Winemaker Notes
Like the previous year, 2006 was a long, cool growing season with a late harvest in our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards. As in 2005 these shallow soiled hillside vineyards were still quite able to produce a small crop of very ripe grapes. The harvest began in the final week of October, but with warmer conditions proceeded at a brisk pace, finishing at the end of the first week of November; a week earlier than in 2005. The wine is a bit more lush, ripe, and fruit forward than its predecessor as a result, and yet still has substantial structure.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
f you like some green herbaceousness in your Cabs, which some say makes them more Bordeaux-like, this is for you. It’s very dry and somewhat tannic and extremely elegant, with oak-inspired blackberry, cherry, currant and spice flavors. A lovely, upscale restaurant wine.
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
True to the style of wine coming from its hilly location between the Russian River Valley and Knights Valley (think also of Verité and Lancaster), this somewhat high-powered effort is endowed with plenty of ripe black cherry fruit, with cassis-like depth, more than a little oaky richness and flashes of dusty earth. It is full and supple in palate impacts and has enough balancing acidity to keep from tipping into heaviness. Its tannins would call for eight to ten years of aging, but we would be content to try it before then with savory roasts and chops.
-
Wine Spectator
Ripe, full-bodied and richly flavored, with tiers of black cherry, plum, anise and blueberry unfolding gracefully. This holds its focus and ends in a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2016.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals slightly sweeter black fruits, more body and length, and a richer, fuller style. Finesse allied with substance as well as authoritative varietal flavor suggest it should keep for 15+ years.
Perhaps no other winery captures the casual luxury of Sonoma County better than Chalk Hill Estate. Founded nearly four decades ago, this spectacular 1300-acre property features 300 acres of vineyards, wilderness areas, winery, hospitality center, culinary garden, residence, stables, equestrian pavilion, sports fields, fishing and swimming ponds, and guest houses.
The winery's vineyards are thoughtfully woven through the native foliage and contoured to fit the intricate terrain. More than two-thirds of the Chalk Hill Estate remains uncultivated. The higher elevations offer stunning views of the Russian River Valley to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.