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Wine Details
Price:
$13.00 per bottle
Description:
We gently destemmed the grapes without crushing them to obtain more full berries and then cold soaked for one or two days before inoculating for fermentation. Fewer pump-overs and shorter maceration time than in the past helped create a softer wine with velvety tannins. After aging all the lots separately in mostly American oak barrels for 12 months, we finally blended together the wines from the Four Corners to enhance each single vineyard's characteristics and to produce a wine of great expression.This year, the addition of selected Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah enriched the mid-palate and also enhanced the ultimate flavors.
This bright garnet-color Merlot displays a vibrant nose of ripe Bing cherry and mixed berries with notes of violet and cocoa. This delicate and medium-bodied wine shows a great deal of flavors like Bing cherry, vanilla and a splash of blueberry.The palate is very soft and round thanks to fine tannins.The fruit expression lingers on a pleasing finish.
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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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Syrah:
Syrah is the eight hundred pound gorilla of Rhone grapes! In the vineyard and the winery, Syrah is typically an easy grape to work with - healthy, early ripening, resistant to mildew and rot; suitable for winemaking in a variety of styles. The wines from Syrah are tannic without being harsh. The wines will have a taste and smell of dark blue fruit like blackberries and blackcurrant, with a strong spicy side where one can find freshly ground pepper and other spices. Syrah is famous for its part in the French blends, such as Côtes du Rhone and Châteauneuf du Pape.
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