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WENTE VINEYARDS The Wente's initial purchase of 48 acres of land in the Livermore Valley in 1883 has brought about five generation of winegrowers and seen the family emerge as a powerful proponent of winegrowing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, Fifth Generation Winegrower Karl Wente maintains the family's dedication to sustainable practices. Excited to showcase his talents, Karl began making wines under The Nth Degree label, small lot offerings only available to Wente club members. The Nth Degree 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay ($80) Bright blackberry, cinnamon and licorice tickle the nose while on the palate, ripe black fruit of medium body gives way to leather and tobacco spice with textured tannin and a clean finish. MANDELA WINES Nelson Mandela, who passed away in December at age 95, was born into the Thembu tribe and the wines that bear his name are meant to inspire families to learn about Mandela's struggles, while also highlighting South Africa as a major wine-producing region. The labels are modeled after the famous "Madiba" shirts that Mandela wore (and which also became his nickname). On each screwcap is the family's totem symbol: a bee with grapevine wings, evocative of the family struggles, just as a vine struggles. The bee is suggestive of Mandela himself, who was seen as the bee brave enough to steal honey from another bee. Eight thousand cases were produced of the 2012 House of Mandela, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is Fair Trade–certified. The wines are imported by Heritage Link Brands. House of Mandela 2012 ($12.99–$14.99) Bright red fruit and pepper frame a light-bodied wine with cigar and cardamom spice. House of Mandela 2008 Royal Reserve ($44.99) A lovely mouth-coating wine of raspberry, blackberry and red licorice notes, suggestive of wet earth, wet wood, smoke, fire-roasted peppers and tobacco. Ian Blackburn of Learn About Wine prods Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega Winery at the 2013 Stars of Cabernet event in Beverly Hills, CA. Host and event organizer Ian Blackburn kicked off the tasting with a seminar on the challenging 2011 vintage for California producers. Winemakers Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega Winery, Aaron Pott, who crafts wines for his eponymous label and who also consults, and Lars Ryssdal, General Manager of Ackerman Family Vineyards all spoke about the affects of a cooler, wet 2011 vintage and the overall impacts on Cabernet Sauvignon wines from California. The panelists agreed that the resulting 2011 Cabs are more "Bordeaux in style, less ripe than " traditional California Cabs and with lower alcohol and higher acidity, but showing good balance and the potential for lengthy ageing. Pott poured his 2011 La Carte et le Territoire ($110) from Napa. Comprised of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, the result is a plush, weighty wine of red and black fruit, purple flowers, clay-like minerality, slate and a lengthy spicy oaky toffee finish—a wine that demonstrates Pott's mastery of Cabernet Franc and his ability to coax its fruiter side with the addition of Merlot. Hoefliger shared a 2011 Alpha Omega ERA Napa Valley ($215), which beamed with supple fruit packed with blackberry and cherry pie flavors, graham cracker spice, tobacco and coffee on a lengthy finish permitting wispy sage notes—layers like a multi-course haute-cuisine meal, jammed into 750 milliliters. Ryssdal, whose operation is certified organic and biodynamic, holds wines for several years before releasing and hence provided a barrel sample of his Ackerman 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($74). Ryssdal is right to hold his wines, as the sample exhibited a big mouthful of chewy tannin coupled with rich plum and dark berry fruit not yet fully integrated with certain thyme, cedar and tobacco spice. Once mature it will be an elegant example of the 2011 vintage. january 2014 / the tasting panel / 99 TP0114_66-108.indd 99 12/19/13 9:48 PM