2007 Madrona Ranch

A huge, imposing wine, Abreu’s 2007 Madrona Ranch still needs time to shed some of its massive tannins. Bold, ripe and explosive, the 2007 possesses superb depth, not to mention tons of unbridled power. A rush of red stone fruit, rose petal, smoke, licorice and plum, all buffered by beams of tannin, hit the palate in this potent Napa Valley wine. Hints of sage, underbrush and sweet tobacco round out the wine’s multifaceted bouquet. With air, the 2007 can be enjoyed now, but it will drink well for another 15+ years. Production was just four barrels. This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 6% Merlot.

The 2007 Madrona Ranch is a compelling, creamy-styled red offering an assortment of aromas, including white chocolate, graphite, forest floor, blackberries, cassis and blueberries. Pure, multilayered and super-rich, without any harshness or astringency, this is one of those wines that can be drunk young or laid away for 25+ years. ||David Abreu’s reputation was established as the superstar viticulturist for most of the rich and famous Napa Valley proprietors, but my familiarity with him derives from the extraordinary wines he produces. Today he has four remarkable parcels, three of which are of first-growth quality. From a total of 70 acres, Abreu continues to sell much of the fruit from these vineyards to other wineries. The four vineyards include two St. Helena sites, the Cappella (6 acres) and the Madrona Ranch, which is situated on the lowest slopes of Spring Mountain. He also owns an 18 acre parcel high on Howell Mountain and a large tract of land he co-owns with Ric Forman known as the Thorevilos Vineyard, which is in the eastern hills of Napa Valley. Over the last five or six years, Abreu’s wines, which all spend about 24 months in French oak, have seen increasing amounts of Cabernet Franc added to the blend. He essentially uses only Bordeaux varietals, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot. The only problem with these extraordinary efforts is their limited availability. Production remains less than 500 cases for each of the four selections, but they are about as good as it gets for Bordeaux varietals in Napa ... or anywhere else in the world. The blend for the Cappella cuvee tends to run about 60-70% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest percentage of this varietal in any of these Abreu wines) and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Petit Verdot. The Madrona Ranch offering is generally a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, a very high percentage (35-40%) of Cabernet Franc and small quantities of Petit Verdot and Merlot. I am increasingly impressed with Abreu’s Howell Mountain Proprietary Red wine. The blend tends to be about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, 20-25% Cabernet Franc and 10-15% Merlot and Petit Verdot. A completely different animal than the Cappella or Madrona Ranch (which both come from lower elevation vineyards), this cuvee reveals extraordinary notes of crushed rocks and a liqueur of minerals in a steely, full-bodied, powerful style that possesses both intensity and finesse. Becoming one of the top half dozen or so vineyards in all of Napa Valley is Thorevilos. The blend for this cuvee is generally an intriguing combination of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35-40% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot with just a tiny dollop of Merlot. One thing that stands out about Abreu’s 2009s is how precocious and evolved they are without sacrificing their power, richness and purity.||Fax (707) 963-5104 Wine Advocate.December, 2010