Laujor’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon labeled “Collie’s Cuvee” earned gold at the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition. The next vintage, entered while still in the throes of adolescence, took silver — a promising grade for a novice facing graduate level exams.
“I have high expectations for it,” said Laujor winemaker Cheryl Lucido.
While relying largely on Cabernet grapes, the 2013 cuvee includes a splash — 8 percent — of Cabernet Franc to round out the fruits and provide a streak of bittersweet char.
The result is a brooding, broad shouldered wine — a film noir hero both conquering and succumbing to mood and shadow. Simmering cherry and blackberry notes condense, drawing into a den of dark chocolate, brewed espresso and late night craving for tobacco.
“I used a heavy toast on the oak,” Lucido pointed out. “That gives it that tobacco impression.”
She rested the wine for 20 months in French wood. It’s big and earthy, full of hearty dark fruits framed by tannins — something to reckon with.
Lucido drew inspiration from her late father in law, nicknamed “Collie,” who appreciated hearty reds. She opted for scorched barrels because she trusts the Cabernet to stand its ground. But she couldn’t resist one extra little stir of the pot — a dash of Petite Sirah, amounting to less than 1 percent of the blend.
“My secret weapon is Petite Sirah,” she said with a laugh. “It just lifts the color.”
Yet the 2013 Laujor Cabernet Sauvignon Collie’s Cuvee remains a young wine. On the nose it is bright, almost lively, tossing handfuls of fresh red cherries from the bowl. Hints of sliced tomatoes, ripe from the vine, follow, along with a trace of bell pepper ready for an outdoor grill.
These are the aromas of harvest, of celebration, of freshness. Only a subtle indication of tobacco reaches the nose. The coffee notable on the palate is just being pressed and readied for the machine.
The bouquet prepares you for a cheery, simple Cabernet. The first sip tells you otherwise, suggesting a memorable bottle layered and subtle, potent and plunging. It’s a gold medal waiting to happen.
“That wine is a good cellar wine,” Lucido agreed. “It’s going to get softer.”
She expects to enter the 2013 in competition again. She also expects it to fare very well. Indeed, it could likely wrest the top prize from judges right now.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
