Wine Last Sold on: September 27, 2012
Fritz Underground Winery
Featured Wine:
2009 Fritz Cabernet Sauvignon
| Varietal: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Region: | California: Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma) |
| Availability: | Very Limited |
| Avg. Price: | $35.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $26.00 |
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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: In the bag
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- Return to longstanding Wine Spies favorite, Fritz Underground Winery. Procure an exclusive allocation of their newest Cabernet Sauvignon release - before they run out.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Brad Longton
Final Assessment
Very Highly Recommended, today’s extraordinary 2009 Fritz Underground Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is a very impressive wine. A relatively youthful wine, today’s Cabernet drinks beautifully, delivering real depth, character and delicious fruit - all in a very elegant package that encourages prolonged exploration.
Loaded with juicy, dark fruit on the palate and on the nose, this deep wine delivers a truly balanced drinking experience. Our tasting panel simply could not put this wine down - until, alas, our glasses and sample bottles were drained.
Tasting Profile
Deep and intense, with iridescent maroon hues that deepen toward the core of the wine. At the edge of the glass, the color lightens, slightly. When swirled, slow, chubby legs hang for several seconds before descending slowly.
An initial heady rush of raspberry, cherry and wild strawberry are quickly followed by sweet spice, sweet pipe tobacco, cassis and a hint of cocoa powder. Subtle dried leaves and a hint of fennel follow on, once the wine opens up.
Cool and light, across the tip of the tongue. Then, medium-firm tannins give the wine a plush, grippy feel as it settles onto the mid-palate. Slowly, the wine coats the entire revealing a lush and slightly chewy character. Balanced acids and a touch of spice combine to drive fruit flavors toward a long and lingering finish.
Bursting with juicy and darkly robust flavors, led by bold black cherry, blackberry, cassis, black plum and raspberry. These flavors are layered atop complex notes of sweet tobacco, earth and toasty oak.
Ultra long with dark fruit that lingers on and on, eventually yielding to earthen notes, tobacco and softest spice.
What the Winery Says
Winemaker’s Notes:
Fritz Cellars’ Portfolio of Wines 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Our 2009 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep rich color. Aromas of black cherries, fig, and plum are underlined by layered nuances of sage and cocoa. Beautifully balanced with firm tannins and piquant acidity, it greets the palate with sweet plum, cocoa powder, coffee bean, and exotic spices. Look for an exquisitely lingering finish. - Winemaker Brad Longton
Appellation
Dry Creek Valley
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Barrel Aging
18 Months French Oak
Alcohol
14.4%
Case Production
1000 Cases
Production Notes:
The fruit was de-stemmed only so that whole berries were transferred to open top fermenters, this helps to capture bright fruit aromas and flavors. After a 5 day cold soak the tanks are warmed and inoculated with yeast. The tanks were punched down 2-3 times daily over 10 days increasing skin contact. The wine is then drained of the skins and aged in 60% new French oak for 18 months.
About the Winery
A Destination Unrivaled
Fritz Underground Winery is unlike any place you’ve ever visited. A visionary wonder built ahead of its time by namesake Mr. Jay Arthur Fritz in the late 1970’s, this monumental Gaudi style masterpiece represents a viticultural passion for sustainability, quality, and tradition. Today, Jay’s son Clayton runs the winery with the same dedication and enthusiasm to these core values.
A Natural Wonder
Built into the side of a picturesque hill atop the northernmost region of the famed Dry Creek Valley, the Fritz Winery operates with a modern sensibility for efficiency and awareness by utilizing the unique attributes of its subterranean design. Naturally cool temperatures, ideal for wine making and cellaring, are maintained without any use of expensive or carbon-heavy devices common to most modern wine production. What’s more, as a three-tiered structure, we’re able to further cut down on energy usage by capitalizing on the always plentiful presence of gravity. By harnessing gravity to move our juice from the crush pad down to the tanks and barrels, we’re not only saving energy by forgoing pumps, we’re also saving our precious juice from the detrimental effects of excessive pulsation and buffeting. It’s in this way that the delicate nuances present in our Pinot Noir and other prized Estate fruit is maintained and the nurtured by our winemaker Brad Longton.
Quality Starts with Terroir
Jay Fritz’s vision for a winery grounded in responsible stewardship is what has allowed the quality of the natural bounty of our 120+ Estate to thrive over the past thirty years. With a natural spring to supply simple irrigation, redwood groves to provide unique micro-climates, and a soil ideal for prized planting year after year, the Fritz terroir provides for a caliber of wine unrivaled.
A Timeless Perspective
It was Jay Fritz’s fidelity to sustainability and quality that ultimately made the Fritz Winery what it is today. The company’s seamless respect for the vineyards, and the traditions of artisan, hand-crafted wine making continue today as both a testament to the founding and commitment to the future. Today, Clayton Fritz and the rest of the Fritz Winery Family work tirelessly to invigorate the traditions of old with the passion of the future. The results speak for themselves; we invite you to join us in enjoying the bounty of Fritz Underground Winery.
