2014 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a bit more than a wine review, as my affiliation with the name Kelly tends to be more personal. Gene Wayne Kelly, the Proprietor of the winery in the Oak Knoll AVA in Napa Valley. He has continued his family’s 40 year history in the Napa Valley. Today they are making extremely small number of cases of wine (100’s) per vintage, but assuring that sustainable agriculture practices are in place for their artisan quality wines. This was evidenced in their 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon winning a Double Gold Medal in the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. I tasted this wine last evening with great expectation. First on the eyes, a bright, yet subdued red hue beckons one to explore the glass with medium viscosity. On the nose, one is delighted with a symphony of scents. Those include blackberries, lavender and a sweet tobacco. On the palate, some “sharp tannins” initially great you but are quickly put to rest with blueberry and dark chocolate swirling in the mouth. The finish is long lasting and provides for a silky smooth crescendo. We paired this with a marinated and seared tri-tip, pasta & jumbo shrimp. An excellent meal for this wine!
Anyone interested in heraldry (coat of arms), will recognize the traditional “Kelly shield” but with the added guns depicting “the American Revolution” (which the Irish fought on both sides), and the added grapes with for their vineyard. Gene is proud of his heritage and his stewardship of the vines. A wine worth pursuing.
Slainte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://www.kellyfamilyvineyards.com
California Wines & Wineries 