2009 Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series Exquisite In Every Way
18 Sept 2013 --- Art has always been the focus of the Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series, and while the art on the label of the just-released 2009 Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon is truly stunning, the art in the bottle is equally stunning. Showcasing a great vintage, top Sonoma County vineyards and meticulous winemaking as well as a spectacular label, the 2009 Kenwood Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon is exquisite in every way.
Deeply colored, the 2009 Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon captivates with sumptuous cassis, black raspberry, cedar and forest aromas. Powerful yet lithe flavors of cassis, blackberry, licorice and peppermint gain additional complexity from a subtle hint of earth. In the glass the aromas become fuller, with the flavors gaining depth, nuance and polish. The generous, seamless palate – with weight, structure and balance in perfect harmony – culminates in a long, elegant finish. While already approachable, the 2009 Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon promises additional evolution with cellaring.
With a cool, dry spring and moderate temperatures during summer and autumn that brought the smaller-than-average Cabernet Sauvignon crop to full maturity, the 2009 growing season was nearly perfect in Sonoma County. As a result, Kenwood harvested grapes with impressive fruit and balance for the 2009 Artist Series primarily from its estate vineyard in Sonoma Valley, with additional grapes coming from outstanding vineyards in Dry Creek Valley and Knights Valley.
The 2009 Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon label features the enticing "THESTATEYOU'REIN," a vibrant contemporary piece of art by Markus Linnenbrink who is recognized worldwide for his resin paintings, sculpture and installation art. He pours, pools and brushes paintings with layers of opaque and translucent color, opening windows to the wood support beneath manifesting a complex interplay between fore and background. The decadent glossy finish of this work is truly eye-catching, but Linnenbrink's skillful layering technique that forms deep and exquisitely chromatic concentric circles is the real draw. Born in Germany in 1961, Linnenbrink studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. His inventive works are included in the permanent collections of The Hague Ministry of Culture, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, UCLA Hammer Museum and Harvard Business School. Linnenbrink joins an illustrious roster of artists – including Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Klee, Wayne Thiebaud and Shepard Fairey – whose creations have graced the Kenwood Vineyards Artist Series since America's premier marriage of wine and art debuted 35 years ago.
