Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner 2013
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Wilfred
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Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Dry Creek Valley and Bordeaux grape varieties have been misunderstood by consumers and professionals alike. From my point of view, I have always looked at the elegance and the red fruit focus from these wines as opposed to the black fruits and firmness from their Napa Valley siblings. The 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Mariner is quite nicely done and could easily be the poster child for Alexander Valley Bordeaux red style wines. TASTING NOTES: This wine is beautifully balanced. Its aromas and flavors of red fruit and savory spice make it a beautiful companion for a light salad of roast chicken, red cabbage, fresh mint, and accents of jalapeno. (Tasted: August 27, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A proprietary blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, the 2013 Proprietary Red The Mariner offers good blackcurrant fruit, new saddle leather, and toasty vanillin from the oak (about 40% is new). This attractive, medium-bodied, refreshing, Bordeaux-style wine should drink nicely for at least a decade.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine consists of all five red Bordeaux varieties, with 54% Cabernet Sauvignon making up the majority. A juicy front palate of cassis and blueberry leads to leathery, dusty tannins and notes of graphite, cedar and tea.
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Wine & Spirits
This is based on cabernet from the rolling hills of the winery’s Endeavor Vineyard and merlot grown on a hillside at Sapphire Canyon. Winemaker Tim Bell included some petit verdot and cabernet franc as well, along with 8 percent malbec to help smooth out what he found to be a particularly brawny vintage. It’s an inky, big-boned wine, with dense tannins, ripe flavors of blackberry and chocolate, and some appetizing herbal nuances at the edges. Hunter Hammett of San Francisco’s Jardinière suggested that its bold, hearty richness would be particularly appetizing with a medium-rare ribeye.
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Established in 1972, Dry Creek Vineyard is Dry Creek Valley’s flagship winery located in the heart of Sonoma County, California. As the region’s first new winery following Prohibition, founder David Stare paved the way for a viticultural rebirth in this vibrant winegrowing appellation. Among other industry benchmarks, Dry Creek Vineyard is recognized as the first winery to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley, and was also the first to use the term “Meritage” with the 1985 vintage.
This premier, family-owned winery is now led by the second generation. Dave’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace, serves as President overseeing a successful family winemaking and grape growing business that includes 185 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. The second generation is dedicated to all aspects of the business, from vine to shelf, with a goal to remain one of the last truly private, family-owned, iconic wineries consistently producing 90+ point wines.
Dry Creek Vineyard is firmly committed to a “No Compromises” philosophy, producing appellation-focused, terroir-driven, varietal-defining wines, including Heritage Vines Zinfandel, which was selected as a Wine Spectator “Top 100” Wine of 2019. Named one of the Top 100 wineries of 2015 by Wine & Spirits Magazine and a Top 10 Tasting Room by USA TODAY, the winery is also 100% Certified Sustainable. Dry Creek Vineyard proudly produces delicious Dry Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Meritage blends as well as a portfolio of single vineyard selections.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A multifaceted and highly reputable sub-region of Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley is responsible for a wide range of wine styles—both red and white. One of the smallest AVAs in California, Dry Creek Valley has a winning combination of ideal geography and climate. Fertile, well-drained soils create concentrated varietal character while long, warm days, bookended by cool nights, allow grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness and balance. The warm and welcoming appellation is home to a number of family-owned vineyards and wineries that place a strong emphasis on sustainable farming practices.
Zinfandel reigns supreme here and still produces in a great number of very old vineyards—often 100 years old or older. These old vines create a powerful, voluptuous and sultry wine unlike those of any other region. Sauvignon Blanc, the valley’s signature white grape, also performs exceptionally well. Many other varieties grow comfortably here, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Syrah. Petite Sirah is often found in blends with Zinfandel.