Cabernet Cowboy

Jack Galante comes from a long line of historical Carmel residents, including his wonderful grandfather J. F. Devendorf who founded the town click of Carmel and later built the historic Highlands Inn. Given that the beg...



Meet a Cabernet cowboy named Jack. He rides the range in Monterrey County, on the 700-acre Galante family members cattle ranch and vineyard in Carmel Valley, admiring the rows of vines that produce his estate grown Galante Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and other premium varietals.



Jack Galante comes from a long line of historical Carmel residents, which includes his wonderful grandfather J. F. Devendorf who founded the town of Carmel and later built the historic Highlands Inn. Since the beginning, when the Galante ranch was planted with grapes in 1983 to the improvement of the winery in 1994, Galante Vineyards has been rounding-up awards and accolades nationwide for their best-notch reds, to turn out to be recognized as one of the premier cabernet producers in Monterey County.



As a native Texan, I was quickly drawn to Jack and his partner Dawn, for their down-to-earth, cowboy style all blue jeans, boots and huge smiles. But beyond the Texas charm are bold wines that partner site speak for themselves, revealing hints of the heat of Carmel Valley with layers of fruit and earth.



Jack believes quality fruit is the secret to fantastic wines. Our philosophy is to grow the finest grapes achievable and let them speak for themselves by way of the wine. He points out that the extreme temperatures of the upper Carmel Valley (Cachagua) result in a lengthy developing season with extraordinary hang time, making cabernet sauvignon grapes that ripen slowly for intense, wealthy wines.



Seek out a bottle of the 1998 Galante Red Rose Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard is aptly named, rising above a field of crimson roses, among the thousands of rose bushes growing on the ranch right now. The wine itself is bold and rich in color, with chiropractor poway a burst of dark berry and cherry fruits and medium tannins for a single-vineyard Cab that drinks effectively now, and must enhance with age via 2008. Or sample the 1999 Rancho Galante, a vineyard blend of nice fruit, soft tannin that is effortless drinking and pairs effectively with chicken, pork or beef.



As we head off into the sunset, Jack leaves us with a Galante Vineyards cowboy philosophy to remember, "In no way follow good wine with water...unless you're out of excellent wine."