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Cult Dr. Crane Cabernet Collectable
In the late 1850s, Dr. George Belden Crane purchased 300 acres of land set on fine, gravelly soils at the southern tip of St. Helena. Not long after, he would plant a hundred to vines. If Dr. Crane was around today and took just a step out his front door, even the man who many consider the godfather of Napa winegrowing would be scratching his head, wowed both by the names on his neighbors' mailboxes, and by the place his name now occupies in valley folklore.
To one side, it's Caymus. 100pt David Abreu is just across the creek. Up the road, there's Spottswoode and Helen Turley's favorite "Hayne Vineyard." Dr. Crane's original property, of course, has since been divided. In 1997, the larger parcel was purchased by Andy Beckstoffer. Fifteen years later, Beckstoffer auctions off his priceless Dr. Crane clusters to the likes of Plumpjack, Realm and Paul Hobbs at prices that give us the heebeegeebees.
But it's the second, smaller piece of that original holding that was surely closer to Dr. Crane's heart. Just 26 acres -- a sliver of that hundred acre planting 150 years ago -- surround the original house. Purchased in 1932 by John and Emma Salvestrin, the couple's son and grandson have farmed each vine ever since, including 14 acres of manicured Cabernet Sauvignon that makes its way into one of the great cult Cabernets in the valley.
When Rich Salvestrin rang us up at Meadowood two weeks ago, and asked us to stop by, we were intrigued. We'd heard much about Salvestrin's meticulous organic farming practices, and plenty about Dr. Crane's historic home vineyard. But like most of its triple digit neighbors, the reason Salvestrin's Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignons attract the collector crowd has as much to do with their renowned age-worthiness as the lavish blackberry bramble extravagance out of the gate. As it was Rich who called us, and for once, not us pestering the winegrower, we decided it was appropriate to push the envelope -- even if it wasn't.
"We'll come by this afternoon," doing our best to sound self-important. "But we want to taste something old."
The self-effacing Salvestrin laughed, not missing a beat. "Ok, I'll see what I can whip up."
We grabbed a quick lunch (pan roasted sockeye with edamame succotash!) at The Grill, then crossed over The Trail to Highway 29. It would only take ten minutes to get to the house that John and Emma Salvestrin had purchased in 1932. Rich was waiting and ready.
This would be one of those tastings that reminds us of what so many never come to understand about the glory of Napa Valley Cabernet. The tasting began with the current release, the 2008. Then, we began working our way back. The 2006 would be one of the afternoon highlights, with its deep purple color and explosive blackberry aromas touched with new wood cedar. Still fabulously primary now four years after bottling, the core was of purest blackberry preserves, deftly sculpted, with a fine, dusty tannin Dr. Crane finish that just wouldn't let go.
But the fireworks would really begin as we marched back in time, past the luscious 2002 to the beautifully structured 1999, finally landing on an absolutely primary, suspended animation, purple/black 1996 that seemed like it was bottled yesterday. We'd scheduled another appointment after this one, but it only took an hour before we knew that wasn't going to happen. We called, came up with another excuse (can't recall if it was the flat tire or the migraine), then sat back down at Rich Salvestrin's house -- the one that dates back to 1859 -- and time traveled through Dr. Crane history, wondering if we'd ever come back.
Did we come away with the miraculous 1996? Nope, that bottle came from Rich's last case. Did we make off with the more forward 2002? Nah. That was just for show. But did we manage to carve out 900 bottles of Salvestrin's staggeringly concentrated and complex 2006 -- a bottle Rich contends will outdistance the glorious 1996? What do you think?
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Tasting Notes
2006 Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
"Deep purple/black in color. Explosive aromas of blackberry bramble, laced with new wood cedar. Rich, compact and concentrated on the attack, packed with blackberry preserves and crème-de-cassis, silken in texture, yet bracketed by some of the most refined, age worthy tannins in the valley. Remarkably fresh and vibrant despite the massive concentration, the pH here barely touches 3.7. Drink now if you must. Better yet, age for 15 years -- if you can."
-- WineAccess Travel Log
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