Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt and the 2013 The Counselor Cabernet are one and the same. Rich in power and personality, yet not overpowering and very respectful of the land. This is a complete Cabernet that rises to the top of other Alexander Valley efforts. Kudos to Nick! Deep ruby, black color; exploding ripe fruit in the nose, with hints of sweet earth, dust and cocoa powder, very fine depth; medium bodied, firm, well built and textured on the palate, sweet tannins a perfectly balanced in this wine; smashed plums and sweet dust in the flavors; long finish, lingering lusty note in the aftertaste. Drinking nicely now, will improve over the next half-a-dozen years. (Tasted: September 29, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.