2004 Owl Ridge Wines Sonoma County Brigden Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: Springing West

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Visit Owl Ridge wines and secure an allocation of their delicious Brigden Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Owl Ridge Wines

Wine Subject: 2004 Sonoma County Brigden Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Joe Otos

Backgrounder:

The Mayacama Mountains that separate Napa and Sonoma are home to some of the finest mountain fruit available. Many of the famous and well known AVA’s fall within Napa, such as Spring Mountain, Diamond Mountain, Mt. Veeder, but just on the other side of the county line in Sonoma lies the same volcanic soil, similar mountain climates and the Sonoma County designation. The best part, is that you profit by getting wines of tremendous mountain character at half the cost of equivalent Napa wines. Today’s Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Brigden Vineyard just west of Napa’s Spring Mountain.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dense and deep garnet purple that becomes burgundy along the edges with a dark almost inky core that shows the slightest ruby reflections when held to the light. When swirled, randomly spaced thin legs race down the side of the glass.

Smell – Rich and bold, with this wine’s vivid dark fruit including blackberry and cassis leading the way. Toasted and smokey herbs and spice blend with hints of vanilla and leather to add complexity to the nose.

Feel – This dry and full-bodied wine has a rich and expansive mouth-feel with mouth-coating fine textured tannins and balanced acidity. A hint of spice emerges at mid-palate. As this wine opens, the structure softens with the tannins smoothing dramatically.

Taste – Deep and extracted mountain fruit of dark berries, blackberry, black cherry, cassis and plum are well integrated with the smokey herbs, dark spices and toasted oak found on the nose. Hints of vanilla toast, tobacco, mountain minerality and other subtle classic Cabernet flavors.

Finish – Ultra-long with the mouth-coating structure supporting the vibrant mountain fruit and other complex flavors, teasing you into another sip.

Conclusion – The 2004 Owl Ridge Wines Sonoma County Brigden Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic mountain fruit Cabernet that is big and vibrant but also well integrated and smooth showing lots of character. Definitely fruit-forward, but with with subtle and complex aromas and flavors. A rich but balanced structure will allow this wine to cellar for years to come, but once you open a bottle, you’ll have a hard time keeping it locked up.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Joe Otos

DATE OF BIRTH: 10/74

PLACE OF BIRTH: Los Angeles CA

WINE EDUCATION: None

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Ravenswood from 95-98, wellington Vineyards 98-01, Willowbrook 01-present, Owl Ridge 01-present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Find unique vineyards from amazing appellations and make a wine that will represent the area and my style, which is big fruit, big aromas and complimentary oak.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Cabernet Sauvignon

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Being able to con a couple of retired business men into starting a winery with me when I was only 26.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Since I don’t enter my wines in for review, it would have to be going 3 for 3 gold at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

---

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Joe. We are thrilled to be showing your Owl Ridge Brigdon vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JOE: My pleasure

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JOE: It started when I moved to Sonoma County. I was nearly 21 and out hiking with some friends in Sonoma Valley. After the hike, being covered in sweat and dust, my friend asked if I’d want to go wine tasting. I told I didn’t have any money. He then told me that there was no charge, so I was all game. After visiting three wineries, it sparked an interest. I started then tasting and looking more at wine. In the next few months, after I turned 21 I started working at Ravenswood and within a year I was making wine in my buddies old chicken coup.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

JOE: I’d say I’m still learning. In 2004, my business partner John Tracy, purchased a custom crush facility. And in this facility I’m working along some of the premiere winemakers in California and we all share information and give advice. I try not to get stuck with one particular philosophy and like to adapt and incorporate what I see and learn from others to help me achieve my goal with wine.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

JOE: For me wine is all about aromatics. If I’m not enticed by the aromas I feel the wine is just lacking. Once I achieve this, I then look to make the seamless. Meaning to bring the fruit, body and length of finish together in a manner as to not have any abrupt changes.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

JOE: There are two winemakers whose philosophies have influenced me. The first is Chris Loxton whose attention to detail and overseeing every detail and controlling the ferment taught me power on consistency. The other is Joel Peterson, who showed that making wine exclusively by the book can be a little boring at times and that to have complex and exciting wines you sometimes have to take risks.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

JOE: Commercially since 2001, as a home winemaker for 13 years

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JOE: I make wine in a style that I enjoy and hopefully others will find it enjoyable.

RED: Tell me, what makes the Sonoma Mountain so special?

JOE: Sonoma Mountain is a warmer appellation than most parts of Sonoma county, but what it gets in warmth it makes up for with wind. So the growing season is extended due to the great winds that come up through Petaluma every afternoon. These winds slow down the ripening and extend the hang time and provide the grapes with additional time for flavor development.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

JOE: Good Luck. There are a huge amount of people who want this job and a huge amount of people who have the knowledge to be winemakers. It’s not just knowledge from a book that makes a winemaker great, it is taking that knowledge and adapting it, applying and modifying it to meet your needs. Wine changes and you need to be able to change with it.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JOE: Besides being the winemaker, I’m also the sales manager. Right now I’m working on harvest as well as trying to maintain sales.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today? I love it by the way!

JOE: Thanks!

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

JOE: I’m about to have my first child with my wife.

RED: Congratulations! Tell me, what is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

JOE: Beer, IPA or Red Ales.

RED: You know what? I secretly crave beer sometimes myself! It seems to be a hazard of the job. How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

JOE: Don’t worry about what people say is good. If it tastes good drink it and if it only 80 points, but you love it. It is a great wine to you and that is all that matters. Wine is completely subjective and it only matters how much you like it.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

JOE: I must say I really like Shafer Hillside Select Cab.

RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

JOE: It is a question I get asked every time I walk out my door. “ How tall are you?” I’m 6’8”

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

JOE:Thank you and great talking with you.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Owl Ridge Wines in Sebastopol can be seen in this satellite photo.