Saturday March 16th, 2013
Featuring 1992 Laurel Glen Cabernet!
Laurel Glen Owner Bettina Sichel will be on hand to sign bottles
STORE TASTING TIMES:
LAKE NORMAN - 1pm-3pm (Bettina will be at this location)
BLAKENEY - 1pm-3pm
SOUTHPARK - 4pm-6pm (Bettina will be at this location)
FEATURING:
1992 Laurel Glen Estate Cabernet (available for sale!)
2006 Laurel Glen Estate Cabernet
2009 Laurel Glen Estate Cabernet
2009 Laurel Glen Counterpoint Cabernet
Wine is subjective; that should be obvious. I know, I know, most of us were told otherwise. We were told that wine quality was quantifiable: a 99 point wine is better than a 93 point wine, right? Well, that depends upon who is tasting it. Without naming names, certain critics (like, say, Parker) like really big, tannic and alcoholic wines and I don’t. So when said critic gives out a 98 point rating and praises it for its intensity, I often assume that I won’t like it as much as the 93 point wine he likes but finds too subtle. His subtle is my elegant; his intense might well be my out of balance. Nobody’s right; nobody’s wrong, but we disagree because wine is subjective.
So, if you value most a wine’s intensity, you may not love the wines I love. If, however, you think California Cabernet is most exciting when it combines the state’s lush fruit with grace, balance and even mineral notes, you might already be a fan of Laurel Glen Cabernets, grown in a remarkable place called Sonoma Mountain. The elevation, angle and aspect are such that Laurel Glen’s vineyard sees more hours of sunshine than most, but less direct heat and baking sun than other comparable spots amongst California’s favored Cabernet vineyards.
Am I justified in saying this? Like I say, it’s subjective so how could I provide you any objective evidence? Well, there is this: when we talk about balance versus intensity, we often hold up longevity and complexity as the hallmarks of such wine. Many of the best known blockbuster Cabernets seem to me less interesting a decade or two later; those with that ill-defined balance gain in character. Or so I think.
We’re offering you a chance to test all this. Bettina Sichel, owner and manager of Laurel Glen Vineyards, is coming to town to pour some Laurel Glen wines. You’ll taste the 2009 Laurel Glen (an unquestionably delightful vintage), as well as the 2009 Counterpoint, her second label blend of delicious Bordeaux varieties. The 2006 Laurel Glen will be available too; you’ll see what a few years in bottle does to Laurel Glen (maybe a bit less overtly fruity, but still youthful). But the coup de grace is that she is also bringing along some bottles of 1992 Laurel Glen to taste and to sell. Twenty-one years is a long time for any wine from any wine region. But for Laurel Glen it’s an opportunity to see what balance means and how longevity reveals the wine’s greater personality. It’s not merely older and toned down; it has taken on something other than simple fruit.
We’re lucky that Bettina is willing to come to Charlotte and pour her wines at winestore. this Saturday; we’re even happier that she has chosen to plunder her own cellar and bring us bottles of 1992. But Bettina is a real gem in the wine industry: she’s from one of the most prestigious families in winedom. Her family owns major estates in Bordeaux and Germany; her father is a legend in the wine business. She is the past general manager for Napa great Quintessa; indeed, she deserves the credit for establishing the brand at the top of the market.
But again, it’s subjective. You are the one who gets to decide the excellence of these wines. We think you’ll agree with us once you taste them.
Happy Tasting and we will see you Saturday!!
Doug Frost, MS MW
Master Sommelier & Master of Wine
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