Wine Last Sold on: October 17, 2007
Kaz Winery
Today's Featured Wine:
2004 Sangiofranc
| Varietal: | Red Blend |
| Region: | California: Sonoma County |
| Total Allocation: | Top Secret! |
| Avg. Price: | $29.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $21.50 |
The Winery Says:
About This Wine:
For years we’ve produced a field blend of neighbor Ed Ricci’s Sangiovese and Cab Franc called Sangiofranc. This is a bigger than average Sangiovese with a beautiful balance of fruit & tannins.
Kaz… the Winemaker
Who is Kaz?
Richard Kasmier, “Kaz”, has been making wine since 1985. Winemaking was little more than a hobby for a decade before he became bonded as a winery in 1994. The transition from a professional commercial photographer to a winemaker was natural for Kaz. His graphic and marketing sense was perfect for making his labels pop and his word spread. The Kaz way of making wine would earn him recognition, acclaim and admiration as his organic wines scored well with sippers.
Philosophy
Kaz takes great pleasure in doing things his way. His philosophy is “Do it how you like it”. Kaz makes wines from varietals that he admires like Mourvedre, Carignane, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Alicante Bouschet and many more. He likes BIG RED WINES with loads of complexity and finding a good balance or a fun extremes by blending varietals. Kaz makes wines organically because he respects the Earth and those who drink his wine. He will make wines in a style all of his own or borrow from old world methods when he simply wishes to. He loves to push boundaries and open new doors. Thus, Kaz’s motto is “There’s No Harm in Experimenting”.
Character… He is one!
Perhaps the most infamous and loved ingredient in the whole of the Kaz Vineyard and Winery experience is Kaz’s personality. He’s a funny guy with nutty humor, a vivid imagination and a loose ego. A member of Kaz’s family is almost always by his side. His tight family shows his warmth by their evolvement. His wife of thirty years, Sandi is the definition of warm. She is always the voice of reason that adds calm to Kaz’s frantic energy. Their son, Ryan, considers Kaz his hero and best friend. Ryan loves pouring at the tasting room for dad and using his computer skills to make his father look as crazy as he is. Daughter, Kristin, is the organization queen at Kaz… Someone has to crack the whip! You see Kaz’s personality in his wine labels, marketing and smeared around the winery/tasting room. Luckily, what you see is what you get, a true original.
Pairing Suggestions:
Hearty stews and dishes with Red or Green Pesto are a good fit.
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: 80% Sangiovese and 20%Cab Franc
Alcohol: 13.7%
Barrels made: 4
Grapes from: Sonoma Valley
Label by Kaz himself
The Wine Spies Say:
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Mission Codename: Old World – New World
Operative: Agent Zin
Objective: Discover a wine with Old World Charm and New World Style
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Kaz Winery
Wine Subject: 2004
Winemaker: Mister Kaz
Backgrounder:
Richard Kasmier, AKA The Kaz, is one of the most eclectic winemakers in Sonoma, let alone California. Having come from an artistic background of photography he doesn’t contrain himself by the rules. Kaz find pure joy in experimenting with unique varietals and making wine that simply melds the best of its component characteristics. His motto is “No harm in experimenting.”
This wine is a perfect example—Kaz’s Sangiovese and his Cabernet Franc are special wines—this blend takes the best of each. Enjoy!
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Slightly cloudy, light ruby color, spindly when glass is tipped.
Smell – Aromatic rose petals, sour cherries, deep vanilla sprinkled with pepper.
Feel – Bright fruit acidity, well structured tannins that are tempered by a rich smoothness.
Taste – Tart fruit that melds to strong and smooth vanilla
Finish – A solid finish of fruit and pepper that lingers on the tongue
Conclusion – This wine has a split personality in the best possible way – especially since we LOVE both Kaz’s Sangiovese and his phenomenal Cabernet Franc. The distinct French and Italian varietal characteristics compliment and counter balance each other perfectly. This is a great wine to pair with dinner and good enough to drink by itself.
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Kaz Winery can be seen in this satellite photo
Average Wine Spy Points: |
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It is said that americans are really hung up on varietals--so its nice to see an american winemaker just doing his own thing. Kodos for Kaz, daring to put together two grapes that don't usually sell very well to american wine drinkers, and making a great wine!
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