“Crucible” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (1)

[Cesare]

WineSmith “Crucible” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 1-Pack
Sold by: Winston Winery
$64.99 $115.00 43% off List Price
2007 WineSmith “Crucible” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

[KRay05]

Hope the RRV Pinot will also make an appearance.

[winesmith]

This is one of the best wines I have ever made. I will hazard that you will never find a better Cab under $200. There’s lots of woot discussion from last April.
[youtube=4PHNTWLvwpU][/youtube]
It’s 100% Napa Valley Cab Sauv from Napa Valley College’s famed Student Vineyard. Yes, that’s the Faux Chablis vineyard. You can’t grow normal clones of CS there at all, but we discovered that the German clones 337 and 15 make wines of enormous density and dimensions. As a result, we tore out the Chardonnay and planted these clones throughout most of the vineyard in 2003, leaving me just enough to make three more vintages of FC before that too was torn out in 2007.

Those of you who have had the 2005 Crucible have experienced just how astonishing a wine we are dealing with. Napa Valley College Dean of Viticulture, with whom I worked closely for many years and collaborated on this wine, had this to say about the 2005:

“I am totally stunned and nearly speechless in awe of this wine. It is certainly among the very best
California Cabernet Sauvignons I have ever tasted! It is quite a tremendous accomplishment–congratulations! The closest comparison I can conjure is that it reminds me of a tasting of a flight of all of the 2005 (I think) first growth Bordeaux that I participated in a few years ago. With those wines, you felt like getting down on one knee and bowing your head in reverence and I’m getting the same sense with this one. Wow!”

I think the comparison to first Growth Pauillac, especially Chateau Latour, is quite apt, as the wine is still a bit hard.

The 2007 was in youth precisely the same, but I felt I had made a mistake in bottling the 2005 after only four years in neutral oak, so for 2007, I gave it another year in old wood, which really allowed it to turn a corner aromatically the way Champagnes and ports just transform themselves when the tertiary complexities suddenly explode.

This is a really fun wine to serve to people casually at a party, then watch for the double-take. They’ll be talking about something else, then suddenly go “Whoa! What is this?”

It’s also a great way to explain to somebody what wine is really all about, and why anyone would pay hundreds of dollars for something that will be gone in an hour.

So yes, you can go ahead and drink it right now, no problem (unlike the 2005, which is still somewhat closed and grippy). And yes, I also have every confidence that this wine will also outlive me.

[canonizer]

That is a wonderful winemaker commentary! If anything could push me through a siwbm, that would have done it.

[mikefaulk]

@KRay05

Hope the RRV Pinot will also make an appearance.

Check your PM

• Mike

[morewine]

In for 3!

[sarah40460]

This was an auto buy for me. These guys made the only white wine I’ve ever liked (Faux Chablis). I’m not normally a huge Cabernet fan either, but I’m willing to bet I’ll like this one.

[deckerbrian]

I have wanted to try this for a long time. I bought 2 today. I know I will have to try one very soon and if I loved it I would kick myself for not having another.

[acksman]

Bought 3 of the 2005 last time and bought 3 of these today.

Also had my first bottle of WineSmith Russian River Pinot Noir this past weekend and will definitely need some more of that in my life!

[karenhynes]

@mikefaulk

Check your PM

• Mike

Don’t sell it all before I get to the tasting room in two weeks!!

[losthighwayz]

Is the Laurent on the horizon?

[losthighwayz]

@winesmith

This is one of the best wines I have ever made. I will hazard that you will never find a better Cab under $200. There’s lots of woot discussion from last April.
[youtube=4PHNTWLvwpU][/youtube]
It’s 100% Napa Valley Cab Sauv from Napa Valley College’s famed Student Vineyard. Yes, that’s the Faux Chablis vineyard. You can’t grow normal clones of CS there at all, but we discovered that the German clones 337 and 15 make wines of enormous density and dimensions. As a result, we tore out the Chardonnay and planted these clones throughout most of the vineyard in 2003, leaving me just enough to make three more vintages of FC before that too was torn out in 2007.

Those of you who have had the 2005 Crucible have experienced just how astonishing a wine we are dealing with. Napa Valley College Dean of Viticulture, with whom I worked closely for many years and collaborated on this wine, had this to say about the 2005:

“I am totally stunned and nearly speechless in awe of this wine. It is certainly among the very best
California Cabernet Sauvignons I have ever tasted! It is quite a tremendous accomplishment–congratulations! The closest comparison I can conjure is that it reminds me of a tasting of a flight of all of the 2005 (I think) first growth Bordeaux that I participated in a few years ago. With those wines, you felt like getting down on one knee and bowing your head in reverence and I’m getting the same sense with this one. Wow!”

I think the comparison to first Growth Pauillac, especially Chateau Latour, is quite apt, as the wine is still a bit hard.

The 2007 was in youth precisely the same, but I felt I had made a mistake in bottling the 2005 after only four years in neutral oak, so for 2007, I gave it another year in old wood, which really allowed it to turn a corner aromatically the way Champagnes and ports just transform themselves when the tertiary complexities suddenly explode.

This is a really fun wine to serve to people casually at a party, then watch for the double-take. They’ll be talking about something else, then suddenly go “Whoa! What is this?”

It’s also a great way to explain to somebody what wine is really all about, and why anyone would pay hundreds of dollars for something that will be gone in an hour.

So yes, you can go ahead and drink it right now, no problem (unlike the 2005, which is still somewhat closed and grippy). And yes, I also have every confidence that this wine will also outlive me.

Hi Clark:

a mixed case sometime in the future would be appreciated! Laurent, Pinot, faux Chablis, Pennyfarthing collection. Just sayin’

[sarah40460]

@losthighwayz

Hi Clark:

a mixed case sometime in the future would be appreciated! Laurent, Pinot, faux Chablis, Pennyfarthing collection. Just sayin’

The thing of wine.woot dreams…

[garlandag2012]

In for 2! Not normally a cab drinker but Clark’s interactions with the community and description of this wine sold me on it. Will have to swing by the tasting room next time we’re in Napa.

[amp9211]

Did you not get in on the offer that he had a couple months ago? Was pretty close to that

[winesmith]

@losthighwayz

Is the Laurent on the horizon?

We have about a case left of the 2013. The 2014 will be bottled in a couple months.

[mikefaulk]

@acksman

Bought 3 of the 2005 last time and bought 3 of these today.

Also had my first bottle of WineSmith Russian River Pinot Noir this past weekend and will definitely need some more of that in my life!

Check your PM

[winesmith]

@garlandag2012

In for 2! Not normally a cab drinker but Clark’s interactions with the community and description of this wine sold me on it. Will have to swing by the tasting room next time we’re in Napa.

Please do come by. Although we make Napa wines, we’re in downtown Santa Rosa at 441 Beaver St… Just walk out the back door of the Russian River Brewery and walk one block north.

Please call before you come. It’s appointment only. 707-237-7000.

[rc70]

Says Idaho is ship to location but it is not letting me order - please fix.