Wine Guys / By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr
Rocky mountain wines
Updated: 06/29/08 7:41 AM
Over the years we have grown to appreciate the struggles of determined producers who are willing to invest the time and money it takes to grow grapes in challenging terrain. That’s certainly the case for mountain- grown grapes that struggle to ripen, yet manage to make some of the most powerful wines in California.
The Hess Collection, a wine producer we have followed for years, is a good example of what comes from grapes that fight through mountainous bedrock. Made by Dave Guffy, these Mount Veeder estate-grown wines have good concentration and complexity.
Hess is engaged in replanting its vineyards, a slow and expensive re-grafting process that will take 5 years and $30 million to complete. Because of the soil, vines don’t last long at mountain altitudes. What many winemakers find as a setback, Guffy finds as an opportunity. The replanting allows him to plant new root stocks, particularly malbec, which he sees as having a great future in his blended cabernet sauvignons.
The Hess Collection was founded in 1978 by Donald Hess, whose collection of international art is as well respected as his wine. He owns 1,034 acres, 704 of which are in Napa Valley and 300 are on Mount Veeder. Recently, the old Hess Select label has been changed to the Hess Appellation Series but continues to represent great value. The Hess single-vineyard and Mount Veeder series show off the producer’s best wines.
The Mount Veeder cabernet sauvignons are simply outstanding, but the expressive sauvignon blancs and refreshing chardonnays we tasted with Guffy were an unexpected but pleasant surprise.
• Hess Allomi Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($15). This singlevineyard, Napa Valley wine has generous peach aromas followed by tropical fruit, honeysuckle and citrus notes. Using nine clones, include musque, the sauvignon blanc comes from a vineyard only a quarter mile from San Francisco Bay. It has great acidity to make it a refreshing wine for the summer, good balance and a creamy mouth-feel at the finish.
• Hess Su’skol Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 ($24). We liked this chardonnay because of its understated fruit and food-friendly texture. Pear and pineapple aromas lead nicely to delicate green apple and orange peel notes. Crisp acidity and toasty oak on the finish.
• Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($24). A great value and a real sleeper, this singlevineyard wine is blended atypically with 10 percent petite sirah. Along with 4 percent petit verdot, the additional grapes add dimension, color and richness to the firm cabernet. Strikingly sweet fruit redolent of black cherries and jammy raspberries with unmistakeable hints of chocolate, black licorice and pepper.
• Hess Collection Mount Veeder 19 Block Cuvee 2005 ($35). Once known as Mountain Cuvee, this blend of cabernet sauvignon (74 percent), syrah, malbec, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot is a blockbuster. Using grapes from 19 blocks of the Veeder Summit Vineyard at altitudes of 1,300 to 2,000 feet, this is a serious, layered wine. Big cherry aromas and flavors, anise, cedar, black pepper and chocolate.
• Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($50). The granddaddy red of the producer, the ponderous Mount Veeder cab struts the best of the mountain-grown grapes. Concentrated blackberry and black cherry flavors with well-integrated dashes of pepper and cassis. The firm tannins give it a promising future in the cellar. It’s what Guffy says Hess has been doing best for 30 years.
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