Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is shipping next April. This is 100% from Eleven Confessions Vineyard. This has spent 34 months in barrel and never racked. Full and beautiful with sliced plums and berries. Super velvety tannins. Soft too. Tight and in reserve. Phenomenal depth of fruit. This is so deep. I love it. Just a baby. A wine you really have to get to know. You have to feel it. Reminds me of the 1989 Rayas. The evolution will be amazing for decades to come.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Grenache Dangerous Birds, from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard, is a big, huge wine loaded with dark cherries, plums, licorice and smoke, all of which come together in a sensual, captivating wine of the highest level. This shows gorgeous inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. The silkiest of tannins frame the long finish. If forced to choose, I have a slight preference for the 2008 among the Estate Grenaches, but both wines are beautiful. Dangerous Birds is 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier. A portion of the Grenache (36% of the total blend) was fermented with whole clusters. The wine spent 34 months in oak and was bottled in August 2010.
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Wine Spectator
A rich, graceful mix of dark berry, charcoal, subtle cedar and spice notes joins shades of dried berry. This is medium- to full-bodied and elegantly styled, ending with a pleasing lift.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!