October 2006 Wine Tasting Notes:
2002 Lucas & Lewellen Cabernet Sauvignon, Valley View Vineyard, Santa Barbara County.
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Dark, inky red color with a plum edge. A multilayered nose of plum, cassis, cherry with notable spice (clove, nutmeg and hint of bay leaf) and subtle floral notes of violet and rose. Bright and deep currant and plum flavors with light oak and hard spice notes make up the full, round palate. Plum and blackberry dominate the strong finish which ends with a rosy and oak note. Velvety tannins, soft but appropriate acids and measured alcohol levels bear the hallmark of wine maker Daniel Gehrs. This wine will drink well for the next 5 to 10 years or so as it mellows and evolves. |
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RWB Score: 95 breakdown 13.7% Alcohol $25.00 Retail (from winery); 976 cases produced |
Very balanced and fruit dominant Bordeaux-style blend with spice edges. This gracefully structured, very drinkable wine is evocative of St. Emilion reds. The rich fruit, spice edge and easy oak spill broadly on the nose and palate and will appeal to lovers of bold, fruity wines. Elegant and well-proportioned robust body. Rich but not explosively brash, this wine will also be appreciated by enthusiasts of Old World styled wines. |
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Detail
Composition: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 5% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec - Los Alamos Vineyard and Valley View Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley. Aged 14 months in French oak (20% new barrels).
The lower elevation of the south-facing Valley View Vineyard is known for for producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. The hilltop portion of the vineyard produces excellent Cabernet Franc and Syrah. In addition, small quantities of Petit Verdot and Malbec are grown in Valley View. The Los Alamos Valley Vineyard is over a mile long, and runs along Highway 101 south of Los Alamos. This vineyard is planted with Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian varieties. Some of the vines, originating from cuttings brought over from Europe, are 25 over years old. The fruit from this vineyards is highly sought-after by many winemakers. Rightfully so as this wine also received a Double Gold Medal at the 2006 Santa Barbara County Wine Competition.
The varietals composing this wine are "The Big Five" red Bordeaux grapes. The two Cabernets, which do well as single varietal wines can be very similar: Cabernet Sauvignon shows black currant, blackberry and black cherry flavors and Cabernet Franc expresses raspberry, cherry, plum, strawberry, and floral notes of violet as well as spice. Both can take on herbal and bell pepper, asparagus and olive characteristics. Of the two, Cabernet Sauvignon is more tannic, longer lived and less approachable in youth. Malbec, now a minor player (both in Bordeaux and California), is plumy, with flavors of currant and cherry. Deep in color, low in acid and tannic, it is primarily a blending varietal giving a blend a more complex structure. Merlot gained popularity in the US in the 1980s and is a big part of Bordeaux blends. Fruity, if less distinctive than Cabernet Sauvignon, with dominant plum, spices and caramel, it softens Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wines. Historically, Petite Verdot has been used as a minor component of Bordeaux blends. It is typically a rich purple color with firm tannins and adds an exotic floral and spicy element to wines.
The 2002 year was characterized by a long and dry growing season with mild temperatures that gave the fruit extended time to develop complexity and depth. In addition, minimal heat peaks allowed the grapes to develop high acid levels. With skilled vineyard management of Louis Lucas (who employs trellising systems designed to give maximal yield of high quality fruit from the vines) and wine making expertise of Daniel Gehrs the grapes from this vintage come into their full potential in this wine.
Louis Lucas is a key figure in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County viticulture as one of the area's first commercial wine grape growers. Coming from a grape growing family in the Bakersfield area, he came to Santa Barbara County in 1970 when he formed Tepusquet Vineyards with his brother George and partner Alfred Gagnon. Through a passionate pursuit of knowledge he broke many long accepted rues of viticulture and defined many new ones for the Central Coast. Royce Lewellen, a retired judge joined forces in 1996 and Lucas & Lewellen have been making wines together since. Their wines sourced from their 30+ year-old vines wines have been winning awards for a long time, most notably the 2006 Santa Barbara County Commercial Wine Competition where this wine earned a double gold medal. Their vineyards are located in Santa Maria, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys.
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5 points |
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Nose |
5 points |
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Palate |
4 points |
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Finish |
4 points |
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Tannins |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
3 points |
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Overall quality |
9 points |
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