justin wittkopf review, winebeserkers
Post Number 1, Justin Wittkopf - Thursday, September 22, 2011
2008 Fairchild Estate G•III and 2008 Fairchild Estate Sigaro
We recently visited Napa Valley and tasted the 2008 Fairchild Estate wines with Larry Fairchild. We were turned on to these wines by the recent favorable reviews written by several posters on the wine boards. If you search the forum you can find a wonderful write-up on the history and vineyards of Fairchild by Roy Piper. As such, I won't re-write what Roy has written.
I think what drew my interest the most was the comparison to Kapcsandy. We love the Kapcsandy wines and continually look for wines in that ilk. That said, the last thing I needed at this time in my life was to fall in love with another $100+ wine. I hesitated a bit before reaching out to Larry Fairchild, but in the end my curiosity won out and I scheduled the tasting.
There are 2 wines currently being produced by Fairchild Estate wines, a cabernet from Georges III vineyard and a cabernet from the vineyard on his property, the Sigaro vineyard. The Sigaro vineyard is on a hillside in Conn Valley, just down the road from Seavey and Lewis. Larry mentioned that they will also be making a cabernet from the Los Piedras vineyard west of St. Helena in the near future (maybe 2011?). I think Schrader is sourcing fruit from this vineyard in the future, too.
Larry opened the 2008's for us and they had been opened only an hour or so prior to our arrival. I didn't take any formal notes at the tasting but did jot down some thoughts as we left. All too often when we taste wines that have good reviews from so-and-so, we feel the wines don't live up the hype. The Fairchild wines far surpassed that hype... we were truly wowed.
We first tasted the 2008 Fairchild Estate GIII Cabernet. Wonderful dark fruit nose with subtle spices and hint of oak. Very compelling. In the mouth this was gorgeous! Layers upon layers of dark fruit and spice, but not overbearing. Broad mouthfeel, yet still nimble and precise. Wonderful structure, great acidity, and a seemingly endless finish. This wine made my wife and I stop talking mid-sentence and just look at the glass. Really great stuff. 96+ points.
We then tasted the 2008 Fairchild Estate Sigaro Vineyard Cabernet. Effusive dark fruit nose like the GIII, but a little more red fruit spectrum. More earth elements on the nose than the GIII, also minerals and leather. The flavor profile here had much more of a tip-of-the-hat to Bordeaux... minerals, leather, spice, earth. A similar mouthfeel and structure to the GIII, with firm tannins balanced by perfect acidity. Stunning blend of power and grace ...my favorite of the 2 wines. 98 points.
Obviously, we were very impressed with the Fairchild Estate wine, and plan to be long-term customers. But I'd be remiss to not mention how wonderful Larry Fairchild was as a host. He is a true gentleman and very passionate about his wines. So much easier to spend money on a wine when you know the people behind the good wine are great. Bravo! View Post
chris blanchard, master sommelier review
There are 112 professionals who hold the title Master Sommelier in North America, and only 180 worldwide. Master Sommelier, Chris Blanchard recently tasted the 2008 Fairchild Estate Sigaro and G-III Cabernets.
2008 Fairchild Estate G•III
Seriously complex nose of black cherry, warm raspberry compote and dusty blackberry. Subtle notes of green and black olive tapenade and grilled raddicchio. In the mouth the wine has a structured framework of tannins, surrounding ripe fruit like a dark chocolate covered cherry. Exotic spices, cinammon, espresso, subtle vanilla oak nuances, with red and black fruits, pomegranite and orange peel. Medium tannins, supple, lush mouthfeel and a long structured ripe fruit finish.
2008 Fairchild Estate Sigaro
Pencil lead and cedar shavings, like a whiff of the remnants of a pencil sharpener. Opulent, ripe blackberry aromas, similar to picking blackberries from the bush on a hot summer day. Incredibly lush, velvety mouthfeel, with reminders of brandied morello cherries, earth, porcini, dried italian herbs, and blackberry pie. The finish is complex and intense in its length, long lasting with fine tannins, powerful ripe fruit and persistence in a balance of all elements. The G-III drinks well now, but will start being optimal with another 5 years aging. The Sigaro drinks even better now, and needs 5-7 years in bottle to really start showing even more complexity. They both should be long lived for 20 years + into 2035.
k. baker review and tasting notes
2008 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon G•III
Tasted with Larry Fairchild. If memory serves, this fruit is adjacent to the Shrader block at GIII. This is noticeably riper, but only by comparison to the Sigaro. Without sacrificing elegance, It gives more than a nod to its Napa origin. A melange of red fruits and cassis, vanilla, rounded out with a hint of spice. Larger and creamier in the mouth, but still this is no behemoth. A mouthful of gorgeous red and dark fruits with a similar sense of structure and satisfaction to be had here. Again firm tannins and a good dose of acid. Long and pleasing fruit filled finish. I found the Sigaro more complex and interesting at this stage, but I'm excited to see what the future holds for this one. Another winner. 100 cases produced. $135. View Post
2008 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sigaro
Tasted with Larry Fairchild. A nose of cassis, dark cherries, minerals, leather, and tobacco leaps from the glass. It seemed to evolve with each whiff, thus making it more gratifying with each pass under my nose. Firm on the palate, but never harsh. Earthy black fruits completely saturate the mouth in a very satisfying way. Just a terrific mouthfeel. While full bodied, this wine captures power and elegance simultaneously. Supported well with its acid and tannins. Larry noted that eating the grapes directly off the vine imparts the same sense of minerality found in the wine. Finishes long detailing the same themes described earlier. This was nothing short of stunning. As I come back to reality, I look at my wife who has a huge grin on her face. That was the obvious green light to buy, which we did. 140 cases produced. $150. View Post
r. piper review
2008 Fairchild Estate G•III Napa Valley Cab, $135
Just bottled and showing no shock. Deep purple color. A touch larger than the 07 GIII but still no monster. Same classic structure, but even more grip and fruit density. A wine that will gain in sexiness over time. A fantastic example of a Napa Cab accented by Bordeaux classicism. Wait 2-3 years and drink over the next 10.
95pts
2008 Fairchild Estate Sigaro Napa Valley Cab, $150
Deep purple-ruby color. Full-bodied. Tannic, with complete mouthfeel even at this age. A dense, structured Cab that reminds me a lot of a Kapcsandy. A touch backwards now, but with lots of stuffing going forward. Wait 5 years. Another winner.
94+pts
r. steinberg review
2008 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon G•III
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (7/10/2011) I would seek out this wine again. It seems that I am drawn to the fruit source of GIII in my preferences for huge black cherry fruit. So well balanced. This wine was all about the cherries. Well rounded tannins. Dry finish.
95 points
