Grilling this Fourth? Consider inviting these Goldschmidt family wines

Do you know a pair of siblings who are really different from one another?

My sister and I are like that. Not exactly polar opposites. Our voices sound similar. But get to know us and you’d wonder whether we’re related at all.

Hilary and Katherine, two reds from Goldschmidt Vineyards of Healdsburg, CA, are like that. Both are big bold Cabernet Sauvignon wines whose presence at the dinner table make a statement. But get to know them and you’ll find these two have distinctive traits.

Therein lies the fun.

With the Fourth of July around the corner and the pandemic putting a damper on gatherings, Hilary and Katherine are two sibs you can invite to your barbecue without fear they might spread the virus. They’re good company for meaty grilled steaks or juicy burgers. Their cousin, the Goldschmidt Vineyards Singing Tree Chardonnay, would be happy to tag along.  

(Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.)

The winery

New Zealand natives Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt own and operate Goldschmidt Vineyards, and Nick is the winemaker. They have two brands in their portfolio – the Goldschmidt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon label and the international Forefathers label.

The Goldschmidt Vineyard label features wines from both the Alexander Valley and Napa Valley Oakville AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) of northern California. The couple’s five children spend time in the field alongside their parents, and sisters Chelsea, Hilary, and Katherine have inspired the clever marketing of the Goldschmidts’ single vineyard-sourced wines.

The wines

2016 Hilary Goldschmidt Oakville/Napa Valley Charming Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Located on the Napa Valley floor, the Oakville AVA is known for its moderate temperatures. Soils are relatively fertile but drain well. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape variety and typically expresses itself with ripe, dark cherry fruit, medium to high alcohol, and soft tannins in this terroir.

After years of drought, the water table got renewed to full capacity in 2016. Some unseasonably cool temperatures in mid-September meant lower yields but concentrated flavors. Soils are loam. The wine is unfined and unfiltered, underwent full malolactic fermentation (converting harsh malic to soft lactic acid), and spent 20 months in 25% new French and 75% 2 to 3-year-old French oak barrels.

My tasting notes: Deep ruby in color. Blackberry and black cherry fruit upfront and a strong aroma of anise give Hilary an edgy nose. On the palate, I get wintergreen, cedar, and more anise with ripe bell pepper on a long, lingering finish. Medium acidity. An acquired taste (definitely decant) and a bit tannic now, but this precise wine will age nicely. Alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $50.

2018 Katherine Goldschmidt Alexander Valley Stonemason Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2018 growing season was cooler overall than in recent past vintages. As a result, harvest started two to three weeks later, but according to Nick Goldschmidt, this is historically more typical. Stonemason Hill soils are well-draining gravel loam with a fair share of stones, as you can see in the photo above. Filtered and unfined, “Katherine” was gravity-racked three times, underwent complete malolactic fermentation, and was aged in 90% French, 10% American (20% new) oak barrels for 12 months.

My tasting notes: Ruby in color with a purplish hue. Fruity with blackberry, black cherry, and raspberry aromas and a palate of charcoal, ripe bell pepper, black pepper, and a gentle hint of wintergreen but not as much as sister Hilary. Blueberry shows up at the edges of the tongue on a medium+ finish. Medium+ acidity. Silky tannins. Alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $25.

The Alexander Valley AVA of Sonoma County has a reputation for soft-textured, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, and Katherine certainly delivers. An elegant wine, Katherine showed us why she is popular among consumers. She certainly won the hearts of our family and is a smart choice at this price point. Drink within the next 10 years.

2018 Russian River Valley Singing Tree Chardonnay

Once home to apple orchards, the hills around the town of Sebastopol in this cool-climate Sonoma County AVA were replanted with grapes by the early 1990s. Soils are sandstone and a fine-grained, shallow marine quartz – so sandy (see photo above) that phylloxera, the viral louse that historically destroyed grapevines, can’t survive here.

“The highest quality grapes grow on the fine-grained, shallow marine quartz sandstones of the Wilson Grove Formation, where Singing Tree is located. These formations tend to produce soils that are well balanced in nutrient content and water retention.” – Nick Goldschmidt

Unfiltered, the 2018 Singing Tree vintage was fermented in stainless steel, then aged for a total of nine months in 50% concrete and 50% neutral oak.

My tasting notes: Pale gold in color. On the nose, ripe apple, pear, and melon with a faint hint of pineapple dominate, while the palate is a mix of honeysuckle, butterscotch, pineapple, and a lemony grapefruit pith with a mineral note on a medium+ finish. Medium+ acidity. Medium body. Alcohol: 13.9%. Price: $20.

We paired this Singing Tree with seared tuna steaks and a quinoa/kale summer salad. The pairing was OK, but frankly, the tuna and salad felt ethereal next to this lightly oaked, complex Chardonnay. Next time, I would try this white wine with grilled red meat. Why not? A tangy but not-too-sweet marinade would hold up to the medium+ acidity and serve this kind of pairing well. Go for it!