Rudy's Choice
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
Diamond Mountain District
Each year certain lots of Cabernet shine above others. In 2008, this particular lot of Spaulding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Block A stunned us with its depth of color and intensity. Blended with Petit Verdot and Malbec from the von Strasser Estate, these five cases are the winemaker's choice for the vintage.
22 months in french oak: made up of approximately 40% new cooperage
bone dry |
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very sweet |
light body |
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very full bodied |
soft, gentle |
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very crisp |
no tannins |
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heavy tannins |
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Winemaker, Rudy Von Strasser
I started in the wine business in a roundabout way. I was studying apple farming at University of New Hampshire, and I wrote my senior paper on producing hard-cider using local organic apples. I decided upon graduating that I would like to pursue this dream, but had no mentor to teach me how to make cider. So in 1981 I decided to come to Napa Valley, thinking if I could learn to make wine, I could take this knowledge for my cider.
I worked for about a year at Robert Mondavi Winery, and not only fell in love with wine, but also California. This enthusiasm made me enroll back into college at UCD, where I recieved a second degree, in enology. Upon graduating, I wanted to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon so I looked to connections had in Bordeaux and was able to talk myself into an internship at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, where in 1985 I became the first California intern. Upon returning, I became the enologist at Trefethen for two years, then assistant winemaker at Newton Vineyard for three years. In 1990, I fullfilled the dream and bought a small ranch on Diamond Mountain which now is the home to my winery.
Country born: United States
Education: See above experience section for my comlplete Bio
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Honors / Awards:
'Winery of the Year' for 11 of the past 12 years for Wine and Spirits Magazine; 'Wine of the Year' - Connoisseurs Guide to Fine Wine; 'Value Winery of the Year' - Wine and Spirits magazine 2009; 'Prince of Cabernet' and magazine cover - The Wine News; Gold and Silver Medals in 2011 & 2012 at AWC-Vienna, Austria for Gruner Veltliner
Winemaking Philosophy:
I believe wines should be elegant. The most important flavors of a wine need to be those which come for the vineyard and show the terroir. If a wine carries too much of a winemaker’s “muscle”—like oak, alcohol—then it becomes generic and no longer a product of a place. Since I make seven different bottlings from Diamond Mountain District, I want each vineyard to taste unique due to the soils, exposure, farming techniques, etc.
Q: Premiere Napa Valley wines are innovative and allow each winery to showcase the region's sense of exploration in fine winemaking. What kind of exploration did your Premiere Napa Valley wine allow you to do?
A: I make wine only from the Diamond Mountain District AVA, and as such have access to some incredible vineyards. This particular lot is from an old vineayrd owned by Jim Spaulding. Becuase of the age of the vines, there are quite a few block. For this lot, I chose one very small block which produced just one ton of grapes, too little to bottle on its own commercially, but was of tremendous depth and character.
Q: What was your inspiration for this offering?
A: see above
Q: Fill in the blanks: I chose to make this wine from this particular ______________ because ______________.
A: I chose to make this wine from this particular block because because it was the best wine in my cellar that year
Q: Why should a wine lover have a bottle of this wine in their cellar?
A: It is rare to find a wine that is this concentrated, but still is elegant, sophistcated, and moderate in alcohol.
1421 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica CA 90403
310-393-2888
Premiere Napa Valley Wine Collection
Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bougetz Cellars | 2016 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | 22 | |
Adler Deutsch Vineyard | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | ADV | 17 |
Benessere Vineyards | 2009 | Red Wine | St. Helena | "Last Man Standing" | 15 |
Tetra | 2009 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | ARTET | 15 |
Swanson Vineyards | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 14 | |
von Strasser Winery | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | Rudy's Choice | 14 |
Cardinale | 2005 | Merlot | Howell Mountain | 11 | |
Carter Cellars | 2006 | 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot | Napa Valley | 11 | |
Etude | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Vine Hill | 11 |
Frog's Leap | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Rutherford | 11 |
Oakville Ranch Vineyards | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Callum's Select | 11 |
Spring Mountain Vineyard | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | Destiny and Fortune Block 8 Estate Bottled | 11 |
StoneFly Vineyard | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Atlas Peak | 11 | |
Turnbull Wine Cellars | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Red Soils Red | 11 |
Oakville Ranch Vineyards | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Vista East | 10 |
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Premier Napa Valley | 10 |
Groth Vineyards and Winery | 2003 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 9 | |
Phelan Vineyard | 2003 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 9 |
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