Happy Cellar Saturday! It's the first Saturday of a new month, which means it's time to raid the cellar looking for something at least a decade in the making. Tonight, I've opened a bottle and I have no idea where it's from or when I bought it, but it's safe to say it's been in the cellar for more than a decade. The 2007 Geyser Peak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is blended from smaller vineyard lots in the heard of Sonoma, and although I don't remember buying this wine, I did review its cousin back in 2013 (see: 2007 Geyser Peak Walking Tree Cabernet. Let's see if this one held up to the test of time!
The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edtes, still vibrant color after 19 years. The nose presents aromas of leather, subtle black fruit and vanilla caramel amid undertones of oak. The first sip is a rush of tart cherry that subsides into notes of blackberry and cassis before tranititioning to some dusty loam midpalate. The tannins are still very much present, providing for a wonderfully smooth, lingering dry finish that could easily be mistaken for a vintage in the 2020s.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just an overall pleasant drinking Cabernet that has withstood the test of time. This wine is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon, so pairings should be treated accordingly, steaks and chops, hearty roast beef or wild mushroom risotto would all stand well with this wine. Tonight, however, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled, bone-in ribeye with roasted gem potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts. Cheers!
