Wednesday, January 17, 2007

WINE OF THE WEEK

Hess 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Allomi ($27; Napa Valley)

Aroma Fragrant cherry and toast, with a hint of mint.

Taste Complex and approachable, with big, hearty plum and black currant flavors and notes of smoky oak, minerals and cherry compote.

Grapes89 percent cabernet sauvignon, 5 percent petit verdot, 3 percent merlot, 3 percent malbec.

What's Special About It Has the structure, complexity and aging ability to stand up to cabs costing two or three times as much.

Serve With Charcuterie, roast lamb, a double-cut porterhouse steak or chocolate desserts.

How It's Made Hand-picked grapes arrive at the winery in the cool early morning. Fermentation on the skins (to extract color and flavor) lasts approximately 26 days. Malolactic fermentation (a secondary process that softens and smooths the wine) is completed in the barrel to better integrate the oak and is followed by 18 months of aging in French and American oak barrels, 40 percent of them new.

Winery The pre-Prohibition winery is on the slopes of Mount Veeder in the Mayacamas mountain range. In addition to the winemaking facilities, the property showcases owner Donald Hess's collection of modern and contemporary paintings and sculpture.

On the Label"Estate Grown" means that all the grapes come from vineyards owned by the winery. Although the Allomi vineyard has been the backbone of the Hess Estate Napa Valley cabernets since 2002, this was the first year it was specified on the label.

Geography The winery makes its flagship wines from its Mount Veeder vineyards near the winery; the Allomi vineyard is on the other side of Napa, in Pope Valley, where land is cheaper. Allomi is 800 to 1,000 feet above sea level, with a southwest exposure on an alluvial sedimentary soil, which fosters concentrated flavors. The area is quite warm during the day but cools down quickly after sunset, which promotes even ripening.

Vintage Note Though not quite the equal of the 2004, the 2003 Hess Cabernet Sauvignon "Napa Valley" is also top-notch and costs only about $19.

Historical Sip The name is derived from Rancho Locoallomi, the original Mexican land grant for the area of the vineyard.

Where To Get It According to distributor Washington Wholesale, this wine is carried by Calvert Woodley, Circle Liquors, Pearson's Wine & Spirits, S & R Liquors, Total Wine & More, the Wine Specialist and World Market.