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Wine Details
Price:
$40.00 per bottle
Description:
This wine is a fitting end to the remarkable 2003 vintage wines. The wine is 99% cabernet sauvignon from five remarkable Washington vineyards. Bacchus Vineyard Block 9 is part of the venerable Sagemoor Farm in the Columbia Valley. Old vines with deep flavors. Tended to perfection vine by vine by the vigilant Todd Cameron. Champoux Vinyard Block 2 in the Horse Heaven Hills is part of the old Mercer Ranch. Old vines managed to perfect balance by the legend, Paul Champoux. At the opposite eastern end of Horse Heaven Hills is the younger Wallula Vineyard managed by the Den Hoed brothers, Andy and Bill. Highly floral aromatics make these wines a standout for Chateau Ste. Michele, Leonetti, Abeja, Long Shadows and Boudreaux. Pepper Bridge Block 28 produces awesome fruit in the Walla Walla Valley. Managed by Tom and Tim Waliser, this vineyard is a big name for good reasons. Tom has an uncanny sixth sense for grape farming and how it relates to winemaking.
The fifth vineyard contributing to our fab cab is Seven Hills Vineyard at the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley in Oregon. Chris Banek lives the day-to-day wine management with input from the owner winemakers. Our cab comes mostly from the Leonetti blocks so Chris Figgins always has his cunning eye on this fruit for us. Blending these various vineyards and sites within vineyards together into one 1500 gallon tank before bottling was one of the most exciting moments of my life so far. These wines were aged in French tight grain, Hungarian, Minnesota, Missouri and West Virginia oak for 22 months. The other 1% of the wine is comprised of merlot and syrah which were held over to add bouquet and spice for this bottling.
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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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Bacchus:
Named after the Roman god of wine, Bacchus is found in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia, in the United Kingdom, and most widely in its native Germany, where it flourishes in the heart of German bulk wine production and beer country. Two-thirds of its German production is in the Rheinhessen and much of the rest is in the Franconia district, famous for its Bavarian wheat beers. Created by crossing a Müller-Thurgau with a Silvaner-Riesling cross, this white wine-producing varietal adapts to a broad range of climates. Bacchus benefits from its ability to grow in less favorable vineyard sites than Riesling and even Müller-Thurgau. It produces full-bodied wines, with attractive fruit and floral characteristics, similar to Muscat. As an early budder, this varietal is susceptible to spring frosts, and its lack of acidity can prove challenging. In cool years, its inability to ripen fully and to express its Muscat-like character does not allow vignerons to effectively use the grape to moderate the aci
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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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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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