What a serendipitous week. Not only was I delighted to receive my first Cellar Rat wine, but it arrived in time for my birthday! And not just any birthday, my 65th, which means Iâll soon be in line for my get out of the house vaccine.
I was delighted to open the package and find a Two Jakes wine, as Iâve previously liked their Cabernet Franc, but had never had the Merlot.
Iâm a fan of aged redsâa lot of my cellar is thirty or more years old. So I was pleased to see this is a 2011, which puts it in nice drinking range for a New World Merlot. Iâm assuming Clark Smith made this wine from Jake Stephensâ Diamond Ridge Vineyards in Lake County. 2011 was a cool growing season there, and the red harvest wasnât completed until November(!) but they apparently still got enough sugar to take this to 13.5%.
After resting a full day in a 60 degree cellar, it gets a pop and pour at noon. The cork is stained almost as dark as India ink! In the glass, the wine is deep, deep ruby with just a touch of garnet around the rim. The nose is tight at the start but there is a hint of pomegranate and oak.
This is a damn chewy wine. Remarkable, really, this tannic structure after almost a decade. And it continues all the way through a very long finish, ending with a bit of bright cherry and good acidity. After some swirling, a somewhat smokey nose develops. My first impression is that itâs really an Old World style Bordeaux, Saint-EstĂšphe comes to mind.
Recork the bottle and wait for dinner.
As luck would have it, for my birthday we had incoming brisket, burnt ends and spare ribs from Mighty Quinnâs BBQ in New York. This should be a match made in heaven.
Five hours later, the poured glass hadnât changed much at all. BUT a fresh pour had more smoke and maybe a hint of charred rubber (not in a bad way) in the nose, and a very juicy ripe cherry and even some plum on the palate.
Welp, the BBQ showed up frozen in dry ice, so on to plan B: It came with spicy BBQ chicken wings that werenât frozen stiff, so we seared them on the grill. This was a great match.
Iâve heard this Lake County area produces very thick-skinned grapes, so thatâs likely the source of the high tannin. Personally, I like that, and it will likely enable this wine to remain youthful for many more years. Iâm glad that additional fruit showed up to balance it.
I usually pour unfinished bottles into a Savino, but I wanted to see what another day of air would do, so I re-corked half the bottle. It changed hardly at all, with no obvious oxidation, and is still plush with a long tannic finish.
For those of you who missed out, I know we at least have a few cases of the Merlot, which we could offer you for the same price per 4-pack or case. Give Sandra a call at 707-332-5552 on Monday 9AM-4PM Pacific Time.
Good morning, everyone. Itâs a real treat to be able to offer these two solid citizens with 8 and 9 years behind them. I started making the Diamond Ridge Vineyards wines in 2007 and these are among the best examples.
As has been pointed out, the Merlot is not like any California wine. It is not soft. Its dense tannin structure and rich grenadine aroma are more reminiscent of Pomerols such as Chateau Trotanoy. While it has developed some interesting tertiary bottle bouquet, itâs still a youthful wine with a decade or two ahead of it in a good cellar. For all its size, this is a very feminine wine. The lanolin aroma and fatty texture are characteristic of all Merlots and here serve to round out its firm tannins. Like most wines from this vineyard, it benefits from decanting and breathing. A perfect pairing with grilled duck breast.
The Clone 15 Cab Sauv is a bit different. Its black cherry fruit is more forthcoming but itâs even more backward in its development, quite generously fruity but not very complex and profound at this point. While itâs quite drinkable now, with the delicious fruit-by-mouth providing a sweetness, the tannins have a masculine hardness that is more angular than its mate. I expect this to benefit greatly from additional aging. Delicious with a well-marbled rib steak.
I was very happy to hear that I had been chosen to LabRat todayâs offering of the 2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon. SWMBO and I are back in sunny Southwest Florida â an ideal place to winter as we all continue to social distance, stay close to home, and otherwise just try to get through our crazy times until we can all be vaccinated and the world can return to some vague semblance of normalâŠ. If everâŠâŠ Given my overall assessment of 2012 as at least a very fine, and potentially a very great, vintage, SWMBO and I decided to reassemble our socially distancing SW Florida Tasting Team, adding PK and his charming and lovely bride TK. As we explained last Spring, PK and TK are knowledgeable, serious, and sophisticated wine drinkers; theyâve lived in France and elsewhere in Europe, and taste seriously and frequently in Napa and Sonoma. We adhered to our Associationâs social distancing protocols, setting up our tasting at opposite ends of an 8-foot table, out-of-doors to ensure proper social distancing, with separate plates of crackers/bread, water, cheese and grilled chicken skewers (for post formal tasting accompaniments).
OVERALL QUALIFICATION: rpm is very much of the opinion that the age of 8 years from vintage is almost never a good point in a California Cabernet Sauvignonâs life cycle to assess the wineâs quality. Although there are always exceptions, in rpmâs 6 decades of experience drinking California Cabernet, almost all quality Cabernet enters a muted phase somewhere around 5-6 years from vintage that lasts until around 10 years from vintage, during which the wine slumbers as it begins its transformation from the young, fruit driven (even when not fruit forward) and often very tannic wine into a mature, more complex, bouquet intensive (but, until very old age, still with good fruit aromas) wine with resolved tannins. Every wine is different, but itâs getting past this phase that undergirds rpmâs rule not to drink any serious California Cabernet Sauvignon under the age of 10.
My overall experience with Lake County Cabernet is much more limited than with Napa and Sonoma Cabernet, if only because there have been far fewer Lake County Cabernets available generally, and in particular far fewer where one could compare long series of vintages (such as Napa and Sonoma with a handful of wineries with up to 86 post-Prohibition vintages of Cabernet).
Note that all four of our SW Florida Tasting Team very much liked Clarkâs WineSmith 2013 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon, rating it between 18 and 19+ out of 20.
