We were in the Napa Valley. Or, to be a bit more specific, almost 2,500 feet above the valley floor, way up on Spring Mountain. It was in the tasting room of Cain Vineyard & Winery, a medium sized winery that produces some pretty stellar Bordeaux-varietal wine.
Cain has about 90 acres under vine (on a 550 acre ranch) and an annual estate production of about 4,500 cases. Their overall case production is about 20,000. They only produce red wine, with a grand total of three wines seeing market:
Cain Cuvée, an approachable blend of two vintages of Bordeaux varietals (Merlot is traditionally the dominant varietal in this wine) that comes from fruit harvested from a number of valley floor vineyards. This wine is never the same, as the winemaker seeks out variations year over year in order to build a "refreshing" wine that appeals to novice and seasoned wine drinkers alike.
Cain Concept is an energetic, Cab-heavy blend predominantly from the benches of Oakville, St. Helena, and Rutherford. It is still a Bordeaux blend, though Malbec is not used (just like in the Cuvée). Certainly more complex than the Cuvée, this is a more refined bottle of juice.
And finally, Cain Five. Their flagship blend of the five noble Bordeaux grapes is completely estate grown. The mountain fruit is enlivened in this blend, creating an herbacious exoticism in the wine that mirrors many of the wild herbs and flowers you'll find growing around their property. It does not disappoint. I have a strange feeling this wine will be "around" for awhile, so if you get it, don't be afraid to let it sit (though it's fantastic now!)
With that out of the way, I'll get on to our story. We had started our day in the house we rented in the city of Sonoma, about 30 miles from Cain. The issue is that only about 20 of those miles are "highway" - the other 10 miles are through some of the windiest roads you'll see this side of Portugal. The drive takes you up the Sonoma side of Spring Mountain, through Redwood groves on roads barely wide enough for two cars to pass side by side. We were with another couple, and I was thankfully in the front passenger seat. Knowing the ride in front of us, my wife downed some Dramamine before departing the house.
Cain was our first tasting of the day, at 10:00am. To get those 30 miles from Sonoma, we had to leave at 9:00am. By the time we reached the winery, my buddy's wife was so carsick she could barely move. That's how windy those roads were.
But oh, was it worth it once we got there! Beautifully manicured grounds overlooked the vineyards about 500 feet below. The facility itself was made of stone, and looked like it had been constructed in the early 1900's (Cain Vineyard & Winery opened in 1980). It simply belonged there.
Following a brief tour of the winery, we were led into a gorgeous tasting room with windows that opened to the outside. It was there we were seated with a couple from Georgia who were on their honeymoon. Cain was the very first winery they chose to visit. They chose wisely, but had no idea what they were getting into with our group.
Matt, our guide for the morning, led us through a tasting of all three of the current releases, as well as a historical comparison for the Cain Five. It was this 2004 edition of Cain's flagship that led to "the quote". Matt poured us the wine, starting with my wife who was seated on his left side. I was seated to Matt's right, next to my buddy. His wife sat next to mine, and our newly married friends from Georgia sat across from us to complete the table.
As Matt sat back down, our group started through the ubiquitous swirl and sniff routine. We had barely begun when it happened.
"I already love it and I haven't even put it in my mouth."My first look was to my right, and after a couple of seconds of silence, I countered with, "That's what she said." The entire group lost it, with Matt just shaking his head, muttering, "I didn't want to say it." Our Georgian friends were absolutely horrified.
Well folks, that's what you get when you travel with our group! It completely set the tone for the rest of the day, both for us and seemingly the newlyweds as well. Sorry guys.
While appearing to wrap things up, Matt asked my wife and I what we typically drink. Without thinking, we pretty much spouted out in unison, "Syrah!" Matt disappeared for a moment and came back with Cain's Estate Syrah, an experimental wine made in microscopic quantities and released only through allocation. It was a huge treat. The Cain Estate Syrah is quite simply the best Syrah I have ever tasted from California. Hands down. Better than Plumpjack's bacon-bomb and even better than the Rhone Rangers I've been able to sample, Matt allowed us to purchase one bottle, but I would have taken a case if I could have. Should you ever see this wine, buy it, no questions asked. You can thank me later.
Our visit to Cain Vineyard & Winery was a huge success. If you're out in Napa or Sonoma and can stomach the drive, I highly urge you to get in touch with Cain to schedule a visit. And be sure to ask for Matt.
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