2006 Reserve Red Wine

The Reserve line is a clear departure from most other winery’s reserve class wines. It is constructed in a unique way, with different goals and an altogether fantastic story.

The foundation blend for this wine was first put together in the conference room of a small estate winery in Chile in 2004. The owner of the facility offered me a chance to play with the components of his blend, and after messing around for just a brief moment, I lit upon an alternate blending profile that was unique, different, and just plain old delicious to everyone in the room that day. I knew one day I’d make that wine again. Gain Bay winery was founded to remake that blend. This 2006 is the first release.

I don’t think this blend was an accidental happenstance though. I’d been making and blending wine in Oregon for years without really seriously looking at Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux blends. In creating fully rounded Pinot Noirs in the Pacific Northwest, with the ever-present need to highlight fruit and aroma, I brought to the table that day in Chile an alternate mind-set.

So this wine in some ways overemphasizes aroma, fruitful qualities and texture and de-values excessive oak, tannin and “structure,” without any over-ripe flavors. The typical Cabernet Sauvignon based focal point for most Napa reserve class wines, in which the mid-palate is the dominant player and accentuated by super-ripe grapes, oak, micro-oxygenation, and ever higher alcohol content, is diminished in Gain Bay Reserve. In place of the typical excesses, I leaned towards a new balance, shifting to the flavors I like; the forward fruit and back-end sophistication. This focal shift creates what I perceive to be a more elegant, lasting and more beautiful wine, albeit not necessarily as “intense” or “strong” or “powerful.”

Central to this creation is the knowledge of the importance of each component of a Bordeaux style blend. Malbec and Cabernet Franc play highlighted roles, as does Petit Verdot. Cabernet still has a part to play as well and isn’t overlooked; it is just significantly diminished in this wine.

The wine is a blend from two Napa Valley appellations; Rutherford and Mt. Veeder. The valley floor in Rutherford supplied the supple floral fruit tones found in the Malbec and Cabernet Franc lots. The mountain fruit gives us the mid and back end pieces - the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

Linger over the wine and you’ll be rewarded with a sophisticated, colorful and delicious beverage.

Gain Bay 2006 Cabernet Family Red Blend

TA: 6.10 g/L Alc.: 14.5% pH: 3.81

Cases Produced: 252 Bottled August 26, 2008