We evaluated the wine, using a modified UC Davis 20 point scoring system and Ann Nobleâs Wine Aroma Wheel, with highlights of comments, tasting the wine by itself. Normally, at this point I would list all of the categories, our scores and comments. In this case, however, that would be misleading: while the wine was still drinkable and (with food) enjoyable, we got a bad bottle, with what I think is a significant flaw. That flaw could well adversely affect our other impressions of the wine as well as the specific category designed to detect it.
Appearance (2 points):
All tasters found it clear, though SWMBO thought it could be clearer â travel shock?
Color (2 points):
All tasters found the color characteristic of a medium body Cabernet.
Aroma & Bouquet (6 points):
All detected red currants, cherry and pepper aromas, with TK adding fig and rpm adding hints of violets. NB: after formal tasting and wine being open an hour plus, all tasters detected earthy aromas.
Total Acidity (2 points):
Overall most tasters found the acidity good but just a little off â rpm thought a touch low, TK thought a bit high.
Sweetness, Body (1 point each):
All tasters thought the wine was appropriately dry and body medium.
Flavor (2 points):
All tasters found the wine vinous, with muted flavors NB -this could be the result of a number of factors, individually or in combination: (1) it was a bad bottle, (2) travel shock (wine arrived Wednesday afternoon, tasted Thursday evening), (3) wine still in a mute or sleeping phase, or (4) wine needs ~2 hours breathing. After formal tasting, all tasters found wine flavors more enjoyable with appetizers and cheese.
Bitterness (1 point):
rpm perceived a distinct, off-putting bitterness in the wine, which the others did not initially identify as bitterness, but which significantly contributed to their overall impressions of the wine and which some conflated with astringency prior to discussion. On the basis of what was for rpm a highly distinctive bitterness, of a kind he has had pointed out to him as a flaw, we are very much of the opinion we had a flawed bottle that cannot be seen as representative of any other bottles.
Astringency (1 point):
All tasters found tannin levels were appropriate for a Cabernet of this body and this age
General Quality (2 points):
Overall the wine was good, but disappointing. Rpm and SWMBO remarked finish was a little short.
Total Scores:: Overall, the tasters thought this was good (rpm despite the perceived flaw), but were expecting more from a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Final Score after food: When we continued to drink the balance of the bottle over an hour with appetizers, grilled chicken skewers, Humboldt Fog and Cow Girl Creamery Hawk cheeses with water crackers, all tasters found the wine much more enjoyable than it had been in formal tasting.
Important Notes and Caveat: Based on the bottle we tasted, rpm is not comfortable making any assessment of the age-worthiness of this wine and, for the reasons discussed above, believes we received an uncharacteristically âoffâ bottle.
2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot
Apologies for the delay but it worked out as my LW was able to help me taste and we were able to pair it with an appropriate meal.
Popped the cork and took a closer look after seeing the earlier discussion about the type of closure. It says DIAM2 on the cork. HERE is some information about the DIAM2 cork. As RJ noted earlier, it is designed to prevent TCA (cork taint). It also allows the wine to breathe.
Poured some into our Govino glasses (we are staycationing at a hotel near where my wife has a side-job tomorrow). Wine is clear, dark ruby color. Medium spaced, medium width legs, slow running.
Swirl and sniff⊠cherry, raspberry with a little heat. Something slightly vegetal or herbaceous. Truffles. Light spice. Hint of mint.
On the palate, it starts off straight cherry before adding secondary flavors through the mid-palate; dark fruits, herbs, cocoa and light spice (pepper). The spice picks up a bit on the finish as the tannins take hold. Medium+ finish with medium acidity, medium+ minerality and somewhat grippy tannins. There is also a vaguely creamy mouthfeel to the wine. Despite the many elements to the nose and palate, the wine does not seem especially complex, possibly because everything is well balanced and integrated.
On to dinner;
We got some brisket w/cornbread, mac-n-cheese, green beans w/bacon, cheesy potatoes and salad w/Italian dressing. Our first time trying Mission BBQ. We enjoy supporting small businesses and bonus, this one is veteran owned. Since it was our first time, the guy at Mission loaded us up with all 6 BBQ sauces.
The Merlot paired incredibly well with the smoked brisket, especially when topped with the KC Classic BBQ sauce. The smokiness of the brisket brought out a similar quality in the wine which was very complementary.
Talk about food-friendly(!), there was not a single dinner item that wasnât delicious with the wine and each dish (and sauce) brought out unique aspects of the flavor and body profile.
The creamy mouthfeel was featured with the mac-n-cheese and cheesy potatoes, while the green beans w/bacon brought out the herbal and vegetal notes as well as a previously unnoticed juiciness. The wine revealed a somewhat balsamic note when paired with the salad. The sweeter sauces brought out the wineâs fruit while the spicier sauces brought out the spices and tannins.
The bottle barely made it through dinner as we both enjoyed it immensely. Well worth the price of admission, especially at the case price!
Thanks to WD and Alice for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat and thanks to Clark for making such wonderful wines!
I had tried and loved the Merlot in a previous purchase, but never did open the Cab. I decided this was the night to rectify that. I got this a few months ago, so bottle shock should not be an issue. Decanted for about 2 hours. I would agree with most of the comments above, although I didnât detect any bitterness. Tannic, but not hugely so. Flowers and oak on the nose, and lots of cherries in the mouth. Iâll probably leave the newly purchased Cab for few years, and enjoy the Merlot in the meantime.
I think rpm is right on both assessments. As weâve been saying, the Cab is at an adolescent stage and needs further development. I also concur that he has an off bottle. Having opened a great many bottles, I have never encountered any bottle variation such as he describes. My suspicion is that the wine encountered some misfortune during shipping in the hands of UPS, never noted for its tender care, especially in Florida.
@winesmith better than FEDEX, we have had some news coverage for loss via a specific warehouse in good ol Bâmore for FEDEX, and as long as my UPS guy takes wine bottles as tips Iâm well taken care of as are my shipments!
I also received a bottle of the 2011 Merlot to sample. I was able to successfully procure the bottle from UPS (which is usually the hard part!) but unfortunately the Gods conspired against me as work ran late today and things dominoed from there.
