Champagne Wishes: Whom You Know Recommends the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon by Sledgehammer!
At Whom You Know, we are thrilled to present a new, no-fuss wine whose characteristics are the only thing bolder than its personality. Sledgehammer is BIG, BOLD wine. So, pop the cork and get to know Sledgehammer! We got to know it at Bottlenotes through our fabulous Mover and Shaker, Kim Donaldson:
The inaugural release wines – Cabernet and Zinfandel – are made from grapes grown in California ’s North Coast
Cabernet Sauvignon
2007
A Cab drinker’s staple. Deep red color and a rich, full bodied structure that only small lots will get you. This is what happens when you take a sledgehammer to Cabernet grapes – rich explosive flavor that packs a powerful punch to the palette. Full integrated flavor that is truly a ground breaking.
The majority of grapes in this Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from vineyards in Alexander Valley , in Northern Sonoma County
In 2007, a heat spike in late August kicked off harvest, followed by a cool dip in September, which slowed ripening and allowed the grapes to develop consistently and evenly. This resulted in Cabernet Sauvignon with great structure and ripe tannins.
Winemaking
After being picked at full maturity, the fruit was fermented for 10 to 14 days for complete extraction of dark color and rich flavors. The wine was then racked and aged for approximately 2 years in once and twice used French and Hungarian oak barrels for added complexity.
Tasting Notes
Complex aromas of black cherry and notes of cinnamon and nutmeg lead to powerful flavors of plum and dark berry fruit. The wine has supple tannins and well integrated oak from barrel aging.
Technical Info:
Appellation - North Coast
Harvest – September 3 to October 25, 2007
Brix at Harvest – 26.4°
TA – 0.60 g/100 mL
pH – 3.66
Alcohol - 14.2%
Cooperage - Aged in a combination of French and Hungarian oak for 2 years.
Release: March 2010
The Champagne Wishes Panel put this to the test, and they rave:
Any wine label called Sledgehammer, deserves a try. Peter Gabriel would be happy to know his hit song had a delicious wine to pair with it. Or equally as impressive would be for Sledgehammer Wines to use his song as their theme. The name fits the wines from this company as it packs a tantalizing wallop of flavor. As California wines have commanded a more prominent position in the wine world, no fuss wines like Sledgehammer have supported this role. The bottle is wicked looking with a sleek look dominated by a red label with black bold lettering. The Cab is a strong flavored wine that as most cab’s could use a little breathing. Especially this wine that really allows the berries to taste bolder and as I said pack a wallop of flavor. This wine is extremely rich. The hues are dark and mysterious. The flavor engulfs your whole palette and delivers on its rich appeal. This cab not wine for sissies. The black cherry aroma fills your nostrils and completes the experience. Really the experience is why we drink wine, yes that and the wonderful relaxing buzz. This Sledgehammer cab does both effortlessly. It was wonderful paired with some soft cheeses. I would also recommend it with a dinner filled with equally as strong flavors, where as rather than the flavors competing they will complement each other bring out even more full bodied flavors. A great wine to ring in the cold weather and stay warm by the fire. Share it with friends as they will be as pleased as you are. At around $15 a bottle, you cannot go wrong and would expect to pay more for such a intense finely mastered cab. Don’t try sledge hammering your grapes at home, leave it to the professionals!
The 2007 Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon we enjoyed last Saturday night was a welcome treat. We poured the bottle into a decanter around 6pm and allowed it to breathe for about an hour, before diving in. The intense scent and inky purple color made it difficult to wait on what we new would be a large, full-bodied, wine. When the time finally arrived, we paired it with a mid-rare filet mignon, fresh sweet corn from the local farmer's market, some crusty sourdough bread, and a spinach salad. The Sledgehammer was a great accompaniment to our meal, and it complemented each dish well. But Sledgehammer is no boring table wine. This Cabernet has a wonderfully bold flavor and could easily be enjoyed, as it's own focal point. The flavors of black cherry and plum, paired with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, make it an excellent choice to have on hand for the holidays. Plus, the $14.99 price tag makes it much easier, for those of us on a tight budget, to still serve good wine when entertaining.
