Deep ruby color; black cherry, blueberry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, boysenberry, mint, mocha, pepper, oak on the nose and palate.
Dry, almost off-dry; fleshy, grippy tannins, integrating acidity. Full body, plush, round, almost jammy. Blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 9% malbec, 2% petite sirah (the blend mix for this wine varies vintage-to-vintage). Bold, complex flavors. Vineyards lots are fermented separately in small oak barrels prior to blending at bottling. Easy drinker; comes across as a pleasant red wine rather than a distinctive Alexander Valley cab. 14.2% ABV
Lake Sonoma Winery sources its grapes from Sonoma winegrowers. The website notes: “exclusively from esteemed vineyards of Sonoma County, a wine-growing region home to some of the most diverse terroirs and micro-climates in the world. This diversity is best expressed through Sonoma’s sub-appellations, many of which are renowned for specific varietals that thrive in each.”
Lake Sonoma Winery is a brand of the Stewart Family, a pioneering Canadian winemaking family that first planted vines at their Okanagan Valley (Canadian Pacific northwest) estate in 1961. Other brands include Quails’ Gate (Okanagan), Valley of the Moon (Sonoma), and Plume (Sonoma). Prior to that, the winery was owned by F. Korbel & Brothers in an attempt to branch into premium still wines; in 2012 Korbel re-focused on their sparkling portfolio and sold to the Stewarts.
Jaime (JJ) Dowell is the winemaker. She notes that Sonoma is still “farm-driven” and seeks to allow the soil and the grapes to take center stage, not the winemaker. That is how excellent wine is made, even commercial wine such as this effort at its around $20-30 price point. Dowell particularly makes a point of careful blending of wines from different blocks. She emphasizes a balance of texture and complexity.
Dowell earned her degree in viticulture and enology from UC-Davis and did internships in Napa until she took a life detour to manage and operate her family’s art gallery in East Bay. After a decade, she returned to wine part-time as the winemaker for Crooked Vine & Stony Ridge Winery. After three years of splitting time between the art gallery and the winery, she soul-searched, sold the gallery, and focused full-time on wine.
JJ spent time in New Zealand making high-end pinot noir. She then joined Bonny Doon Vineyards, followed by Alpha Omega Winery, then Round Pond Estate. In 2019 she became a consulting winemaker for West Coast Wine Partners, with includes making wine for Lake Sonoma Winery and Valley of the Moon Winery.
Lake Sonoma Winery Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 stays true to the soft, round, easy drinking Lake Sonoma style. Touch of sweetness thanks to ripe fruit, and a likely cellar decision to flirt with off-dry. Red fruits predominant with some depth, but mostly simply a delicious wine. Pairing—grilled, roasted meats; ribeye, New York strip, herb-crusted lamb chops; beef short ribs braised in cabernet sauvignon; pot roast with mushrooms; steak and eggs for a decadent brunch. Mushroom risotto, braised portobello caps, roasted winter root vegetables. Cheese—aged gouda, sharp cheddar (clothbound or aged two-plus years), aged gruyère. Sheep’s milk cheese; ossau-iraty, san andreas, Gorgonzola dolce. $25-29
