A small producer in Sonoma County that you may have never heard of, Ehret is set on a family estate, the Bavarian Lion Vineyards, located in Knights Valle, in the northern end the county. The family has been farming Bordeaux varietals since 1996, selling much of their fruit to other wineries in the Napa and Sonoma Counties. Then in 2005 they decided to create their own brand, Ehret. The estate is exceedingly large, spanning 1800 acres. This massive amount of land includes both hillside terrain and valley floor. They have a whopping 500 acres planted to grapes.
I loved the wines by Ehret that I tasted for my Sonoma Report back in March. The new wines I tasted were mostly from the outstanding 2019 vintage. Don’t miss out on the 2019 Ehret ‘Hillside Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which is one of the finest Cabernets I have tasted from the Knights Valley over the past year. Learn more about this great smaller producer at ehretwinery.com and here are my reviews of the new Ehret wines.
2022 Ehret ‘Knights Valley’ Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from the Bavarian Lion Vineyards in the Knights Valley, this 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is very nicely textured, with layers of gooseberry, wet stone, spiced pear and cantaloupe flavors. Very neatly done, enjoy at a slightly warmer temperature to take in the outstanding range of flavors. Drink 2023-2029- 91
2019 Ehret ‘Knights Valley’ Merlot- The 2019 Ehret Merlot has 15% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in and was stored in only 22% new French oak before bottling. It is both deeply colored and perfumed with violets, potpourri and shades of black raspberry on the nose with baking spices. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth texture. Layers of rich red and dark fruits greet you, with a soft mouthfeel. Delicious now, enjoy over the next decade to come. Drink 2023-2033- 92
2019 Ehret ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding new bottling by Ehret. Nicely concentrated on the palate, this delivers mocha, tar and anise flavors alongside rich dark currants. Well-structured, this will easily cellar for another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 91
2019 Ehret ‘Bella’s’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Bella’s’ Cabernet Sauvignon has just a dash of Merlot added, as this was stored in 68% new French wood before bottling. This is a blockbuster wine, loaded with heady dark fruits. With more air tobacco leaf, dark chocolate shavings and shades of sandalwood emerge, with bright underlying acidity. Fantastic to savor now, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 93
2019 Ehret ‘Hillside Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Hillside Reserve’ is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller portions Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and a tiny dash of Malbec. Tar and sweet pipe tobacco flavors combine with mocha, anise and allspice tones. This beauty is only going to get better with age. Be sure to give this an hour in the decanter if enjoying in its full-throttle youth. Drink 2024-2040- 94
2019 Ehret ‘Hillside Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The beautiful new 2019 Ehret ‘Hillside Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a barrel selection wine that is already singing at the four year mark. Once on the nose this takes on layers of creme de violette, creosote, and suggestions of Black Forest Cake with espresso ground accents. The palate is very powerful and intense, yet comes off seamlessly with its round texture and generous mouthfeel. Uncork one and let this sit for at least an hour before consuming. Drink 2024-2040- 95