WTN: 2003 Bartholemew Park (Sonoma Valley)

Continuing a Sonoma Valley theme....

From young (20 years) vines planted on a portion of the old Count Agostin H estate near Buena Vista due east of the town of Sonoma. This is owned by a foundation (there's a solid 1000 acres of hiking trails above the winery) and farmed under Vineburg-there is a also a link to Gundlach Bundshcu (sp?).

This "Estate Cabernet" is a very classy, even impressive Cali Cab. Even at this age, there are already very nice notes of earth, leather, and a savory finish. I like the elegant lighter mouth feel-and the alcohol is only 13.65%. The fruit is nice, too, with cherry and currant fruit...There is a red fruit note here rather than just the plummy black fruit character. This is a solid and elegant cabernet that is maturing very well.

They are now showing the 2004 vintage on their website, so I am curious as to vintage variation. My major concern is that the winemaker has left for Duckhorn. At half the price, I would rather drink the Bartholemew Park- but maybe he will make some nicer wines using Duckhorn's very classy fruit sources???? That would be quite nice (although not affordable)!

I would also note that the Estate Syrah is pretty classic, too....very lean and somewhat Northern Rhonish.

Brian, thanks for the background on this. Sadly, I have to disagree about the wine itself--which I found oak-driven and treacle-fruited last summer. I pretty actively disliked it. What is interesting is that the very virtues you are espousing are those I thought it was lacking, so it is entirely possible I got my hands on a damaged bottle or something. I am tempted to give it another try, as we all deserve second chances, and I may be the better for it. Thanks.

Michael

Strange, Michael. I am somewhat oakaphobic and don't like much treacly sweetness at all. (see my post on the dreadful Pelegrinni merlot-based blend) from my Sonoma theme, the Newton and the Sojourn showed much more obvious oak.

I've tried the wine at least twice at the Winery, too, and did not find it very oaky or sweet then, either. I did overhear people complaining that it was not powerful enough in flavor.... Which is probably why I liked it. Cellartracker shows much more mixed reviews than my experience, as well.

Or...maybe my palette is bad and you should just ignore my tasting notes!

Another thought comes to mind-I should have been more precise in the description. This was the 2003 ESTATE Cabernet. They have a second vineyard designate cabernet which I did not like very much at all, finding it much more "California-ish" in fruit character and, yes...oak. I actively disliked that wine, as well, but it is the kind of Cali red that sells very well. . Wonder if that could have been the difference?

It does seem like I need to re-taste it. And I certainly have no plans to ignore your tasting notes!

Here was my note:

2003 Bartholomew Park Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Valley. I can’t say I cared at all for this wine. The nose is not really distinctive, showing oak and some black currant fruit. It is a bit jammy in the mouth, with darkly toasted oak poking out all over. Very dry, raspy tannins are very distracting and there is some alcoholic warmth toward the finish. The fruit is a bit treacled and the whole package is overly-blowsy.

The one thing I think could have been an issue is that this was drunk at a BBQ last July and perhaps sat out too long (though indoors--not out in the sun), as it was one of the wines we didn't get to until fairly late in the day. So, perhaps it was too warm? I think it is a reasonable hypothesis and certainly raises some questions. Still, the other wines we drank around that same time did not show this poorly, so it is not a slam dunk excuse, either!

None of this was meant to detract from your enthusiasm for the winery and its approach--I think most of us are interested to hear of wines with the attributes you found here. That is why I am eager to give the wine another taste. I'd hate to miss out on something good based on one outlier experience that may not have been the wine or the winery's doing.

-Michael

-Michael