The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2015

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DEPARTMENT HEADER DEPARTMENT HEADER DEPARTMENT HEADER Also, Kenwood is introducing a new line of wines called Six Ridges, which are essentially their reserve tier wines. Six Ridges is entirely appellation driven, focused on wines made within the ridges of the Mayacamas that stack themselves all the way to the Pacific. "We have this very warm interior," explains Henderson motioning west toward the Pacific, "and this very cool coast, and each appellation—the terroir of that appellation—is defined by its distance from the ocean and the geologi- cal faults that make up of the ridges." Along with Henderson, I tasted through several of the new offerings. The Six Ridges 2014 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, sourced from three vineyards is 100% barrel-fermented and aged sur lie with bâton- nage—it's a lovely wine with rich citrus and lemon curd flavors, and a spicy quality followed up with a toasty and toffee-like finish. Of the reds, we sampled the Six Ridges 2013 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, which boasted juicy, bright red strawberry fruit, sour cherries, tobacco and violets; the Six Ridges 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley was silky smooth, packed with dark berry fruit, mocha, black olives and tobacco spice. And a visit to Kenwood wouldn't be complete without tasting through the winery's iconic Jack London Vineyard series wines. Henderson is a Jack London expert who can divulge lengthy stories of the noted novelist, but the gist is this: London fell in love with Sonoma Valley and began buying land in western Sonoma—ranches that abut Sonoma Mountain. The land was cheap because it was over-farmed, but London nursed the fields back to life through sustain- able agricultural practices. When, at age 40, he died an untimely death, the ranch went to his sister. Milo Shepard, a relative who was managing the ranch when London passed, looked beyond cattle ranching to vineyards and planted some Cabernet. In 1976, the first fruit from that vineyard went to Chateau St. Jean and Kenwood Vineyards. Today, the terraced hills of the Jack London Vineyard are planted to Zinfandel, Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah, and Kenwood has an exclusive contract to purchase all the fruit. We tasted the 2012 Jack London Vineyard Zinfandel, which wafted of violets and rose petal and boasted plush, red and dark berry fruit, earthy notes and a touch of cocoa on the finish. The 2012 Jack London Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offered refined and delicate black cherry fruit, earthiness and a touch of mint—likely a result of the multitude of eucalyptus trees that London had planted throughout the ranch and which surround the vineyard, which itself is contained within Jack London State Historic Park. Pat Henderson's devotion to small-lot winemaking techniques is so focused, it borders on obsessive, result- ing in the production of wines of impeccable quality. It is evident that great years are indeed ahead for Kenwood Vineyards—and for buyers who look to Kenwood to continue bearing the Sonoma County torch. december 2015  /  the tasting panel  /  91

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