Will report back tomorrow afternoon with tasting notes. Looking forward to hearing what Clark has to say about these wines and their current position in the evolutionary arc of their overall drinking window.
2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
First of all, I havenât done a lab rat report in a while, so please forgive my rustiness
So, the bottle arrived on Wed and I left it to rest and acclimate for a full day.
On Thursday evening I opened it and did a first taste. This was in two sets: the first was an open and pour and the second through a Vinturi aerator. I smelled and taste at a pretty close distance in time, so to compare it with a fresh memory of the other status.
Cork: disappointingly inked and of lower quality. Sparkling speckles present. Not sure what those are (experts weight in please?)
Color: see pic: a garnet on the dark side, on the red gamut more than the orange one. Swirling legs are on the shorter side.
Open and pour:
this is clearly a Californian Cabernet. On the nose: ripe cherry; ripe raspberry (with the relative acidity); a bit of alcohol right at the start, but not overwhelming; I had a hint of leather and a hint of bubblegum. My partner got lot of acidity; a moss/earthy smell, and some prunes.
I left half a glass for a couple of hours, and afterwards all the closeness was mostly gone, making it very similar to the âthrough Vinturiâ taste profile below.
Through Vinturi:
here the alcohol is gone, the wine opens up nicely with a more prominent ripe cherry note and, Iâd say, a red rose blossom pleasant smell. Fruits are in front here, with some black currant too.
Taste:
Open and pour:
LOTS of tannins and you can tell that the wine needs to open up. Very tight. Oak is even more pronounced in the open and pour, with some ripe prunes and hints of tobacco.
Vinturi:
There are way less tannins through the Vinturi. I can now pick cherries, raspberries, and black currant easily. The wood is present, but not as overwhelming as in the open and pour. I do not detect spices nor minerality, which I was both expecting.
Shorter finish, with a pleasant hint of wood at the end.
We let the wine rest for a day and corked it. Yesterday we invited some wine friends over for a socially distanced tasting. It was cold here â around 35 â so the wine started at the right temperature (around 65) to get chilled when out, but overall, Iâd say that the notes on the nose and mouth were similar. We collectively got the black currant of the day 1, definitely dark cherry (both on the nose and in the mouth); moss is even more present the second day, as well as ripe plum and a hint of chocolate.
Overall, the day after the wine did not change dramatically from day 1 through a Vinturi (or a couple of hours decanting), so definitely decant this but it doesnât need a full day to develop, despite being quite old.
My opinion: I was expecting more from this wine. More minerality, being in a volcanic soil. More complexity â being an older Cabernet from Clear Lake. More spices, given the fruit. Iâd say that this is a solid everyday drinker that will pair great with a fattier meal, such as hamburger, a steak, lamb, and even a creamier cheese such as a brie. It has acidity and body to stand them all. But it is not a deep and complex wine: it is totally pleasant and good as a everyday drinker â if you can decant or Vinturi it. Iâd totally bring this to a party â you remember those?! â but Iâd make sure that it has ample time to sit and breathe before being served.
@salcorn@salpo@winesmith
As an aside, those crystals are frequently referred to as Wine Diamonds, rather fitting Iâd say, and generally found in bottlings not cold stabilized.
At only nine years old this is actually quite young for a well structured Cabernet. While Iâll open one earlier in its life to test for development, where possible many will wait until they are 20+ for serious consumption, but we do have to have those everyday bottles as wellâŠ
Curious what cabs you generally prefer?
Where is Clark, hope heâs not not tainted with something nasty.
@rjquillin My cellar is about 75% French, divided evenly between Bordeaux and Burgundy, mostly 30 or more years old. The rest is mostly California, including old wines from BV, Dominus, Louis Martini, etc. back into the 60âs. For more recent drinking I am a fan of Central Coast wines, especially Santa Rita Hills. From Napa and Sonoma, Dominus and other more Old World styled wines are my focus.
@rjquillin@salcorn@winesmith definitely quite a cellar you got there!
I am not a huge cab person admittedly. But Iâm more of an Old World wines generally speaking, so if I think of cabs, French ones - and even Italian, which are definitely not that good - come to mind.
I agree that 9 years can be young for a cab, but what Iâm concerned with is that this specific bottle did not strike me as underdeveloped. But, hey, it is probably just me!
I was generally speaking not super crazy about this offering because of the lack of minerality, spices, and generally speaking complexity that I think (especially the complexity) should be there at this (for casemates at least!) price point.
Maybe a few more years of cellar will help develop?
@rjquillin@salcorn@salpo I do think the Cab needs more time. Itâs in an adolescent phase where it hasnât developed the nuances it will with a few more years. We have done most of the aging for you. In the case of the Merlot, while it has considerable longevity ahead of it, the tertiary development is much more pronounced, and Iâm inclined to think itâs approaching perfection right now.
Thanks, Chip. Yes, this certainly is a food wine, and Iâm glad you noted the minerality in the finish, which other reviewers questioned. The round creaminess is what separates Merlot from Cabernet Sauvignon. Gary Eberle called it âlamb fatâ and youâll see it in every Merlot once you get used to looking for it.
Even after Berserker day, is this really a question? I have never been disappointed with Clarkâs wines. Obviously I am in. You would be crazy not too.
Are you kidding; I mean seriously, why did it take me 2 seconds to order a case??? OK itâs true Iâm slowing down in my old age. Always great juice, Always - enough said. distant-precious-servant
Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
@pmarin Ironic gif for me, in 1987 I wrote my first college freshman film-study paper on Ferris Buellerâs Day Off. The professor begrudgingly gave me a decent grade only because I followed MLA guidelines, but he was clearly disappointed in my choice of film. Iâm pretty sure I said something to him that an 18 year old might say. So, something really stupid.
Well this one requires zero debate on a case for us. Love the '11 Merlot. And looking forward to having the Cab. Now with the purchase secured, I can read the rattage!
/giphy ashamed-unwritten-cook
I received a shipping notice on this today. I hope that it is coming closer to the estimated Feb 22-24 delivery date, as we are expecting subzero temperatures in the coming week here.
