Winery/Vineyard: Vindemia Winery
Product/Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2015
AVA on Bottle: Temecula Valley
Winemaker: David Bradley
Rating: 93
4.0 out of 5 stars of Vivino (all vintages).
How They Describe It
None provided.
How I Describe It
Appearance
When it comes to color intensity, most Cabernet Sauvignon wines fall into the medium category. That is, looking directly into the glass from the top, you can make out the stem through the liquid. The Vindemia 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, though, is deeply intense — there’s no bottom in sight. The hue is blood red, with a hint of garneting along the rim from half a decade of aging. But this wine looks remarkably well persevered. There’s also a slight haze, likely because the wine is unfiltered.
Nose
The nose begins with rich aromas of black currant, mulberry, and dried blackberry. Bell pepper pyrazines, eucalyptus, black pepper, and brioche arrive in the secondary. Oak and spice manifest with vanilla, clove, charred wood, leather, and cigar tobacco.
Palate
Flavors in the Vindemia 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon are deliciously ripe and rich. Black currant, black cherry, mulberry, and a touch of blueberry combine for a prominent fruit-forward opening. On the mid-palate comes chalk, bread dough, cloves, bittersweet chocolate, black pepper, and tobacco. Leather and forest floor from bottle aging make up the finish.
This is a dry wine with high alcohol (14.2% ABV), particularly by Cabernet standards. However, the booziness contributes more to the body of the wine than the taste. Medium-plus tannins and medium-plus acid round out a heartily full-bodied wine. Flavor intensity is pronounced, and the finish is long and sumptuous.
Why is This Wine Special?
There is something magical about the vineyards around Temecula’s Vista del Monte Road, where most of Vindemia’s vineyards are located, as well grapes for a few other wineries. While the fruit seems to produce notably high-alcohol wines, the microclimate also seems to bring out the best from big, bold, dark varietals.
It also isn’t lost on me how Vindemia is low-key producing some of the most consistently outstanding wines in the Temecula Valley AVA. More demanding critics than I also sing Vindemia’s praises. Owner-winemaker David Bradley seems to have a penchant for crafting small-batch wines with minimal oak exposure, thereby amplifying the quality of the grapes from which his concoctions came.
In full disclosure, the bottle described here was donated by Vindemia Winery. Other than providing the wine itself, there was no exchange of anything which would have influenced or unfairly biased this review.
When & How I Would Drink It
Cabernet Sauvignon wines nearly universally go well with grilled and stewed meats. However, the fruit-forward characteristics of the Vindemia 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon provide the rare ability to pair fairly well with dark poultry meat, as well. Next to roast duck or turkey legs, the wine could play a similar role cranberry sauces or black cherry reductions do.
This is a wine worth enjoying when you have a moment to appreciate its full potential. I recommend uncorking once you’re ready to unwind from a long day. Notwithstanding, you’re best off giving the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon around an hour and a half to two hours to breathe. If you don’t already allow your red wines to oxygenate, try it and thank me in the comments.
How to Get It
Order Online: https://vindemia.com/current_selection/ to view current wines. Email or phone orders only at (951) 760-9334 or wineclub@vindemia.com.
Bottle Price: $86.00 ($69.00 for wine club members)
Cases Produced: 144 cases
Have you tried the Vindemia 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon? How did the tasting notes compare with your experience? Leave a comment below.