[ad_1]
Hawk and Horse Vineyards could be called a rough diamond, but diamonds are not real and their wines are anything but rough.
Located in the secluded Red Hills AVA region of Lake County, Hawk and Horse spans 18 acres on mountain slopes that rise above 2,000 feet. The vines are fed from an artisanal source, breathe the purest air in the country, and benefit from nourishing red volcanic soils dotted with clear silica shards dubbed Lake County Diamonds.
Fortunately, this ideal site benefits from a strong stewardship, from people who practice sustainable farming methods as a necessary path to the elaboration of fine wines. Hawk and Horse Vineyards was co-founded by father-son lawyers David and Christopher Boies, who share a passion for law and the production of Bordeaux-style wines on the North Coast. Their first vintage was 2004.
David’s daughter-in-law, Tracey Hawkins, and her husband, Mitch Hawkins, have managed the 1,340-acre property since the late 1990s, when they cleared part of the forest for the vineyard and set aside the forests indigenous people for preservation.
While Tracey’s gift is working with consultant winemaker Dr Richard Peterson to produce fine wines, Mitch’s talent lies in maintaining organically grown vines using certified biodynamic farming techniques.
Without the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides, the ground cover planted between the rows of vines is carefully selected to attract butterflies, ladybugs, and even wasps that eat the pest leafhopper. Annual plowing is replaced by labor-intensive mowing that adds rich mulch to the soil.
There is a unique set of biodynamic protocols used at Hawk and Horse, some requiring the help of a herd of Scottish Highland cattle that roam the land. Compost from cow manure, made on site, is added to the soil each winter to provide nutrients. That same cow dung is wrapped in cow horns and buried in the soil to help absorb these nutrients.
A recent vertical tasting of old versions of cabernet sauvignon allowed me to appreciate the quality and the aptitude for aging of their wines.
Blended with small amounts of Merlot, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Hawk and Horse Vineyards was aged 18 months in 50 percent new French oak barrels before release. Notes of spice on the nose were followed by concentrated flavors of rich and balanced dark berries.
The 2009 vintage is 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 23 months only in new French oak barrels. The color of the wine and its complex aromas of black fruits, spices and floral notes are exceptional. It is opulent, balanced and fruity on the palate until the finish.
Herbaceous quality enhanced the complex and fragrant bouquet of the 2010 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon, and described as Tracey’s favorite. Soft tannins are evident on the palate and the finish lingers, as it should.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, Hawk and Horse Vineyards produce a highly respected Petit Sirah and Latigo, a Cabernet Franc dessert wine enriched with aged brandy.
The wines are produced responsibly and taste great. Hawk and Horse is a place where farmers, winemakers, cattle, ladybugs, bobcats, red-tailed hawks, and Arabian horses serve the land together.
[ad_2]
