1985 Hanzell Cabernet Sauvignonproduct-pdf - Sonoma Valley *Uncork & Support™ Why We're Drinking It There are few California wineries with the vision and storybook history of Hanzell Vineyards. From this pioneer of Sonoma Valley, now renowned for and , it’s something rarely seen: a Cabernet Sauvignon offering from one of the few years the winery made the variety. Perfectly stored in a wine cellar since its bottling, it’s here in tiny quantity to make for a (highly) special Cellar Collection.

Hanzell’s story is no secret to Sonoma-ites today: dating back to 1948, when James David Zellerbach, head of the team who implemented the Marshall plan in Europe and selected by President Eisenhower as the Ambassador to Italy, purchased his first fourteen acre property high above the town of Sonoma. Living out the passion for wine forged in him during his European travels, Zellerbach studied the Burgundian style and brought it back to Sonoma, where he committed to “produce wines equal to the best in the world.”

Teaming with Ivan Schoch, Napa Viticulturist, and Ralf Bradford Webb, Winemaker/Scientist, brought their talents together to produce some of the most outstanding wines Sonoma has ever seen. A staple of the genius is their ageability: the in-house property contains bottles from every vintage of Hanzell wines; these selections are so valuable, they rarely make it outside the cellar.

All this attests to the sheer value of the Cabernet. From one of the few vintages the winery made Cabernet, it’s an interpretation of the most precious of Bordeaux-style wines. Drinking beautifully now (as one would expect from a winery famed for longevity), it’s flowing with truffle, berry, tobacco, and leather; all together, something our Panel almost couldn’t score (before agreeing that it’s definitely ranked in the 94-point range).

A wine so difficult to come by that it’s retailing for $130+; this is a taste of history from experts in Sonoma terroir; an offering of something rare and beautiful.

*70% of the bottle price of this wine will be donated to the Los Angelas Police Foundation. Our ongoing program Uncork & Support™maintains a mission to make a difference with as many bottles possible.

**Please note: These aged wines, like all vintage wines, may show bottle to bottle variation. Aged wines may find brittle corks and/or sediment. To ensure an enjoyable wine experience, we suggest care with the cork and decanting as necessary. As is customary with aged wines of 7 years+, these wines are final sale offerings and cannot be returned.

Tasting Notes A long lived Cabernet if ever there was one, this 1985 shows developed VARIETAL aromas of cigar box and sandlewood, with rich, perfectly smooth currant Cabernet Sauvignon fruit and a complex finish of spices and cedar. APPELLATION Sonoma Valley ALCOHOL 13.00 SIZE 750ml BLEND Cabernet Sauvignon

The Story to Know In 1948, Captain of Industry, James David Zellerbach began a combined journey of passions that would last through the end of his life.

Not only involved in the design of the Marshall Plan, President Truman tasked J.D. Zellerbach to travel to Europe to implement the plan. While leading this forward-thinking and compassionate effort, Zellerbach was also at the helm of his highly successful business, Crown Zellerbach. It was during this time that J.D. Zellerbach discovered and purchased his first fourteen acres of private woodland on the steep hillside of the Mayacamas Range overlooking the town of Sonoma.

The next ten years of Zellerbach’s life would find him breaking ground at One Bush Plaza--the first major construction in San Francisco in the thirty years after the start of the great depression, adding additional acreage to his oak woodland in Sonoma, and accepting the appointment by President Eisenhower as the Ambassador to Italy

Ambassador’s passion for wine had been forged in his European travels and while living in Rome.

This allowed him opportunity to explore Burgundy’s Domaines in depth. It was during these scholarly and passionate visits that Ambassador Zellerbach committed to “produce wines equal to the best in the world” at his Sonoma property. Once decided, he changed the name of his now 200 acres on hillside land to Hanzell Vineyards. Combining his wife’s first name, Hana, with his family name Zellerbach, Hanzell became the first and only business to ever bear their personal mark.

This idea of a “hobby winery” was an anathema to Ambassador Zellerbach. Not only was he committed to knowing and producing great wine, he was also a consummate business man and knew how to run a profitable venture. His knowledge of great wine ran deep in his veins.

Ambassador’s dream of producing wines equal to the best in the world was so far reaching he knew from the beginning it could not be managed by one single person.

Zellerbach set out to discover the best individuals with whom to share this dream. He found Ivan Schoch, Napa Viticulturist, who planted the original six acres of vineyards. And then Ralph Bradford Webb, Winemaker/Scientist joined to work hand in hand with Ambassador Zellerbach and Ivan Schoch.

It took the tremendous vision of these three dedicated, knowledgeable and powerful individuals to bring Hanzell Vineyards to life. This dynamic fusion of skill, talent and vision catapulted the art and science of great winemaking in California and resulted in California wines achieving world-class recognition in less than two decades.

It is with their finely honed vision that we continue Hanzell Vineyards today. It is as relevant and inspiring now as it was in 1957.

Perfect Pairings Camambert cheese and smoked meats

Ratings 94 Insider Points

Reviews From a winery with a reputation of producing very long-lived wines. The wine is drinking beautifully right now. At first, a little bottle bouquet that quickly blows off. Then, aromas of truffles and berries greet you as you delve into the glass. When you taste it, there's flavor of deep berries, a little tobacco, some leather, truffles and a really nice, long finish. How do you score a special treat like this? I'm not sure, but I'd give it a solid 94 pts. -PM