Shipment arrived about 5:15pm after being in the brown truck all day in 10°F temperatures. Stuck a thermometer though the box and in contact with a bottle and it read about 38°. Hopefully everything is ok. At least Clarkâs wines are known for holding up well.
@Mark_L@Winedavid49 I just opened up my first merlot. I have no idea, but it is a bad bottle. Cork was stained almost to the top. It taste like vinegar. So very sad. Hopefully the rest of the bottles are okay. Mine did not sit on the brown truck for long.
@danandlisa
Thatâs surprising to hear. Clark is meticulous and takes numerous precautions in order to protect the precious juice inside of those bottles. Hopefully the rest of them are safe and sound so you can enjoy them as intended.
@danandlisa@kawichris650 My well chilled case arrived today, I opened a Merlot a few hours ago, itâs fine and the cork is perfect. The rest of your bottles should be ok and CS should compensate you for the bad bottle.
@catcoland@danandlisa@kawichris650 wow, I just got mine today and now you are making me thing I need to check all of mine, most I got within the 30 min they were delivered outside to an exterior locker before I got them
@bunnymasseuse
The ABV obviously plays a part, but wine can begin to freeze after prolonged exposure to temps of 15-20 degrees fahrenheit. Even at 0° it takes about 5 hours.
Years ago (on the old site) I had ordered some of Scott Harveyâs Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel. I live in MN and the weather was exceptionally cold. Some of the bottles had protruding corks and wine had leaked out. Some of the bottles were perfectly intact, but upon closer inspection you could tell they had become wine slushies. I sent an email and things were made right. Iâm sure Casemates will do the same if anyone has an issue. Generally speaking though, wine is quite resilient and can still be enjoyed after it has had the chance to thaw.
From Winemaker Clark Smith: Jake hired me as winemaker in 2007. Iâve made all his wines that he didnât sell as grapes, usually about 200 tons of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah sold to other wineries in bulk, reserving a few hundred cases for his Two Jakes of Diamonds brand along with small batches of Cabernet Sauvignon. I handle every phase from harvest decisions to winemaking logistics to packaging design to marketing, web design and sales. This is a remarkable vineyard that provides profound and ageworthy wines at affordable prices. Diamond Ridge has also been the source for many WineSmith wines since 2007.
Tasting Notes
Our vineyard is located in a site with rocky granitic soils that result in a very different expression of Merlot from the typical California profile. The persistent sunny rays at the high altitude impart extravagant color and bright pomegranate aromas with no vegetal aspect. Our proximity to Clear Lakeâs afternoon cooling âlake effectâ preserves these aromas. While our volcanic soils produce solid, age-worthy tannins which impart amazing ageworthiness.The combination of rich fruit aromatics, firm tannin structure and lively minerality resemble the wines of the Pomerol district of Bordeaux in Southwestern France.
The 2011 was harvested in late October in cool conditions which achieved full ripeness at low brix. Fermented traditionally and aged in neutral cooperage for 26 months to refine its dense, hard tannins and lend subtle nuances of vanilla and toffee. The wine you will encounter offers lush and generous fruit enjoyable today but with potential for substantial bottle age.
Our Merlot invites lamb dishes, of course, but this wineâs refreshing minerality also asks to be served with grilled duck breast or before dinner with a fine ripe brie or, if there is any left, after, with dark chocolate.
Our vineyard on a peninsula jutting into the southeastern corner of Clear Lake is the site of the most extensive commercial Cabernet Sauvignon clonal library in the State of California. Its persistent sunny rays at the high altitude draw from each clone its unique aromatic signature, and the cooling âlake effectâ prevents them from volatilizing, preserving a distinct clonal stamp on each. Different clones will develop aromas as diverse as grenadine, cassis, raspberry, carob, Asian spice and tar, with tannins and acidity equally varied.
Of these, Clone 15 is the most complete: richest in fruit and most structurally solid. It is characterized by bright cherry and cocoa aromatics coupled to firm, broad, approachable tannins. Our volcanic soils produce solid, age-worthy tannins and a mineral energy which imparts a lively impression on the palate.
The 2012 was harvested in early October in warm, fair weather which achieved early full ripeness. Fermented traditionally and aged in neutral cooperage for only 14 months to refine its dense tannins and lend subtle nuances of vanilla and espresso.
Specs
Vintage: 2012
100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 15
Estate vineyard, Clear Lake AVA
Harvested October 3rd
27.6 Brix at harvest
Rehydrated to 24.5 brix
Fermentation techniques:
Anchor NT112 yeast
7 g/L untoasted Alliers chips
Three week maceration
Elevage details:
Three weeks microbĂŒllage pre ML
14 months in neutral French oak
Alcohol sweet spot at 13.9%
pH 3.83 at bottling
Production: 199 Cases
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
2x 2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot, Lake County
2x 2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
Case:
6x 2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot, Lake County
6x 2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
My name is Jacob S. Stephens III, but everyone calls me Jake. I represent the third generation in our family to embrace the life of a farmer, following in the footsteps of my grandfather Jacob, and my father Jake II.
The Diamond Ridge Vineyards name derives from the Lake County diamonds found on the property. Diamond Ridge is located on the volcanic hillsides north of the town of Clearlake, with the eastern shores of Clear Lake just over the hill. Elevations range from 500 to 800 meters. At this elevation, there is never any fog, and the bright cool sunlight creates conditions ideal for deeply expressive Bordeaux varieties as well as Petite Sirahs of unrivaled color, grace and aroma.
Our site allows us to grow fruit that is comparable, sometimes superior, to our downhill neighbor Napa County, at a fraction of the cost of land. Many experts contend that the quality of fruit produced in mountain vineyards rivals that of the valley floors. We agree! As one of our avid grape clients remarked, âDiamond Ridge is without question the diamond in Lake Countyâs crown.â
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot - $40 = 19.04%
@SippinSantiagos@Winedavid49
Not sure what the status was 6 hours ago when these posts were made but right now itâs showing cases are available but 4-packs sold out.
