2008 Hewitt Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – A Flashback of Immense Enjoyment
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Working through some “older wines” to get the cellar up to date.
Opened this wine last evening which had been cellared for sixteen years. What a treat revisited indeed. The Hewitt Vineyard of approximately 60 acres in the historic center of Napa Valley in Rutherford Bench has always made fascinating wines. World famous for their Cabernet Sauvignon’s “Rutherford dust”, a quality bestowed on wines from this area in Napa Valley. Unfortunately, Provenance Winery and the Hewitt Vineyard labels were sold. Tom Rinaldi was the winemaker at both facilities and spent some quality time with him. He conducted one of the best blending exercises ever and still can remember it 20 plus years later!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Opened this wine up and let it decant for one hour before tasting. The wine on the eyes was a luscious dark red berry, almost black, and with heavy viscosity. On the nose, violets and floral aromas waft into the senses. On the palate, black cherries, blackberries and cocoa are the dominate flavors. Secondly, flavors of leather, sweet pipe tobacco and black licorice were present. On the finish, the “Rutherford dust” and tannins of immense proportions, jagged and inviting, along with vanilla completed the sip. Complexity and layers of enjoyment are the words that spring forth in describing this beautiful wine. One of the “chewiest” Cabernet Sauvignon experienced and always in my top Napa Valley wines listing.
The wine was produced by the famous and iconic winemaker Tom Rinaldi (no longer there). Still one of the top winemakers that has produced wines in Napa Valley (IMHO). The wine is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. It was aged 22 months in 100% French barrels with 77% being new. Wine Spectator rated it 96 points and in 2013 it was ranked #4 wine in the top 100 wines! Wine wholesalers still show a pricing ranging from $160 to $400/bottle but only a few bottles are available.
Tom Rinaldi is still producing wine as a winemaker and consulting winemaker at Patent Wines and Pellet Estate. I have not reviewed or tasted their wines but hope to do so shortly. I can only assume with Tom at the helm, the wines will also be delicious.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly