Behind the Cork™ - Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 Frei Brother Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)

Frei Brothers has been a part of Sonoma County for over a century. After coming to California from his native Switzerland, founder Andrew Frei first established vineyards in the Dry Creek Valley in 1890. His two sons, Walter and Louis, eventually took over and adopted the name Frei Brothers. They successfully ran the winery for over 70 years.

Frei Brothers vineyards caught the eye of Julio Gallo soon after the repeal of Prohibition. He began using the site as a vineyard source for the rapidly growing E. & J. Gallo Winery. Once Walter and Louis had both retired in the late 1970s, the Gallo family purchased Frei Ranch.

This Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma. It is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon although some technical listings suggest it is may include small amounts of Merlot and Petite Sirah. It is deep purple in color with subtle aromas of dark fruit. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has medium-high tannin (give it some time in a decanter before serving), and medium-high acidity. There are notes of blackberry and plum. It finishes lean.

The 2021 Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is widely available and very well priced for a Cabernet from Alexander Valley. That makes it a nice fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Behind the Cork™ - Foley Sonoma Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Foley Sonoma Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($55)

Foley Sonoma was founded in 2016 in Alexander Valley, part of the Sonoma Valley, CA.

Their winemaking philosophy is about pure varietal expression which produces award-winning, balanced wines rich in fruit and deep in character.

They produce 4,000 to 6,000 cases annually.

This Foley Sonoma Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is deep purple in color. On the nose it has rich aromas of blackberry, black plum, currant and oak. On the palate, this is a full-bodied wine with soft tannins and balanced acidity. It has rich, dark fruit flavors and has a long finish that is extremely soft and smooth.

This Foley Sonoma Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a gem. And, for a Alexander Valley Cab of this quality, it’s a bargain! If you love a big, rich Cab, this one’s for you. A great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Ever Wonder - Are the Wines Really Difference Between Napa and Sonoma Valley?

The wines of Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley are some of the best in California, the United States and the world. They are both in northern California and located right next to each other. So, you might ask “Is there really a difference between these two wine regions?” In a word, yes.

Napa is world famous for its wines and excels in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot just to name a few. Napa is the smaller of the two valleys, is typically more expensive and gets more traffic and congestion. Napa is located more inland than Sonoma so they don’t get the same cool ocean breezes. Some of the major AVAs in Napa Valley include, Oak Knoll District, Rutherford, St. Helena, Stags Leap District and Yountville.

Sonoma is certainly more expansive being nearly double the size of Napa. So, it’s more spread out, has more small and family-owned wineries and seems to have a more casual feeling. In general, you’ll find more reasonably priced wines in Sonoma. Sonoma grows so many grapes it’s hard to list them all, but they excel in Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Sparkling Wines. What Sonoma has that Napa does not is the ocean. The western part of Sonoma sits right along the Pacific coast which means that they get cooler ocean breezes that help in the growing of certain grapes, such as Pinot Noir. Some of the major AVAs in Sonoma are Alexander Valley, Russian River, Dry Creek, and the Sonoma Coast.

It’s really hard to compare and contrast these two amazing wine districts and their incredible wines in a couple of paragraphs. So my advice it try them both! Cheers!