Thomas Fogarty Winery

Cabernet Sauvignon in the Santa Cruz Mountains might seem a contradiction in terms - after all, this is a place we locals call “Pinot Paradise” - but in the right site, it can be quite splendid. Winemaker Michael Martella made Cabs from Napa fruit for many years until he discovered the very lovely Bordeaux fruit growing right under his nose in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He first got turned on to the big-boned Merlot that this region produces. Subsequently, he worked with Camel Hill Vineyards to produce the kind of Cab he sought. Then he planted the 14-acre Gist Vineyard off Skyline Blvd to mostly Bordeaux varietals in 1997. This site, at about 2k feet elevation, has sandy, porous soil, and a southern exposure.

The 2003 Cabernet is from the warmish-climate Camel Hill Vineyard above the Lexington Reservoir, and from Gist Vineyard, where things can get pretty ripe in a warm year. 2003, though, was not a particularly toasty vintage, and the season was decently long and moderate enough to produce solid Cab character. The nose on this is filled with attractive cassis, plums, and coriander, and the flavours stay right on that track, with lots of cherries, ripe plums and black pepper. The fresh fruitiness is balanced with an herbal dollop from the Cab Franc, and the finish is smooth, silky and tinged with licorice. Great with a nice lean London broil with lots of Worstershire. My favorite condiment!

Reviewed February 20, 2008 by Laura Ness.