Detertlist

purely domestic wine report | winery of the year 2014 | www.pdwr.co

Provided to Detert Family Vineyards by Publisher of purely domestic wine report

purely domestic wine report | winery of the year 2014 | www.pdwr.co

DOUG WILDER | PUBLISHER purely domestic wine report

FROM THE PUBLISHER JANUARY, 4, 2015 Welcome, If you are reading this it is because you are on the list of Detert Family Vineyards and for that you should be congratulated. In a 25-year wine career that included time as Director of wine at both Dean & Deluca and Vinfolio, I tasted thousands of wines continually searching for new producers that I was convinced would matter to my clients. I wrote about less than ten percent of what I actually put on the shelf. Being successful at what I did meant accepting no compromises in finding examples where the connection between the philosophy, a unique terroir, and commitment to the quality of the ultimate product presented a value proposition. What I mean by that is some wines are a bargain at any price, be it $20 or $300. DETERT FAMILY VINEYARDS Since their first vintage, I have followed Detert with interest. Initially it was because of the excellent quality of the Cabernet Franc, but over the years I got to know Tom, John and Bill during regular vineyard walks and tasting visits. Over time, I discovered the reason there was little else that came close. As a California native who spent many an afternoon in ‘60s era Napa Valley, historic sites draw me like a magnet. The first time I walked the Oakville property I was hooked by the vines and soils in East Block. Detert soon was on the short list of must taste wines when subscribers asked what to do in wine country. In 2013, I tasted the first East Block bottling with Tom, the 2010 pre-release and was impressed. Nothing else was mentioned until last month when I was asked to be the first critic to taste the wine, now packaged with 2009 and 2011, as it was ready for a release. The results of that tasting are in the following pages, as well as summarized on the cover. Since 2011, I publish the only independent wine review magazine dedicated to California, Oregon and Washington producers. It is available online, and in print. Tom invited me to visit the Estate for an indepth walk of all the vineyards and video from that day may be found at pdwr visit to Detert with Tom Garrett It is wines like those produced by Detert that inspire me every time I pull a cork. Doug Wilder purely domestic wine report

purely domestic wine report | winery of the year 2014 | www.pdwr.co

2009 CABERNET FRANC, EAST BLOCK OAKVILLE 14.7% 20 cs. 95 2010 CABERNET FRANC, EAST BLOCK OAKVILLE 14.7% 20 cs. 96 2011 CABERNET FRANC, EAST BLOCK OAKVILLE 14.7% 20 cs. 94+

DETERT | THE BEGINNING One day in 2002, Tom Garrett walked into Dean & Deluca carrying a bottle of his family’s premiere release of 2000 Detert Cabernet Franc from their Oakville Estate. After he poured it for me, he related the story of his grandparents purchasing a chunk of the original To-Kalon in 1953, planted to grapes that were sold for decades to Robert Mondavi, first at Charles Krug, and beginning in 1966, Robert Mondavi Winery which is the northern neighbor of Detert. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED Even from the very first release it was clear that the vines at Detert were capable of making impressive wines and it led me to seek out more examples. Very few came close. What I came to realize was Detert was likely the most important Cabernet Franc Vineyard in America based on terroir and period of family ownership. Over the years, I got to know Tom, his brother John, and cousin Bill who together run Detert for the family. Several of my clients from retail days got on the direct list with the winery and I would go along with them when they came out on buying trips. It was one of these trips when I finally appreciated there were two blocks of Cabernet Franc at the estate; West Block, replanted in the 80s, and the much smaller East Block replanted in 1979 using the original material from what previous owner Martin Stelling had planted in 1949. Of unknown origin, it is referred to now simply as ‘The Detert Clone’. THE LAST 12 MONTHS Last year, I sat down with Tom, and his cousin, Graeme MacDonald, producer of the eponymous Cabernet Sauvignon property to the East that has a similar heritage to the Detert estate. During that visit, Tom showed me a wine I had tasted as part of the winery’s Premiere Napa Valley lot a few years ago. At that tasting it was clearly the best wine in the room of well over 200 producers pushing the boundaries of winemaking style. By contrast, it was one of the least known. Seemingly Tom had just gone out and ‘Let the vineyard do the talking’. The wine he showed me last year was the un-released 2010 East Block and I scored it 96-98. At the time, Tom didn’t explain how he planned to launch the wine. That disclosure happened a few weeks ago when he sent a three pack of East Block samples representing 20 cases each of 2009 – 2011. The wines were excellent and later that week I visited Tom at the vineyard where we walked the property and shot video in West and East Block as well as Cabernet Sauvignon Block and talked about the future, which looks very good. You may view the video on the Worth Noting tab at www.pdwr.co THE SELECTION DECISION There were several producers I could have recognized with this annual nod, those who either blow me away with something out of the blue or alternatively challenge me with something that just can’t be ignored. I chose Detert for their sustaining a precious resource, keeping it in the family, balancing business and self expression and bringing that expression to its highest potential with a great deal of humility. One of the last things Tom said during our video interview at East Block was that “It would be there forever” I believe him.

2009 CABERNET FRANC EAST BLOCK shows a nose that is evolved and supple with chocolate, lavender, mint and a back note of sweet spice. The palate is full red fruit, backed by dense chocolate and florals with well-integrated tannin and spice with a seamless texture. Drink 2015 – 2026. 2010 CABERNET FRANC EAST BLOCK offers a complex mint, herb, cedar and cocoa shell nose with waves of dark, floral-scented fruits. The palate is more developed than the 2011 with a centered nectarine, lavender and supple ambrosia of mixed ripe fruit in the core. A velvet-like grip in the finish with effusive notes of dark chocolate and golden stone fruits. Drink 2017 – 2027. 2011 CABERNET FRANC EAST BLOCK was splash decanted for 10 minutes after opening. It shows a tightly wound nose of cedar, blueberry tart and cocoa that is vibrant and sweet with hints of licorice, lavender and fresh boysenberry. The palate is bright berry with a sleek espresso and lavender core. Overall a youthful wine needing another couple years. Drink 2017 – 2030. The Detert Cabernet Franc East Block are sold as single bottles of each vintage, in a three pack priced at $495 www.detert.com

purely domestic wine report | winery of the year 2014 | www.pdwr.co