External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2007 and 2016 (based on 7 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.3 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 46 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Bill Martin on 2/18/2022 & rated 88 points: Kept @ 55 deg in wine fridge since received from AVW wine club. Solid cork. Surprisingly youthful on opening except its tannins were almost entirely resolved. Full Merlot nose. Moderate intensity fruit. No sediment. Definitely on the lighter side for a premium Calif. Bordeaux blend. Quite enjoyable. (631 views) | | | Tasted by SeattlePaul on 5/5/2019: Coravin day 0. Pretty nice. Not dead, for sure. A little more tannin than I'd like, so this thing could probably still go a few more years. The fruit is there, with cherry and general red fruit profile. It's masked a bit by the tannins and a pretty aggressive acid and high alcohol content.
Not bad at all, but not necessarily what I'm looking for these days (1307 views) | | | Tasted by tzwizard on 7/23/2017 & rated 94 points: really really nice........................long finish (2086 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Slick on 10/15/2016 & rated 92 points: Deep ruby/purple appearance; very youthful. The bouquet unfurls pungent black and blue fruit, pencil lead, and walnut shell aromas, with back notes of wintergreen and conifer. Opens up long, grippy, yet integrated in the mouth. The flavors are dry, juicy, and firm, and exhibit vibrant freshness and a beautiful tannic structure. Currants and Sichuan peppercorn unfold on the mid palate before tightening up on the finish. So tasty and energetic, and full of vitality. This will make old bones. (2382 views) | | | Tasted by BRSAustinTex on 2/9/2016 & rated 92 points: Better than other recent notes. It's definitely at the top of the drinking window but not dead. Even benefitted from a 3 hr decant. (2815 views) | | | Tasted by rhialto on 11/13/2015 & rated 90 points: Smells of fresh roadkill on a beautiful fall day in Connecticut. Robust mouthfeel. Figs and overtones of prunes harmonizing with the smell of moldy Oregon storage barn for farm equipment. Refreshing and light in spirit. Does not pretend to be more than it is. Balanced and tasty. Victoria says it definitely makes you feel good to be snobby. A bit. Yeah. I like this wine. (2527 views) | | | Tasted by RR47 on 2/4/2015 & rated 86 points: Certainly faded, nose has hints of blackberry and a bit of bell pepper. Some mature red berries on the attack, with acidity and somewhat dry tannins on the finish. (2673 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 11/27/2013 & rated 90 points: Not as focused as when last tasted in '09. Still holding well but drink up, sooner than later. (3187 views) | | | Tasted by Mattshank on 9/23/2013 & rated 92 points: Vinituried into glass. Still the rock star of my last notes on 6/11/12 yet has a lot of life left. Many of the attributes are the same. Just a really nice Cab. (2766 views) | | | Tasted by ToddR911 on 12/29/2012 & rated 90 points: Decanted for an hour. Nice, balanced wine. Flavorful with berries and cherries, hint of vanilla. Drinking well now. Went great with food. (3730 views) | | | Tasted by Mattshank on 6/11/2012 & rated 92 points: Hanging out at my place (My House): Nose: Sweet blackberry with nutmeg and some additive red fruits. After air tree moss/forest floor showing and a subtle quality of beets. Really cool nose. Palate: Sweet red fruits and spices with a killer, medium length finish. 92+ points and my WOTN by a narrow margin over the '04' Anderson Conn Valley Right Bank. (3419 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 6/11/2012 & rated 93 points: Steaks and Bordeaux blends plus (Matt's house): Very dark red color. Pop and pour with aeration. Drank 2+ glasses over 2 hours. Nose is stellar, ripe fruits of cassis, blackberry, , lovely floral notes, earth, vanilla, nutmeg. The palate is full bodied, layered black fruits, velvety integrated tannins, a hint of tobacco. Impeccably balanced, long finish. My WOTN. (3999 views) | | | Tasted by mdfuller on 10/2/2011 & rated 91 points: wonderfully smooth and elegant ... went very well w/ chicken dish and was just an enjoyable bottle of wine (2387 views) | | | Tasted by 2PinotsInAPod on 9/24/2011 & rated 93 points: Went well with tuna carpaccio. Great wine. (2820 views) | | | Tasted by Fooze on 8/17/2011 & rated 89 points: Very pleasant fruit forward cab blend. (2243 views) | | | Tasted by jamieirving on 8/20/2010 & rated 88 points: Made from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec this vintage of Cyrus I'd deep purple in the glass. I found red berry fruit, raspberry jam and a touch of tar on the nose. The palate is full bodied and shows mainly savoury characters including anise, spice and toasty oak. (2616 views) | | | Tasted by teenaging on 4/11/2010 & rated 92 points: Rich, full mouth, slightly peppery and delicious. Could stand another 2 or 3 years in the cellar. We had this one with leg of lamb and it complemented the food well (1927 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 4/4/2010 & rated 91 points: Dark fruit and cassis, coffee, oak, on the nose. Full bodied meritage: 68% Cab, 15 % Merlot, 15% Cab Franc, and 2% Malbec. Nice round tannins, good acidity. Moderate finsih with chocolate and spicy notes. (2234 views) | | | Tasted by RR47 on 5/12/2009 & rated 86 points: Big fruit forward Cali Cab. Soft tannins. Little complexity. (2952 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 4/29/2009 & rated 91 points: delicious fat-boy cab w/over the top fruit and loads of sweet tannin. (1854 views) | | | Tasted by THaas on 10/8/2008 & rated 91 points: Balanced, both in the nose and mouth. Floral nose, violets over cherries and blackcurrant. Cassis and tannic earth in the mouth. Very Margaux-like. (3066 views) | | | Tasted by andrewstevenson.com on 5/20/2008 & rated 83 points: 14%
This is a blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 2% malbec, which is aged for 24 months in French and American oak. On the nose there is very deep blackcurrant fruit with sweet vanilla oak – feeling well integrated. Ripe fruit. This really feels like it’s made to the premium Cali Cab recipe. Ripe fruit, concentrated, with heavy oak. Big, powerful stuff. 87/100 if you like this sort of thing, but for me, personnaly, more like 83/100 (3038 views) | | | Tasted by KeithAkers on 2/26/2008 & rated 92 points: nose: nice deep and dark nose with some dust tones on it, sour cranberries, red licorice, and earth notes
taste: big chewy tannins with loads of black fruit of black currants, dark cherries, and sour cranberries with bits of cedar in there too
overall: this is really good. THe tannins are huge on this and my mouth was pretty inverted from it, but this has some serious upside to it (3346 views) | | | Tasted by SoCal on 2/7/2007 & rated 88 points: Tried this pre-release at a wine tasting. Good color and nose. Medium body. Not as extracted as I would have liked. Fruity and not over oaked. Struck an enjoyable balance between acidity and tannins. Found it hard to judge due to its youth. I was most disappointed at the price point. $60-70 is asking a lot for this wine. 88+? (3419 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 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
|
|
