OK, like everything in my life, this is getting posted later than I would have liked. I have been running behind on many posts, but now, I feel I am almost there. I can see the finish line, though sadly, a good MONTH-plus late, but hey better late than never.

As you all know, I am a huge fan of Four Gates Winery, and yes Benyamin Cantz is a dear friend. I have often written about Four Gates Winery and its winemaker/Vigneron Benyamin Cantz. Read the post and all the subsequent posts about Four Gates wine releases, especially this post of Four Gates – that truly describes the lore of Four Gates Winery.

There is another post that will help comprehend the magnitude of this tasting – this was a post back in 2016! Eight years ago we did a partial vertical of the flagship wine of Four Gates Winery, known as Frere Robaire.

The Frere Robaire was a wine that was first released in 2006, when it was a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet. It then went on a 3-year hiatus, when it was released again, but this time it was majority Cabernet Sauvignon from the Monte Bello Ridge vineyard, and fleshed out with a bit of Merlot. Since then, it has been released in all vintages (other than 2017). The 2006 is mostly Cabernet Franc, but the percentages change with the years, based on what best works together. The 2010 was mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2011 and the 2012 are mostly Merlot in makeup, with differing amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon. Those three have 1% of Cabernet Franc. The wine’s name was created in honor of Benyo’s brother Robert Cantz.

Tasting

This post is late – the tasting took place in mid-February, 2024. It was a perfect day for Robert to make his way to Chez Benyo. I brought the meat and Benyo provided the wine. It was a very simple transaction. It was a ton of fun to cook on Benyo’s suitable but antiquated charcoal grill. I arrived via Uber early, cooked the food, and we were ready to start tasting.

The plan from the start was to get Robert up from L.A. to visit Benyo and then we could have dinner during an evening close to Shabbat so that they could enjoy the wines over Shabbat.

I brought a bottle of 2016 Chateau Malartic, and while it did not show well, that evening, compared to the other Frere Robaire. I have said often that the Frere Robaire reminds me of the Malartic.

We started the tasting, pretty much on time, and we were two or three wines in when in a classic LA move (arrive late and leave early – though they left later), in comes Gabriel Weiss and Alex Rubin. Gabriel Weiss is the winemaker at Shirah Wines. Alex Rubin is another winemaker who works with Gabriel at Shirah Winery and also produces his own wines. One is the 2022 Alex Rubin Riesling, which I raved about here, along with many Shirah whites, as well.

I will say it is always an experience when you taste with vocal winemakers. They have a very unique manner in which to taste wine and the notes they proclaim, while on point, can come out in weird manners, or verbiage. I say that all with the greatest of respect, the stuff they were chattering about, while again, on point, was almost in an entirely different language. It was great!!

They hauled up even more meat, which was overkill, but Benyo has more than enough now for a year! Remember, Benyo rarely eats meat, more like fish, veggies galore, and some occasional chicken. When the “bachurim” crash, then the meat comes out and overtakes his life. It is always entertaining to see Benyo being uncomfortable in his own skin and home. In the end, getting him out of his comfort zone is always good! While I always try my very best to keep him comfortable, I am sure I also push a bit too much.

The tasting lasted a few more hours, and then one by one, the gang went down. Benyo and I cleared the table (of course Robbie helped as well – but he was the guest). All the while making sure to leave enough of all the wines to taste again tomorrow and over Shabbat!

Methodology

I will say that the scoring changed often throughout the night and for that, I think we need to set the methodology straight for this tasting. First of all, I am not sure how many even have a 2006 Frere Robaire lying around, but if you do, drink now! I think that wine was never meant for 20 years and I doubt many kept it at the correct temperature. Still, the complete vertical from 2006 until 2016 (excluding the 3 years between 2006 and 2010) was a very unique and insane tasting!

Benyo also opened a GLORIOUS 2004 Chardonnay – it was luscious, rich, layered, and it tasted so much like a Burgundy it was crazy!

