
Napa Valley 2006 $19/bottle
Last Friday's $15 or $50? tasting was awesome.
Fifty-five folks came in to play the game (three pairs of wine served blind: in each pair, pick the $15(ish) bottle and the $50(ish) bottle.)
Many played well: 18 of the 55 tasters identified all three pairs correctly. (we poured Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon). That still left 37 tasters who confused at least one pair of wines, picking the "value" wine as the more expensive. The most common mistake was picking the Big Vine Cabernet as the $50 wine.
I can't throw the $50 Cabernet under the bus because it's very good (and we sell it), so suffice it to say that the Big Vine has the texture, richness and power to compete with wines three times the price.
I've known this for a while: we first started selling Big Vine in November last year. We've sold 35 cases of it...and counting.
Big Vine is a negociant label. They purchase barrels of wine from other wineries, bottle and label it, then sell it usually for a lower price than then seller does. The Big Vine comes from a vineyard (not a winery) on Atlas Peak, and sells for $40 a bottle under another label...sells quite well for this winery, mind you.
Tasting notes: Nose of red & black cherries, cedar and tobacco. Boasts forward berry/cherry fruit flavors with acidity to balance, sweet oak, peppercorn spice and healthy tannins. It's nicely ripe but not jammy. Very amenable at the dinner table. We've also had customers say they drink it with nothing more than a good book and love it.
The nice price goes without saying, so I'll write in instead ;-)
If you're in need of a good house red wine, we're offering a full case for $200 (that's 12% off). It's running low I'm afraid...could sell out soon.
Buy Big Vine Cabernet here
You may also reply to this email with your order,
or, call us, toll-free, at 877-322-2576
Thank you!
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Carignane
| I really liked San Francisco Chronicle Wine Editor Jon Bonné's article on Carignane last Sunday.
"The story of Carignane is the story of a down-and-outer, a Jake
LaMotta. It is that most unloved of grapes - planted nearly everywhere,
almost regrettably so, and respected almost nowhere.
This is unfair. One of the world's most widely available grapes,
Carignane has become a virtual synonym for nondescript. But when cared
for and restrained from prolific growth, old Carignane vines offer a
wine that combines beautiful bright fruit with a spicy edge (think
celery seed) and a slight wild, animal tone. It is the frizzy-haired
cousin to mellow Grenache or sharp-tongued Syrah"...READ ON
We love good Carignane. Doesn't fly off the shelves, but it has its place and followers. Two producers in Jon's article that we recommend (and sell) are DOMAINE RIMBERT Saint Chinian (check out the magnums!) and CLOT DE L'OUM Cotes du Roussillon. We carry the Carignane/Grenache/Syrah blends from each, and they rock.
For delicious and distinctive 100% Carignane, try the 100% Old Vine Carignane  |
JOSEPH SWAN "Côtes du Rosa" 2008 for $19 and the awesome
CLOS THALÈS "Llibre Obert"
Côtes Catalanes 2007, $60.
Our friend Abe Schoener of Scholium Project makes Clos Thalès. Only one barrel (20 cases) made! This is special wine that flies way below the radar.
It's a must for you fellow Rhone-lovers.
Drink more Fiano. Dan
Daniel Dawson
Owner, Back Room Wines Corner of First & Main Streets (First Street
Entrance) Downtown Napa, California 94559 Phone: (707) 226-1378 Toll Free # is
877-322-2576 email: daniel@backroomwines.com |
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TOMATOES
and WINE
This Friday
August 6,
5 to 8 PM
Best wines to drink with fresh summer tomatoes? We serve you our four picks along with piles of the best tomatoes you'll ever taste.
Dry Gewurztraminer
Italian Rosato
Pinot Grigio
Dolcetto
$10/tasting
More Info Here
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Bring a Blind Bottle Night
Tomorrow night:
Thursday,
August 5
6 to 8 P.M.
Bring a wine
that's a classic example of the grape-and tastes good
Bring it in a paper bag
Guess the grape of all the other
wines and share yours.
It's a fun
and educational way to taste & learn!
$5/person (Cheese & crackers
served.)
Click here for more information
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