Origin: The earliest knowledge of this varietal is that it originated in Greece. It is not known exactly how or when this plant was transported into Italy, but the history of this grape in Italy dates back many centuries. In the 17th century, it is known that the Benedictine monks named the varietal "Primitivo" because of its precociousness (early maturity of the grape) in this zone.

Primitivo has been called many things, but is also known as the father of the Zinfandel grape, now so popular in California. In recent years, DNA studies at the University of California at Davis show that the Zinfandel grape is the same as the Primitivo grape grown in southeastern Italy’s Puglia region.

Description: Deeply colored, rich, and concentrated with flavors of zesty cherry, clove, wild blackberry, raspberry and spice.

Aging: Ready to drink now, "mature fruit" over next five years. This Is a fine wine to cellar (over 20 years), but it should be enjoyed young for its charming, vibrant fruitiness.

Best location: The climate in Puglia is always warm and sunny, so the wines that come from there are quite different in characteristics than the wines made farther north, in places such as Tuscany and Piedmonte. They are more "sun-kissed" in style and show this by having an abundance of juicy fruit flavors.

Nebbiolo is considered one of the great wine varieties, bigger, darker and more tannic, even bitter, than most types, but consequently long-lived and prized by collectors. Jealously guarded in its native Italian home and most famous appellation of Piedmont, very few nebbiolo cuttings and clones have been exported to other countries.

The name nebbiolo has two probable origins. Ripe nebbiolo grapes have a very prominent "bloom" that gives them a "foggy" or "frosted" look, so the name could come from from "nebbia", Italian for "fog". It is an alternative possibility that the name simply comes from "nobile", Italian for "noble". Nebbiolo also goes by the names Spanna, Picutener and Chiavennasca in various Italian districts.

Cultivated since the 14th Century in Valtellina, an east-west valley in the Lombardy region at the foot of the Alps, north of Lake Como, this is the only region where nebbiolo is grown in Italy outside Piedmont. Although there are dozens of nebbiolo clones and nebbiolo is prominent in and famous for producing wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara, the reality is that this variety makes barely 3% of all the wines produced in Piedmont. There are twice as many acres planted with Dolcetto and ten times as many planted with Barbera.

Part of the reason for this, in spite of its reputation, is that nebbiolo is one of the more problematic grapes for both vineyardists and winemakers. It is very sensitive to both soil and geography and can yield wines that vary widely in body, tannin and acidity, as well as aroma and flavor complexity, when grown in only slightly different locales. A very late-season ripener, the vines need the best exposures, especially in cooler climates, in order to reach maturity. It performs much better in calcareous rather than sandy soils. Nebbiolo grape skins are thin, but quite tough and fairly resistant to molds and pests.

Some winemakers feel that nebbiolo is even more difficult to work with than pinot noir. It can be changeable, moody and unpredictable while undergoing typical cellar and aging procedures.

Nonetheless, wherever vintners aspire to producing wine inspired by Barolo, nebbiolo is also grown, including Australia, California, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Argentina has the largest acreage planted, but no region outside Italy has yet shown much potential for high quality wine production from this grape.

Shiraz and Syrah are both names for the same red wine grape. This grape is most definitely NOT the same as Petit Sirah, a different red wine grape grown mostly in California.

The Shiraz / Syrah grape is called Syrah in the US, France and many countries. In Australia it is called Shiraz, where it is considered the finest red wine grown there. Shiraz is certainly the most widely planted red grape in Australia. Now that Shiraz has become well known and popular, some wineries in the US who are making an "Austrlian style wine" with this grape are calling their wines Shiraz as well.

The Shiraz grape was once thought to have originated in Persia, but recent research indicates the grape is a native of the Rhone valley, in France. Yes, there is a town in the middle east named Shiraz that has made wine for centuries. However, that town is NOT where the Shiraz grape came from.

Until recent times, shiraz was best known for its usage in Hermitage, in the Rhone valley. Now Shiraz has taken off as a variety in its own right, bottled as a straight Shiraz wine.

Shiraz is known for its spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors. Often there are additional notes of licorice, bitter chocolate and mocha. Shiraz is even affected by growing temperature - warmer climates bring out the mellower flavors of plum, while cooler temperatures spice up the wine. Shiraz can be made in a fruity style, which many "sweet" wine drinkers enjoy. It can also be made in a dry style.

Shiraz goes very well with beef and other hearty foods. It also goes well with Indian, Mexican, and other spicy foods. This wine is rich and full, and should be served from a large glass at 64F. This makes Shiraz claim the warmest temperature a wine should be served at. Those who say red wines should be served at "room temperature" need to remember that homes in France were very cold a few hundred years ago!
Shiraz can be drunk immediately, but can also be aged for up to 5 years depending on how tannic it is.

