Behind the Cork™ - Sobon Estate Barbera

2020 Sobon Estate Amador County Barbera ($17)

Shenandoah Vineyards in Plymouth, CA, was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. They moved from Los Altos, California, where Leon was a Senior Scientist with the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon's gift for home winemaking led him to leave Lockheed and begin a new career as a Winemaker.

The selection of a winery site in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County was well researched. Leon and Shirley and their six children moved to the old Steiner Ranch, outside Plymouth, CA, planted a vineyard, and converted the old stone garage to the Shenandoah Vineyards winery.

This Sobon Barbera from Amador County is one of the best! It is deep purple in color with aromas of black fruit and herbs. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has bright fruit flavors of blueberry, boysenberry and cherries. The tannins on this Barbera are moderate and the acidity is high - a classic Barbera trait (TA: 6.2 g/L).

Sobon Estate Amador County Barbera is an excellent wine at a fantastic price. And, widely available too! A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carmenere

Carménère 🍷

Carmenere grapes grown at Equinox Vineyard, Olanesti, Moldova (Wikimedia Commons)

The name Carménère (kar-men-nair) comes from the French word carmin (meaning crimson). Unlike many grapes whose leaves turn yellow or brown, Carménère leaves turn a brilliant, fiery red in the fall, long before the grapes are even ready to harvest.

Carménère was one of the six original red Bordeaux grapes.

Known for its deep crimson color, it was historically used to add color and structure to Bordeaux blends. Then, it was nearly wiped out by the 19th-century phylloxera epidemic. It was thought to be extinct until it was discovered thriving in Chile in 1994 - it had been mistaken there for Merlot!

Today, three-quarters of the world’s Carménère production continues to be from Chile where it is considered to be their signature wine.

Wines made from Carménère grapes exhibit notes including red cherry, blackberry, black pepper and green bell pepper/herbaceous notes. With oak aging, the wines will develop notes of cocoa powder, tobacco and leather.

Carménère can be aged for 5-15 years. It should be decanted for 30 minutes before serving in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F.

Behind the Cork™ - Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99)

When Chateau Ste. Michelle was founded in 1967, many believed great wine could only come from Italy or California. Their founders set out to prove otherwise—and in doing so, established Washington’s first premium winery.

From the beginning, Chateau Ste. Michelle helped put Washington State on the global map through terroir-driven winemaking, innovation, and award-winning craftsmanship.

Today, it remains the most iconic winery in Washington and a leader in shaping the future of American wine.

This 2021 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Syrah that was aged for approximately 19 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels.

This Cabernet is deep purple in color with subtle aromas of black fruit and herbs. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of black cherry, black berry and plum jam. It has medium tannins and acidity (ABV=14.5%). It finishes with some herbal and peppery notes.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon is a nice one that’s affordable and widely available. A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carignan

Carignan 🍷

Carignan (care-in-yen), also known as Carineña or Mazuelo, is a black-skinned wine grape variety, most likely native to Aragon, Spain.

It is largely grown in France with smaller production in Spain, Italy and the U.S.

The vine of this grape is known for having exceptionally tough, woody stems. This makes mechanical harvesting nearly impossible because the grape clusters won't easily detach from the vine. So, most high-quality Carignan is still being harvested by hand.

The Carignan grape is known for producing wines that are high in color, tannin and acid.

Carignan has moved from being used in mass-market "jug" wines in the U.S. to being recognized for its potential to produce nice medium-bodied wines.

Wines made from Carignan have tasting notes include cranberry, raspberry, and black fruit.

Because Carignan can have naturally high tannins, many winemakers use carbonic maceration—the same technique used for producing Beaujolais Nouveau. This process ferments the whole grape from the inside out, often giving the wine surprising aromas of bubblegum, banana, or cotton candy!

Carignan should be served in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F after decanting for 30 minutes.

It can be aged 5 to 10 years but is often best when served young.

Behind the Cork™ - Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon

2023 Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.99)

Bezel is a new wine adventure from the famed Cakebread Family of wines.

Since 1973, they have made wine in Napa Valley at Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, California. But with Bezel, they are breaking out of Napa to find the hidden gems of California wine country in the Central Coast.

In this case, the Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon is from Paso Robles. It was produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It spent 14 months in French oak.

Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon is deep purple in color with aromas of black cherry and plum with a bit of spiciness. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has nice flavors of red and black fruit with distinct boysenberry notes. The tannins and acidity are balanced and it finishes with just a hint of tartness. (wine was decanted for ~1 hour before tasting)

Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon is part of the great Cakebread family of wines. It tastes great, is very affordable and widely available. A perfect fit for the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Bezel Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits