The Cab-of-the-Month for June is the 2011 emeve Cabernet Sauvignon from Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico ($47 bottle). This is a wine many of our club members have been eagerly awaiting…because I’ve talked about it reverently for months now!
Back in January, my husband and I ventured to the wine region of Valle de Guadalupe. We flew from Austin, Texas into San Diego and drove away in our little rental car with a couple of bags of clothes and an empty 12-bottle wine suitcase. Our goal was to find high quality wines from Mexico to share with our guests here at Perspective Cellars. And the trip did not disappoint. The border crossing at Tijuana was a breeze, other than one mis-turn in the city, and then we were on track and headed south. The drive was a short 2 hours along the coastline, with waves crashing along the rocky shores as we zoomed by. You really won’t find a more beautiful drive.
Once arriving to the city of Ensenada on the coast, it’s just a left turn on a meager road and we were headed into what has been referred to as the next Napa. There are wine tastings rooms tucked into industrial warehouses, and then the scenery opens up to quaint homes and rows of lush vines. While the area is bare bones with modest housing and little in the way of retail stores, the wine and food scene is amazing.
Mario Villarreal planted his grape vines in 2004 on 5 hectare (one hectare is 2.47 acres) of his newly purchased homestead and intended to produce a little wine for himself, his family and friends. His plants were imported from a certified nursery in California and were selected for their ability to adapt in this particular growing zone. By 2005, another 3 hectares were planted and the vision was forming to produce world-class wines for retail sales. The current plantings are a mixture of well known varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Malbec Chardonnay and Viognier, as well as lesser recognized Red Glove, Princess, Autom Royal, Superior and Thompson. On property you’ll find the vines planted either with 3 meters between rows, and 1 meter between plants, providing a total of 3,333 plants per hectare, or plantings are 2.5 meters between rows and 1 meter between plants, providing 4,000 plants per hectare. Total production is 8 to 10 tons per hectare annually. This fruit allows for the annual production of 60,000 bottles, many of which are award winning.
The name emeve comes from Mr. Villarreal’s initials M.V. but spelled out in the traditional Spanish enunciation. Many of the wines carry the names of his grand children as a way to keep the project in the family. Visiting the winery, we found a beautiful contemporary tasting room of steel, concrete and glass, with attentive staff and delicious wines. The family home is also on the property, as well as orchards of fruit trees to add to the lovely scenery.
You’ll find this Cabernet Sauvignon to be a nice reflection of the fruit itself, aged in American and French oak, but without harsh oak notes. I find aromas of bright, ripe berries and a hint of cocoa. The tannins are soft and the wines goes down smoothly. For an easy pairing, try chocolate covered almonds or beef jerky. And for a dinner, you can’t go wrong with a grilled steak or a meaty stew. And if you ever want to visit the Valle de Guadalupe, be sure to reach out and we can give you some musts for your trip. – Cheers!