We tasted last week at our Pig+Fig tasting some Cabs from DryCreekVnyds:
1. DryCreekVnyds Meritage DryCreekVlly (13.3%; 75% CabSauv/14% Merlot/11% CabFranc; Drk: 1987-2002) Healdsburg 1987::Fairly dark color w/ little bricking; strong blackcurranty/CS fairly pencilly/cedary/mature CS sone toasty/pencilly/Fr.oak/smokey fairly complex bit Bdx-like lovely nose; lightly tart fairly youthful/blackcurranty/CS some DCVlly/raspberry/Zin-like rather smooth/elegant fairly pencilly/oak gentle CS flavor complex w/ light smooth tannins; has come together quite nicely & showing no signs of its age; a beautiful/lovely fully-mature Calif CS.
______________
2. DryCreekVnyds Meritage DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty RW (14.5%; 4% Malbec/12% PetiteVerdot/22% CabFranc/62% CS; Hrvstd: 9/12-9/23; 601 cs) 2022: Very dark color; very strong blackcurranty/Cab/chocolaty/ripe some toasty/Fr.oak/smokey quite rich/lush some complex flavor w/ ample tannins; very long/lingering ripe/blackcurranty/CS finish w/ ample tannins; unusually rich/lush/ripe for a DCVlly CS; will do well w/ 10 yrs of age or more.
______________
3. DryCreekVnyds Meritage DryCreekVlly/SC (13.8%; 4% CabFranc/6% Merlot/14% PetiteVerdot/76% CS; Hrvstd: 9/14-9/30; 594 cs) 2021: Very dark color; same ripe/chocolaty/blackcurranty/CS nose w/ a bit pencilly/mature/Fr.oak bit more mature nose that shows a bit more pencilly/mature character; very rich/lush same blackcurranty/CS flavor w/ a bit lighter/smoother tannins; cast from the same mold as the '22 but showing a bit more progressive maturity.
______________
4. DryCreekVnyds Meritage DryCreekVlly/SC (14.5%; 4% Malbec/12% PetiteVerdot/22% CabFranc/62% CS; Hrvstd: 9/12-9/23; 601 cs) 2022: Very dark color; very much the same as the '21 w/ a touch more cedary/pencilly nose; slightly softer more cedary/pencilly/mature flavor w/ bit smoother tannins; shws a slight bit more maturity than the '21 but moving along nicely; should go out at least another 10 yrs. $67.00
______________
5. DryCreekVnyds Endeavor CabSauv DryCreekVlly/SC (14.1%; 91% CS/9% PetiteVerdot; Hrvstd: Sepr 4-18; SaH: 25.2 Brix; Aged: 20 mo. in Fr.oak) 2021: Very dark/near black color; very intense blackcurranty/CS/chocolaty strong toasty/Fr.oak/charred quite youthful nose; very much in the same style of the Meritage wines but a bit bigger; the 91% CS pushes it out of the Meritage range. DCVnds most expensive wine at $94.
______________________________________
More dicklefirk FromTheBloodyPulpit:
1. The Meritage Alliance was formed in 1988 to promote Calif reds patterned after the Bdx blend, using those traditional Bdx varieties. To put "Meritage" on your label, you must join the Meritage Alliance for a fee and are assessed a fee for the number of cases of that wine you produced. DryCreekVnyds Dave Stare was very influential on getting the organization off the ground.
For awhile in the early '90's, the organization was quite active in promoting the brand. Since then, it appears a number of wineries have dropped out of the organization and they to not be as active as they once were.At one time, "Meritage" was supposed to be the next great thing in Calif wine, but that has not seemed to materialize.
I was pretty impressed by these DCV Cabs. They're pretty big/ripe/intense Cabs for the DCVlly Cabs. And not unreasonably priced for the competition.
Tom