2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot, Lake County
What a serendipitous week. Not only was I delighted to receive my first Cellar Rat wine, but it arrived in time for my birthday! And not just any birthday, my 65th, which means Iâll soon be in line for my get out of the house vaccine.
I was delighted to open the package and find a Two Jakes wine, as Iâve previously liked their Cabernet Franc, but had never had the Merlot.
Iâm a fan of aged redsâa lot of my cellar is thirty or more years old. So I was pleased to see this is a 2011, which puts it in nice drinking range for a New World Merlot. Iâm assuming Clark Smith made this wine from Jake Stephensâ Diamond Ridge Vineyards in Lake County. 2011 was a cool growing season there, and the red harvest wasnât completed until November(!) but they apparently still got enough sugar to take this to 13.5%.
After resting a full day in a 60 degree cellar, it gets a pop and pour at noon. The cork is stained almost as dark as India ink! In the glass, the wine is deep, deep ruby with just a touch of garnet around the rim. The nose is tight at the start but there is a hint of pomegranate and oak.
This is a damn chewy wine. Remarkable, really, this tannic structure after almost a decade. And it continues all the way through a very long finish, ending with a bit of bright cherry and good acidity. After some swirling, a somewhat smokey nose develops. My first impression is that itâs really an Old World style Bordeaux, Saint-EstĂšphe comes to mind.
Recork the bottle and wait for dinner.
As luck would have it, for my birthday we had incoming brisket, burnt ends and spare ribs from Mighty Quinnâs BBQ in New York. This should be a match made in heaven.
Five hours later, the poured glass hadnât changed much at all. BUT a fresh pour had more smoke and maybe a hint of charred rubber (not in a bad way) in the nose, and a very juicy ripe cherry and even some plum on the palate.
Welp, the BBQ showed up frozen in dry ice, so on to plan B: It came with spicy BBQ chicken wings that werenât frozen stiff, so we seared them on the grill. This was a great match.
Iâve heard this Lake County area produces very thick-skinned grapes, so thatâs likely the source of the high tannin. Personally, I like that, and it will likely enable this wine to remain youthful for many more years. Iâm glad that additional fruit showed up to balance it.
I usually pour unfinished bottles into a Savino, but I wanted to see what another day of air would do, so I re-corked half the bottle. It changed hardly at all, with no obvious oxidation, and is still plush with a long tannic finish.
At this price itâs a buy for me.
@salcorn thatâs a beautiful looking cellar - the stories it must tell! Thank you for the wonderful review!
@salcorn Thank you for the report - hope you had a nice birthday!
For those of you who missed out, I know we at least have a few cases of the Merlot, which we could offer you for the same price per 4-pack or case. Give Sandra a call at 707-332-5552 on Monday 9AM-4PM Pacific Time.
@winesmith @Tassadar @smtcapecod @ejrunion
Thanks Clark!
I tagged a few that expressed FOMO regrets and can now, hopefully, scratch it a bit.
Good morning, everyone. Itâs a real treat to be able to offer these two solid citizens with 8 and 9 years behind them. I started making the Diamond Ridge Vineyards wines in 2007 and these are among the best examples.
As has been pointed out, the Merlot is not like any California wine. It is not soft. Its dense tannin structure and rich grenadine aroma are more reminiscent of Pomerols such as Chateau Trotanoy. While it has developed some interesting tertiary bottle bouquet, itâs still a youthful wine with a decade or two ahead of it in a good cellar. For all its size, this is a very feminine wine. The lanolin aroma and fatty texture are characteristic of all Merlots and here serve to round out its firm tannins. Like most wines from this vineyard, it benefits from decanting and breathing. A perfect pairing with grilled duck breast.
The Clone 15 Cab Sauv is a bit different. Its black cherry fruit is more forthcoming but itâs even more backward in its development, quite generously fruity but not very complex and profound at this point. While itâs quite drinkable now, with the delicious fruit-by-mouth providing a sweetness, the tannins have a masculine hardness that is more angular than its mate. I expect this to benefit greatly from additional aging. Delicious with a well-marbled rib steak.
I was very happy to hear that I had been chosen to LabRat todayâs offering of the 2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon. SWMBO and I are back in sunny Southwest Florida â an ideal place to winter as we all continue to social distance, stay close to home, and otherwise just try to get through our crazy times until we can all be vaccinated and the world can return to some vague semblance of normalâŠ. If everâŠâŠ Given my overall assessment of 2012 as at least a very fine, and potentially a very great, vintage, SWMBO and I decided to reassemble our socially distancing SW Florida Tasting Team, adding PK and his charming and lovely bride TK. As we explained last Spring, PK and TK are knowledgeable, serious, and sophisticated wine drinkers; theyâve lived in France and elsewhere in Europe, and taste seriously and frequently in Napa and Sonoma. We adhered to our Associationâs social distancing protocols, setting up our tasting at opposite ends of an 8-foot table, out-of-doors to ensure proper social distancing, with separate plates of crackers/bread, water, cheese and grilled chicken skewers (for post formal tasting accompaniments).
OVERALL QUALIFICATION: rpm is very much of the opinion that the age of 8 years from vintage is almost never a good point in a California Cabernet Sauvignonâs life cycle to assess the wineâs quality. Although there are always exceptions, in rpmâs 6 decades of experience drinking California Cabernet, almost all quality Cabernet enters a muted phase somewhere around 5-6 years from vintage that lasts until around 10 years from vintage, during which the wine slumbers as it begins its transformation from the young, fruit driven (even when not fruit forward) and often very tannic wine into a mature, more complex, bouquet intensive (but, until very old age, still with good fruit aromas) wine with resolved tannins. Every wine is different, but itâs getting past this phase that undergirds rpmâs rule not to drink any serious California Cabernet Sauvignon under the age of 10.
My overall experience with Lake County Cabernet is much more limited than with Napa and Sonoma Cabernet, if only because there have been far fewer Lake County Cabernets available generally, and in particular far fewer where one could compare long series of vintages (such as Napa and Sonoma with a handful of wineries with up to 86 post-Prohibition vintages of Cabernet).
