©2007, The Birmingham Post
If Zinfandel is California's signature grape, then Cabernet Sauvignon is the Napa Valley icon. Its position was confirmed in 1976, when a 3 year old Cabernet, a Stag's Leap 1973, triumphed at the much-heralded "Judgement of Paris", beating four top-quality Bordeaux.
It represented a seismic shift in the wine world, not just by elevating California's winemaking status, but by breaking the mould that great wine could only come from "classic" regions, with a history and heritage. Wine critics and producers began to evaluate what constituted fine wine, and the ramifications opened the door to the globalisation so prevalent today.
The winemaker and owner of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Warren Winiarski, was an erstwhile lecturer at the University of Chicago, specialising in liberal arts and moved to California with his family in 1964, in search of a simpler life. From Polish origins, his name translates as "son of a wine-maker".
Winiarski had discovered wine a decade earlier on a visit to Naples. He was enthralled by the Mediterranean lifestyle revolving around food and wine, and resolved, on day, to own his own winery.
His apprenticeship began at Souverain Cellars, and later developed an estate at Howell Mountain. Whilst waiting for the vines to mature, he took a second position as winemaker with Robert Mondavi, where he learnt wine-making on a grander scale.
After departing Mondavi, Winiarski realised that the Howell Mountain estate needed heavy investment, as it lacked a water supply and access roads. The property was subsequently sold and, while continuing to act as a consultant, he was actively searching for his perfect site.
In 1969, Winiarski visited Nathan Fay, a grower from the southern part of the Napa on the Silverado trail. On tasting a sample of Fay's Cabernet, he knew "this is it!". Here, the wine took on a classic regional character, with complex flavours and a persistent finish.
By chance, an adjacent ranch to the south was for sale, and using his savings and inviting shares from investors, Winiarski purchased and developed the estate. The names Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Stag's Leap Vineyard were immediately registered, and the vineyard planted from scratch in 1970, with Cabernet and a proportion of Merlot.
From the outset, Winiarski was not interested in producing blockbusters, but wines with balance and moderation. It obviously impressed Steven Spurrier, as the Stag's Leap 1973 was chosen, amongst others, to represent California in the infamous "Judgment of Paris". It won first place and, reacting to the news, Winiarski stated, "we were struck by lightning".
In May 2006, the reprise of the Judgement took place simultaneously in London and Napa, 30 years after the original event. On this occasion, the honours went to a Ridge Monte Bello 1971.
The winery is located in the Santa Cruz mountains, to the south of San Francisco, and was purchased by four scientists from the Stanford Research Institute. It was originally intended as a weekend and holiday retreat, but the estate included an old vineyard and the families enjoyed picking the grapes and making some wine.
One member, David Bennion, sensed that their Cabernet Sauvignon from the Monte Bello vineyard could make a serious wine. In the event, the group decided to go into the wine business with Bennion at the helm.
Old-vine Cabernet was rare, so whilst replanting the vineyards and waiting for the vines to mature, they bought in Zinfandel grapes, first from their neighbours and then further afield. By 1968, Ridge was producing around 2300 cases a year and Bennion had left his post at Stanford. Realising he required a more dynamic winemaker to take the winery to the next level, he recruited Paul Draper.
Draper's philosophy from the outset was to allow the vineyard to express itself and, whilst not articulating the French term "terroir", set about producing different wines from specific locations. By offering single vineyard wines, the ambition and profile of Ridge was raised.
Ridge was one of the first wineries to take Zinfandel seriously, keeping yields low and vinifying in the Bordeaux manner, with extended barrel-ageing. Meanwhile, the apex remained Monte Bello from Cabernet.
At first, it was regarded as a big, formidable wine, but whilst many Californian Cabernets have become heavier and more alcoholic, Monte Bello has remained constant, around 13.5% abv, with firm tannins designed for ageing.
The secret is the terroir: first, the altitude gives cool nights, keeping grapes fresh and acidity high; second, the poor soils restrict yields. When first released, Monte Bello was all Cabernet, but today it can contain up to 30% Merlot and Petit Verdot, dependent on the harvest.
At the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter in London last November, Winiarski and Draper were pouring their wines. On the Stag's Leap stand, an elegant Artemis Cabernet 2004 had cassis and cedar, enriched with cream and nuts, and the highly- prized Fay Cabernet 2003, with its sweet cedar fruit, was close to perfection.
The picture with Ridge was equally positive. In a comparison of two "terroir" Zinfandels, the first, Lytton Springs 2004, had mineral and menthol bramble fruit, and the second a Geyserville 2003, was fuller with more pronounced oak.
The Santa Cruz Cabernet 2003 had fresh and minty cassis, but the Monte Bello moved up a gear. The 1995 had coconut and toast, whereas the 1999 was firmer-structured with marked vanilla and toast. The perfectly-balanced 2000 was leathery and a barrel sample of the 2005 revealed firm tannins and splendid promise.
For Stag's Leap visit www.winetreasury.com and Ridge, www.morris-verdin.co.uk You can read more in "The Great Wines of America" by Paul Lukacs and "The Judgement of Paris" by George Taber.