2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
91 Points - Robert Parker Retail Price $75.00
Varietal:
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation:
Sonoma Valley
Vineyard:
Amapola Creek Estate
Brix:
25.4
TA at harvest:
68gm/l00ml
pH at harvest:
3.59
Barrel Aging:
18 months in new and seasoned French and American oak
Alcohol:
15.5%
Winemaster:
Richard Arrowood
Production:
405 cases
The Vineyard
Spread along 600 vertical feet of a sun-washed western slope of the Mayacamas range, our 120-acre Amapola Creek ranch borders the highly acclaimed Monte Rosso Vineyard, home to our Viñas Antiguas Zinfandel. The red, iron-oxide volcanic soils we share with our esteemed next-door neighbor have yielded superb wines for over a century. We farm our 20 acres of mountain vineyard organically. Two of our four estate blocks, China Wall and Fox Trot Meadow, were the sources for our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vintage
A cool, unseasonably wet spring provided a challenging growing season in 2005. Diligent hand pruning by Sonoma Valley's leading organic viticulturist, Phil Coturri, curtailed excessive growth that would have put our vines out of balance. Mild daytime temperatures also worked to our advantage, allowing the grapes to mature and develop deep flavors and dark pigmentation. Warmer nights promoted fully ripe tannins, resulting in superb quality. Our grapes were hand-picked in early October at an average of 25.4 degrees Brix.
Wine
Quality is more important to us than yields. That commitment shows in this Cabernet Sauvignon, made exclusively with fruit from our estate vines. After painstaking organic farming, we dropped half of our crop to make a wine of power and perfect ripeness from very limited yields. The wine was aged for 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French and American oak barrels. This dense, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon displays a wealth of intense black cherry, blackberry, currant and cassis aromas. Silky and seamless on the palate, the wine reveals complex layers of luscious black fruit flavors that meld with oak nuances and polished, ripe tannins throughout a remarkably persistent finish.
This wine is unfined and unfiltered. Drink now or hold for 10-15 years.
Press
June 1st, 2009
Best of The Best:
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Five-Star California Cabernet Sauvignons Wines of extraordinary character and quality - in a class by themselves
Cabernet Sauvignon is the king among California varietal wines. And the two most recently released vintages, 2005 and 2006, do nothing to dispel that notion. Both were cool, late-developing years, and the wines, as a result, are balanced and well-structured, with the 2005 Cabs displaying more heft and the 2006s exhibiting a bit more elegance. The following 23 selections highlight the considerable virtues of each vintage.
2005 Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley), $100.
The new venture from celebrated winemaker Richard Arrowood. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Big, deep, dense, muscular, utterly riveting, black fruit, licorice and nutty oak vanillin flavors geared for the long haul.
February 1st, 2011
91
POINTS
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (a very under-rated vintage for Bordeaux varietals in Northern California) has classic plum, cassis, forest floor and earthy undertones, a dark plum/ruby/purple color, and supple tannins. The wine actually seems more evolved than the 2005 Zinfandel Monte Rosso, which is surprising.
Nevertheless, it is delicious, complex, and ideal for drinking over the next decade.
December 1st, 2012
91
POINTS
Blues Reviews
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
“91 Amapola Creek 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley ($60) Dense and smooth with rich plum, blackberry, chocolate, and spice; lush and showing sweet oak, cinnamon and generous texture; layered, complex and quite lovely; long and well-balanced.”
By Anthony Dias Blue
The Tasting Panel
November 17th, 2012
94
POINTS
Wine Reviews: Cali Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
"The wine smells deliciously hedonistic — dark, ripe blackberries, dark chocolate, and dust — but everything is in check. The oak is present but not obtrusive. Soft, well-structured tannins, nicely structured, great balance. An excellent wine." (94 pts.)
