This Knights Valley Cab is one of the few wines out on the market from the under appreciated appellation of Knights Valley California. Pelton House refers to the Pelton Wheel, a water wheel that brought power to Knights Valley in the 1800’s. The wine maker Marcia Monahan, a native of Chile, has great winemaking pedigree including previous experience at the famous Cardinale winery in Napa Valley. The wine although young, shows great complexity and unique character and is a great value even in it’s $30-$40 price range. The nose is very unique and shows layers of dark chocolate, espresso, cassis, black currant, spice, and some light pepper. The flavors are of cedar box, black currant, spice, and chalky black raspberry. The finish is nice and extended but clean and focused and the tannins are well integrated but tight and structured. Wine score: 90+ points.
Professional Reviews
“Dark violet. Ripe cherry, cassis and licorice aromas display excellent depth and energy. Smooth and velvety, with succulent dark fruit flavors, supple tannins and gentle herb and underbrush accents. Finishes ripe but with impressive freshness and clarity. Plenty seductive now but I’d bet on this improving with a few years in the cellar. Monahan, who was raised in Chile, reports that the wild turkeys that roam the Pelton House vineyards have a particular affinity for carmenere. “It’s like having a harvest machine,” she marveled.”
“Good full ruby. Black cherry, bitter chocolate, mocha, licorice and menthol on the nose. Fatter and sweeter than the 2004 merlot, offering more density and weight. Finishes with ripe tannins and excellent persistence. This should be a reasonable value by California standards. The Pelton House wines, part of Jess Jackson’s Artisans & Estates portfolio, are made by Pierre Seillan, who also makes Verite. The wines show more early sweetness than Seillan’s higher-priced and more structured examples.”
Price: $39.96
Buy this wine from Knightsbridge’s web site!
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