Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/430172
122 / the tasting panel / december 2014 BEST BLEND OF OLD SCHOOL AND NEW SCHOOL SILVERADO VINEYARDS 2011 SOLO CABERNET SAUVIGNON, STAGS LEAP DISTRICT ($100) Y ou know the type: The effortlessly cool kid who can rock the vintage cowboy boots (that their parents smartly saved from the '70s) paired with distressed denim and a hand-painted tee shirt that says "Classic." In 1968, Silverado's estate vineyard became the third planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District, and in the years that followed—through careful observation and meticulous field selection—an entirely new clone of Cabernet Sauvignon emerged. Each year, the limited-release SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted to honor this single, extraordinary clone. In this wine, Silverado Estate blends "old school" techniques, including their extensive experience and knowledge of the vineyard, with exciting "new school" technologies such as in-field optical berry sorting, which culls grapes based on color, shape and size for perfectly uniform fruit of the absolute highest quality. The result is a Cabernet that is smoothly chic and strikes the perfect balance between modern (without feeling flashy) and traditional (without feeling stodgy). Juicy and ripe with lovely plum and blackberry fruit; silky and balanced with fine acid structure and good length; elegant and complex with a polished style. 92 —Anthony Dias Blue, Blue Reviews Extra!, August 2014 www.silveradovineyards.com BEST ONE WOMAN SHOW INMAN FAMILY WINES 2011 OLIVET GRANGE VINEYARD (OGV) PINOT NOIR, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY ($68) I f you visit the Inman Family winery, you might see owner and Winemaker Kathleen Inman pouring wine for guests in the tasting room, driving a forklift in the cellar and/or rolling up her sleeves to work in the vineyard. In addition to being a Jane-of-all-trades, Inman produces her wines in a manner that could also garner her the title of "Most likely to save the world, one eco-friendly bottle of wine at a time." (We settled on the shorter of the two titles.) The estate vineyard, Olivet Grange—whose name is an homage to the time Inman and her husband, Simon, lived in England—is farmed organically, the packaging is recyclable and eco-friendly, and renew- able sources of energy power the winery and vineyard operations. Despite wearing many hats, Inman is singularly focused on the core tenant of the winery: making small lots of wine made from thoughtfully grown grapes in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. Smooth and spicy with crisp acidity and bright red cherry fruit; fresh, juicy and bright, long and classic. 92 —Anthony Dias Blue, Blue Reviews Extra!, August 2014 www.inmanfamilywines.com MOST LIKELY TO MAKE AN EXCITING NEW DISCOVERY JAMIESON RANCH 2011 DOUBLE LARIAT CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY ($60) Y ou say Marco, we say Jamieson Ranch? Channeling the legendary explorer's pioneering spirit, Jamieson Ranch has proven to be quite the brave voyager when it comes to unmarked territory in winemaking with their 2011 Double Lariat Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike the typical Cabernet, this bold yet elegant wine is both barrel-fermented and barrel-aged, representing a milestone in red winemaking. This extra step of barrel fermentation weaves together notes of toasted oak, anise, chocolate and raspberry into a seamless blend that finishes with waves of richness—talk about a silky road! The estate's more than 300 acres of gently rolling hills and terraced vineyards benefit from the cooling fog and breezes from the nearby San Pablo Bay, favoring the production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but also delivering other superb varietals. So while there may not be much land on Earth left unexplored, brave crusaders like Jamieson Ranch are keeping the spirit of adventure alive with exciting new discover- ies in winemaking that are especially worth documenting—the "Book of Ser Jamieson" seems appropriate. Bold tones of chocolate, cherry and black- berry. Plummy, gritty tannins are spice-edged with a toasty backdrop. Tie this one to your wine list: It is knot one to miss. 94 —Meridith May, Publisher's Picks, February 2014 www.jamiesonranch.com