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Wine Details
Price:
$48.00 per bottle
Description:
We began planting our Conn Valley ranch soon after we purchased the property in 1984, but our farming practices changed drastically in 1995. Dave Abreu took over as vineyard manager that year, just after we had purchased a steep, six-acre hillside parcel from a neighbor. Abreu convinced us that the parcel was ideal for a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard -- tightly spaced, low to the ground and vertically trellised. Although the decision to proceed seems obvious now, the combination of the enormous development costs involved and the additional time necessary to bring the vineyard to crop-bearing age weighed heavily on us for the first several years. In 1999 we harvested our first crop from this new vineyard -- we refer to it as ‘The Knoll’ -- but elected to add the wine to our Merlot. We did so again in both 2000 and 2001. In 2002, the vines were 8 years old, and we produced our first ever estate bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, 200 cases from the entire parcel. Was it ever worth the wait! Shallow, rocky soils like ours tend to produce Cabernet Sauvignon of grace and finesse. There is plenty of that here. But it’s still packed with flavor and loaded with complex berry fruit. A client of ours, a longtime French wine merchant, tasted it recently, and described it as ‘Seamless’.
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Varietal Definition
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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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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