Wine Tasting with Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt at Cafe Maxx

Thursday, August 25, 2016 - 07:00 PM

This Event has been read: 2016 times.

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“If I hurt you, I’d make wine from your tears”
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS

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Nik is one of the world’s top minds in the winemaking world and he is now making wines on 5 different continents.  After working with the big boys for most of his career, Simi, Clos Du Bois and as one of the top dogs in the corporate world of wine Nik decided to start making wine again and started his own label which includes projects on 5 different continents.

Today, his mantra is one vintage, one vineyard one variety, Nik fees there is too much fraud in the industry so he is trying to be as honest as he can be with what is in the bottle with his namesake on it.

I was really impressed with the wines, especially when I found out the prices!  These wines would be recommended at twice the price but when you exceed the expectation so much like these wines do it is a refreshing change of pace.  I see a lot of wines come across my desk and there are not a lot that I get this excited about- all of these wines are on the shelf here at Wine Watch!

This event is more of a tasting than a wine pairing dinner and Nick will guide us through the wines with descriptions on each specific vineyard sites and we will be serving dinner but there will not be a wine paired to each course for this event. 

First Nick will take us through all eight wines and then chef Oliver Saucy has made a special four course menu and we will have some extra wine to pour with the dinner.  The fee for this event is $85 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

 

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Wine Tasting with winemaker Nick Goldschmidt at Cafe Maxx
Thursday, August 25, 2016
7:00 PM

 

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Boulder Bank Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2015
Price: $15.25    Sale $13.42    Case $155.55

Vineyard:  Fitzroy
Varietal:  100% Sauvignon Blanc – Clone 1 & 2
Fermentation:  Cold fermented under 15oC to maintain fruit esters and varietal intensity.  stainless steel.
Winegrowing:   Accredited Vineyard NZ Sustainable

Boulder Bank Sauvignon Blanc is planted below sea level in the Fitzroy Vineyard in Marlborough.  River rock and sandy loam impart a distinct minerality and finish to the wine. Cane pruning is used to reduce yields, and the vineyard is certified sustainable.

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Fidelity Chelsea Merlot Alexander Valley 2014
Price: $ 20.75   Sale $18.26    Case $212

Varietal: 100% Merlot, Clone 337
Appellation: 100% Alexander Valley
Barrel Treatment: Aged 18 months, 20% new barrels -60% French, 20% American, 20% Hungarian

The wine is full and ripe and totally over-delivers. Fresh fruit is the order of the day, but with a depth and complexity that only comes from great vineyards and meticulous winemaking. Nick integrates soft and rich tannins that add complexity without dryness.

 

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Fidelity Red Alexander Valley 2013 
Price: $15.25    Sale $13.42    Case $156

Vineyard:  Crazy Creek
Varietal: 82% Merlot
12% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Petite Verdot
Vineyard: Crazy Creek
Yield: 4.6 tons per acre
pH: 3.68
Titratable Acidity: 6.4g
Alc %: 14.3
Aging: 16 months
Barrels: 15% new French Oak
Cases Produced: 2236cs
Medium-garnet; red fruit aromas of cherry, strawberry, and jam, with touches of vanilla; black cherry and black raspberry flavors; nicely balanced, medium weight on the palate with soft, supple tannins in the finish.

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Katherine Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2014
Price: $ 20.75   Sale $18.26    Case $212

Vineyard:  Crazy Creek
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauv
Clone: Jackson
Yield: 2.5 tons per acre, by hand
pH: 3.73
Titratable Acidity: 6.3 g/l
Alc %: 14.5
Barrels: Medium Toast
Aging: 60% French
20% American
20% Hungarian
18 months, 20% new
ML Complete: Yes
Racked: Gravity racked 3 times
Filtered: Yes
Fining: No

Another exceptional vintage in Alexander Valley with outstanding color and flavor development. Ripe, black fruit characters and great concentration. A warm, relatively dry spring through April and May produced very even flowering and fruit set.  Rich and robust aromas of blackberry, black cherry, spice, and licorice. Secondary aromas of red tobacco and creamy vanilla. Black currant, cherry, and raspberry flavors are accented with sage and dark chocolate. Smooth, soft, and supple finish.

