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| The 2016 Kenwood Vineyards "Six Ridges" - Cabernet Sauvignon |
Today I was driving around town aimlessly and relaxing (yeah I tend to do that :) when I realized that I was in the same area of town where I discovered the small Liquor store that I purchased the absolutely incredible 2014 Pine Ridge Vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon (
https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2019/11/2014-pine-ridge-cabernet-sauvignon.html) at. As I stated in that particular review, finding a wine from that vineyard was just nuts as I have never seen Pine ridge Vineyards wines sold anywhere other then the winery itself and yes, that includes the big box wine & spirits stores as well. Since I was so close to the store I figured I would stop in and pick up a bottle of wine for today's review. I was originally looking for a white wine (perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc) from the Pine Ridge Vineyards but that was not to be as there were none available. After doing some wandering around the store and looking at what they had to offer on the shelves I finally decided on this particular wine which is the 2016 Kenwood Vineyards "Six Ridges" - Cabernet Sauvignon (
https://kenwoodvineyards.com/wines/six-ridges-series/cabernet-sauvignon-2016). Let's get into this review now guys by finding out a little about where this wine comes from.
The grapes for this wine are from various AVA's in California such as the Dry Creek Valley AVA which has 9,000 vineyard acres and over 70 wineries, the Russian River Valley AVA which has 15,000 vineyard acres and the Alexander Valley AVA which has 15,000 vineyard Acres & 42 wineries. There are grapes as well from the Sonoma Valley as well as the Sonoma Coast. You can see that this wine is really a hodgepodge of sorts when it comes to its origins.
Before I really get into the wine I have to make special mention of the Kenwood Vineyards website and tell you that I loved it's completeness and the overall way it was designed. The website is broken down in so many different ways and offers so much information about the winery and its different wines. The site appears to be up to date as well which is not all that common. I love the graphics used for everything and the fact that there are seven different lines of wine they create with each having its own page. These guys make so many different lines of wine including single vineyard.
So this wine cost me $20 but sells for $35 at the winery, it is also Cork sealed thankfully. The wine comes in at an unusually high Alcohol percentage of 14.8% and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The wine was racked twice prior to its aging in oak for 20 months. I think this is all pretty impressive beginnings for a (supposedly) little $20 wine.
Lets get into how the bottle of this wine attempts to sell itself. One of the ways in which a wine attempts to sell itself is by its label. Guys, I have a confession to make here, I am partial to darker wine labels in general when it comes to my red wines as it seems that I find myself being almost lured to these bottles. Look at the picture above, do you see the striking appearance the bottle has? If you study the front label you will notice that there are actually two labels on the front of the bottle and I want you to see just how clean they each are in appearance, I love it. Once again here is a bottle where the fonts/scripts used as well as their colors just make this bottle come across as if it holds a fabulous and prestigious wine inside. If you have ever heard of the term "striking" before, this is what is meant by it. Here is also a wine who's back label is impressive as well. The way the information is presented along with a drawing of a map of the area is nice. I have to also say that I am impressed at the thought and energy that went into the design of all three labels.
As I move onto the Bouquet now I want to tell you that I am getting rather big time notes of what is certainly giving the impression at least that this is going to be a rather big,bold wine. To start off with here I am picking up rather deep, smoky notes of Prune, Blackberry, Tobacco & Molasses, to a lesser extent I am getting nice oak as well. This is really a beautifully expressed Bouquet. All of the notes appear to be working together extremely well in creating a Bouquet of what appears at the moment to be a moderately black fruit/spice dominated Cabernet Sauvignon. I guess would be a good time to tell you as well that there is a good bit more then just a hint of spice that I am getting on the Nose. To me the spice note is rather deep in the Nose and while you may have to take a second to pick it up I guarantee that you will appreciate that you took that extra second to enjoy it. All of these notes are seeming to offer up the promise that there is more to come as I get to the Palate, so much more. Now, I have had a few wines in the past where their Bouquet impressed me only to end up being a wine which failed in the end, I hope this is not the case here. As I close this paragraph out, I for some reason feel strangely as if I am being lured in to reviewing a "sleeper" of a wine, a wine which has managed to have flown below the radar so to speak perhaps for reasons I will mention in the closing paragraph. I guess only time will tell.
Let's go on ahead and actually take a look at the wine now and see if it can continue on its road towards impressing me. As I sit here and stare at the wine an almost pure Blackberry darkness seems to grip me visually as the wine sits in my glass.There is perhaps a slight hint of an ever so slight lighter Black Cherry tint or hue in places yet for the most part the wines seriousness does indeed continue here as it did on the label(s) and the Nose. Guys, one final thought here and that is I have to say that I believe I am looking a fearsome red wine to say the least. As for legs there are many and they are thin and slow dripping.
As far as the wines Palate presentation goes folks, I guess I should tell you that prior to beginning this paragraph I have taken the liberty of sipping a bit on this wine. I have one very simply word to say.....WOW! Opening up the Palate is a pretty serious and effective black/Cinnamon spice which just never seems to quit and is expressed absouletly wonderfully throughout the entire tasting. This black/Cinnamon spice manages to follow along with the rest of the notes and presents itself with a uniquely rich depth of flavor, a presentation of a quality spice that you get only from the glass bottle of McCormick spices and not the plastic ones. If you have ever tasted the difference between the McCormick spices in the plastic bottle and their version in the glass bottle you will know what I am talking about as far as potency and quality goes. Following this up are the big time notes of Tobacco & Cigar Box (yes both) which both present a bit more then slight yet once again super effective bit of earthiness to the wine.
