'It is one thing to be a Napa winery, it is quite another to be a Napa legend.' So says the quote on the winery's website. But what does it take to be a 'Napa legend?' How about being founded in 1886 by a woman who may have been the earliest recorded female winemaker in modern history? Or topping 22 Chardonnays from around the world at a New York tasting in 1973? Or perhaps being the only producer to have two wines selected by Steven Spurrier for the historic Judgement of Paris in 1976? Perhaps it is a combination of those things, but Freemark is certainly a legend of the Napa Valley.
Now I know I usually try and write up unsung heroes of the wine industry and Freemark is anything but unsung, however this is a winery that has been in my life for a long time and I so rarely find exceptional examples of proper Napa Valley wines these days that when one crosses my path I have no choice but to write about it. I like Freemark; it is classic and honest. Its prices are relatively reasonable.
Named for a trio of investors who took over the winery in 1939, Charles Freeman, Markquand Foster and Albert 'Abbey' Ahern, Freemark Abbey produces very elegant takes on American wines. The two varietals which show best in Napa Valley; Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the flagships among a range of distinct styles, including Sangiovese, late harvest Riesling and others.
The 2011 Chardonnay, a descendent of the victor at the 1973 New York Tasting, is a rich yet elegant white. Bright fruit aromas of tangerine, banana and honey lead the nose before vanilla and and buttered toast follow through, courtesy of the lightly charred new oak barrels. This style is at risk of the over-opulent style many Californians are guilty of, however a wise decision by winemaker Ted Edwards to forego Malolactic fermentation, kept the racy acidity to ensure that the rich, bold body maintained freshness and highlighted the fruit rather than the oak.
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a prime example of Napa Valley Cab. Garnering a 92-point score from the Wine Advocate, this bold, full-bodied Cabernet comes from the prime Napa vineyards of Bosché, Sycamore and Veeder. The nose is very direct with a burst of cassis, cigar-box and violets with clove spice and coffee. The palate is still quite firm with solid tannins and acidity that begs for a rich meaty lamb dish. Some cellaring will be well rewarded over the next few years as the wine evolves, but this style is best enjoyed with a bit of youth for the sake of that full-bodied, punchy structure.
In a way the 1976 tasting in Paris serves as a similar watershed in American wine history to the 1855 Bordeaux Classification in that the wineries taking part have come down to this day as the heroes of American Wine. Stag's Leap, Montelena and Ridge alongside Freemark are all reliable sources of high-performing, top-end wines. Despite upstarts such as Screaming Eagle and Sine Qua Non with their outrageous prices they remain true to origin as America's first growths.
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