June 2007 Wine Tasting Notes.
2001 Jekel Sanctuary Red Table Wine, Arroyo Seco.
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This wine is a deep, smoky garnet color. The nose, a bit heady at first, offers light intensity aromas of blackberries, coffee, graphite and tobacco. Notes of caramel and a floral hint give it soft, round edges. In the mouth, light blackberry and coffee are accented by anise notes. Very fine tannins, appropriate acidity and tempered alcohol make for a full bodied and smooth wine. A medium length finish of plum ends dry and a bit astringent. |
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14.5% Alcohol $30.00 Retail (from winery); 1,470 cases produced |
Decanting is a must with this wine. It is tight and subtle but will come out of its shell with a little time. With its sleek lines, it offers an intriguing subtlety and an even tempo from start to finish. Pair with lightly seasoned grilled red meats over the next 5 -8 years. BOTTOM LINE: Very good. Highly recommended. |
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| Supplemental/Repeat tasting: None. | ||
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Production | Grapes | Producer | Vineyard | Vintage
Composition: 59% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2%, Petite verdot from the Sanctuary Vineyard. Aged for an unspecified time in 100% French Oak, 62% new. Other production methods unspecified.
Merlot has a flavor profile similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, with less distinctive and slightly more herbaceous aromas and flavors. Because of its lower tannins and more forward fruit, it is more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon. It is beloved by many for its approachability and is a dominant part of California and Bordeaux-style red wines. (read more)
Often called the "King of wines" and one of the 'big five' of Bordeaux reds, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted among the five and, with over 40,000 acres planted in the state, it is the most successful red wine in California. With its reputation for longevity and aging, California winemakers began to take example from their Bordeaux counterparts and blend it with other varietals. Soon, the Meritage Association was formed to foster this movement. It usually usually shows black currant, blackberry and black cherry flavors backed by cedar characteristics. (read more)
Petit verdot is a lesser known member of Bordeaux’s five noble black varieties. It has long been used as a supportive player in Bordeaux and Meritage red blends. Petit verdot’s contribution to red blends is its tannin structure. It typically constitutes anywhere from 1% to 5% of a blend, although on occasion, it can make for up to 10%. On its own, it is deeply colored – often purple - with high extract of floral and spice aromatics and bold alcohol levels. This is when the grapes are able to fully mature. The beauty of Petit verdot lies in its evolution. In youth, it exhibits aromas that resemble pencil shavings. Some writers also describe a banana-like scent. Violet and leathery aromas evolve with age. Spice and firm tannins are also definitive of this variety. (read more)
Bill Jekel founded his eponymous winery in 1972. The winery is located near Greenfield, in the Arroyo Seco AVA. He released his first wines from the 1978 vintage. The winery and its vineyards were acquired by Brown-Forman who then closed the winery in 2005, moving red wine production to a larger, company-owned Paso Robles facility and white wine vinification to Hopland (at the Fetzer facility - also owned by Brown-Forman). As is the case with such large acquisitions, the winery was sold in 2006 as were the vineyards providing the fruit for Jekel wines. The plan, currently, is to continue sourcing Monterey fruit after the current arrangements for fruit from Gravelstone and Sanctuary Vineyards run out. New vineyard sources have not yet been identified.
The Sanctuary Vineyard is a 187-acre property with 122 acres under vine in the southeastern corner of the Arroyo Seco AVA - near base of the “tail” of the AVA which follows the Arroyo Seco River into the Santa Lucia Mountains. At this place in the AVA, the Arroyo Seco riverbed is deepest, and the palisades framing it protect the Sanctuary estate from the winds of Salinas Valley. In 1984 Bill Jekel began to develop the property to Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet franc, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Petite verdot. The soils here are coarse, gravelly and very well draining. Combined with limited fertility, the soil of this site is conducive to producing concentrated and complex wine grapes. Brown-Forman sold the vineyard along with the other Jekel Vineyard holdings in 2006.
The 2001 year was a warm, generally dry and sunny year with nearly ideal growing conditions across the Central Coast. Through a combination of some weather variation and specific irrigation management techniques, the wine grapes of 2001 were smaller with a higher skin to pulp ratio. The resulting wines have more color, and intensified flavors. Cabernet grapes were reported the big winners in 2001: rich, deep in color and well balanced. Read More
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Tannins |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Acidity |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Aging potential |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
9 points |
(10 points max) |
Cumulative Score: 92
Rating System & Scoring Criteria explained
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