Note that all four of our SW Florida Tasting Team very much liked Clarkâs WineSmith 2013 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon, rating it between 18 and 19+ out of 20.
We evaluated the wine, using a modified UC Davis 20 point scoring system and Ann Nobleâs Wine Aroma Wheel, with highlights of comments, tasting the wine by itself. Normally, at this point I would list all of the categories, our scores and comments. In this case, however, that would be misleading: while the wine was still drinkable and (with food) enjoyable, we got a bad bottle, with what I think is a significant flaw. That flaw could well adversely affect our other impressions of the wine as well as the specific category designed to detect it.
Appearance (2 points):
All tasters found it clear, though SWMBO thought it could be clearer â travel shock?
Color (2 points):
All tasters found the color characteristic of a medium body Cabernet.
Aroma & Bouquet (6 points):
All detected red currants, cherry and pepper aromas, with TK adding fig and rpm adding hints of violets. NB: after formal tasting and wine being open an hour plus, all tasters detected earthy aromas.
Total Acidity (2 points):
Overall most tasters found the acidity good but just a little off â rpm thought a touch low, TK thought a bit high.
Sweetness, Body (1 point each):
All tasters thought the wine was appropriately dry and body medium.
Flavor (2 points):
All tasters found the wine vinous, with muted flavors NB -this could be the result of a number of factors, individually or in combination: (1) it was a bad bottle, (2) travel shock (wine arrived Wednesday afternoon, tasted Thursday evening), (3) wine still in a mute or sleeping phase, or (4) wine needs ~2 hours breathing. After formal tasting, all tasters found wine flavors more enjoyable with appetizers and cheese.
Bitterness (1 point):
rpm perceived a distinct, off-putting bitterness in the wine, which the others did not initially identify as bitterness, but which significantly contributed to their overall impressions of the wine and which some conflated with astringency prior to discussion. On the basis of what was for rpm a highly distinctive bitterness, of a kind he has had pointed out to him as a flaw, we are very much of the opinion we had a flawed bottle that cannot be seen as representative of any other bottles.
Astringency (1 point):
All tasters found tannin levels were appropriate for a Cabernet of this body and this age
General Quality (2 points):
Overall the wine was good, but disappointing. Rpm and SWMBO remarked finish was a little short.
Total Scores:: Overall, the tasters thought this was good (rpm despite the perceived flaw), but were expecting more from a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Final Score after food: When we continued to drink the balance of the bottle over an hour with appetizers, grilled chicken skewers, Humboldt Fog and Cow Girl Creamery Hawk cheeses with water crackers, all tasters found the wine much more enjoyable than it had been in formal tasting.
Important Notes and Caveat: Based on the bottle we tasted, rpm is not comfortable making any assessment of the age-worthiness of this wine and, for the reasons discussed above, believes we received an uncharacteristically âoffâ bottle.
@rpm Thank you for reviewing - interesting thought on a cab at the 8 year mark.
2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot
Apologies for the delay but it worked out as my LW was able to help me taste and we were able to pair it with an appropriate meal.
Popped the cork and took a closer look after seeing the earlier discussion about the type of closure. It says DIAM2 on the cork. HERE is some information about the DIAM2 cork. As RJ noted earlier, it is designed to prevent TCA (cork taint). It also allows the wine to breathe.
Poured some into our Govino glasses (we are staycationing at a hotel near where my wife has a side-job tomorrow). Wine is clear, dark ruby color. Medium spaced, medium width legs, slow running.
Swirl and sniff⊠cherry, raspberry with a little heat. Something slightly vegetal or herbaceous. Truffles. Light spice. Hint of mint.
On the palate, it starts off straight cherry before adding secondary flavors through the mid-palate; dark fruits, herbs, cocoa and light spice (pepper). The spice picks up a bit on the finish as the tannins take hold. Medium+ finish with medium acidity, medium+ minerality and somewhat grippy tannins. There is also a vaguely creamy mouthfeel to the wine. Despite the many elements to the nose and palate, the wine does not seem especially complex, possibly because everything is well balanced and integrated.
On to dinner;
We got some brisket w/cornbread, mac-n-cheese, green beans w/bacon, cheesy potatoes and salad w/Italian dressing. Our first time trying Mission BBQ. We enjoy supporting small businesses and bonus, this one is veteran owned. Since it was our first time, the guy at Mission loaded us up with all 6 BBQ sauces.
The Merlot paired incredibly well with the smoked brisket, especially when topped with the KC Classic BBQ sauce. The smokiness of the brisket brought out a similar quality in the wine which was very complementary.
Talk about food-friendly(!), there was not a single dinner item that wasnât delicious with the wine and each dish (and sauce) brought out unique aspects of the flavor and body profile.
The creamy mouthfeel was featured with the mac-n-cheese and cheesy potatoes, while the green beans w/bacon brought out the herbal and vegetal notes as well as a previously unnoticed juiciness. The wine revealed a somewhat balsamic note when paired with the salad. The sweeter sauces brought out the wineâs fruit while the spicier sauces brought out the spices and tannins.
The bottle barely made it through dinner as we both enjoyed it immensely. Well worth the price of admission, especially at the case price!
Thanks to WD and Alice for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat and thanks to Clark for making such wonderful wines!
@chipgreen Nice review. Thatâs the meal Iâd intended to match my bottle with!
@chipgreen Thank you for the rattage. The food pairing looks awesome and appreciate the info on the cork too.
POPSOCKETS! COURT DOCKETS! FOLK ROCK HITS! AWESOME!
I had tried and loved the Merlot in a previous purchase, but never did open the Cab. I decided this was the night to rectify that. I got this a few months ago, so bottle shock should not be an issue. Decanted for about 2 hours. I would agree with most of the comments above, although I didnât detect any bitterness. Tannic, but not hugely so. Flowers and oak on the nose, and lots of cherries in the mouth. Iâll probably leave the newly purchased Cab for few years, and enjoy the Merlot in the meantime.
Right after berserker day?! Thatâs no fair.
