2021 Pedroncelli Brother’s Mark Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Brother’s Mark
John and Jim Pedroncelli first planted Cabernet Sauvignon in 1965, making their mark in Dry Creek Valley. This was at the beginning of their six-decade business partnership, which included many other milestones along the way. This wine blends bretheren Bordeaux varieties and builds layers of striking flavors and character. The brothers have left an indelible mark on our family, our valley, and the wine community.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of cassis, mocha, and spicy oak introduce this medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Flavors are framed by cherry and black plum, toasty soft tannins with a hint of oregano. Great structure combined with a round and long finish gives lasting enjoyment. Drink upon release or cellar up to ten more years.
Grape & Winemaking Notes
Estate fruit was harvested from the northern end of Dry Creek Valley and picked just a mile from the winery. Each of the Bordeaux varieties developed exceptional character on the vineyard sites located along the valley bench. The vines receive the right amount of sun and cooling fog, which develops optimal flavors in the grapes.
Once at the crush pad, the grapes are de-stemmed and cold-soaked for 48 hours. Inoculated with the Bordeaux yeast strain, fermentation followed in stainless steel tanks. During this time, to get the best color and flavor, the juice is circulated over the cap daily and gently macerated to extract the color and flavors from the skins. Once dry, the new wine is pressed and stored until barreled in the winter. The separate lots were aged in French oak barrels for twelve months to develop smoothness and complexity.
For nearly a century, the Pedroncelli family has been crafting exceptional wines in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. It all began in 1927 when John Pedroncelli, Sr., purchased a vineyard and a small winery west of Geyserville; two elements have remained unchanged since then - the exceptional place where the Pedroncelli family farms their vineyards and their dedication to creating fine wines.
For nine decades, the Pedroncelli family has been producing wines of the highest quality, tradition, and heritage. Their commitment to excellence and their family-run business make them a trusted source of great wines - enjoy them with confidence.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Different vintage lab rat! I got the 2022. No idea how different it is.
For my tastes this is about 7 years or so too young. But the call of duty wins.
Pretty closed down initially. Couldn’t get much aside from nondescript fruit and some vanilla/oak. The vinturi helped but it still needed time beyond that. Eventually I could start to get more nuance from it. Some earth, spices, pepper, medium finish. Good balance, and with air it’s a young wine I’d drink - which is saying something!
Sorry for the short report. I’m going on nearly 22 hours awake after only 5 hours of sleep.
It came as a surprise this afternoon, so I won’t have time to write anything fancy this time. I’ll pop it in a bit and will provide a quick list of notes at the very least.
Dark opaque green bottle, so difficult to tell color
No foil over the cork
Not much of a smell
In the glass (Casemates glass for reference):
THICK legs
Pretty much black in color
Smell-wise, definitely gives those alcohol fume nose tingles; smells sweet, like a very sweet berry pie filling would smell, almost like caramelized sugar with an obvious Concord grape note, which is deceptive, as…
…There are no fruit notes to mention here; it’s not a “jammy” wine at all, so instead of alluding to some other gourmet berry, I’ll just say “grape”
Agreed on the pepper but not the earth from the first review; it’s somewhat bitter for a red
Some, but not too much, alcohol burn
BIG tannins (which I like)
Doesn’t feel too acidic, but is defintiely very sour and dry
Hint of an iron-like aftertaste
I poured this glass and am drinking it right after opening. The rest is vacuum sealed, so I might do an update tomorrow and let you know if it opens up a bit. In fact it feels like it’s opening up even as I’m drinking it, losing its harsh edges and gaining some savory notes. This should definitely be decanted (I don’t own a decanter, just a Rabbit aerator, which I tragically didn’t use for this).
My preliminary take is that I agree with the review above: it needs some more time and/or air. As is, it’s considerably better than the cheap stuff (e.g. Holiday QPR blend), but not as good out-of-the-bottle as some other ~$15 offerings we’ve had here before.
2021 Pedroncelli Brother’s Mark Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Brother’s Mark
Tasting Notes
Grape & Winemaking Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $288/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 19 - Wednesday, May 21
2021 Pedroncelli Brother’s Mark Cabernet Sauvignon
6 bottles for $89.99 $15/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Different vintage lab rat! I got the 2022. No idea how different it is.
For my tastes this is about 7 years or so too young. But the call of duty wins.
Pretty closed down initially. Couldn’t get much aside from nondescript fruit and some vanilla/oak. The vinturi helped but it still needed time beyond that. Eventually I could start to get more nuance from it. Some earth, spices, pepper, medium finish. Good balance, and with air it’s a young wine I’d drink - which is saying something!
Sorry for the short report. I’m going on nearly 22 hours awake after only 5 hours of sleep.
I got this to rat as well, also the 2022 version.
It came as a surprise this afternoon, so I won’t have time to write anything fancy this time. I’ll pop it in a bit and will provide a quick list of notes at the very least.
In the bottle:
In the glass (Casemates glass for reference):
I poured this glass and am drinking it right after opening. The rest is vacuum sealed, so I might do an update tomorrow and let you know if it opens up a bit. In fact it feels like it’s opening up even as I’m drinking it, losing its harsh edges and gaining some savory notes. This should definitely be decanted (I don’t own a decanter, just a Rabbit aerator, which I tragically didn’t use for this).
My preliminary take is that I agree with the review above: it needs some more time and/or air. As is, it’s considerably better than the cheap stuff (e.g. Holiday QPR blend), but not as good out-of-the-bottle as some other ~$15 offerings we’ve had here before.