LIBRARY RAID ALERT!:

Today we infiltrate the Peters Family Winery library – and return with a handful of cases of their superb 2002 Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon

SAVINGS ALERT!:

Today’s superb wine is available, today only, at 25% off the regular retail price. Save even more by enjoying Free Ground Shipping when you buy six or more bottles. Just enter savings code CABSPY at checkout.

Mission Codename: Goldenhead

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate Peters Family Winery’s library to retrieve their 2002 Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Peters Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Douglas Peters

Backgrounder: Our Operatives were so smitten with the last Peter’s Family Cabernet Sauvignon we featured, that we organized a raid of the winery’s private library. Today, Agent Red returns, victorious, with a small cache of Peters’ fabled 2002! Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report for the full details on today’s fantastic wine.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet with excellent clarity with ruby hues and highlights throughout and along the edges. When swirled, thick legs speed down the side of the glass

Smell – Fruity and dusky aromas explode out of the glass, presenting a bold rush of wild ripe blackberries, cherries and blackcurrants, layered on a base of sweetwoods and toasted oak. Hints of fresh espresso grounds, sweet vanilla and chocolate compliment the fruit

Feel – Soft and cool up front, followed by velvety tannins – which then lead to a slight grippyness at the edges of the tongue and inside the lips. Slightly dry and full-bodied, this wine has medium acidity hinting at its cellar potential

Taste – Both ripe and tart blackfruit (blackberries), cherries and lead off with layers of classic Cabernet flavors, but with a great brightness not found in more heavy-handed Napa Cabs. Follow-on flavors include mineral, smoky dark cherry, chocolate powder and a hint of tomato vine and tobacco

Finish – This wine finishes long and smooth with tangy fruit and hints of soft chocolate and mildest oak

Conclusion – This 2002 is a beautiful wine that is ready to drink now, but will also continue to age wonderfully – for those with the patience. This wine, which hails from California’s Sierra Foothills is a unique expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. With its brightness and balanced fruit, this wine reminded us of an Alexander Valley Cab Sauv – which are among our very favorites!

Mission Report:

In order to secure a cache of today’s wine, we had to raid the Peters Family Winery library. No bottles were harmed during this raid and Doug Peters loves us enough to have willingly swung open the doors to his cellar on our arrival. Thanks, Doug, for allowing us to make some of this very special wine available today.

Special note: Today’s great wine is made even more special by the fact that the top of each bottle is hand dipped in beautiful gold wax. Gorgeous!

Douglas Peters is one of our favorite winemaker friends, always making his great wines available to you, our Operatives. What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red hunts harder than usual for a great wine:

One of my most valued Assets, Codename: Valley Girl, alerted me to Peters Family Winery recently. After an undercover visit to the winery tasting room, I needed no convincing that this wine was a wonderful treat that our Operatives needed to be brought up to speed on.

Not to boast, too much here, but you know that when I have my sights set on a wine, procuring it is not usually a problem. Our reputation often proceeds us and wineries make their wonderful wines immediately available to us.

The mission to procure this wine, however, was somewhat more difficult; Peters Family winemaker and head honcho, Douglas Peters was secreted away in an undisclosed location – but I was determined to track him down so that we could negotiate a small procurement for our Operatives.

A flurry of email and telephonic subterfuge ensued and I tracked Doug to his secret lair south of the border. Because his wines are that good, I spared no expense and called on our resident pilot, Agent White, to fuel up the Wine Spies Spy Plane. Reluctant to spend the money for a long flight like this one, Agent White did take a bit of persuasion but, in the end, complied with my request; He was easily convinced after one small taste of this wine.

While I didn’t have an exact location on Doug, I did have the name of the village. After a harrowing landing on a small dirt strip in high crosswinds (an Agent White favorite!), we were able to convince the local constabulary to help us locate Doug. It only too a few cases of wine to do the trick.

We found Doug on the beach, recognizing him from his photo on his website. A glass of wine in hand, Doug seems to be enjoying the sunset.

Wasting no time with subterfuge, I got right to the point.

“I’m sorry to bother you on your vacation, Mr. Peters. I’m Agent Red, Wine Spy, and I am here to ask you for a your wine.”

“Sorry, I don’t link to share glasses with strangers. You know, germs”

Then a smile spreads across his face and he claps me on the shoulder (a feat that, at a head and a half taller than me, requires that Doug stoop slightly to reach me). “I’m just having fun with you,” He says. “Come on, have a seat, I’ll pour you a glass of my wine.”

I explained that is was because of this same wine that I made this expedition.

“It’s gooooood, isn’t it?” he asks.

My turn to smile.

We enjoyed the rest of the bottle, chatting about his wines and his approach to winemaking. Doug creates wines that are certainly of California, but also in a more Bordeaux style, giving the wines a great balance between old world and new. This, in my opinion, is a great way to approach winemaking as it delivers the best qualities of these two winemaking styles – without being at odds with each other.

After some deft negotiations, I had secured a small allotment for you, Operative, and then Doug excused himself.

“Here’s another bottle for you,” he offered. I’m off to watch the lunar eclipse tonight. It’ll be 3 years until we see another one. See you back in the States!"

With that, he left me there to further ponder his wine. Doug’s love for his craft shines through in this wine, which exhibits balance, brilliance and a depth of character that I find uncommon.

Bravo, Doug!