I think rpm is right on both assessments. As weâve been saying, the Cab is at an adolescent stage and needs further development. I also concur that he has an off bottle. Having opened a great many bottles, I have never encountered any bottle variation such as he describes. My suspicion is that the wine encountered some misfortune during shipping in the hands of UPS, never noted for its tender care, especially in Florida.
@winesmith better than FEDEX, we have had some news coverage for loss via a specific warehouse in good ol Bâmore for FEDEX, and as long as my UPS guy takes wine bottles as tips Iâm well taken care of as are my shipments!
@winesmith always Appreciate your input here, Merlot is my happy place
/giphy reliant-abrasive-knot
For those of you looking for Stay in Place menu ideas, check out my Youtube cooking show, Gracious Living In The Time Of Corona.
@winesmith
Congratulations on the sellout Clark!!!
I also received a bottle of the 2011 Merlot to sample. I was able to successfully procure the bottle from UPS (which is usually the hard part!) but unfortunately the Gods conspired against me as work ran late today and things dominoed from there.
Will report back tomorrow afternoon with tasting notes. Looking forward to hearing what Clark has to say about these wines and their current position in the evolutionary arc of their overall drinking window.
2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
First of all, I havenât done a lab rat report in a while, so please forgive my rustiness
So, the bottle arrived on Wed and I left it to rest and acclimate for a full day.
On Thursday evening I opened it and did a first taste. This was in two sets: the first was an open and pour and the second through a Vinturi aerator. I smelled and taste at a pretty close distance in time, so to compare it with a fresh memory of the other status.
Cork: disappointingly inked and of lower quality. Sparkling speckles present. Not sure what those are (experts weight in please?)
Color: see pic: a garnet on the dark side, on the red gamut more than the orange one. Swirling legs are on the shorter side.
Open and pour:
this is clearly a Californian Cabernet. On the nose: ripe cherry; ripe raspberry (with the relative acidity); a bit of alcohol right at the start, but not overwhelming; I had a hint of leather and a hint of bubblegum. My partner got lot of acidity; a moss/earthy smell, and some prunes.
I left half a glass for a couple of hours, and afterwards all the closeness was mostly gone, making it very similar to the âthrough Vinturiâ taste profile below.
Through Vinturi:
here the alcohol is gone, the wine opens up nicely with a more prominent ripe cherry note and, Iâd say, a red rose blossom pleasant smell. Fruits are in front here, with some black currant too.
Taste:
Open and pour:
LOTS of tannins and you can tell that the wine needs to open up. Very tight. Oak is even more pronounced in the open and pour, with some ripe prunes and hints of tobacco.
Vinturi:
There are way less tannins through the Vinturi. I can now pick cherries, raspberries, and black currant easily. The wood is present, but not as overwhelming as in the open and pour. I do not detect spices nor minerality, which I was both expecting.
Shorter finish, with a pleasant hint of wood at the end.
We let the wine rest for a day and corked it. Yesterday we invited some wine friends over for a socially distanced tasting. It was cold here â around 35 â so the wine started at the right temperature (around 65) to get chilled when out, but overall, Iâd say that the notes on the nose and mouth were similar. We collectively got the black currant of the day 1, definitely dark cherry (both on the nose and in the mouth); moss is even more present the second day, as well as ripe plum and a hint of chocolate.
Overall, the day after the wine did not change dramatically from day 1 through a Vinturi (or a couple of hours decanting), so definitely decant this but it doesnât need a full day to develop, despite being quite old.
My opinion: I was expecting more from this wine. More minerality, being in a volcanic soil. More complexity â being an older Cabernet from Clear Lake. More spices, given the fruit. Iâd say that this is a solid everyday drinker that will pair great with a fattier meal, such as hamburger, a steak, lamb, and even a creamier cheese such as a brie. It has acidity and body to stand them all. But it is not a deep and complex wine: it is totally pleasant and good as a everyday drinker â if you can decant or Vinturi it. Iâd totally bring this to a party â you remember those?! â but Iâd make sure that it has ample time to sit and breathe before being served.
Thanks Alice and Casemates for this opportunity!
@salpo The crystals are tartrates. They form if the wine has gotten particularly cold. Fortunately, they donât affect the taste. Thatâs a reconstituted cork; they do that to make sure the wine wonât be tainted with TCA. Hereâs a good article about it: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmullen/2018/02/05/why-wine-corks-are-on-the-upswing/?sh=7a7ac0866c5d
@salcorn thanks for the insight, salcorn!
@salcorn @salpo @winesmith
As an aside, those crystals are frequently referred to as Wine Diamonds, rather fitting Iâd say, and generally found in bottlings not cold stabilized.
At only nine years old this is actually quite young for a well structured Cabernet. While Iâll open one earlier in its life to test for development, where possible many will wait until they are 20+ for serious consumption, but we do have to have those everyday bottles as wellâŠ
Curious what cabs you generally prefer?
Where is Clark, hope heâs not not tainted with something nasty.
@rjquillin My cellar is about 75% French, divided evenly between Bordeaux and Burgundy, mostly 30 or more years old. The rest is mostly California, including old wines from BV, Dominus, Louis Martini, etc. back into the 60âs. For more recent drinking I am a fan of Central Coast wines, especially Santa Rita Hills. From Napa and Sonoma, Dominus and other more Old World styled wines are my focus.
@rjquillin @salcorn @salpo
I think he was asking salpo
@chipgreen @salcorn @salpo
But that is quite the cellar!
@rjquillin @salcorn @winesmith definitely quite a cellar you got there!
I am not a huge cab person admittedly. But Iâm more of an Old World wines generally speaking, so if I think of cabs, French ones - and even Italian, which are definitely not that good - come to mind.
I agree that 9 years can be young for a cab, but what Iâm concerned with is that this specific bottle did not strike me as underdeveloped. But, hey, it is probably just me!
I was generally speaking not super crazy about this offering because of the lack of minerality, spices, and generally speaking complexity that I think (especially the complexity) should be there at this (for casemates at least!) price point.
Maybe a few more years of cellar will help develop?