By David White
Terroirist.com
January 7th, 2011
A Sonoma Cabernet Yowzer
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Some of you may not know the Amapola label, but you certainly know the winemaster behind the bottle—Richard Arrowood. In 2010, he left Arrowood to focus on a handful of little gems at Amapola, a tiny ultra-premium winery in Sonoma. I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard shortly after he departed Arrowood and the passion he shared for his new venture was simply amazing. I expect great things to come out of this winery for many years to come.
The ’06 Amapola Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe, rich and delicious—a Cabernet that will knock your socks off and then some. It’s intense with all of the flavors you would expect from the Sonoma region—blackberry, black cherry, spice and everything nice with a dash of black tea and plum. This is what I call a yowzer of a wine (translation: an exclamation of delight) and it’s tannic enough to grace our presence 15 years from now. It’s on my “must have” wines for 2010 and I’d highly recommend cellaring this rascal for a while to reap the benefits this wine will unfold in a decade or so.
October 28th, 2011
Good Ranger Game Wines, and an Opportunity to Taste Through Them at Flavor! Napa Valley
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
“2007 Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Valley shows how good Sonoma Cabernet can be. Delicate aromas of blueberry, blackberry and cherry with hints of vanilla and creamy chocolate lift from the glass, followed by red cherry, plum and berry with a velvety, lingering finish.”
By Hayley Hamilton
D Magazine
Palate Press Wine of the Week
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
“Unfined and unfiltered. A minty nose, with a certain earthiness. Later, cocoa and vanilla notes come out. Lots of dark, sweet plummy fruit with hints of strawberry. Nice, strong, integrated tannins. A warm, buttery finish. It’s the wine I kept sipping with a steak dinner.”
Becky Sue Epstein
PalatePress.com
January 30th, 2012
Press Democrat Wine List: This week's picks
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Press Democrat Wine List: This week's picks Press Democrat wine writer Peg Melnik scopes out restaurant wine lists around the North Bay, looking for good value and the occasional splurge. This week's picks (prices are retail; restaurant markup varies):
Amapola Creek, 2007 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon "15 percent, $60. A ripe cab with sassy spice. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, plum, with a peppery finish. Big."
Peg Melnik
Press Democrat
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February 1st, 2012
The Press Democrat Wine of The Week
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Scouting for The Tastiest Mixed RedsWine writer Peg Melnik had a blind tasting this week of mixed reds from cabernets to pinot noirs to zinfandels.
Amapola Creek, 2007 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Four Stars "15 percent, $60. A ripe cab with sassy spice. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, plum, with a peppery finish. Tasty."
Peg Melnik
Press Democrat
.
April 1st, 2012
Cellar Notes
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Don't Panic - It's Organic
“Going organic is not only about health but also quality. Amapola Creek winery was established with the highest standards of environmentally sustainable organic growing in mind. In 2001 Richard Arrowood and his wife Alis bought 100 acres on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains that separate Sonoma from Napa. They grow cabernet, syrah, grenache, petit verdot and viognier on four different vineyard sites ranging from 400 to 1,000 feet in elevation. From these they produce award-winning wines including a Rhone blend, ‘Cuvée Alis.’ They also make a highly rated zinfandel from the neighboring Monte Rosso Vineyard."
Amapola Creek 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley: Black cherries and cassis blend with subtle spices. The velvety mouth feel retains plenty of acidity but fine tannins, and the richness of the fruit leads to a long, dark, chocolate finish.
Amapola Creek 2008 Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Viñas Antiguas: These 115-year-old vines yield a very small amount of fruit with highly concentrated, intense and complex flavors. Black raspberry, blackberry and mocha dominate this densely-textured and powerful zinfandel.”
Henry Nixon, Certified Sommelier, Southern Wine & Spirits
Stuart Magazine
June 13th, 2012
Wine, Etc.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($70). "Winemaker Richard Arrowood has latched on to a blockbuster with this premium cabernet sauvignon from Sonoma County. Concentrated black cherry flavors with hints of sweet vanillin oak and dark chocolate."
