Wine Notes [PDF]

Tasting Notes:  This is a very distinctive wine that is supple and complex in style. This inaugural release of Obsidian Point has a firm tannic backbone and a lingering finish. The flavor profile is made up of spice, toasty oak, current, dark plum, and anise. Serve with rack of lamb, New York strip steak, or roasted duck.

Vineyard: Named for the volcanic rock Obsidian, this wine come entirely from one block on our certified-Biodynamic Sonoma Mountain estate. This small parcel of land contains especially high concentrations of Obsidian, making it geographically unique from surrounding blocks. The Benziger property resembles a 360-degree bowl with a variety of sun exposures, elevations, soil profiles and drainage. The mountainous terrain and proximity of the Pacific Ocean, located just 20 miles to the west, influence the climate on the estate. The result is a broad temperature range of warm days and cool nights during the growing season, which encourages grapes with balanced acidity, intense flavors and aromas.

Vintage: Things could not have started off worse this vintage; with a cold, wet spring and periodic rains during the summer, all matter of fungus and mold were alive and well. The amount of extra time we spent adjusting and readjusting canopies and mowing and re-mowing vineyard rows, cost us about 20% more than normal.  Moving into harvest, just one rain could have knocked us out cold, but then a miracle!  30 plus days of perfect Indian summer. We ended up getting the grapes just the way we wanted them. Unknown to us, the grapes continued to gain weight late in the year. The extra weight slowed and lengthened the ripening process and this combined with great weather brought our grapes to perfect ripeness. The last grapes were picked on November 11, the latest ever for us in Sonoma. The last press load was December 1st and by this time, we were sick of harvest. This was one of those very rare harvests where we got it both ways—exceptional quality and excellent yields.   

Winemaking: Obsidian Point Cabernet is a wine that showcases the diversity of terroir within individual plots of the Benziger Family Estate Vineyard. This wine is made with the most traditional hands-on methods. The grapes were hand sorted in the vineyard, fermented in small tanks and serviced by hand with love and care. Native yeast and malolactic bacteria were employed throughout. The wine was aged in 40% new French oak and bottled in July of 2007.

Benziger Farming Practices: At Benziger Family Winery, we are dedicated to winemaking that reveals the true character of the vineyard, the varietal and the vintage in certified-sustainable, -organically grown and -Biodynamic® wines defined by individuality and the passion of the people who make them. Through our commitment to natural farming and environmentally and socially responsible business practices, we strive for sustainability and the preservation of our Sonoma Mountain family winery for generations to come.

Obsidian Point is made with Demeter certified-Biodynamic grapes. Our sustainable philosophy promotes natural vineyard management, restoration of the land and biodiversity on the estate. We believe these practices result in wines that reflect the authentic flavors, aromas and character of the vineyard.