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Yardstick Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012
Price: $25.50    Sale $22.44    Case $261

Vineyard:  Ruth’s Reach
Varietal: 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon
Avg Vine Age: 35 years
Clone: Field Selection
Yield: 3.5 tons by hand
pH: 3.7
Total Acidity: .54 g/100ml
Alc %: 14.4%
Aging: 15 months
Barrels: 100% French Oak, 50% new
Fining: Unfined & Unfiltered
Cases Produced: 1607

 A yardstick is an old basis for measurement which can be used as a baseline or reference point. YARDSTICK Ruth’s Reach Cabernet Sauvignon is just that: it offers the signature taste of Napa Valley but without the baseline Napa Valley price. The 2012 vintage comes from a small vineyard near Calistoga. This area is an up-valley area, where the climate and soils are quite different from the surrounding regions. A marine air incursion that affects the lower areas of the valley is not dominant here and the grapes consistently reach full maturity.
The glacial soils are thin on this side of the valley and force the vines to search more deeply for resources. Thinner soils result in smaller berries, lower natural yield, more even sun exposure, and ultimately higher tannin per berry. The higher tannin translates into wines with more structure and weight. YARDSTICK shows: medium-garnet color, aromas of chocolate and butterscotch which compliment ripe cherry and red berry fruit; black cherry and raspberry flavors, a round palate with full yet soft tannins, and caramel, oak, and strawberry fruit in the finish.

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Forefathers Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2013
Price: $54.00    Sale $47.52    Case $551

Vineyard: Lone Tree
Yield: 2 tons / acre
Release Date: Sep 2015
Alcohol Level: 14.3%
Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauv
T.A.: 5.6 g/l
pH: 3.68
Aging: Demptos Allier
70% French
30% American
16 months, 80% new
Racked: Gravity racked three times
Production: 756 six-packs

Forefathers Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a 3 acre parcel just north of Geyserville. This mountain vineyard faces east and avoids hot afternoon temperatures. East-facing slopes are a relatively rare occurrence in the Alexander Valley, as most of the valley is either heavily forested or too steep to plant. Lone Tree is cane-pruned, a technique which produces smaller berries, less dense clusters, and a more open canopy. The benefit is more even ripening. More black fruit, more depth, and more power is the signature of these much sought after east-facing sites.

2013 represents another classic Alexander Valley vintage. Coming off the more difficult and lower crops of 2010 and 2011, once again we hit the warm, clear days that the AV is best known for. The growing season got off to a fast start in April and never really slowed down until mid-September. Harvest was about normal with yields slightly lower than 2012. The Lone Tree Vineyard is a different site than most - the vineyard is high up in the hills and runs cooler than those on the valley floor, so it ripens very slowly at first. Come September though, the morning fog rolls in and shrouds the valley completely. Lone Tree is above the fogline and gets abundant sunshine for the remainder of the season. The overall season is longer than the others though. Its long hang-times translate into more complexity and depth. Ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit aromas, pronounced French oak; juicy red and black fruit on the palate with blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and dark chocolate flavors; smooth and supple tannins, expansive mouthfeel, toasty oak finish.

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Goldschmidt Vineyards Yoeman Alexander Valley 2012
Price: $90.00    Sale $79.20    Case $918

Vineyard: Yoeman Blocks 43, 44
Vineyard Elevation: 282’ – 325’
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Clones: Jackson, Jenkins
Avg. Vine Age: 35 Years
Harvest Date: Oct 21, 2012
Harvest: Hand-Picked
Yield: 3.2 tons per acre
TA: 6.1 g/Liter
pH: 3.67
Alcohol: 14.3%
Filtering: Un-fined & Unfiltered
Aging: 32 Months, Taransaud Allier
Tight Grain, 85% New
Cellaring Potential: 15 Years
Cases Made: 1,364 six-packs

 Goldschmidt Yoeman Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a small mountain vineyard just south of the town of Geyserville. This terraced vineyard slopes to the southeast and is comprised of well-draining, glacial loam. Soft morning sun promotes slower grape maturation and longer “hang times” in this secluded micro-climate. Planted in 1988, it is made up of two very old field selections which allow for more diversity in the clusters. Upon achieving full ripeness, they vary in size, acidity, and flavor profile. One shows more red fruit and the other more black fruit characteristics Such plant diversity grants more complexity within the site. Yoeman is a low input vineyard with very low yields and is typically picked 2-3 weeks later than our Oakville vineyards. Rarely do vineyard conditions afford a winemaker the opportunity to make a wine such as this. With its multi-layering and pronounced “grip,” Nick Goldschmidt pushes the stylistic boundary of Alexander Valley Cabernet.