By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr
Capital Gazette.com
May 17th, 2012
90
POINTS
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Amapola Creek
Richard Arrowood's production is moving up quickly here at his small-scale winery, which he founded in 2001 on a western slope of the Mayacamas range, just outside the town of Sonoma. Twenty of his property's 100 acres are planted to vines in four separate parcels and are farmed organically. Arrowood also buys some fruit, most notably from the Monte Rosso vineyard, which sits just above the winery. "The point here is doing something that is completely hands-on, on a scale that keeps me involved in as many details as possible," he told me.
2007 Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley
($70) Inky purple. Complex aromas of dried cherry, licorice, tobacco and aged beef, plus a subtle smoky nuance. Sappy and creamy in texture, offering intense dark fruit flavors that gain power and spiciness with aeration. Shows bitter cherry pit and smoked meat notes on the back end, finishing with very good breadth and sweetness. 90 pts.
By Josh Raynolds
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, Issue #162
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October 12th, 2012
The Wine Swap Is A Great (And Cheap) Way To Explore Wine
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
“Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, 2007, $70. Rich and plush, like a California Cab., but with some nice peat and earth playing behind layers of black cherry, spice and cassis. Dark and intense.”
Katie Kelly Bell
Forbes Online
Read more......
December 1st, 2010
Good Gift Wines at Every Price
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Want to make a big splash with a lover of cutting-edge cabs? This restrained yet rich beauty is from esteemed Sonoma winemaker Richard Arrowood's new organic winery. – Peter Hellman
January 6th, 2011
My 50 Best Wines of 2010
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Sonoma Valley. Richard Arrowood’s new label.
996 cases. Exceptional. About $80.
February 24th, 2011
Golf Chicago!
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
"... This elegant wine shows excellent harmony and structure. The taste features ripe blackberry, plum, and currant. The fruit is offset by a pleasing dustiness, and supported by restrained tannins.
This wine would pair nicely with Rib Roast with Thyme-Mustard Jus, Pork Sauté with Apples and Calvados Cream Sauce, or Herb Roasted Turkey with Shallot Pan Gravy."
Leo McNeal
Golf Chicago
February 1st, 2011
90+
POINTS
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
As for the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a slightly denser ruby/purple color than the 2005, more plum, black currant and smoky, earthy underbrush notes as well as hints of vanilla and red and black fruits. Medium to full body and slightly more rugged tannins characterize this wine, which will benefit from another several years of bottle age and drink well for 12-15 years.
December 5th, 2011
Michael Horn Talks to Richard Arrowood - Winemaster Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
Richard Arrowood - Winemaster Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery
"Richard is an iconic winemaker who has recently completed his 46th harvest in Sonoma County. Throughout the years, Richard has gained critical acclaim and a world-wide reputation for crafting exceptional wines. In 2005, Richard and his wife Alis founded Amapola Creek, a tiny, ultra-premium winery in the Sonoma Valley to focus on producing small quantities of organically farmed wines including a Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel (SRP $$40), an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $$70) and Cuvée Alis, a Rhône blend of Grenache and Syrah.”
Michael Horn
What’s Cookin’ On Wine
November 1st, 2012
Guest Post:Sonoma Valley Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, Amapola Creek Estate
“Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery was the first stop on our tour route, and we couldn’t have asked for a more dynamic welcome. While there was no confetti or balloons per se, we were treated to the beaming smiles and bursting enthusiasm of co-proprietor, Alis Arrowood and her step-daughter, Kerry. Soon, esteemed winemaker Richard Arrowood joined the scene to dish out exuberant barrel samples of their stellar 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Richard, who was the premier winemaker at Chateau St. Jean, founded Arrowood Winery in 1986 before devoting himself completely to Amapola in 2010. Amapola is known for their organically farmed, estate grown fruit, that goes into the production of only 2,500 cases of small lot Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Richard, who has participated in 47 harvests, informed us that 2012 has been the best, if not one of the top two, vintages he’s ever seen. Excited? Me, too.”
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