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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 13 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by DavidKehler on 6/30/2022: I rarely comment on what I drink, but this was a special bottle. I was reading an old article in "Wine Spectator" about Gaylon Lawrence, and it made me think about pre-Parkerized California red wine, something that I enjoyed greatly decades ago, prior to Parker's ascendancy. While this bottle had a bad cork, the wine was balanced, fresh, and vibrant. Drinking wonderfully now, with a tobacco-leather aspect, it has years of life left. I decanted the wine, and it was superb after a half hour. Very highly recommended and indicative of what was lost through the influence of Parker's distorted palate. (344 views) | | | Tasted by sfcrushaz on 12/31/2020: Happy New Years treat. Cork was still intact. Decanted a couple hours. It’s mellowed for sure given its age, but happily & luckily still showed it’s blackberry & raspberry, still showed mild tannins. Very easy to drink & enjoy! Cheers to 2021 (494 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 9/24/2016 & rated 92 points: Very fruit forward and still some wonderfully classy elements of waves of black and blue fruit, with some soft leather, tobacco, vanilla Oak and cassis. Very smooth but this bottle had almost no sediment and no bricking. It could have been consumed 5 years from now in top form. (1263 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 7/22/2016 & rated 93 points: A great Bordeaux blend that is really hitting on all cylinders right now. Black, blue and red fruits, some sweet Oak. An excellent example of the transition from old world style Cali/Bordeaux to the more fruit driven modern style without being overly extracted and still retaining old world charms. 30 second finish. (1166 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 2/17/2016 & rated 92 points: Some bricking but largely purple to the core. A ton of sweet black and blue fruits still with a refreshing level of acidity. But mocha and tobacco also are quite pronounced with some sweet Oak in the background. The wine was not quite seemless as the acidity seemed to interrupt the wine, although not disjointed, but this characteristic did take it down a point for me. This bottle clear still had at least a couple quality years left in it. (1290 views) | | | Tasted by europat55 on 4/20/2015 & rated 91 points: Very rich. Still youthful! (1431 views) | | | Tasted by SoundinBetween on 9/27/2014: Incredibly vibrant floral nose. Just wonderful. The wine shows no hints of bricking, and has very little tannin left at this stage. Acidity is medium, which bodes in favor (flavor?) of the wine. Flavors of deep black (rasp)berry and ripe plum come across quite clearly. Does not hold on long but is very good while there, and is just slightly past maturity. Finishes to nothing.. just like a ghost of a taste that was once there. Very good. (1369 views) | | | Tasted by Nuromri on 4/4/2013 & rated 94 points: Deep ruby, lighter at rim. Gorgeous nose with a hint of alcohol. Refined, elegant, focused. Leather, berries, long. Delicious. (2101 views) | | | Tasted by diastole on 4/20/2012 & rated 93 points: Not sure where I bought this or why I kept it, but what a suprise. Strong ruby. Hot nose that blows off to barnyards. Nicely balanced with strong fruits. Long finish, very smooth. Great wine/value. (1852 views) | | | Tasted by zoeldar on 3/11/2012 & rated 92 points: Wowser - nice surprise here, fully mature and wonderfully balanced big Alex Valley cab...delicious, holding well...if you can find 'em, drink 'em. (1745 views) | | | Tasted by MicklethePickle on 8/17/2001 & rated 90 points: Vineyardgate Single-Blind Tasting: California Cabernet Sauvignon: "How Much Do You Understand?" Deep. Dense. Dark. Chocolatey. Mountain fruit. Palate good. Chocolate. 5-12-15-8: 90/100. (101 views) |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 1999, IWC Issue #87
(Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus Alexander Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Alexander Valley Vineyards Producer website
Alexander Valley Vineyards is owned and operated by the Harry Wetzel family. Founded in 1975, it is located on Cyrus Alexander's old homestead.
The Wetzel Family Estate now grows fourteen grape varieties, on diverse sites stretching from the banks of the Russian River up onto the hillsides. Each grape variety is matched to a specific soil type and exposure. Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and to create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics. Hank Wetzel oversees the vineyard and winery operations, and his wife Linda continues to oversee administration. Now the third generation of Wetzels has joined the winery. Harry Wetzel, IV is assistant winemaker while younger brother Robert is the National Sales Manager.
Alexander Valley Vineyards produces 100,000 cases annually, 17 varietal wines and proprietary blends. Seventy-five percent of AVV’s production is red wine. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon constitute roughly half of total production. Other varietals include Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyAlexander Valley Alexander Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
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