Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/23459
the more modern era, the grand man- sion on the estate was the setting for the television soap opera Falcon Crest. Today, the 225 acres of mountainside estate vineyards stretches between 400 to 2,100 feet in elevation primarily with eastern exposure. Overall, the property represents 25 percent of the total vineyard acreage planted in the Spring Mountain District AVA. At the exclusive Spring Mountain tasting at Vineyard 7 & 8 (left to right): Kerry Davis, General Manager at Bistro Vendome in Denver, CO; Julie Defriend, Sommelier at The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton in Louisville, KY; Francois Bugue, Associate Winemaker at Cain Winery in St. Helena, CA; and Jennifer Jaco, Sommelier at Eleven Madison Park Restaurant in New York City. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties. In the vineyards, extreme farming practices are used to deal with rugged terrain, infertile soils, scarcity of water and the fact that the region is typically ten degrees cooler than the valley floor during harvest. Together, all these fac- tors limit the vigor of the vines. The end result is smaller yields that help make intensive wines with concentrated flavors and balanced ripeness. “If there’s ever a classroom to learn about what it’s like to work with extreme grape growing conditions, this is it!” says Ashley Anderson, Vineyard Manager at Cain Winery, one of the premiere producers in the appellation. Historical Region Like a rustic patchwork quilt, the 30-plus wineries and vineyards in the AVA are mainly located off winding roads with dense forest and steep sloping hillsides. However, the history of farming on the mountain goes back to the 1800s. At Spring Mountain Vineyard, for instance, the original winery and caves were built by Tiburico Parrot in 1885. In the early years, the historic estate was once three separate properties, each with its own vineyard and winery. In Other historic sites in the appellation include the Marston Family Vineyard, Keenan Vineyard, Fantesca Estate and the ruins of the Summit Winery, a pre- Prohibition winemaking co-op located on the Pride Mountain property. “Through the years, the intensive styles of estate fruit grown on the mountain have allowed many producers to make wines with a lot of personal- ity,” says Jac Cole, winemaker at Spring Mountain Vineyard. “In the 21st century, that goal is still the same— to do everything possible to capture this unique combination of power, finesse and elegance in each bottle we produce.” Five Hot 2007 Estate Reds from the Spring Mountain District Keenan 2007 Reserve Merlot, Mailbox Vineyard ($60) Dense black fruit, forest floor, caramel, allspice, smooth mouthfeel and balanced tannins. Spring Mountain Vineyard 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) Elegant and approach- able fruit-driven wine with concentrated flavors of black fruit, bittersweet chocolate, balanced tannins, and integrated oak. Marston Family Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($100) Classic mountain fruit with notes of briary blackberry, cassis, dill and dried spices, and firm tannins. Overall, a very engaging wine! Fantesca 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) Deep, intense flavors of black cherry, fresh plum, layers of spice and a long elegant finish despite being such a young wine. Newton 2007 The Puzzle Red Wine, Estate Grown ($80) Opulent Bordeaux style blend with aromas of fresh cedar and deep flavors of ripe red fruit, black cherry, dark chocolate, earth tones and chewy tannins. january–february 201 1 / the tasting panel / 105