1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain

The '97 was the first Laurel Glen vintage to carry 14+% alcohol into the bottle ("like a Napa Valley cab" is how Patrick Campbell describes it), though there is no shortage of acidity. Incidentally, Campbell prefers his '96, which he describes as more classical and less hedonistic, but I suspect most tasters will appreciate the sheer generosity of the '97. And don't miss Campbell's 1997 Counterpoint bottling, which is a lot of wine for the price. The '98 growing season featured a very late flowering and veraison, and the harvest did not begin until October 22. Campbell did a bit of de-acidification, which he believes has reduced the wine's impression of tannins. In '99, a growing season that featured an even later bud break but an earlier flowering and veraison at this Sonoma Mountain site, Campbell began the harvest on October 14, then stopped for a full two weeks, ultimately finishing on November 4. As my early note suggests, this should be a great year for Laurel Glen's flagship cabernet.

Patrick Campbell describes 1997 as a high-acid year-in fact, with the fruit containing 25% more acidity than the previous high, he chose to de-acidify. In his cooler microclimate on Sonoma Mountain, acid deficiency is rarely a factor, says Campbell, who rates '96, '94 and '92 as the best recent vintages for his rather claret-like cabernet. Check out Campbell Terra Rosa cabernets from Chile and Argentina: they offer the silky texture and concentration of the latest high-end bottlings from South America at a fraction of the price.