2004 Prix Melange
It seems that the best kept secrets for California family-owned vineyards are their Red Table Wines. No exception here! This Melange has a cornucopia of flavors: blackberry, cherry, peppery, and a hint of chocolate. And this is the one we started the tasting with... wow! Buttery wafer crackers and thinly sliced swiss cheese accompanied this as we began our 8 sample journey of Hagafen wine. To find out more about other Prix wines, go to http://www.prixvineyards.com.
2001 Syrah, Hestan Vineyard, "L" Block
This Syrah was definitely different from previous Syrahs we've sampled. This one was heavy on citrus and tannins. A bit of an initial pear tastes comes through, but it is not enough to sustain throughout your palette. A good bottle that should be paired with a full-flavored meal, like a spicy Chinese chicken dish.
2005 Pinot Noir Reserve, Cali Soleil Vineyard, North Block
As we've discovered in the past, Hagafen produces amazing Pinot Noirs. This first Pinot Noir was definitely up to par. It has a sweet vanilla taste at the beginning and evolves into an apple body. Like most really good California Pinots, this one has a Port aroma to it; a hint of cinnamon comes through. We paired this Pinot with Chicken Enchiladas in a Ranchera sauce.
2005 Pinot Noir, Fagan Creek Vineyard, Block 38
Fagan Creek was our favorite choice last year, so we had high expectations for the 2005 vintage. True to form, the Fagan Creek Pinot Noir is another Hagafen masterpiece. Like the previous Pinot Noir, this one has an intense flavor of vanilla but not as sweet. This is a full-bodied Pinot Noir; an excellent example of the best of California Pinot Noirs.
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Weir Family Vineyard, MJT Block
This was a nice surprise. Most California Cabernets are an earthy, heavy, full-bodied experience. And that's a good thing, since it's usually what one expects. The Hagafen Cabernet has some of these usual traits, but it also has some wonderful surprises. Sweeter than most Cabernets, it also has a fine dry finish. It is also lighter than most Cabernets, yet has an undeniable hint of its oak-barrel fermentation. It is full-bodied, but not overbearing. The best word to describe this bottle of wine is versatile. We had chocolate ready to try with the Hagafen Zinfandel but, truth be known, we sampled it with this Cabernet first!
2004 Zinfandel, Moskowite Ranch, Block 61
Big body and lots of flavor... exactly what you expect in a Zinfandel! Black cherry, cinnamon, tobacco and a hint of chocolate really come through on the initial taste. The surprise is the finish; it has a light grapefruit finish. Very nice!
2006 Riesling, Mayeri Vineyard
Hagafen Rieslings are a veritable bouquet of fruit. Pear, apple, orange and pineapple come through on each taste. This one is light with a very clean finish. An excellent summer wine and would be good paired with a spicy Asian dish or wonderful as an aperitif.
2006 Riesling, Devoto Vineyard, Lake County
Like the Mayeri Vineyard grown Riesling, this one has lots of fruit. Primarily, it is citrus. It has an orange aroma, yet heavy hints of lemon and lime on the palette. It is less sweet (due to absence of pear and pineapple) than the Mayeri and has a drier finish. For those who appreciate dry whites, this is an excellent aperitif wine.
Our favorite pick
With so many samples to taste, picking a single favorite was going to be difficult. Just like last year, we were all very impressed with the Hagafen 2005 Pinot Noir, Fagan Creek Vineyard, Block 38. Last year's sampling of this Hagafen Pinot Noir proved to be one of the best we had all year. This year's sampling was no different. An excellent bottle of wine that has everything you expect, and even some nice surprises.
Tied with the Fagan Creek Pinot Noir is the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Weir Family Vineyard, MJT Block. As was stated above, this Cabernet is simply wonderful. Like the Pinot Noir, it too has some wonderful surprises in taste that make it stand out from the others!
We stated this before and it bears repeating... all the wines we sampled are produced in small annual yields. Get some while you still can! Join one of the Hagafen wine clubs, and you'll be sure to get yours!
And please let us know what you think! After drinking Hagafen wines or joining the wine club, tell us about your experiences using our Testimonials page.
To join either Hagafen wine clubs, contact Josh Stein by e-mail or call at 1-888-HAGAFEN (424-2336). Be sure to mention joinwineclubs.com when you call.
Read what wine club members are saying about Hagafen!
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