St. Helena Road Winery
2005 Roy J. Maier, Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County Mountains

91 POINTS - eRobertParker.com

One of the best things about WineHeist is the chance to find smaller producers that we may not be too familiar with, and discover that they are making small quantities of outstanding wine.  Such was the case when we were introduced to St. Helena Road Winery, whose 60 acre estate, just across the Sonoma County line from such famous estates as Pride Mountain, produces outstanding Bordeaux varieties at elevations of about 1800 feet.  We have already offered their Meritage, and now we are delighted to have the chance to offer their top cuvee, the Roy J. Maier Cabernet Sauvignon.  With a small amount of the other Bordeaux varieties blended in, this is as fine an expression of Bordeaux-style wine in California as you are likely to see, at an unbelievable price.

The 2005 Roy J. Maier Cabernet Sauvignon is deep purple in color, with a garnet rim revealing its maturity.  The nose is absolutely packed with aromas, showing vanilla, currant, kirsch, anise, capsicum and damp earth.  The palate echoes these classic cabernet characteristics, with blackberry, crème de cassis and plum coming together into a seamless flavor experience, for lack of a more graceful term. This wine is exciting in so many ways; for one thing, it is a great example of the fact that you can do Bordeaux in California without trying to copy Bordeaux (this is riper, bigger, and has higher alcohol than you would find in France in all but the hottest vintages), by capturing Bordeaux spirit of allowing the grapes and the terroir to show through in the finished wine.  This is a beautiful expression of Mayacamas Mountain Cabernet.  And secondly, this wine shows the magic that a little bit of age can work on a wine, bringing the palate into harmony and resulting in flavors that can't necessarily be broken down into their components, yet are still very complex, and linger on the palate for ages.  If you are a fan of California Cabernet, this is one that must not be missed.

Vintage: 2005
Varietals: 75-80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot 5% Malbec, 5% Cab Franc, and 1-2% Petit verdot
Bottled: June 13, 2007
Alcohol: 14.9%
Production: 740 cases

About The Winery...

Roy’s grandson, and a member of Roy J. Maier Corporation’s Board of Director’s, Richard Maier, and his wife Patty, have taken their passion for wine and along with their two sons Ryan and Danny, purchased 60 acres in the Mayacamas Mountains. Located on the West side of Spring Mountain, the Sonoma side, they have established the vineyards that supply the grapes for the winery.  Richard spent nearly 20 years in the research and development of cane plantations for the reed company and their farming operations. The ‘Roy J Maier’ label, blends the juices from the grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, into a kaleidoscope of flavors, aromas and colors; offering a wine to thoroughly savor, from your first sample of the bouquet, to your last satisfying sip.

In addition to the vineyards and winery facility, the Maier’s have developed the main Estate Home on the property, as a luxury vacation rental, providing the guests to the Napa/Sonoma wine region, with a unique opportunity to experience the premium wine country from their spectacular, mountain vineyard property.

Learn more at www.sthelenardwinery.com.

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