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Wine Details
Price:
$55.00 per bottle
Description:
After 2 years of cold weather that resulted in picking grapes after Halloween until the middle of November, mother nature smiled upon us in 2000. After a normal amount of rainfall, a warm spring followed with bud break taking place in early April. A nearly flawless berry set took place in June. With a warm but not too hot summer, all signs pointed towards picking fruit in the early part of October.
During crush, the fruit was separated into 3 distinct lots based on location from the vineyard and fermentation regimes. The 2000 vintage also marked the first harvest from our new adjoining vineyard. Previously our Merlot production was based almost solely on what we had not needed for blending purposes into our Frazier Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2000 with an additional 3,350 vines of Merlot, we had the largest harvest of Merlot to date.
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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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