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Wine Details
Price:
$45.00 per bottle
Description:
For our 2002 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Reserve we blended one barrel of Lot 2 Cabernet Sauvignon with our Lot 10 Merlot. The lot numbers come from our practice of fermenting the wine in small lots so we can extract the best expression of different blocks of the vineyard. Depending on the lots, we used different fermentation practices, yeast strains and barrel coopers to create individual components that make up the final blend. In 2001, Lot 10 was the Canoe Crew favorite. The black cherry, raspberry and chocolate aromas found in our estate Canoe Ridge Vineyard Merlot are even more intense in our Reserve bottling. These concentrated
flavors allow us to use more new oak barrels to bring richness and roundness to the
palate and sweet toasty aromas without overpowering the fruit flavors. The addition
of one barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon adds to the full mouthfeel plus brings additional
aromas and complexity.
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Varietal Definition
Merlot:
Merlot is known as a Noble Bordeaux varietal. Although it came to France in the first century, it was not named until the 1880s. Merlot was originally used only for blending, as it is soft and compliant, very useful in softening other Bordeaux wines like Cabernets. Recently in California and Chile it became popular as a 100% varietal wine. Merlot tends to be easier to grow in a variety of soil conditions and is harvested earlier in the year than Cabernet. Although most Merlots are made to be drunk earlier, there are many with complexities of a Cabernet. Flavors of plum, black cherry, violet, chocolate and orange pair well with rich, red pasta dishes, hearty chicken dishes, and any beef combination that you fancy. The perfect match of course is chocolate. Not only does the chocolate compliment the wine and vice-versa, but the essence of both flavors linger eternally.
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Cabernet Sauvignon:
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in France’s Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California. Though it was thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon berries are small with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little or no damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
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