So far guys you are getting only a bit of what I am tasting, just wait. Here is your fair warning guys, this is a wine folks with as big a deep, dark presentation on the Palate as there is on the Nose, that's saying a lot. As I continue now there is an ominous Palate presence of a straight forward ripe Blackberry note here as well and I also must mention that there is the slightest hint of Brown Sugar which is presented by this fruit as well. Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, this expression of the varietal is deep with dark black fruit flavor and amazingly manages to pull the Palate in many different directions yet so effectively brings it all together into complete Palate focus as well. Folks, I have a feeling that this is a wine which is only beginning to show its power and its Palate presence. Now dear readers, this is not what I would consider an overly "chewy" wine but beware as it does present fairly big time Cassis that envelopes the Tongue to a good extent yet does not load it down to where it dominates or distracts from everything else the wine has to offer. Yes, at times this Cassis can present itself with a bit of chewiness of sorts but I like that in my reds and it doesnt overwhelm. This Cassis note brings a feeling to the Palate of a roughness or a slight coating onto the Tongue but again, no worries as it is a slight coating and againg is not overpowering nor does it attempt to lead the way or take dominance of the wine. Overall the Cassis simply presents itself for what it is and what it is is classic. As I sit back in my chair right now and think about what I have tasted so far, my mouth is feeling enveloped and certainly saturated with all of the amazing notes this wine obviously loves to present. I want to now tell you about some rather serious Blackcurrant folks. Blackcurrant in a serious red has the ability in my opinion to really create a huge sense of depth to a wine. This particular wine offers no exception as there certainly is a big, deep, rustic Blackcurrant note that is layed just straight up on your Palate. There is thankfully no sweetly bright or fruit forward notes to this wine as the wine is not meant for or designed for people who are looking for these things in their wine. If that is more your style I think there is a sale on Barefoot at Walmart for those of you who prefer that expression of a red wine.
Let me go ahead right now and talk about a note of Prune that lies in wait for you as I found it located around Mid-Palate. This note is also not presented in a strength to where it will not destroy or subdue any other notes that you are enjoying yet it certainly is present to the point of being able to be appreciated and enjoyed. This note comes along at just the right time so that the wine seamlessly maintains its wonderful Palate presentation and there is no dropout of the wines flavor nor its superiour complexity. The fruit of this Prune is ripe and juicy and manages thankfully to avoid any hint of undue sweetness which might hurt this wine and cause it to drop out of its current classification of superior crafting into the classification of being just simply an "okay" wine. I will admit that it is perhaps a tad bit to early to put my worries of overdone sweetness aside as the wine still has the potential to develop into something unwanted but if the wine keeps going like it is I will go as far as to say that I think it is headed to my cellar but we will see. Adding to all of this is a smoky oak type note that is perhaps presented with a bit less power then the other notes but still refuses to go unnoticed. This smoky oak note is just beautiful placed in the body of the wine. Being the very nature of oak it doesn't have to be strong to make an impact in a wine. If there are those out there who fear the "Oak Monster" is going to present himself in this wine, have no fears as that never even comes close to happening. While I am at it let me also let you know really quickly that there is also no ugly jamminess presented by this wine. To me jamminess in a wine just kills it and relegates the wine cwrtainly below 90 points almost automatically. Let's discuss Tannins, you know, that feeling of scraping a wine off of your Tongue. I already mentioned the Cassis and how it presents itself, I also hope I alleviated any fears that the wine is one which brings a cotton taste to the Palate. Here I talk about another note which could bring the threat of the same thing. Let's talk Tannins for a minute. As with the Cassis so it is with the Tannins. These Tannins are not what I would consider to be soft yet once again here is a note which only continues in adding a big sense of depth and big time fullness to the Mouth. These Tannins do build up a bit more onto the Tongue but still and all the wine holds its own very well here as well. The Tongue while coated just a bit is still left more then capable of tasting everything the wine throws at it. While you will feel the impact of these Tannins you will not be reaching for the Tongue to scrape it off :) Please also do not fear that the Tannins & Cassis together create a wine which might be considered or might be called "gripping" as they are not as neither overwhelm. Since I am talking about the Tongue it is a good time to talk about some Black cherry fruit. This Black cherry is ripe and incredably presents a bit of acidity as well. Overall the fruit is at a medium presentation on the Palate but the wine wouldn't be the same without it as that acidity just raises this wines overall presentation. For a second now just think about that Cinnamon note again, how do you think this Black cherry tastes with it? Yummy.
Okay folks, I think I have said more then enough. This is a big wine, a big, juicy, black fruit filled, aggressively sassy and Palate dominating, Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a Cab that is Old School and was created for those who know what the varietal is supposed to taste like when done correctly. This is a Cab that I would expect to pay a lot more for and come from the Rutherford AVA, it is that good. I for one do not consider this wine to be smooth in any way as it is all about being in your face. As I stated earlier, the wine cost me $20 but I'll go as far as to say that for even $100 it is literally a freaking steal. I am not really sure how or why this winery sells this wine for such an inexpensive price but I am also not going to argue about it either. The wine acts as if it has some sort of a pedigree of some kind that it has to live up to and it offers up no apologies or excuses for what it is. As I close this review out I have to say to you guys that I am shocked we have not heard anything about this wine in the so called "professional" wine reviewers. How could a wine as worthy as this stay undiscovered? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that there is no mention of the "Napa Valley" in the wines description. Perhaps it is because the winemaker isn't as well known in the industry or perhaps it's because the winery refused to pay enough money in order to be pushed or talked about in wine magazines, I don't know.
While what I just said might be perceived by some as controversial but I say it simply is what it is. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for this wine not to be recognized for what it is and what it is is a truly great wine. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 94 points folks. I think that you absolutely must buy a bottle and try it as for me I am adding two bottles to the cellar to age.
The Desert Wine Guy
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