Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1036886
october 2018 / the tasting panel / 67 WINE #6: HERZOG 2016 SPECIAL RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA ($40) Presented by Gabriel Geller, Director of Public Relations and Wine Education for the Royal Wine Corporation The final selection in the Game of Wines lineup transported par- ticipants back to the Northern Hemisphere—specifically, the up-and-coming, high-altitude wine region of Lake County in California, where Herzog Wine Cellars produces award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon and several more single-varietal wines. The Herzog family has been making wine since the mid-19th century, when Baron Philip Herzog became renowned as the wine supplier to Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, his descendants produce wines, spirits, and liqueurs in 13 countries through their company, the Royal Wine Corporation, widely considered to be an unequivocal leader in kosher-wine production, distribution, and importation. At the family's state-of-the-art winery amid in the straw- berry fields and farm rows of Oxnard, Herzog Winemaker Joe Hurliman sources grapes from some of California's finest growing regions and appellations, among them Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Spring Mountain, Oak Knoll, and Lake County. From the latter area, the Herzog Special Reserve 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon presented at Game of Wines hails from vineyards planted at an elevation of 1,500 feet above sea level. Gabriel Geller, Director of Public Relations and Wine Education for the Royal Wine Corporation, said the 2016 was the third vintage produced by Herzog from Lake County fruit. "While the grapes for the Lake County Cab are sourced from contracted growers, future vintages will be produced from vineyards that Royal Wine recently purchased in the Red Hills AVA," he explained. Geller told participants that he personally values a side-by- side comparison of the three wines: "The first vintage, 2014, is riper and fleshier. The 2015 shows more elegance and freshness, but the 2016 is more serious with well-built structure. It's a wine that can age decades," he added. The 2016 Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was heady with rich aromas of blackberry jam and cassis followed by wafting notes of mocha, sandalwood, and leather. Concentrated flavors of cherry pie, baking spice, and dark chocolate—ensconced in velvety tannins and lifted by high-elevation acidity—all fold together to produce a delicious wine well-suited for roasted meats and aged cheddar cheese. vineyards. (The winery also purchases fruit from 200 independent producers.) Set against a backdrop dominated by the awe-inspiring, snow-capped Andes Mountains, these vineyards straddle foothills and slopes of various elevations within the Mendoza region. The grapes for the 2014 Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from two vineyards, one in Maipú and the other in Lujan de Cuyo. "These vineyards lie at lower elevations—of course, in Mendoza, 'lower elevation' means just 2,800 feet for Maipú and 3,300 feet for Lujan de Cuyo," Brizuela said with a smile. Trapiche also prides itself on its sustainable and Biodynamic viticultural practices, shunning the use of chemicals, herbi- cides, and fungicides while utilizing vegetable and animal-waste composts as fertilizers. Llamas and sheep also help maintain the ecosystem by grazing on weeds as they roam the vineyards. The Medalla label, created to celebrate Trapiche's 100th anniversary in 1983, was Argentina's first premium single-varietal wine. In the 35 years since its launch, Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon continues to win over consumers and demonstrate Trapiche's lasting commitment to excellence. For the label's 2014 vintage, which was presented at the Games of Wines event, the winemaking team decided on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were manually harvested, bunch-selected, and cold-macerated in small vats for 25 days before aging 18 months in new French oak. This produced a deep-red wine with violet hues, aromas of red fruit and plums, and balsamic notes of red bell pepper and camphor. Polished tannins and flavors of earthy black fruit and spice lend a sophisticated, Old World touch to a bottling with food-pairing prowess and quality far surpassing its price. Imported by The Wine Group.