Brian Arden Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Here is another outstanding Cabernet from my new favorite CA winery - Brian Arden.  I have posted three other wines by Brian Arden and they are consistently great.  The 2008 Cabernet was harvested from the Delaney Family Vineyards in Northern Sonoma.  The vines were grown along the Limerick Lane Bench near Healdsburg and were hand harvested from multiple blocks.  The grapes were fermented at low temperatures to enhance the rich fruit profile and multiple yeasts were used for character and complexity.  This ruby colored wine has the incredible aromas that were present in the other Brian Arden wines.  There was cassis  and blackberry along with some vanilla and spices.  The structure on this medium-full bodied wine was perfect with medium tannins which will enhance this wine over the next 5-8 years.  The sugars and acidity were well balanced.  The initial flavors were of strawberry, black currants and a hint of blueberrys followed by some toasted oak and spices on the back.  The wine was smooth and elegant and not a big bold CA Cabernet.  The flavors stick around and will keep you coming back for more.  Only 132 cases were made of the 2008 vintage and I can promise you they will be gone quickly once it is available to the public.  Give this wine about 30 minutes to open up or decant if you have one available.  We served this with a hanger steak and a shallot reduction over the top along with asparagus on the side.  The perfect pairing!!   Could also be served with other red meats such as wild boar or venison.  Stay tuned for the release of this wine.  You will be sure to hear alot about Brian Harlan and his wine making for years to come.

Brian Arden Syrah 2008

After tasting the Brian Arden Zin (previous post), I couldn't wait to pop the cork on the Syrah.  Syrah was originally from the Rhone region of France and is used by many winemakers as a blending grape.  But not by Brian and Burt.  The 2008 Syrah is 100% syrah and is from the Masked Man Vineyard in Mendocino, CA.  Unfortunately, this was the last vintage from this vineyard as it has been pulled out and replaced with Cabernet Sauvignon vines.  Last night we made home-made pizzas, including the dough, topped with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, Italian salami and some sliced New Mexico peppers, along with a home-made tomato sauce.  What better to go with the peppers and tomato sauce than a tasty syrah.  Upon pouring the first glass, it had a nice deep red color along with a blue tint.  The aromas on the Brian Arden Syrah were as wonderful as those from the Zin with black cherry and plum, along with some green herbal notes and some espresso.  On the palate, the fruit was forward with both cherry and some blueberry flavors along with some subtle white pepper.  I also picked up some slight earthy/stoney flavors. Although syrah's are typically full-bodied and bolder wines, this one was medium to full bodied but is well structured with subtle tannins and acidity.  Again, the flavors lingered for some time.  Overall, another spectacular wine from the Brian Arden Wines.  My wife said "they are in a league of their own".  What a way to start the new year. These will be tough to follow.  As previously mentioned, the Brian Arden Wines are only available in Napa restaurants.  Hopefully soon, it will be more readily available.  Stay tuned for more details.

Brian Arden Zinfandel 2009

This is a name you all need to remember as it is a relatively new winemaker from Calistoga that you will be hearing rave reviews about in the near future.  The Brian Arden wines are produced by a father (Arden "Burt") and son (Brian) team.  Brian previously worked for the world famous Brix Restaurant where he was introduced to many industry icons.  In 2006 he moved to Calistoga starting in the cellar at Terra Valentine where he worked along side some of the most respected names in Napa winemaking including Kirk Venge, Michael Hirby, Sam Baxter, Bob Engelhoff and Jack Stuart.  Brian also had the privilege of sharing winery space with such luminaries as David Phinney of Orin Swift (WS #7 Best Wine in the world - Prisoner 2005), Steven Hall (Biale), Ray Coursen (Elyse & Falcor), Mark Jessup (Jessup Cellar) and Mike Farmer (Opus One).  The 2008 harvest was their first for Brian Arden wines. Burt also grew up in the farming business where his father (Burton of Burton Ranch) ran a commercial farming operation in the Central Valley including vineyards, prunes, pears and walnuts.

Last night we had our good friends Louise and Jonas, along with their children, over for dinner.  My wife made a braised chicken which was braised in a tomato sauce with pancetta and mushrooms.  The first thought was an Italian red because of the braise.  However, a nice zinfandel with some spice was the perfect pairing.  Burt suggested opening for 15-20 minutes before serving but after popping the cork, I had a hard time letting it sit.  The nose was incredible with dark fruits (black cherry and blackberry) along with some chocolate and cedar. There was also a hint of clove.  After these aromas, it had to be a great wine.  And it was!!!!  The black jammy fruits were followed by some licorice and chocolate and then some spicy pepper on the back end.  This zinfandel was not the typical dark, bold, in-your-face zin that many CA wines are, which was what I really liked about the Brian Arden.  It was structured so well with minimal to medium acidity, some soft  tannins and flavors that never ended.  Although it has a 14.7% alcohol content, it was well disguised. This wine wine made from 100% zinfandel grapes that had been harvested at the Burton Ranch Pump Block from ancient vines, with some dating back to 1886 which produce only 1-2 bunches per vine.  The grapes are smaller than those from the newer vines.

The wine received rave reviews at dinner.  I personally have not tasted a better zinfandel than this one.  If this had been a blind tasting, I would have expected a top name winemaker as opposed to the new kids on the block.  Presently, the Brian Arden wines are only being sold to restaurants, but this will likely change in the near future.  The next time you are in a restaurant in Napa, be sure to order a glass.  I can't wait to try the other Brian Arden wines including the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Cabernet Franc, the Syrah and the Sauvignon Blanc.