Wine Last Sold on: February 16, 2013
Burgess Cellars
Featured Wine:
2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
| Varietal: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vineyard: | Estate Vineyard |
| Region: | California: Napa Valley |
| Avg. Price: | $38.00 |
| Wine Spies: | [REDACTED] |
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EXFILTRATION ALERT:
We uncovered a handful of cases of this special wine - and we thought that we’d make them available to you at a very special price. Be warned, though, there are very few remaining. When this wine sells out, a new wine will go up for sale.
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
We only showcase wines that we love. While our emphasis is on quality first, every now and again we come across a real standout wine that rises above. When we do, we issue alerts like this one.
Mission Codename: Above it all
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- With Howell Mountain’s Burgess Cellars under extended surveillance, rush to procure their newest Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Bill Sorenson
Final Assessment
The 2008 Burgess Celllars Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was a big hit with our tasting panel! This wine is, hands down, the best 2008 Napa Cabernet we have tasted. While this wine is certainly youthful, it is ready to drink – right now. And, this wine is certain to keep improving for at least the next decade. Bold, flavorful, texture and deeply aromatic, this wine embodies everything that we have come to expect from higher-end Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Why the low price? Simple: it is because the Burgess Family purchased their estate, where their vineyards reside, back in the 1970s – when the cost of land was much lower. Burgess has always priced their wines accordingly. Decant to bring out the more subtle qualities of the fruit, and pair with a grilled steak or a juicy Prime Rib.
Tasting Profile
Striking iridescent Burgundy hues at the edge of the wine, color darkens toward the core. After swirling the wine, tall legs take a long time to emerge, before running slowly down the wall of the glass.
A bold rush of candied blackberry and black cherry rush to greet the nose. As the wine breathes, red currant, dark strawberry, and dark plum mingle with spice, dried tobacco leaf, sweetwood, black tea and toasted oak.
Full-bodied and textured, with great backbone and plush overall structure. Tannins are firm, but not rigid. Bold acidity frames the fruit and drives flavors to the far corners of the palate.
Black cherry, backberry and cassis provide a condensed, fruit-first experience, with flavors that then yield to spice, star anise, black pepper, leather, tobacco and a hint of cocoa powder.
Long, flavorful and with fruit that is beautifully framed by plush tannins and bright acids. As fruit slowly dwindles, spice and earthen components leave behind a chewy feeling and a gradually spreading dryness.
What the Winery Says
The Burgess Cellars’ hillside vineyards are on the steep slopes of Howell Mountain. The various exposures result in grapes that complement one another and build a complex, delicious wine. Soils range from volcanic ash to rocky marine sediments, this, combined with mature vines and skilled wine making give us a complex and elegant wine. The wine shows off dense Cabernet Sauvignon character accented with vanilla, balancing spices and toasty oak from traditional barrel aging.
Vineyard & Winemaker Notes: This vintage was reduced because of a frosty spring. Our mountain vineyards are normally void of this problem; however there was some slight damage. The wine shows the concentration caused by frost and the flavors are quite rich with forward aromas. This 2008 Cabernet will complement all meats and like all of our Cabernets will continue to gain complexity with cellar aging.
Technical Analysis:
Vintage: 2008
Appellation: Napa Valley, California
Vineyard Locations: Burgess Estate Vineyards, Western & Eastern slopes of Howell Mountain
Grape Variety: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, 4% Malbec
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.74
T.A.: 0.58
Process: 100% Malolactic Fermentation
Harvest Notes: A reduced crop because of spring frost.
Release date: January 2012
About the Winery
Burgess Cellars, located on the slopes of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, focuses on creating exceptional, hand-crafted estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah.
Burgess traces its origins to an original winery on the property in the 1880’s. Since 1972, Napa Valley pioneer Tom Burgess and his family have followed the belief that it is vital to grow only those varietals ideally suited to a particular vineyard’s soil composition, sun and wind exposure, and overall micro-climate. The French refer to this as “terroir,” and it certainly explains the consistent aromas and flavors found in the hillside Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon.
Over the years three distinct estate vineyard sites have been cultivated and nurtured to create the very best handcrafted wines. The Burgess flagship wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, thrives on the western slopes of Howell Mountain near the winery; Merlot is ideally suited to the Triere Vineyard on the Napa Valley floor in the Oak Knoll AVA just south of Yountville; Syrah is perfectly matched to conditions in the estate vineyard site on the eastern slope of Howell Mountain.
Burgess is somewhat unique in the Napa Valley today, in that it is truly a family-owned winery which has employed the same gifted winemaker, Bill Sorenson, since the winery’s re-birth in 1972.
