A Livermore Cabernet Better Than Colgin?
In an article entitled Cabernet Sauvignon to Buy Now, appearing in Wine Enthusiast this month, recommendations are made to buy wines like Château Latour 2003 Pauillac, Château Lynch-Bages 2003 Pauillac, Château Mouton-Rothschild 2003 Pauillac, Shafer 2002 Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Creek 2002 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Robert Foley 2003 Claret, Rubicon Estate 2002 Rubicon, Araujo 2002 Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Colgin 2003 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Screaming Eagle 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Steven Kent 2002 Smith Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wait a tick.
A Cabernet from Livermore Valley, from Steven Kent nonetheless, recommended alongside first growths from France and Napa, beating out wines like Colgin in points?
Exhibit A:
Steven Kent 2002 Smith Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
CaliforniaThe only non-Napa Cabernet to make this list, and what a joy it is to see great Cabernet again hailing from Livermore Valley. Steven Kent’s last name is Mirassou; his family has been in the wine business since an ancestor brought cuttings over from France, in 1858. When Kent went off on his own, in 1996, he explains, “I wanted to do world-class Cabernet in Livermore.†Why did he think he could? “Remember, California’s first international gold medals were for white Bordeaux wines from Livermore, and we figured if you could grow white Bordeaux, it would work well for Cabernet, too.†It surely does. The Smith Ranch Vineyard is owned by the Wentes. Of the ’02 bottling, Kent says, “We knew the wine would be good, but we didn’t know how good. Now, we think we do.†The wine is different from Napa, softer, a little earthier, but no less compelling. 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon; 100 cases produced.
96 Steven Kent 2002 Smith Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (Livermore Valley); $65. As beautiful as Steven Kent’s regular and McGrail 2002 Cabernet’s were, this exceeds them in sheer delight. It is as good as almost any Cabernet in California. Dry, soft, rich, complex and intensely varietal, this tiny production wine is at its best now, with massive cassis and chocolate flavors perfectly offset by rich tannins. Will hold through this decade. Editors’ Choice. — S.H.
Well slap me silly and call me selma. I never thought I’d see the day when Livermore would get any recognition, but I must say, I’m not surprised that Steven Mirassou is the one to receive it. His comments in the article mirror his comments made on the Winexpression Pilot Video.
Congrats Steven and team, this was well deserved. (Please send two bottles at your earliest convenience so I can also review this wine as well).
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Visit stevenkent.com for more information on this winery, or view the write up I did on the Livermore Valley which also features the winery.