Now, people seeing my scores will wonder why are they all over the place – well that is what the wines tasted like, at this moment. The 2011 vintage just did not show well, I will need to taste one soon from my own collection to make a decision. Other than 2006 and 2011 – the outcome here is they are doing well and some are in the window and enjoyable now! They may improve more, but some are already showing the mushroom and the barnyard, not full-on evolution but close enough. I am hoping for a bit more but if you have a few I would read the notes and decide for yourself.

The Frere Robaire is a blend made to truly live up to Aristotle’s axiom; “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In many ways, I find it reaches that lofty goal, because the sums are made up of wonderful parts, but the whole is another world. What I love about these wines is that they are new-world, but they have so many components that are more old-world than new-world.

The 2012 is a great example of this. Once the wine is given time to open and really show its inner sense, what comes out is an old-world soul, much akin to a 2005 Chateau Malartic. The wine shows its minerality, rich essence, and focus, but also richness from its dark fruit. Really impressive.

My sincere thanks to the boys from LA! Gabriel and Alex were a joy to taste with. My many thanks to Benyo and his love, care, and drive to build world-class wines and share them with us all! Finally, it was a blast, as always, to hang with Robbie! Sorry, it took so long to get this out, good sir! Always a great time!

Finally, there are no QPR scores here because these wines are not for sale and the “Price” ratio would not make much sense.

The notes speak for themselves. The wine notes follow below, in the order, they were tasted – the explanation of my “scores” can be found here and the explanation for QPR scores can be found here:

2004 Four Gates Chardonnay – Score: 94
The nose of this wine is lovely, understand please, that this wine is on the edge, this bottle was clearly stored well, but I would not have as much hope for another. The nose is rich with honeysuckle, butterscotch, pear, apple, and sweet spices.
The mouth of this medium-plus bodied wine is rich, layered, and plush in the mouth with rich acidity that helps to stand this wine up on its feet, the apple, pear, and citrus are present, along with the sweet oak, butterscotch, and sweet spices. The finish is long, balanced, and rich. Drink now!

2006 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 92+
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. The wine is a blend of 49% Cabernet Franc, 46% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The nose of this wine is fine, the Franc dominates with bell pepper, high-toned cherry, white pepper, red berry, floral notes, smoke, loam, mushroom, and roasted herbs.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe, and tart, with great acidity, showing smoke, roasted herbs, ripe cranberry, plum, smoke, and intense tannin structure, but the fruit is overpowering and a bit over the hill. The finish is long, ripe, candied, and herbal, with mushroom, acidic fruit, sweet oak, and smoky notes linger long. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.5%)

2010 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 94
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. The wine is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
The wine is open, and the nose shows a redolence of menthol, eucalyptus, mint, ripe blackberry, ripe cherry, and garrigue, with lovely spice, mushroom, barnyard, green notes galore, and foliage. 
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is rich and layered with intense and epic menthol, showing lovely layers and complexity, it has rich extraction, candying blackberry, cassis, rich roasted herbs, currant, raspberry, and great spice, cloves, and herb. The tannin structure is lovely, the fruit is ripening and is almost showing riper than I like.
The finish is long, green, and spicy, with classic Four Gates acid balance, chocolate, leather, tar, roasted herb, mushroom, and black fruit. Bravo! Drink by 2026. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.4%)

2011 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 92
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. The wine is a blend of 72% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This wine is still young.
The wine is now open and the nose shows red fruit, with a dollop of dark plum, with ripe and slightly candied raspberry, strawberry, intense mushroom, loam, rich spice, and green notes.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is sheer elegance in comparison to 2010, with insane layers of ripe but very lovely fruit, with red fruit that gives way to blackberry, dark cherry, mushroom, forest floor, nice herb, and Oriental spice. The main issue with this wine is that it fell apart after a few hours, drink NOW!
The finish is long and herbal with chocolate, leather, and tar, followed by more mouth-coating tannin, and dill, with mushroom, candied fruit, and roasted herb lingering. Bravo!! Drink NOW! (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.8%)

