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What We Say 2008 Lone Tree Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
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Mission Codename: The Bordeaux Ranger
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Send Agent Red to Forefather Wines, the Healdsburg, California winery of Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt, where Nick crafts the extraordinary Lone Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Secure an ample allocation for our well-deserving Operatives.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Alexander Valley Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2006 Alexander School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Nick Goldschmidt
Backgrounder: The Alexander Valley, in northeast Sonoma County is located on the western side of the Mayacamas range, extends westward to the edge of the Russian River Valley. This appellation was formerly considered a part of Dry Creek Valley but became its own appellation in November 1984. The region is best known for exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon.
Nick Goldschmidt is well-known to our Operatives, by now, as we’ve featured more than a half dozen greats from him in recent years. Our latest feature, a stunning 93-Point Cabernet, set sales records. We love Nick and his wines. One sip of today’s spectacular single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and you’ll be a fan, too.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Deep, dark ruby with a dense, darker, slightly opaque heart. The color is evenly concentrated, from the core right out to the very edge of the glass. After a good swirl, the wine settles quickly, leaving behind tall, skinny, wine-stained legs that move very slowly down the glass.
Smell – Aromatic and sweet with spiced blackberry, black cherry and anise leaping from the glass. Beneath these, dark raspberry, sweet tobacco, cigar box, dark chocolate, dried fall leaves and leather beautifully round out the nose.
Feel – Initially soft and smooth, the wine quickly gains weight and dimension, becoming grippy, plush and full-bodied. A crush velvet feel appears, accompanied by a grippy tannins and a spreading dryness that starts at the center of the palate and radiates outward – until lips and cheeks a dry.
Taste – Rich, layered and bold, with concentrated flavors of black cherry, spiced blackberry candy, tobacco leaf, dark plum, cocoa powder, dried fall leaves, brown spice and dark leather.
Finish – Very long and very flavorful, sweet and then softly tart as fruit flavors slowly transition into more earthen flavors of spice, leather, dried leaves and cocoa. At the very end, black pepper accompanies a soft slate mineral dryness.
Conclusion – This is a truly fantastic wine! And, at today’s price, we encourage you to stock up. Once again, Nick Goldschmidt blows us away with his winemaking prowess. His 2008 Forefathers Lone Tree Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a true Alexander Valley gem. Bold but balanced, this wine delivers a powerful, concentrated, full-bodied drinking experience that is full of flavor, deep aromatics and plenty of character. We’ll be stocking up on this wine, which will certainly continue to improve over the next decade. Pair this food friendly wine with a hearty steak or a herb-rubbed grilled chicken.
What the Winery Says
Forefathers Wines
About This Wine:
We get more power and weight from Lone Tree than the typical Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard. And most Alexander Valley wines are higher in alcohol expressing primarily red fruit flavors. Forefathers Lone Tree shows medium-alcohol, black fruit flavors and a round mouthfeel with supple tannins. Cheers!
- Nick Goldschmidt, winemaker
Forefathers Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a 5.5 acre single vineyard on a small knoll in the Alexander Valley. From this knoll we selected the east facing slope to avoid the hot afternoon temperatures that can lead to dehydration and elevated sugars. This knoll is east of the town of Geyserville and is comprised of a gravelly loam soil, which allows for good drainage, great exposure of the clusters due to the open canopy and long hang time.
About The Winery:
Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt are owner/vintners, and Nick is the winemaker. The winery offices are located in Healdsburg. Both originally from New Zealand, Yolyn and Nick have spent time living and working in the wine areas of New Zealand, Australia and South America.
Nick and Yolyn present their innovative way of wine making and wine presentation through several brands under their portfolio – the international Forefathers label, the prestigious Goldschmidt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon label, sustsaintably farmed Boulder Bank, and Pampano from Argentina.
Joined periodically in the field by their five children, the Goldschmidt expertise is being passed down to the next generation, as evidenced in the wines released under the labels Chelsea Goldschmidt, Hilary Goldschmidt and Katherine Goldschmidt.
NICK GOLDSCHMIDT – BIO: Born and educated in New Zealand, Nick Goldschmidt’s career began in 1982 with a research position at the New Zealand Lincoln University where he graduated with Distinction in Horticulture. Nick went on to specialize in viticulture studies at Wagga Wagga, and oenology at the highly acclaimed Roseworthy program, at Adelaide University in South Australia. During his time as a student Nick worked at noted wineries such as Kumeu River, Coopers Creek and Babich. In 1989, after 18 months of winemaking in Australia, New Zealand, California, and South America; including his first harvest in Chile as winemaker for Calitera, Nick returned to California with an amazing range of winemaking experiences.
In 1990, Nick and his wife Yolyn settled down in Healdsburg, California, as Simi’s Associate Winemaker. Nick was promoted to Chief Winemaker 1991 and became Vice President and Chief Winemaker in 1996. Nick spent a total of 13 years at Simi and was one of the driving forces that brought the Simi Reserve Cabernet program to notoriety. In May of 2003 Nick accepted the position of Executive Vice President and Winemaker at Allied Domecq Wines USA and was subsequently named Vice President and Executive Domestic Winemaker for Beam Estates wine portfolio
h3. Technical Analysis:
Blend/Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermentation:
Aging: Allier, 16 months, 85% new
Racked: 3 times
Alcohol Level: 14.5%
