2015 Ballard Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Ballard Vineyard comes from a larger vineyard on Spring Mountain (just across from Togni) that’s surrounded by redwoods. It was planted in 2001 and Andy gets all clone 337 for this wine. Its deep purple color is followed by a wild, sauvage, complex bouquet of blueberries, bay leaf, pinewood, and forest floor. It’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, yet also elegant and seamless, with a weightless texture. It has a classic old-school feel and is going to evolve gracefully. I still remember tasting with Andy Smith while I was writing The Rhône Report and I was thrilled to be able to sit down and go through all of his wines on this occasion. Stylistically, Smith makes a fresh, vibrant style of wine, yet I never find them lacking for depth and or texture. Looking at the Chardonnays, these are made in a reductive, age-worthy style and the clear majority have distinctly Burgundian profiles. These are beautiful wines that, at least to my palate, surpass the quality of the Pinot Noirs, which are slightly more variable. Nevertheless, the top Pinot Noirs are certainly up with the crème de la crème of the region. While Andy favors a tight, age-worthy style of Chardonnay, the Pinot Noirs are made in a slightly more forward style. In addition to the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, DuMOL also produces a handful of world-class Syrahs, as well as one of the top examples of Viognier coming out of California. Both the 2015s and 2016s reviewed here are terrific wines, with the 2016s showing slightly more balance and elegance, but you can’t go wrong with either vintage here.