Martha McClellan’s stunningly opulent Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ~ HAMEL ~ drinks DOUBLE its price and excelled beside several noble Cult Cabernets in a blind tasting we participated in last week that included Harlan, Dana, Hundred Acre, Checkerboard and Rudd! WOW was the very first word that came to mind as soon as we tasted it, and today is your day to see for yourself! Do not miss this opportunity, this Martha McClellan gem will not disappoint!
You are quite familiar with us singing the praises of the most elite and coveted Cabernet-dominate wines being produced in the Napa Valley, especially the distinct and exceptional areas such as Oakville, Pritchard Hill, Rutherford, Coombsville, Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain and St. Helena. Treasured vineyards within these appellations are said to possess pure poise and sophistication; the reason why Napa Valley is a well-respected winegrowing region amongst connoisseurs across the world. CAB IS KING here in Napa, right here in our backyard and we are so proud of the collection of wines we get to share with you regularly. With that being said, there are exceptions to this rule and when we come across a wine outside of Napa that is so luscious and so focused, displaying all the exceptional qualities California’s iconic Cult Cabernets give us, we can’t wait to let you in on our discovery! Because of the oceanic influence in the Sonoma region, the freshness jumping out of the glass, alongside vigorous, concentrated fruit is what caught our attention immediately when the opportunity to taste this drop-dead gorgeous 2016 Hamel Cabernet Sauvignon!!!
Martha McClellan is the other half of the legendary Harlan winemaking team from years ago. Martha’s partner, Bob Levy, is still the Director of Winemaking for all of Bill Harlan’s world-renowned projects, and together they have their own family label with personal favorites of ours: Levy & McClellan. Both vintners are massively skilled and talented in their trade and we are long-time fans and supporters of Checkerboard and Sloan brands, both of which Martha also makes. Conceptualized and operated by the entire Hamel family, founders George Hamel Jr. and his wife Pam, along with their sons George Hamel III (Managing Director) and John B. Hamel II (Director of Winegrowing and Winemaking) working under the leadership of Martha McClellan herself. The 124-acre property had been in the Hamel clan for nearly 100 years, but it wasn’t until 2006 that they built a world-class, modern winery and hospitality space and started producing all of their wines on site.
Badgers have more to do with this project than just the little one posing on the front label. They actually became the label for different reasons, one of them being that there are three generations of University of Wisconsin alums in the Hamel family; others are symbolically found throughout the planning stages of their wine brand, including moments where articles featuring badgers imprinted their minds with signs of serendipity. They even learned that badgers are native to Sonoma, NOT Wisconsin!
The spectacular Nuns Canyon Vineyard sits between 1,300 and 1,700 feet in elevation on a steep slope packed with red clay loam soils; its underbelly a mixture of fractured basalt and gravel. The pedigree of this wine brings an extravagant mindset that offers an absolute promise of its beauty now and as an investment for your future, enveloping and integrating to sheer perfection. This is only the fourth vintage from the Hamel Family’s estate vineyard, Nuns Canyon, that cascades down the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. This wine is a voluptuous 100% Cabernet Sauvignon showcasing deeply layered aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, plum and ripe cassis, giving way to secondary notes of violets, olive, vanilla, balsamic and orange citrus. The full-bodied, velvety sensation ultimately expands and then softens, extending for a seamless and persistent finish. Incredibly deep and rich on the palate, the wine as it’s enjoyed continues to gain complexity and vibrancy with pronounced freshness and stony minerality. The bright quality of the fruit makes the wine accessible in its youth, but will also continue to gain further complexity over the next 8-10 years in your cellar. Fermented in a combination of 63% concrete and 37% stainless steel tanks, then aged for 26 months in 100% new French oak barrels building its character and full-bodied charm! Only 214 cases produced.
