Once in a while an unusual tasting sample hits my queue – one so unusual that it requires going a bit beyond the normal “taste, rate, research, write” sequence that tends to feed the WRO wine reviews machine. A library offering of three Cabernet Sauvignons – vintages 2008, 2009 and 2010 – from the folks at Hawk and Horse Vineyards in California’s Lake County provided me with a 
unique chance to look into the past, and I’d say the opportunity could certainly be an educational one for you, too. It is a rare treat to get a chance to revisit wines – especially a wine that I rated highly the first time around – to learn what evolution in the bottle has wrought.
I reviewed the 2010 Cabernet back in 2014, and had this to say:
Hawk and Horse, Red Hills (Lake County) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($65): If you like your Cab bold, full-bodied and bright, this is a wine for you. It’s rare to find a wine that’s this fully extracted that maintains solid varietal character without going over the top. Big blackberry, cassis, damp earth, toast, mild herbs and spices are present in both aroma and flavor, all singing over solid acidic structure and supple tannins. The finish has a firm grip, but remains bright and integrated. It’s delicious now, and will reward further aging. Contains 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, organically grown. A Platinum Award winner at the 2014 Sommelier Challenge. 96
I’m pleased to report that this baby is still singing a delicious, age-worthy tune at this stage, showing no signs of adverse effect from the passage of time, despite 2010 haing been considered a difficult vintage a decade ago.
Part of the fun provided by tasting this set is seeing how the source vineyard started to hit its stride, with the 2009 being a much riper expression than the ’10, but still showing a flash of the acidity that comes from the large diurnal temperature swings the site gets at 2200 feet of elevation. The ’08 vintage in general was widely regarded as disappointing after four stellar years in a row in California, and this particular wine from that year is still quite tightly wound, with quite a bit of oak influence up front and in the finish, but shows signs of relaxing and opening up.
Our mini-tour additionally offers some insight into the long and distinguished career of Dr. Richard Peterson, who consulted on the winemaking. A side note: if you haven’t read his autobiographical book entitled The Winemaker, your California wine history course is not complete.
If you roll in this price tier – the set is available from the winery for $330 – it’d be instructive to get a couple of sets and revisit again 6-10 years from now. It’s clear that proper care was taken in each vintage, and that showcasing age-worthiness and vintage variation is a goal at the winery. If you need a little push, remember that this sort of chance is hard to come by – especially right now – so gather some like-minded friends, chip in for a set or two…and taste some history.
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