Blacksmith

To many, Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley conjures up rolling vineyards of gnarled, head-pruned Zinfandel. But it’s not a secret that the region produces standout Cabernet Sauvignon, too. Because the Dry Creek Valley is cooler than the Alexander Valley, but less foggy than the Russian River Valley, the Cabernet wines tend toward a refined and elegant style, with Bordeaux-like structure, body and savory complexity. This blend of 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot was sourced from a single vineyard planted on the east side of Dry Creek Valley, where rocky hillsides with thin soils contribute to small berry size and great fruit concentration. A lively nose of high-toned blackberry, violets and lavender opens up to generous flavors of red and blue fruits, olives, crème de cassis and cocoa. Try this juicy wine with grilled meats or veggies, pork tenderloin, or aged cheeses. 

For centuries, “claret” referred to red Bordeaux wine sold in Britain. For Matt Smith, C.L.R.T. is a Bordeaux-styled Napa Valley wine; that is, a Cabernet blended with a hefty amount of Merlot and a bit of Cab Franc. But for us, Matt Smith’s C.L.R.T. is a pleasure delivery mechanism that delights with layers of deep black cherry, blackberry cassis, dark chocolate and vanilla notes, cinnamon, and spice. And the best part is that this Napa Valley Cabernet won’t cost an arm and a leg. Enjoy now or cellar for a decade or more.

Midway up the Napa Valley, just below St. Helena, the valley opens up to its widest point, and a carpet of vineyards stretches from the Mayacamas range to the Vacas. This is the Rutherford AVA, named for an unremarkable outpost along the highway but home to historic wineries such as Inglenook and Beaulieu, whose Georges de Latour Cabernet may have been Napa’s first cult wine. What wineries have and do find remarkable are the excellent climate and soils of the region, the famed “Rutherford Dust,” well-draining soil, rich in gravel, loam, sand, volcanic deposits, and marine sediments that is believed to contribute to the character of the wines produced here. Blacksmith Rutherford Reserve Cabernet offers concentrated plum and black cherry aromas with refreshing notes of cedar. The rich, fruity palate is given complexity with notes of bay leaves and herbs. It is well-balanced with bright, charming acidity and silky tannins.

Sometimes considered a valley within a valley, the Stags Leap District lies east of Yountville, between the Napa River and a rock formation known as the Stags Leap Palisades. Legend has it that a stag being pursued by Wappo tribal hunters escaped by leaping across the rocky escarpment. Speaking of legends, it was a district Cabernet that took first place in the red wine category at the infamous Judgement of Paris tasting in 1976. The climate here is one of hot summer afternoons that are tempered by cool winds blowing up from San Pablo Bay to the south. But the real secret to the elegance of Stags Leap wines lies in the unique soils, a mix of volcanic deposits, sandstone, shale, and gravelly loam. These soils offer excellent drainage, resulting in low-vigor vines that produce intense and flavorful fruit. This Stags Leap Cab has a richer red fruit profile than the Oakville and Rutherford offerings, with alluring notes of violets and roses that caper with flavors of berries, black tea, and plum.