I am increasingly impressed by the wines of Freemark Abbey. I understand the head winemaker has been there for 29 years, and I really enjoy his style, which emphasizes medium body, high acidity, ageability, good secondary flavors even in relatively young wines, and a juicyness that I enjoy.
Anyway-some specific wines that we enjoyed this weekend....
2004 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet. Their entry bottling, and I really enjoyed this. If you drink it now, it needs more air than I had initially given it. At the winery, delicious roasted black fruit (not over-ripe or port-y, just dark and earthy) and cloves on the palate. At dinner, it opened quite reticent and even a little thin. With time in the glass, however, the wine really began to blossom, with rich dark roasted fruit, cloves again, great food-friendly acidity, and something I would justy describe as "juicyness" because it is just so nice. Club price is $28, and well worth it.
At the winery:
2003 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet "Bootleg Blend" This was purportedly a staff-blend of favorite barrels, and it was delicious. Shares the characteristics described above, and what I really liked was the beginnings of savory, umami-heavy secondary notes that I found delicious for a still young wine. Fantastic value for $30s.
2004 Freemark Abbey "Josephine" Bordeaux Blend. Their top bottling. Some of the black fruit and clove notes described above, but this wine features a LIGHTER mouth feel and even more juicyness and food friendly acidity. In talking with the gentleman in the tasting room, he admitted that there is a fine line between producing wines for casual imbibers and newcomers and producing the more austere, age worthy and leaner style of cabs that some wine geeks prefer. The Napa Valley, while still delicious, is more of the crowd pleaser. The Josephine clocked in at 13.5% alcohol, which at least hints at what they are going for. Delicious wine that is really up my alley.
2004 Freemark Abbey Petit Sirah. I've sung the praises of this wine before, and it is still good-blueberry, black roasted fruit, cloves, earth, medium mouth feel, not too tannic.
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On the other hand: 2005 Elizabeth Spencer Petit Sirah Mendocino. This hides the fruit behind a wall of tannins. Infanticide? Not sure if the fruit lurking behind was all that interesting. I think I prefer the F-A, especially right now. My friend Donna could not even drink this.
2004 Havens Bourriquot (Cab Franc and Merlot). Havens is another winery with a distinct house style that I respect. The Bourriquot was really showing well today. There was a distinct savory, meaty edge to the nose-it reminded me of a Chinon we drank last week, oddly enough! Good acidity, juicyness, and light red fruit. Very high toned in character. Yum.
1998 Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon from magnum. Good maturing cab, with the 1998 green notes but plenty of savory goodness.