Cain Portfolio Tasting
- Posted on
- By Jeremiah Flores
- Posted in events, tastings, wine, winetasting
Join us for a Cain Portfolio Tasting at The Wine Wave.
We. Are. Back. ...and if you are getting this e-mail...you're back too - you either have power, and/or your cable / internet provider is giving off a wifi connection to be proud of.
So we have some catching-up to do.
All is well... that ends well, and this past Friday night, we had great 20 year retrospective into our 1997 (blind) California red, vintage tasting. While each person cumulatively drank over a bottle of wine, we uncovered some surprise hits, snuck in two Merlots (Chalk Hill & Newton Unfiltered Vineyards), found a winery (that will remain unmentioned) that did not live up to it's reputation, and we had a consensus number #1 wine of the night, Araujo 1997 Eisele Vineyard, surprisingly the most expensive wine of the night, also ended up being the best.
Now the focus is on this Thursday, September 28th at 7pm as a "last minute" opportunity has opened up for us to showcase another beautiful wine and vineyard from Napa's Spring Mountain District, and it will be led by our guest speaker Susan Johnston from Cain Winery. A winery specializing in three distinct Cabernet Sauvignon blends, with a winemaker who trained a Mouton Rothschild, planted the Les Pavots vines at Peter Micheal, and worked with Helen Turley and John Welaufer.
"Christopher Howell deserves more recognition for the amazing consistency, longevity and sophistication that his wines from striking Spring Mountain site routinely achieve, as anyone with Cain bottlings in their cellar from the 1980s and 1990s can attest."
William Kelley, "Californian Cabernet 2013: Top five wines of the vintage"
Decanter.com, October 2016
Founded in 1980 by Jerry and Joyce Cain, CAIN vineyard sits on a 550 acre ranch, with 90 acres planted on Spring Mountain. Case production stays at 20,000 and is now currently owned by Jim and Nancy Meadlock. Cain Cuvée being the introductory wine, kinda came about by accident...
"Is it more drinkable because its half-Merlot?"
You see it's not uncommon in Bordeaux to blend vintages, but after the cool and wet 1998 Napa vintage, winemaker Chris Howell wasn't thrilled and after consulting with some counterparts in France, took a very highly-acclaimed, and in some circles, polarizing vintage - the 1997, and blended it with the Cain 1998. Hence the CAIN Cuvée NV. NV = non-vintage (OPUS does MV = muli-vintage, more on that and them next month). The benefits of blending vintages can work similarly to blending varieties. A wine with layers of complexity, wrapped around a balanced and flowing core. The blending of vintages (most commonly found in Champagne) still ensures the wine is unique, as no two vintages are ever identical. Leading to more complexity, and interesting results.
Did You Know?:
Winemaker Christopher Howell embraces the presence of brettanomyces? Commonly referred to as Brett, when grown in wine, it can produce several compounds that can alter the palate and bouquet of a wine. At low levels, this can help add complexity to young wine, and enhancing a aged-effect. It's a distinctive character that when too pronounced comes across as metallic, or incorrectly described as a cork taint. Both considered faults in wine, and causing a spoilage effect. More on that this Thursday.
Tons to learn, plenty to drink so join us a we taste (and smell) the differences of five vintages from Cain Winery with wine ambassador Susan Johnston this Thursday, September 28th, in the Loft at 7pm. Limited to (15) people, and pre-paid RSVP is required for $50 per person - as always, the tasting fee is applied to purchase of any wines tasted. We'll open up a wine from the library, and a large format magnum.
Lineup:
- Cain NV 2012 Cuvée | $35.99
- Cain Five 2013 | $124.99
- Cain Five 2006, Library Selection | $139.99
- Cain Concept, 2008 The Benchland, Library Selection | $99.99
- Cain Concept 2010 The Benchland, 1.5L | $169.99
Gourmet Pairings of:
- Italian Caprese Bamboo Skewer
- Styled-Up Meatballs
- Creamed Spinach Baked Stuffed Mushrooms
- Fried Truffle Mac n'Cheese Balls
