Today is a wonderful day in my little but ever expanding wine world. Today I get to write a review on the 2011 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon. I was so excited to review this wine. I just knew that this was going to be an experience that The Desert Wine Guy (and when you drink it) would never forget and I was right. From the very opening of the wine down to the last drop in the bottle it was pure Heaven. Lets start at the bottom line. Go out right now and buy two bottles. One bottle is for tonight the other is to be put away for a few years, for a graduation or a Prom (in my case) or a wedding or for any REALLY special occasion where you want to impress someone. I promise you will not be sorry you followed this advice.
Peju http://www.peju.com/ is a winery I discovered when I made my first trip to the Napa Valley some years ago. I started by visiting the wineries on the right hand side of Highway 29 and very quickly learned the differences between a wine I liked and a wine that I didn't like. I learned what Tannins are, I learned what aging in Oak did. I learned so much at each winery. When I arrived at Peju I was already an expert (yeah o.k) on wine. I sampled their wine and new forever that that was what I wanted in a red wine. I tasted Tannins, Oak, Cherry and something else that I cannot explain.. What ever it was I never found it in any other wine including the rest of the great wines I have tasted. It is what makes Peju, Peju. Prior to my first trip to Napa Valley my exposure to wine was the “Wine Spritzer” that my mom made for pool time which was Carlo Rossi and Orange juice or Carlo Rossi and sprite. There was also the Manischewitz grape wine that my family had for the holidays while I grew up. You can probably see that I was not exposed to the upper class of wines in my younger days. After that Napa trip time went on and for what ever reason, I simply forgot about the Winery, maybe it is because it does not seem to be distributed to widely and I never run across it in stores, I don't know. That is the only reason I can think of. The other night I was at a local wine tasting located at an establishment named Khoury's in Henderson Nevada. After the actual tasting I was looking at their wine board and I noticed that they were serving a 2011 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon. Instantly I flashed back to the beautiful winery and that special taste that all the wines they made had. I immediately ordered a glass. At $10 a glass for the type of establishment it was that was somewhat pricey but I saw the name “Peju” and I had to try it in hopes I could re-live that Peju taste. The minute I tasted the wine I knew that the Peju taste was not gone, it was still there. There were only a few wines that really stood out in my tastings from that first trip to the Napa Valley and Peju happens to be one of them.
The Peju family established themselves in Napa Valley, (Rutherford) California in 1982. When they bought the land which is situated on Highway 29 and the Napa River in Rutherford California there was a 1900 era house and 60 year old vineyards. The Vineyard is operated by Anthony and Herta Peju along with their daughters Lisa and Ariana and together they comprise a large part of the Peju team. The wine I am reviewing comes from the HB Vineyard. This particular Vineyard grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot. The Vineyard has a beautiful restaurant as well as four (4) different tastings. There is the “Pejus Classic Tasting” The fee for the basic tasting which consists of four current tastings costs Twenty dollars and is put toward a purchase of thirty five dollars or more. The next tasting is the “Peju Private Tasting” which is with an appointment only and is the same as the “Peju Classic Tasting” only your group must be 8 or more people. This is followed by the “Peju Reserve Tasting” which lasts 60 minutes and is for 2-8 people and is also by reservation only. The tasting takes place in the Uluru room on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. This is a private setting along with a tasting room Ambassador who shares the story of each wine, Peju's history and wine making style. The private tasting wine is made up of limited production wines. The cost is $75 per person. To top off the tastings there is the “Peju Private Wine Tasting With Artisan Cheese.” This tasting is only on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 2:00 PM. This tasting consists of four current releases and is done in the Peju kitchen or Rutherford room. The wines are paired with crackers that are made in house and locally made Artisan cheeses. The cost is $65 per person. The winery also has art exhibits and a four level wine club.
