Tasting Notes for Monthaven Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Liter Octavin Home Wine Bar) 2009

Red Wines	Cabernet Sauvignon	Central Coast	California

My Rating (circle) :

Date Printed: 6/19/2013

Monthaven Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Liter Octavin Home Wine Bar) 2009

(search item no. 110442)

PRICE ON 6/19/2013: $19.99

Winemaker's Notes:

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Grenache

This full-bodied garnet wine exhibits aromas of dark cherry and mocha and dark fruit fl avors. Given that the majority of the wine is aged in barrels for at least six months, the wine finishes in a characteristically Cabernet style, with firm but still accessible tannins and a long, lingering finish.

Monthaven Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from select vineyards throughout California's diverse Central Coast, with a focus on fruit from Paso Robles and Monterey. The heat of Paso Robles delivers ripe fruit with depth, which is then balanced by the cooler-climate Monterey grapes that deliver a unique complexity to the wine. Monthaven fruit is fermented colder than average - with a long, cold soak at 50°, starting fermentation at 65° and ending before the wine hits 75° - to create a juicy wine with well-managed tannins.

My Notes:

About Monthaven Winery:

With almost 30 years of experience working exclusively at wineries in California's Central Coast, artisan winemaker JeffYamamoto knows a thing or two about the area's dozens of microclimates. Starting in quality control roles, moving into the cellar, then onto general management responsibilities, Jeff's hands-on experience in every step of the winemaking process has created a stickler for the details. Crafting Monthaven at California's "largest small-lot winery" allows Jeff to keep grapes from different microclimates and vineyard blocks separate. He then uses his decade of cellar management experience to customize his barreling approach for each wine. Based on their individual characteristics, specific lots are selected for barrel fermentation or barrel aging to maximize the distinctiveness of each blend. Jeff largely prefers American oak for Monthaven wines to assure that the fruit flavors shine through, accented by balanced oak notes and agreeable tannins. The winemaking techniques applied to Monthaven wines are usually reserved for wines over $20 bottle. "My goal with these wines is to balance the fruit, acid and oak components in a way that allows the fruit to shine in the best possible light, reflecting the Central Coast expression of each varietal's nature."