Deep ruby color; dark plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, dark raspberry, black cherry, dark coffee, cedar, oak, meat on the nose and palate.
Dry; significant Livermore dust tannins, definitely decant; balancing acidity (3.67 pH; 5.9 g/L TA). Full body; cab clones 8 and 15. Assertive dark fruits work against complexity and layers, although the wine becomes more refined after extended time in air. Aged four years in oak, so the winery knew they had some taming to do. This is not an easy drinking “cocktail cabernet.” Best paired with rich, well-marbled red meats where the muscular wine can tangle with emphatic proteins. Not for faint-of-palate sippers. 14.6% ABV
Jim and Ginger McGrail began McGrail Vineyards with cabernet sauvignon plantings in 1999. Originally, they sold fruit. In 2003 they made a barrel of wine, by 2005 they made 1,000 cases of wine. Jim and Ginger then asked their daughter, Heather, to return to the Bay Area to open a winery and tasting room. In 2009, their daughter-in-law, Rachel, joined the team. That same year, the McGrail’s brought Mark Clarin on as their winemaker. Clarin says of his philosophy of wine making: “Less is more. Start with good grapes and don’t mess it up. And then at the end of the day, I make wines I like to drink.”
The estate expanded in 2016. Jim passed in 2018, the year before this wine. The family vowed to carry on the family tradition “for family, friends, and great wine.” McGrail principally is known as a cabernet sauvignon maker, and this effort easily qualifies as showing the more commanding side of their portfolio. They also produce more understated cabs and cab blends that are worth exploring.
McGrail Vineyards Graduate Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2019 is burly example of dark fruit Livermore Valley cab. Not for everyone, but works for those who crave a take-no-prisoner bold red to pair with hunk of sizzling beef fresh off the grill. Decanting strongly suggested. Winery does not reveal origin of “Graduate” name, perhaps intended for those who want to graduate from genteel reds into the swaggering realm of robust reds. $65
Pairing—Grilled steaks with simple seasonings; ribeye, T-bone, New York strip, porterhouse; lamb kebabs, roasted leg of lamb; steak au poivre; braised beef short ribs, beef bourguignon; braised lamb; pork tenderloin with herb crust. Game: squab (pigeon), duck, ostrich, buffalo, wild boar. Cheese—Aged cheddar (2+ years), aged gouda (18+ months), gruyère; ossau-iraty, manchego, pecorino Romano. Avoid young, soft goat cheese (chèvre), bries and camemberts, parmigiano-reggiano, pungent blue cheeses.