The Peju family established themselves in Napa Valley, (Rutherford) California in 1982. When they bought the land which is situated on Highway 29 and the Napa River in Rutherford California there was a 1900 era house and 60 year old vineyards. The Vineyard is operated by Anthony and Herta Peju along with their daughters Lisa and Ariana and together they comprise a large part of the Peju team. The wine I am reviewing comes from the HB Vineyard. This particular Vineyard grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot. The Vineyard has a beautiful restaurant as well as four (4) different tastings. There is the “Pejus Classic Tasting” The fee for the basic tasting which consists of four current tastings costs Twenty dollars and is put toward a purchase of thirty five dollars or more. The next tasting is the “Peju Private Tasting” which is with an appointment only and is the same as the “Peju Classic Tasting” only your group must be 8 or more people. This is followed by the “Peju Reserve Tasting” which lasts 60 minutes and is for 2-8 people and is also by reservation only. The tasting takes place in the Uluru room on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. This is a private setting along with a tasting room Ambassador who shares the story of each wine, Peju's history and wine making style. The private tasting wine is made up of limited production wines. The cost is $75 per person. To top off the tastings there is the “Peju Private Wine Tasting With Artisan Cheese.” This tasting is only on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 2:00 PM. This tasting consists of four current releases and is done in the Peju kitchen or Rutherford room. The wines are paired with crackers that are made in house and locally made Artisan cheeses. The cost is $65 per person. The winery also has art exhibits and a four level wine club.
So...here we are finally, the review of the 2011 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon. As I stated above, Peju is one of the Vineyards that opened my eyes to just how great a wine could be. I went for a tasting at the Peju winery and instantly fell in love. I don't recall the year or the varietal but it was love at first taste. Jumping forward to this year I payed about $45 dollars for our review wine and it came home with me. It only took a week before I had the chance to do a review on it. Opening the wine released a brilliant bouquet of Black-cherry, Cocoa, Cassis, Oak & Blackberry, Liquorice. here were no flavors that were out of place or in strengths that threw off the wonderful flavor. The Tannins were delivered in such a way and in the perfect amounts while still leaving room for this wine to sit in a collection for a good amount of years still yet they were never to the point of overpowering the wine. The Cocoa which is hidden deep inside the wine only comes out just enough to let you know it is there while still making it's presence known. This wine is bright and full of excitement anticipating you drinking it. The wine finished consistent and did not fall off at the end. The taste remained strong and left you wanting more. In the glass the wine was a deep Ruby red / Plum that made you anticipate the taste which of course does not disappoint. I don't think that I have ever enjoyed a bottle of wine more than I have enjoyed this one.
In closing I have to say the I cannot say enough about this wine. This is an exceptional wine that I think will become known as a “sleeper” . The flavors in this wine were put together in such a way as to make the wine taste in your palette as if you were feeling silk with your tongue. Everything could not be more perfect in a wine, it is everything you would ever want in a Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is the reason that Cabernet Sauvignon is such a popular red wine (13 percent of wine sold). I think that this wine sells now for $50 normally but in the near future will jump in price and if you don't get at least one to put away now you will be sorry you didn't. This wine will be talked about in the future as up there with the best. The wine-maker is Sara Fowler and deserves high praise for this wine. Mrs Fowler I take my Desert Wine Guy hat off to you for a job well done.
On The Desert Wine Guy scale I am giving this wine 97 points.
In closing I have to say the I cannot say enough about this wine. This is an exceptional wine that I think will become known as a “sleeper” . The flavors in this wine were put together in such a way as to make the wine taste in your palette as if you were feeling silk with your tongue. Everything could not be more perfect in a wine, it is everything you would ever want in a Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is the reason that Cabernet Sauvignon is such a popular red wine (13 percent of wine sold). I think that this wine sells now for $50 normally but in the near future will jump in price and if you don't get at least one to put away now you will be sorry you didn't. This wine will be talked about in the future as up there with the best. The wine-maker is Sara Fowler and deserves high praise for this wine. Mrs Fowler I take my Desert Wine Guy hat off to you for a job well done.
On The Desert Wine Guy scale I am giving this wine 97 points.
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