2009 Kapcsàndy Vino Del Sol State Lane Vineyard

With respect to the hierarchy at Kapcsandy, they produce underrated and delicious dry Roses and a fortified Vino del Sol. The 2009 is an amazing wine made from 96% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot fortified with grape brandy and finishing at 17.4% alcohol with 7 grams per liter of residual sugar. It has loads of kirsch and blueberry notes, but it is clearly an after dinner drink rather than a dry red table wine. The least expensive cuvee is always their Endre, whose blend changes year-in and year-out. It represents over half of their production, and while it is tempting to say it’s a second wine in the Bordeaux sense, it is really a separate selection. The limited production cuvees include the Merlot Roberta’s Reserve (usually dominated by Merlot and under 300 cases), and two cuvees of Cabernet Sauvignon from the State Lane Vineyard, just under 500 cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin, their top red, and 300 or so cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Cuvee. It is hard to believe the Kapcsandy family, of Hungarian descent, purchased this property previously known as State Lane Vineyard in Yountville (15.5 acres alongside the Yountville cross roads) in May, 2000. They have been on a winning track ever since the first releases. The harvest dates at Kapcsandy will give readers a specific indication of how cool 2009, 2010 and 2011 were. That began to change with 2012 and continues with an earlier, riper harvest in 2013 as well. In 2009, Kapcsandy harvested their small vineyard in Yountville between the beginning of October and October 29. In 2010, the harvest for the most serious wines began on October 19 and ended November 4. In 2011 it was even more significant, with the harvest starting in early October, but not finishing for some cuvees until October 27. In 2012, the harvest began in September, which is more normal, but unfurled over a full month, finishing October 25. Kapcsandy’s 2010s, like many of the Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley, are exceptionally successful. This was my first look at these 2010s (almost all of them from bottle) and it has turned out to be a sensational vintage of deep, rich, full-bodied wines that are very expressive and focused with plenty of aging potential. It is a less glamourous and exuberant vintage compared to 2007 or 2002, but may evolve along the wines of the great 2001s which were more closed, firm and restrained. Nevertheless, it’s a vintage to jump on as most of the wines are just hitting the market in 2013 and early 2014. A more mixed vintage, the quality in 2011 is much more irregular than one normally sees in Napa Valley. Kapcsandy’s wines turned out well, although overall the ratings are the lowest I have given their wines since they started producing estate wines. Lou Kapcsandy and his son Louis said they did a Draconian selection process that began in the vineyard with radical leaf pulling and a selection of only the ripest bunches because the vintage was so challenging. Kapcsandy’s 2012s appear to be the finest wines they have made since the 2007s. Readers should keep an eye out for Kapcsandy’s two Rose cuvees, which are made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Tel. (707) 948-3100