2009 Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Patiently Waiting 16 years!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
I visited this winery a few times several years ago and very much enjoyed their wines, purchasing a few. I decided to pull this bottle with one of my favorite food dishes last evening. I was BLOWN AWAY on how this wine matured and developed over 16 years. With wine judging, events, training sessions, entertaining, etc., I end up tasting 1500-1600 wines a year! This is the best Cabernet Sauvignon wine I have tasted in many years and well worth the wait. I wish I had purchased a few other bottles.
The Winery
Photo ©Vineyard 29 or Manda Bear
Vineyard 29 was founded in 1989 with a modest 3-acre vineyard. The next phase of the winery is when Chuck and Anne McMinn acquired the historic Aida vineyard in 2000. In 2004 a state-of-the-art winemaking facility (sustainability, gravity flow, etc.) was designed and completed by John Lail. Today they now have a total of 47 planted acres primarily featuring St Helena terroir.
They have now expanded their portfolio to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Rosé, Merlot, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. Wine production was originally under Philippe Melka and in 2005, Keith was hired as assistant winemaker. In 2022 he took over the winemaking and he is also President and CEO of Vineyard 29.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
As previously stated, this is the best Cabernet Sauvignon tasted by me in recent memory. If the famous painter Michaelangelo was a winemaker, this would have been comparable to his renown painting at the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The wine was pulled from the cellar to warm up two hours before serving. It was double decanted and strained to capture the sediment for almost two hours before tasting.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is seductively dark and brooding on the eyes with a medium-heavy viscosity. Upon opening the wine, intense dark berries burst into the olfactory senses unabated rushing in like a tsunami. Once on the palate, layers upon layers of enjoyment ensued. First being the primary flavors of blackberries, both fruit and jamminess. Secondary tastes of freshly cut cedar and vanilla pipe tobacco swirled about in the mouth. The finish is where this wine was stellar! It provided textural composition, rounded and velvety silky tannins combined to form a full-bodied and long-lasting finish with blueberry highlights. For me this was the “perfect Cabernet Sauvignon”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While initially only being rated 93 points in 2011, it has morphed and matured, having a pedigree today as a 100 point wine!
It was aged in 90% new French oak barrels for 21 months and shows a 15.2% alcohol level. It initially retailed for $225/bottle and the vintage listed on their website showing the 2021 going for $315/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled this wine to pair this evening with one of my favorite dishes called Balsamic Caprese Grilled Flank Steak. The flank steak was tenderized and marinated for 8 hours with the following ingredients: olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, kosher salt and black pepper. The steak was placed on the grill reaching 1500 degrees for a few minutes on both sides and then sliced. Served medium-rare on a plate with tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil and then drizzled lightly with balsamic reduction.
Separately, cherry tomatoes, fresh Italian mozzarella balls, chopped fresh basil leaves and olive oil were mixed in a bowl and served with the meal.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Accompanied by halved and roasted small red potatoes with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Without a doubt a great food and wine pairing that will be remembered for some time.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly