by Fred McMillin
for November 18, 1998

An Upbeat Stonestreet

Prologue

The initial reputation of the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was for thin, vegetal wines. The reason was the excessive uncontrolled vigor of the vines, producing abundant foliage that shaded the grapes.

..."Wine Atlas of California," J. Halliday

The Rest of the Story

Alexander Valley vintners soon learned their lesson and today Cabernet is their best wine. Here's a perfect example.

The Wine

1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Stonestreet Winery, Sonoma County
Rating—My tasters have sipped about half a zillion Cabs this year and this is one of the top ten. EXCELLENT!
Winemaking—Winemaker Mike Westrick knew he had a winner and was careful not to bruise it. For example, he didn't ram it through a filter to clarify the Cab. Instead, he let it settle, gently moved it off the sediment, and then dropped egg whites through it to eliminate cloudiness.
Contact—For more info, call Public Relations Manager Marcia Brinker at (707) 544-4000.
Food Affinities—A rich wine for rich dishes and rich cheeses. I would serve it at the end of the meal with your favorite cheeses and very plain water crackers.
Price—$34 range

Postscript

Whence the name Stonestreet? Well, the winery was named in 1989 by Kendall-Jackson founder Jess Stonestreet Jackson. Jess was very close to his father. Hence, the winery is dedicated to his father whose name was: Jess Stonestreet Jackson.

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers.

 

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