2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  3/10/2012, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 89 points

  (Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon) Very dark red violet color; menthol, tart plum nose; tart black fruit, menthol, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  8/10/2009, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (KARL LAWRENCE Cabernet) Cabernet Dear Friends, We rarely offer domestic wine but, when we do, it usually generates a great deal of interest. Karl Lawrence (as an entity) is the anti-Napa "brand". They do not seek the limelight and they do not seek the fame that is normally associated with Napa. Any fortune they create is just as much about the memory of friends and family enjoying their wine as it is about the monetary remuneration they receive for their signature prize - the Cabernet Sauvignon. I consider this winery a pioneer of sorts and an easy one to support. Why? Back in 1991 when Karl Lawrence began, they decided that the community interpretation of their wine was more important than any critical review. They decided to forgo any Wine Advocate/Wine Spectator numbers in favor of referrals by their satisfied customers. Since then, as a rule, Karl Lawrence has never submitted samples to any critic (if you do see any "professional" reviews out there, they are from bottles purchased without the winery's knowledge). So, what has transpired over the past 15-20 years while they've stuck by this creed? They've watched the rise and fall of a number of entrants that were labeled the next big thing by one of the critical pundits but have gone on to be nothing more than fish and chips paper - all because the current vintage received a lower score than the preceding year. This could be as bizarre as the preceding vintage at 95pts and the current vintage at 92pts - few consumers wanted the 92pt wine - even though, if the 92pt wine was reviewed on its own (with no prior 95pt wine to cast a shadow) the 92pt wine would have been quite desirable. As it stands, with the 95pt wine reviewed before it, the 92pt wine is thought of as a quasi-failure by the public. Talk about a system that needs an overhaul? In opposition to the score-chase mentality that has engulfed Napa over the past 20 years, Karl Lawrence has steadily built a client base one Cabernet lover at a time with the Smith Barney method - they've earned it. Little did the winery know that in year 2009, their "community" based marketing, referral and tasting note approach would become what many other Napa wineries wished they would have done from day one. In today's wine world, the community is indeed bigger than any one voice and an ever-increasing number of wine buyers (now the majority?) doesn't even bother with professional reviews anymore - they rely on what they perceive to be a more trustworthy opinion of their peers for advice - available in a flash with the touch of a finger on the track-pad. In the wine trade, this is as close to a revolution as Parker's original invention of the 100pt system in the late 1970s. Which brings us to the 2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - a rich, complex wine with real acidity and a cool-toned flicker throughout. It is a wine marketed with nothing but the eventual satisfaction of its peer group for support. Mike Trujillo (owner/winemaker) produces this complicated Cabernet Sauvignon with a steady hand and definitive style that lies somewhere between the classic years of high-elevation Togni (circa 1995 and earlier) mixed with a fair dose of something like Staglin. This is mountain fruit meets the Valley floor with 10-15% To-Kalon added for framework. With the 2005 Karl Lawrence, you get both the upper and lower Napa worlds swimming together in a balanced and deeply fruited, herb-tinged embrace that actually speaks to a consistent style and ethos that this winery would never apologize for. In other words, if you are looking for nothing but blueberry fruit, this is not your wine (but your sense of what Napa Cabernet is would be all the better for having tried it). A top-rate effort that should age into a graceful example over the next 10-15 years. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for individual style that could care less about points or scores - it only cares about your palate: 2005 Karl Lawrence Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml (this is not the Aldin) It will ship during the Fall shipping season. Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA CA6720