One particular feature of this wine that I appreciated was the balanced acidity. According to Sledgehammer, this is apparently due to the moderate temperature of Sonoma County, as well as the presence of "volcanic and alluvial" soil...who knew? As a red wine lover, I'm just grateful for a big Cabernet that doesn't keep me up all night from the acid content. And, despite its name, this wine did not make us feel as though we had been hit by a sledgehammer the next morning. We finished the bottle in one sitting...hey, we had a review to write...with no adverse after effects. Always a plus.
I highly recommend the 2007 Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon for your next event. Consider hosting a wine tasting party at your home, and pair it with fresh Parmesan to let out all of the underlying fruit flavors. Serve it with some freshly grilled steaks at dinner tonight, and experience the interplay between the protein and the tannins in this robust Cabernet. This is a great wine to try, especially if you have been stuck in the Merlot rut for awhile. While somehow remaining fairly unintimidating, this wine will take you even deeper into the full flavors of the gorgeous California red and leave you wanting more. Cheers to Sledgehammer. We shall be fast friends.
I love finding wine I want to keep stocked in my wine cabinet. After tasting the Cabernet Sauvingnon by Sledgehammer Wines, I loved it. I tried it chilled, as well as at room temperature, and I have to say, I preferred it chilled. This was a wine that I drank slowly, so I could savor each sip. This has to be one of my new favorite wines! I had paired it with pasta and meatballs in a red sauce. It went together perfectly. A friend of mine had suggested pairing the Cabernet with a dark chocolate type of dessert. I was a little leery at first, but once I had tried it along with some chocolate cake, it was like heaven in my mouth. Now that the holiday season is upon us, I know I'll be invited to several holiday parties. I plan to have a bottle of the Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon in hand to bring with me. Many of my friends enjoy wine on occasion and I think this would be a perfect gift for them. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to try this wine. I tend to stay in my comfort zone and only drink the wine I know I like. I now have a new favorite to add to my list! I will even have to get a few extra bottles to stay in my wine cabinet. I've even recommended this wine to a few friends I know that drink Cabernet Sauvingon. My neighbor was one of them and she went out and got some--and loved it. I couldn't be more thrilled that I found a line of wine I love! The Sledgehammer wines are wines that will always be around my house.
While the namesake of this winery might elicit a chuckle at first, after the first sip of its 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, you'll find that it's most aptly named. The vivacious and explosive scent and flavors hit you right away. This is a red that's complex, multifaceted, intense, full-bodied, spicy, dry, and while all at once embodying these various qualities, it's extremely balanced too. Part of Sledgehammer's duo of inaugural release wines, this cabernet is the result of grapes that ripened slowly and consistently following a heat spike and then a cool dip in Northern Sonoma County in August/September 2007. My party and I enjoyed this wine as a digestif, rather than paired with a particular meal, as it allowed for the wine to be the star in its own right. From the first sniff to the first sip, each of us noted that this is a particularly vibrant and flavorful wine that really lives up to its name. The plum and dark berry fruitiness is the first thing that hits you, followed by the spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, and then punctuated with a tinge of oak that's the result of the 2 years of aging in once and twice used French and Hungarian oak barrels. It's interesting to note that while the first few sips of this wine packed that whallop to our senses and tastebuds (the 'Sledgehammer effect'), as the night wore on and more sips were had, and perhaps being exposed to the air longer, it gave way to being smooth, balanced and easy to the last drop. We enjoyed this Cabernet Sauvignon very much.
They make wine because they like drinking wine – not talking about it, they told us. Well, at Whom You Know we like drinking it AND TALKING ABOUT IT, so it's fortunate we met.... and we must say we recommend the