2012 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 95
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. The wine is a blend of 66% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
This wine is now open, showing green notes, with ripe red fruit, herb, and garrigue, followed by tar, earth, and rich loam, with nice spice, intense mushroom, hints of barnyard, and tart fruit black fruit in the background.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is sheer and utter elegance, layered and rich, with spice, mushroom, and more green notes than the other vintages, lightly extracted, showing beautiful control, with blackberry, and plum, with a focus that is perfectly balanced between fruit, mineral, and terroir, one that makes me think of French wines, Chateau Malartic coming to mind.
The finish is long and elegant, with ripe plush black and red fruit, mouth-draping tannin, rich green foliage, tar, some barnyard, mushroom, and earth, giving way to chocolate, red, and black fruit, showing elegance and focus. Drink by 2027. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.1%)

2013 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 93
Another stunning wine, come on, this wine will and always reminds me of Chateau Malartic, and depending on how long you age it, the Malartic vintage compares well.
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. The wine is a blend of 52% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This wine is in the window.
The nose of this wine is lovely, as it opens, it is ripe to start with loads of fruit, mounds of finesse, sweet oak, sweet cherry Cola, with rich minerality, herb, black fruit, with a bit of red in the background, and lovely graphite, and spice.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is ripe and opens slowly with rich layers upon layers of sweet fruit, followed by earth, tilled loam, with green notes galore, sweet blackberry, and plum, with concentration and rich extraction that gives way to layers of mouth coating tannin, vanilla, and spice.
The finish is long and earthy, with foliage, green notes, anise, earth, leather, rich sweet milk chocolate, mushrooms, and loads of forest floor. Drink until 2027. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.9%)

2014 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 94
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. This is a blend of the 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. WOW, this is CRAZY, really fun! I continue to say this over and over, this wine reminds me of Chateau Malartic. This is what I dream about in wine. This wine is still young.
The wine is so perfect, it is so redolent it is crazy, and it is so elegant, I cannot say enough about it.
The nose of this wine is pure elegance, a redolence that is divine, with rich red fruit, truffles, rich minerals, herbs, black fruit, with a bit of red in the background, intense cherry, black pepper, lovely graphite, and spice.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is ripe and still opens slowly with rich layers upon layers of sweet fruit, followed by earth, tilled loam, with green notes galore, sweet blackberry, and plum, some extraction that gives way to layers of mouth coating tannin, boysenberry, vanilla, and spice.
The finish is long and earthy, with foliage, green notes, anise, earth, leather, rich sweet milk chocolate, mushrooms, and loads of forest floor. Drink from 2028 until 2032. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 14.5%)

2015 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 93
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. This wine is a blend of 66% Merlot,  33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
The nose of this wine is lovely, ripe, green, layered, and expressive, with blackberry, milk chocolate, red fruit, and sweet spices. It is still too young.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is ripe, layered, and expressive, with loads of candied blackberry, cassis, raspberry, and earth, with sweet spices, layers of concentrated fruit, extraction, and mineral, with loads of graphite, smoke, and sweet cedar, with a beautiful acid backbone and menthol. With time the wine comes together in an elegance.
The finish is long, green, tobacco, menthol, smoke, and earth, with loads of leather, and earth, with more milk chocolate, and searing tannin and acid lingering long. Drink from 2028 until 2035. Bravo!!! (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2016 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: 93+
The wine gets its name from Benyamin Cantz’s brother – Robert, but the name does bring a smile to my mind when I think of the other meanings. This wine is a blend of 67% Merlot and  33% Cabernet Sauvignon (NOTE no Cabernet Franc).
The nose of this wine is ripe, but well-balanced and lovely, with notes of blue, black, and red fruit, with smoke, roasted meat, sweet spices, dark plum, and sweet basil/mint.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is rich, layered, unctuous, plush, and complex, coming at you in layers of blackberry, ripe and juicy boysenberry, red plum, intense saline, mineral, graphite, iron, and sweet spices, with a mouth-draping tannin plushness, nice!
The finish is long, green, ripe, smoky, earthy, and dirty, with a rich mineral core, graphite floor, tar top, and earth in between, impressive, with milk chocolate and leather on the long finish. Bravo!! Drink from 2029 until 2037. (tasted February 2024) (in Santa Cruz, CA) (ABV = 15%)