There are not many days that go by that I don’t consider myself pretty darned lucky. Over the past fourteen plus years, I have travelled to some spectacular places, met some incredible people, and tasted thousands of wonderful wines.
While many of those memories have occurred away from home, the majority have taken place with a corkscrew, a glass, and my kitchen table. That was the case a few weeks ago when I was invited to participate in an online tasting with Bibiana González Rave, the ubër-talented, Columbian-born winemaker behind the Cattleya Wines.
I have been fortunate enough to taste her wines from her second label, Alma de Cattleya, for several years, but this was my first chance to taste multiple wines from the flagship Cattleya line. Here are the last two wines I tried.
The plan, at least as it stands now, is for Bibiana to visit Houston in the Fall. we will have a little wine tasting at our humble abode for wine media and a few wine-loving consumers. Let me know if you might be interested!
2024 Cattleya Pinot Noir The Goddess, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $125. Very Heavy Bottle (718g; 25.3oz). I have been tasting Bibiana’s wines for a few years now, but mostly the Alma de Cattleya wines, the “second” wines, if you will. This year, though, she also sent me the Cattleya “mother ship” wines, and, well, whoa. Don’t get me wrong, the Alma wines I have tried have been Excellent (or better), but these Cattleya wines? Whoa. Case in point. This Goddess, according to the website, claims to be the “feminine” version of Pinot Noir, but, like Bibiana (and my wife, for that matter), this is what every father wants their daughter to be (I am guessing, as I only have boys): strong, assertive, intriguing, and even on the verge of boisterous. From the nose through the finish, the fruit requires, no, demands, attention as it is upfront and certainly “present”. The acidity peeks its head above the horizon somewhat timidly, but remains active to the end, never directly challenging the fruit, although it seems that it really would like to do so. Yeah, this is a bold Pinot, one that might scream at the TV during a World Cup match, or strongly suggest that you do your own laundry, but also one that envelops, enthralls, and even consumes you until the very last drop. This is no shrinking violet (although there is plenty of violet among the aromas and flavors), and by mid-glass (bottle?), you realize you wouldn’t have it any other way. Outstanding. 96 Points.
2024 Cattleya Syrah The Initiation, Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $70. Very Heavy Bottle (709g; 24.9oz). 100% Syrah, 16 months in French Oak (80% new). Bibiana, the heart, soul, and winemaker behind Cattleya, spent a significant amount of time in France, specifically the Northern Rhône region, where Syrah reigns supreme. Once she ventured out on her own, she knew that she had to make Syrah, and it was the first wine she ever produced. Now, even though she focuses mainly on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, she still makes a bit of Syrah, and she gets the fruit from the Sobranes Vineyard, which many would consider a “Grand Cru” along the Central Coast. Quite dark in the glass, with plenty of dark fruit (cassis, plum, wild blackberry), this certainly brushes up against “brooding” on the nose. Some spice (black pepper, cardamom), a Syrah calling card, wiggles through eventually, as does a floral note (violet) at the very end. The palate continues on with this theme; there is plenty of rich, dark fruit (I might even say “oodles”), with the spice (more of a Christmas spice vibe here) even more prevalent. There is also a salinity here, an earthy, maybe more of a black olive aspect that seems to be really in search of food. This is big, even really big, but the zippy acidity comes roaring in right after the fruit to keep all in check. Did I mention yet that this is on the “big” side? It is, but it is also balanced and delightful. We popped this with a roast pork dish, and it was fantastic! Outstanding. 94 Points.
the drunken cyclist 