@rjquillin @salcorn @salpo I do think the Cab needs more time. Itâs in an adolescent phase where it hasnât developed the nuances it will with a few more years. We have done most of the aging for you. In the case of the Merlot, while it has considerable longevity ahead of it, the tertiary development is much more pronounced, and Iâm inclined to think itâs approaching perfection right now.
@salpo Thanks for the extensive review - much appreciated
@WCCWineGirl Thanks for the opportunity! Any time
Thanks, Chip. Yes, this certainly is a food wine, and Iâm glad you noted the minerality in the finish, which other reviewers questioned. The round creaminess is what separates Merlot from Cabernet Sauvignon. Gary Eberle called it âlamb fatâ and youâll see it in every Merlot once you get used to looking for it.
Even after Berserker day, is this really a question? I have never been disappointed with Clarkâs wines. Obviously I am in. You would be crazy not too.
Are you kidding; I mean seriously, why did it take me 2 seconds to order a case??? OK itâs true Iâm slowing down in my old age. Always great juice, Always - enough said. distant-precious-servant
/giphy distant-precious-servant
@Vince247 Well, I thought I wanted the wine, but now all I really want is a white kitten with a bottle!
Iâve not tried the Cab as yet. I did try the Merlot, and it was one of the best wines I have had in years. Really enjoyed it. In for a case.
/giphy oblong-fabled-wasp
Ha, I killed it!
/giphy obligated-wholesome-power
Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot
2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon
/image a way with words
/giphy prudent powdery yard
Two Jakes is an auto-buy for me.
I even have a few bottles of the 2011 Merlot left from a previous offering; looks like I have an excuse to finish them off now!
/giphy permissive unwieldy day
@Vince247 younger Ben Stein LOL
@pmarin Ironic gif for me, in 1987 I wrote my first college freshman film-study paper on Ferris Buellerâs Day Off. The professor begrudgingly gave me a decent grade only because I followed MLA guidelines, but he was clearly disappointed in my choice of film. Iâm pretty sure I said something to him that an 18 year old might say. So, something really stupid.
Well this one requires zero debate on a case for us. Love the '11 Merlot. And looking forward to having the Cab. Now with the purchase secured, I can read the rattage!
/giphy ashamed-unwritten-cook
Two Jakes? Winesmith?
/giphy primo-equable-hyena
Have enjoyed everything I have gotten from Two Jakes-ordered a case
Had bought 4 when the case sold out. Now tried to buy a case and says sold out. Happy I got a few!
Actually, the right number for Sandra is 707-332-0056.
I received a shipping notice on this today. I hope that it is coming closer to the estimated Feb 22-24 delivery date, as we are expecting subzero temperatures in the coming week here.
Shipment arrived about 5:15pm after being in the brown truck all day in 10°F temperatures. Stuck a thermometer though the box and in contact with a bottle and it read about 38°. Hopefully everything is ok. At least Clarkâs wines are known for holding up well.
@Mark_L should be fine.
@Mark_L @Winedavid49 I just opened up my first merlot. I have no idea, but it is a bad bottle. Cork was stained almost to the top. It taste like vinegar. So very sad. Hopefully the rest of the bottles are okay. Mine did not sit on the brown truck for long.
@danandlisa
Thatâs surprising to hear. Clark is meticulous and takes numerous precautions in order to protect the precious juice inside of those bottles. Hopefully the rest of them are safe and sound so you can enjoy them as intended.
@kawichris650 I know. I am an auto buyer with all of Clarkâs. It is very odd and disappointing.
@danandlisa @kawichris650 My well chilled case arrived today, I opened a Merlot a few hours ago, itâs fine and the cork is perfect. The rest of your bottles should be ok and CS should compensate you for the bad bottle.
@catcoland @danandlisa @kawichris650 wow, I just got mine today and now you are making me thing I need to check all of mine, most I got within the 30 min they were delivered outside to an exterior locker before I got them
@bunnymasseuse
The ABV obviously plays a part, but wine can begin to freeze after prolonged exposure to temps of 15-20 degrees fahrenheit. Even at 0° it takes about 5 hours.
Years ago (on the old site) I had ordered some of Scott Harveyâs Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel. I live in MN and the weather was exceptionally cold. Some of the bottles had protruding corks and wine had leaked out. Some of the bottles were perfectly intact, but upon closer inspection you could tell they had become wine slushies. I sent an email and things were made right. Iâm sure Casemates will do the same if anyone has an issue. Generally speaking though, wine is quite resilient and can still be enjoyed after it has had the chance to thaw.
@danandlisa @Winedavid49 Opened a merlot tonight. No complaints.
2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot, Lake County
Winemaker Notes
Tasting Notes
Specs
2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Specs
Fermentation techniques:
Elevage details:
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$268.80 at Two Jakes of Diamonds for 6x 2011 Two Jakes of Diamonds Merlot, Lake County and 6x 2012 Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County
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, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 22 - Wednesday, Feb 24
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Two Jakes of Diamonds Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot - $40 = 19.04%
Just watch the video.
Iâll just get mine before the stampede.
Same package, four pack, offered at reversewinesnob last year. Clark talks about both wines in a couple of videos:
https://www.reversewinesnob.com/two-jakes-of-diamonds
@kaolis A more up-to-date video Sandra and I recorded last week:
/giphy simple-petite-gremlin
/giphy ablaze-retro-mouse
Two Jakes is an auto-buy for me! Appreciate the labrat reports ( and jealous of that cellar setup! )
/giphy silent-hairy-tendency
/giphy pretentious-gainful-scarf
@Winedavid49 anymore cases hiding somewhere?
@SippinSantiagos unlikely. but iâll shake the trees.
@SippinSantiagos Looks like thereâs some nowâŠ
@SippinSantiagos @Winedavid49
Not sure what the status was 6 hours ago when these posts were made but right now itâs showing cases are available but 4-packs sold out.
@chipgreen @Winedavid49
Thanks for heads up. Got me a case.
/giphy abnormal-drastic-druid
Any chance that some more might be had? I had just arranged a Case split with friends!
Shucks.