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More wines available from Obsidian Ridge
750ml
Bottle:
$31.84
$34.80
The Estate Cabernet is the signature wine of Obsidian Ridge and embodies the complexity and wildness of the site. The...
750ml
Bottle:
$33.20
The name is as curious and fun as the wine it describes. Hungarian for sparkling wine, Pezsgo (pej-guh) nods to our...
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Winery
Obsidian Ridge
Vintage: 2008
2008 saw very high yields across wineries in much of the southern hemisphere, as a result of highly favorable climatic conditions. Although in many areas, these high yields brought with them something of a drop in overall quality, this could not be said for South Australia's wines, which were reportedly excellent. Indeed, the 2008 Shiraz harvest in South Australia is said to be one of the most successful in recent decades, and western Australia's Chardonnays are set to be ones to watch out for. New Zealand's Pinot Noir harvest was also very good, with wineries in Martinborough reportedly very excited about this particular grape and the characteristics it revealed this year.
Pinot Noir also grew very well in the United States, and was probably the most successful grape varietal to come out of California in 2008, with Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley delivering fantastic results from this grape. Elsewhere in United States, Washington State and Oregon had highly successful harvests in 2008 despite some early worries about frost.
However, it was France who had the best of the weather and growing conditions in 2008, and this year was one of the great vintages for Champagne, the Médoc in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes leading the way. Italy, too, shared many of these ideal conditions, with the wineries in Tuscany claiming that their Chianti Classicos of 2008 will be ones to collect, and Piedmont's Barberesco and Barolo wines will be recognized as amongst the finest of the past decade.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Since their conception in 18th century France, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have flourished across the Old and New Worlds and have changed the way we think about red wine forever. Their sharp and astringent nature has a wonderful ability to mellow and round with age, and when helped by being blended with Merlot and Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc varietals – as is done in Bordeaux and elsewhere – the results can be truly remarkable. What is most special about Cabernet Sauvignon grapes is the fact that they have a true affinity for oak, and when aged in barrels made of this fragrant wood, the wine which comes out of them a few years later holds an amazing array of flavors and aromas, making Cabernet Sauvignon based wines some of the most memorable in the world. Single variety bottles from the New World made from this grape are also increasing in popularity, as the strong flavors and full-bodied nature of these wines is a great match for many global cuisines.
Region: California
When it comes to New World wine regions, it is widely agreed that many of the finest wines are grown and produced in California. The long stretches of coastline and the valleys and mountainsides which come off them are ideal areas for vine cultivation, and for over a century now, wineries have found a perfect home in the hot, dry state, with many of the wines produced here going on to reach world class status. The state is greatly helped by the brisk oceanic winds which cool the otherwise hot and dry vineyards, which hold mineral rich soils covering vast areas and featuring many established wineries. The state is split into four main regions, the largest by far being the central valley which stretches over three hundred miles in length.
Country: United States
For three hundred years now, the United States has been leading the New World in wine production, both in regards to quantity and quality. Wine is actually produced in all fifty states across the country, with California leading the way by an enormous margin. Indeed, as much as eighty-nine percent of all wines to come out of the United States are produced in California, where the fertile soils and sloping mountain sides, coupled with the long, hot summers provide ideal conditions for producing high quality, European style red, white and rosé wines. With over a million acres of the country under vine, the United States sits comfortably as the fourth largest wine producer in the world, where imported grape varietals from all over the Old World are processed using a successful blend of traditional and contemporary techniques.