Kara and I have an Annual Date with a bottle of wine. It started in my fledgling days of learning about wine. I bought a case of Lewis 'Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 from Woodland Hills Wine Company. It was the first wine I'd ever bought a full case of anything. We drank our first one on March 6th of 2006. I think it was coincidence (or maybe I planned it subconsciously), but we decided we would drink through the case on the same day every year for the following twelve years to see how a wine truly evolved over time. To date, this is still the only wine I've really checked in with this regularity.
Last year, the bottle we tried was losing its structure and the fruit was getting a little tired. I decided to sell off a handful of the bottles, knowing this wine wasn't going to make it the full twelve years. Next year will be our last bottle, unfortunately. AND fortunately...
Our neighbors, Chris and Cher, invited us over for homemade pizza and bread. Chris' former supervisor has a small bread-making company called "Well Bread in LA" that makes fantastic product which we sampled last night. The Country Bread was spectacular for homemade and as good (if not better) than any artisanal bread from the bakeries. Great sourdough-style tang under fresh whole wheat flour with the soft, light airy texture I always look for in bread. Some Grilled Chicken & Apple Sausages added to the mix with a handful of appetizers and we were ready for vino.
So - the Lewis 'Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 in the year 2011: The color on this was surprising as I don't remember it being so light. Nearly as light as some current release Pinot Noirs I've seen (and lighter than some others...). Very spicy oak-based aromas are pronounced on the nose with some fruit underlying. On the palate, light black and red currant, blackberry, and oak overshadowing all of it. Tannins are moderate, heading toward moderate minus with some acidity still hanging on. It's losing its fruit and vivacity at a rapid pace now, it seems, leaving mostly oak profile.
While servicable, this wine was definitely a disappointment. But older Lewis wines have consistently been disappointing for me. They're not really meant for aging, in my opinion. I think the joy of this winery is found with just a couple of years in the cellar. Mind you, there has been a slew of different winemaker's influence over the years, so a number of different cooks in the kitchen can have an effect. Also, this was not a profoundly great vintage, by most opinions, and I have not been wildly pleased with many of my aged 2001's at this point.
Kara wanted to go ahead and drink the last bottle last night. She liked it and, I think, was fearful of how it might show next year. So am I, personally. Rather than cut our annual date any shorter, I ran back to the house and grabbed the 2002 vintage of the same wine, which we had also not tried for about a year, coincidentally.
The 2002 Lewis 'Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon was showing a hundred times better than its older brother. The fruit was blue/black as opposed to red, with plenty of oak on it, but showing as fresh vanilla and mocha as opposed to dried, dusty baking spices. The texture was plush and alive, with integrated, but soft, tannin. This is definitely a more robust wine, as the vintage would suggest. Much sweeter and much more crowd-pleasing. The entire table was definitely in the 2002 camp. Not a surprise, though. The 2002 and 2003 vintages were my favorite from Lewis, in part due to the involvement of talented winemaker Kristof Anderson during those years.
All in all, we had a great time sharing our yearly tasting with our gracious hosts on their heated terrace. And a hearty thanks to "Well Bread in LA" for the amazing bread and pizza. With any luck, we'll be able to share this moment with our neighbors again next year.
I highly recommend this experience. Pick up an age-worthy wine and give it a go. It doesn't necessarily have to be the same date every year, but in the ballpark would be appropriate. Take some detailed notes on the wine each year and see how your comments change. It's a lot of fun. Mind you, over time our our tastes and preferences will change. But keep an objective eye open and be sure to comment on the same aspects of the wine each year: fruit, tannin, acid, overall impression, etc. I think it's a rewarding experience and I've really enjoyed taking this journey.
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