Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 92 Points & Editors' Choice by Wine Enthusiast

 

This bottling starts with approachable aromas of boysenberry, elderberry, purple flowers and a hint of thyme.  The palate is polished and smoothly textured, yet complex in flavors, with savory smoked spice, roasted red-fruit and fennel-pollen elements working together.  Editors' Choice

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine & Spirits

 

Nice for the price, this wine has a hint of herb to go along with dark plum and plum-skin flavors well-framed by oak.  Its texture is sleek and dry, a great pair with a medium rare smashburger.

 

Smith & Hook Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Central Coast 2019

 

Appellation:  Central Coast

 

Sub-Appellations:  San Antonio Valley

 

• Paso Robles
• Hames Valley
• Arroyo Seco
• San Benito Valley

 

Composition:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon

 

To craft this classic Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, our winemakers layer together fruit from small, family-owned vineyards in five unique sub-appellations: San Antonio Valley, Paso Robles, Hames Valley, Arroyo Seco and San Benito County.  The result is a lush, rich and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon, hand crafted from California’s spirited Central Coast.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Aromas of blackberry and blueberry with hints of violet, tobacco leaf and cedar.  The palate is full-bodied and rich with flavors of dried cranberry and baked blackberry, finishing with a touch of toasty oak and a long, silky finish.

 

Central Coast

 

For more than 40 years, we have crafted bold Cabernet Sauvignon along California’s Central Coast.

 

Ranging from Santa Barbara north to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Central Coast wine region extends 300 miles along California’s Pacific coastline.  To craft Smith & Hook wines, we focus on five unique warmer regions ideal for developing rich, bold Cabernet Sauvignon character.

 

The 2019 Growing Season

 

Central Coast, California

 

Overall, thanks to a colder winter, a mild spring and only a few summertime heat spikes of 100 degree-plus, harvest is two to three weeks later than in recent years, with most pulling the first of the core fruit in mid-September.  Not surprisingly, Arroyo Grande was the exception in 2019.  Like most years, harvest in the San Luis Obispo County sub-AVA started “on time” about Sept. 1.

Winemakers in Monterey, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara and the SLO Coast note this year’s timing reminds them of the “old normal” of the early 2000s, when harvest began well into September and the last of the grapes came in about Thanksgiving. In recent years, harvest has begun well before Labor Day for most of the Central Coast.

This year’s relatively gentle growing season, the later harvest and current seasonably mild weather are providing longer hang time for the grapes on the vine.  Longer hang time – under these current near-perfect conditions – allows grapes to evenly develop rich color and more complex flavors.

This has winemakers very excited about Vintage 2019.

There have been challenges in 2019.  In Monterey and Paso Robles, the wet spring may lower yields slightly.  Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, SLO Coast and much of Santa Barbara had to battle mildew this summer.

Still, the outlook for Vintage 2019 is overwhelmingly positive.

 

 

Smith & Hook

 

In 1980, Nicky and Gaby Hahn purchased former horse and cattle ranches in the highlands of Monterey County.  The ranches, Smith and Hook, were home to grazing cattle for generations but had been recently transformed into premium vineyards.  At the time of purchase, the land produced some of the first estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon in Monterey County.

 

Smith Vineyard, home to their namesake winery, and Hook Vineyard, just to the Southeast, are located above the Salinas Valley in California’s rugged Central Coast appellation.  Among the family’s inaugural releases was a Cabernet Sauvignon produced from those two vineyards.

 

Today, both Smith and Hook estate vineyards remain family owned, farmed and operated.  However, after years of wine growing experience in this region, it became clear that both vineyards were better suited to produce cool-climate varietals like Pinot Noir.  While some may have found this discovery discouraging, the Hahn’s, who never shy away from a challenge, did as the climate demanded and began grafting over their estate vines to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Simultaneously, they also committed to sourcing fine Cabernet Sauvignon from warmer vineyards further South in the Central Coast.

 

With 35 years of leadership in Central Coast winemaking, the Hahn family has built and continues to cultivate, strong relationships with small family vineyard owners like themselves, who are recognized for growing prized Cabernet Sauvignon.  The result is lush, rich and expressive Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon, hand crafted from California’s spirited Central Coast.

 

 

Rated 92 Points & Editors' Choice by Wine Enthusiast

 

This bottling starts with approachable aromas of boysenberry, elderberry, purple flowers and a hint of thyme.  The palate is polished and smoothly textured, yet complex in flavors, with savory smoked spice, roasted red-fruit and fennel-pollen elements working together.  Editors' Choice