Dry Creek Vineyard 2013 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County

Endeavour is Dry Creek Vineyard’s effort to produce Cabernet that is the equal of any in California. So how did they do?

A California Cabernet Challenge

There’s oodles of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Golden State. Napa Valley is our country’s most famous wine appellation. Across the Mayacamas Mountains is Sonoma, with wine quality to match Napa ounce for ounce.

When you say you set out to produce a Cab that is the equal to any in the state of California, that’s saying a lot.

Quite An Endeavour

Kim Stare Wallace and Don Wallace are the second generation at Dry Creek Vineyard family winery. The winery was the first established in Dry Creek Valley after Prohibition was repealed. Today is it one of the few remaining family-owned wineries.

Endeavour is the vision of Kim and Don to grow and produce Cabernet that equals the finest in California. The estate Endeavour Vineyard is located in the Lytton Springs district of Dry Creek Valley. It is planted to take advantage of each of the different soil expressions on the property.

The Judgment Of Dry Creek

The Judgment of Paris is a key moment in wine history, when a California wines went head to head with the best of France and came out on top. It was the vinous shot heard round the world.

We didn’t have quite as elaborate a taste challenge for Endeavour, but we did also pour a second Cabernet from a well-known producer in British Columbia. The wine from BC paled in comparison!

Endeavour is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with a 10% dollop of Petit Verdot. It spent 20 months in French oak, 10% of which was new.
We decanted Endeavor for about 30 minutes. In the glass it is dark red with a medium-full body. The aroma explodes with a rush of berries.

On the palate it is a deep, lush wine with silky notes and a touch of cedar. The tannins are amazingly integrated for a 2013. There are extracted flavors of raspberries with plum and spice. Layers of taste dance and sing with each sip. It is a wine that is balanced from start to finish.

There were 995 cases produced and the wine was just released in June. This wine could certainly age comfortably for five or more years – but it is drinking like a champ now. Retail price is $70.
This is an Endeavour well worth undertaking!

Full disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.