VINTAGE NOTES:
This was the vintage that everybody thought was the Goldilocks year. 2012 was not too hot, not too cold, and just right with sun and fog. Near-ideal bud break, steady flowering, and a very even fruit set. A lengthy stretch of warm days and cool and often foggy nights during the long summer months. Grapes achieved optimal ripeness with fantastic quality. Skins were pretty thick so I'm guessing it will be a high-structure year. About 95 percent of the grapes were already picked when more than an inch of rain finally hit in late October. Alexander Valley and Napa Valley were exceptional and the wines should result in them being in the top 5 vintages over the last 20 years for both valleys. Comparison with 2001, 2002 and 2007 will be easy to do.

TASTING NOTES:
Deep garnet; aromas of dark plum, black cherry, cassis, nutmeg, vanilla and dark chocolate. Shows concentrated flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, cassis, spice, tobacco, and chocolate. Rich and full-bodied, nice wood framing, sumptuous texture, supple tannin finish. My favorite vineyard from an exceptional vintage.  - Nick G.

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Goldschmidt Vineyards Game Ranch Oakville 2012
Price: $108.75    Sale $95.70    Case $1110

Appellation: Oakville AVA
Vineyard: Game Ranch
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauv
Trellis: Vertical
Clones: 4, 337
Rootstocks: 101-14, 110R
Vine Age: 13-22 years
Harvest Date: Oct 26, 2012
Yield: 3.2 tons per acre
Fermentation: 100% Native Yeast
TA: 6.2 g/Liter
pH: 3.67
Alcohol: 14.2%
Filtering: Unfined & Unfiltered
Aging: 31 months, Allier Oak,
Demptos Tight Grain, 85% New
Cellaring Potential: 15+ years
Cases Made: 1647 six-packs

Many of Napa’s most-respected, highest-scoring, and most-collectible Cabernet Sauvignon wines come from Oakville. The marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon with the soil and climate of Oakville produces wines with tremendous depth and complexity. Some emphasize subtlety over power and others structure over fruit. There's not really one style of Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, because the terrain varies so much. Rocky, red volcanic soils dominate in the east and receive full afternoon sun, the valley floor tends to have deeper, heavier soils, and on the west side long and broad alluvial fans get shaded by the mountains late in the day. One aspect that all the wines share, however, is an appealing acidity and freshness caused by the fog off the bay. Even the richest, most opulent Oakville wines show this trait.

Nick Goldschmidt makes his Oakville Game Ranch in a very approachable, elegant style. Sourced from the eastern-end of Oakville Cross Rd, the soils here transition from volcanic red clay to brown, gravelly loam. They offer exceptionally good drainage which controls vigor, produce smaller berries and ultimately wines with deeper concentration. Soil water-holding capacity is sufficient enough to prevent dehydration thus protecting the critical fruit flavor to alcohol balance. Goldschmidt Game Ranch shows early drinkability, ripe fruit and tannins, and savory minerality.
Vintage Notes: “The long, mild growing season allowed for a long hang time with even ripening and outstanding flavor development and tannin maturity. I’ve been farming this ranch since 1998 and this is an exceptional vintage.”

Tasting Notes
“This vintage shows dark ruby red color; ripe berry, cassis, and black pepper aromas. On the palate a smooth entry is followed by black cherry, blueberry, and spice. Fine, supple tannins carry all the way through the finish. Notes of chocolate, flint and graphite linger. – Nick G.

 

 

Menu

Pass arounds
Hog snapper martini with citrus
Fig and brie philo purses
Seared sea scallop and mango chili sauce

First course
Maine lobster and foie gras sauce, white wine macerated summer fruit with tarragon & basil brioche croutons and black sea salt

Second course
Chia seed & peppercorn seared Yellowfin tuna, cherry-berry demi glace
pearled Israeli couscous with gorgonzola dolche

Third course
Duck ravioli with roasted wild mushrooms, pearl onions, fines herbs and red wine garlic butter

Dessert
Dark chocolate mousse tart