Dear Cellar Society Members,
Happy New Year! I really enjoyed getting to know you better last year and hope we can continue that this year in Apple Hill. After Thanksgiving we moved 1850 inside the Myka Estates Tasting Room for a cozier location this winter. Have you had a chance to visit us since then? It is intimate and I hope you like it. We’ll move back outside once the weather warms.
In this first wine club release of the year I have two wines for you. The first is a 2018 vintage throwback, our 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the last wine from that vintage we have to release. The second is my 2020 Petite Sirah, which is a favorite varietal of mine and I know you will love it too.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon brings an abundant profile of earth, mocha, and cedar with a background of dark fruit notes of blackberry and elderberry syrup. We think you’ll love how smooth it is, with its plush fruit and silky tannins. This wine is already perfectly aged and ready to be consumed this year, so enjoy it this winter with your favorite comfort foods!
The 2020 Petite Sirah has a characteristically very deep, dark color. It is richly aromatic and flavorful, with big, dark blackberry aromas balanced with vanilla, fresh tobacco or herbs, and black tea. The bold fruit flavors carry to the palate where they are balanced by a round plum cake background profile and big, lush tannins. A bold petite sirah like this calls for richly flavorful food pairings that can balance it without being overpowered by it. I have a feeling something like that will be on your menu the next time winter weather rolls through!
I hope to see you at the club release in a few weeks so we can talk about these new wines in person once you’ve had a chance to taste them with Chef Lisa Scott’s famous food pairings.
Cheers,
Brian Darwazeh, Winemaker
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
California
California
TASTING NOTES: This wine brings an abundant profile of earth, mocha, and cedar with a background of dark fruit notes of blackberry and elderberry syrup. We think you’ll love how smooth it is, with its plush fruit and silky tannins. It is medium bodied, so you can easily enjoy it every day on its own or with food. This wine is already perfectly aged and ready to be consumed this year, so enjoy it this winter with your favorite comfort foods!
WINEMAKING NOTES: As these grapes ripened we practiced careful leaf pulling in the vineyard to ensure even ripeness, as uneven ripeness can lead to bell peppery flavors that we did not want in this style. We harvested the grapes at maximum ripeness at 26˚ Brix, the measurement of sugar in the grapes that will be converted into alcohol during fermentation, for a full-bodied profile. We destemmed only 80% of the grapes, keeping 20% whole cluster for fermentation to pull in additional tannins and complexity from the grape stems. The wine fermented in tank with four pump overs per day to maximize extraction before pressing the wine gently to barrel for aging.
AGING: Aged in 80% medium plus French oak and 20% medium plus American oak for 18 months, then in bottle until now.
FOOD PAIRING: Pair this wine with aged semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, or gorgonzola. Steak, burgers, or ribs will never disappoint as pairings. Coq au vin made with this wine would be a wintertime winner of a pairing. For vegetarian pairings keep it rich and earthy with mushrooms, creamy polenta with roasted vegetables, or a sophisticated mac and cheese.
WINE SPECS
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
13.9% alcohol
80 cases produced
$32 per bottle
2020 Petite Sirah
Mabera Vineyard, Amador County
Mabera Vineyard, Amador County
TASTING NOTES: This Petite Sirah, always a favorite amongst fans of 1850 Wine Cellars, has a characteristically very deep, dark color. It is richly aromatic and flavorful, with concentrated blackberry aromas balanced with vanilla, fresh tobacco or herbs, and black tea. The bold fruit flavors carry to the palate where they are balanced by a round plum cake background profile and big, lush tannins.
WINEMAKING NOTES: We picked these grapes at the peak of ripeness and fermented with Rhône yeast to maximize the berry and dark fruit aromas. We allowed this bold wine to age a bit longer than most of our wines, because it was so big and needed time to develop. This wine will continue to age another 6 to 8 years from its release in the winter of 2024.
AGING: Aged in 40% new American oak, 40% new French oak, and 20% neutral oak, the classic 1850 Wine Cellars aging profile, for a total of 32 months to allow the tannins to soften.
FOOD PAIRING: A bold Petite Sirah like this calls for richly flavorful food pairings that can balance it and not be overpowered by it. It classically pairs with red meats but also with exotic flavors. The complex and rich flavors of Chicken Molé make it a consistently good pairing with Petite Sirah. Other richly seasoned dishes will pair well. Come to our release party to taste Chef Lisa Scott’s Truffle and Smoked Gouda pasta with Beef Tenderloin paired with this wine.
WINE SPECS
95% Petite Sirah
5% Zinfandel
13.5% alcohol
118 cases produced
$36 per bottle