Christie Kiley on November 10, 2014 0 Comments In case you are in the market for a good California Cabernet Sauvignon with some bottle-aging already done for you and one you can truly enjoy, whether it is a casual evening at home to kick your feet up at the end of the work week, or even for a nicely orchestrated dinner in your own home with some guests, this wine will satisfy both scenarios. I am happy to introduce you to the Storybook Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, but first, let me tell you a little bit of their story. The Storybook It all began in 1883 when Adam Grimm buys over four-hundred acres of mountain estate located just above Calistoga far north in the Napa Valley. Like many others of the time, he plants Zinfandel. About six years later, they did three tunnels of one hundred feet into the volcanic rock where they establish the Grimm’s Vineyards and Wine Vaults. The humble beginnings of the wine get interesting here in 1919, when Adam moves to San Franciso and his partner Jacob Grimm begins making wines for medicinal and sacramental purposes, and during the Prohibition era, it was quite difficult for them to survive and eventually the property was abandoned. Luckily, somebody else saw the potential in the property, but not until about sixty years later when Jerry and Sigrid Seps found the place and immediately fell in love with it. They purchased ninety acres of estate that surrounded the ghost winery and dubbed it Storybook Mountain to honor the original founders and equally paying tribute to the truly beautiful surroundings which might have only been imagined in a storybook. Their first wine was released in 1983, a Zinfandel that won gold medals and the following year’s vintage was even the highest-rated Zinfandel in all of history. The wines which followed along with many other varietals have a number of astounding accolades as well and Storybook Winery was listed in the top 100 wineries in the world. The Location As with many vines of the world, the location is of top importance if you want to create a great wine. For Storybook Vineyards, their mountainside vineyards is located on the eastern slope of the Mayacama mountain range which separates Sonoma and Napa counties. The eastern exposure is similar to many of the best vineyards of the Bordeaux region. The morning sun and higher altitude make for perfect hot temperatures in the early afternoon that can reach up to ninety-five degrees in some parts of the valley. While other vines of Napa may shut down in such heat, the mountain air keeps warm temperatures steady and only as high as eighty-five degrees. The Russian River also plays a role in their estate’s microclimate bringing in cool ocean breezes locking in lower and steady temperatures; on average ten degrees cooler than the valley just below. The rain patterns of this area keep it cool throughout the year and allow for some moisture to be stored in the soils, which eliminates the need for drip irrigation when summer growing season conditions may spike dangerously threatening the quality and maturation of grapes. Shall we get to the wine? Like all of their wines, this is full of structure and is elegant. The complexity of the mountain fruits shine through and reflex the cool climate with fresh fruit notes and mature, late summer red fruits. The aromas possess earthy notes of wet earth in the forest after a rain fall, roasted wild mushrooms, plum and cigar notes. The balance on the palate is intriguingly beautiful with softened and balanced tannins and lovely mature berries with lingering notes of sweet tobacco, cinnamon and baking chocolate. It is ready to enjoy now, but it has aging potential for perhaps even another two years. Enjoy this alone or among company, perhaps get a prime rib ordered, make some scalloped potatoes and slow roasted veggies with some fresh chopped herbs. It will be a good evening. More Wine Reviews: Las Perdices 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Dolium Eco-Estate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Supery 2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Bramare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 from Viña Cobos