"Broad-shouldered, with lots of tobacco, currant paste and loam notes backed by a muscular structure. The dark, dense finish shows hints of cedar and roasted vanilla. Has lots of Pauillac-like grip. A terrific value. Drink now through 2014." (Web Only, 2008) 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Bright ruby. Musky red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by underbrush, pungent herbs and dried rose. Impressively complex on the palate, offering sweet red- and blackcurrant, bitter cherry, mocha and licorice flavors. Dusty tannins carry through the long, spicy finish, adding structure and grip. This is balanced to age and could stand up to many Bordeaux at three times this price." (Mar/Apr 08) 90 points from Wine Enthusiast: "In the 2005 vintage, Medalla Real again ranks as one of Chile’s most elevated under-$20 wines (after a few less impressive years). The nose veers between herbal and ripe, while the palate shows nothing but pure cassis, cherry and Maipo terroir. It’s tight, structured and still ready to drink. Juicy more than beefy; a real treat." (5/1/2008)

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.

It is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.
Long 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, spherical 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 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.
The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.

Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.

In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:

Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.

The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.

Brute Strength Yields to Finesse

The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.

Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.

But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?

The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.

The Meritage Concept

The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.

On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.

Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."

The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.

A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.

Duckhorn's New Twist

Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.



Tasting Notes

FIRST PLACE

1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.



SECOND PLACE

1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.



THIRD PLACE

1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.



FOURTH PLACE

1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.



FIFTH PLACE

1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.



SIXTH PLACE

1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.



SEVENTH PLACE

1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.



EIGHTH PLACE

1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.



NINTH PLACE

1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.



TENTH PLACE

1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.



ELEVENTH PLACE

1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.



TWELFTH PLACE

1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.



Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.




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Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
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Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.

The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.

Brute Strength Yields to Finesse

The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.

Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.

But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?

The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.

The Meritage Concept

The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.

On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.

Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."

The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.

A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.

Duckhorn's New Twist

Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.



Tasting Notes

FIRST PLACE

1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.



SECOND PLACE

1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.



THIRD PLACE

1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.



FOURTH PLACE

1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.



FIFTH PLACE

1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.



SIXTH PLACE

1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.



SEVENTH PLACE

1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.



EIGHTH PLACE

1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.



NINTH PLACE

1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.



TENTH PLACE

1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.



ELEVENTH PLACE

1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.



TWELFTH PLACE

1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.



Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.




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Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.

The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.

Brute Strength Yields to Finesse

The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.

Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.

But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?

The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.

The Meritage Concept

The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.

On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.

Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."

The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.

A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.

Duckhorn's New Twist

Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.



Tasting Notes

FIRST PLACE

1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.



SECOND PLACE

1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.



THIRD PLACE

1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.



FOURTH PLACE

1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.



FIFTH PLACE

1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.



SIXTH PLACE

1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.



SEVENTH PLACE

1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.



EIGHTH PLACE

1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.



NINTH PLACE

1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.



TENTH PLACE

1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.



ELEVENTH PLACE

1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.



TWELFTH PLACE

1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality

Technical Notes: The hand-harvested grapes are 100% de-stemmed, crushed and then
vinified by parcel, with a 20 day maceration. No oak ageing.
Although not overtly advertised, this domaine is 100% certified organic. All the vineyard
and winery practices follow the philosophy and methods of organic farming as certified by
the French government. Only natural yeasts found in the vineyards are used to make the
wines at Terres de Solence. Jean-Luc works the must until he has achieved maximum
extraction. The choice of parcels used to produce this wine is determined by selecting
different lots to arrive at a balance between the old vines and the influence of the terroir. The
exact determination of the blend is not made until the date of harvest.
Tasting Notes: Consistent with the Domaine’s style the 2004 Trois Pères is full of bright
cassis fruit. The wine is deep purple in color with hints of garrigue and juniper on the nose.
The palate is round and rich and very well balanced. The finish is silky and pleasant with
well integrated tannins. A great wine for grilled meats and duck.

In the beginning God created Burgundy. But unlike his former creations, this one required the assistance of the wine-loving Romans, who, according to tradition, planted vines all through the Rhône Valley and into the region we now call Burgundy. Written documents dating back to 312 A.D. extol the Côte d'Or for its excellent wines. For as long as anyone can remember, the dominant wines of Burgundy were unblended Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. All other grapes were considered inferior, so the winemaker's art became focussed on coaxing the maximum nobility out of their already superior fruit.
Bordeaux, in contrast, is a relative upstart. There are no records of winemaking in that region before Eleanor of Aquitaine got fed up with her unfulfilling marriage to monkly Louis VII, had the marriage annulled, and married Henry II of England. This action gave the English control over Bordeaux, and since the English of that era were known to be inveterate winebibbers, a new chapter of wine history began.

The Bordelais, however, didn't mimic the Burgundians. For reasons no longer known, their quest for enological Nirvana led them to "assemble" their wines from several different varietials. The best wines of the region, even up to the present, are blends of up to five grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Typically, all the grapes used in a Bordeaux blend are grown in the same vineyard.

The history of wine styles in California has no parallel. It was born of the soil and spirit of the wild West - a spirit which would allow huddled masses of European immigrants to make unremarkable wines from "second rate" varietals (Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, French Colombard, Thompson Seedless, et al) and call them "Burgundy," "Claret," "Chablis," and "Rhine Wine." Small pockets of Cabernet Sauvignon production appeared in Napa Valley, but few could even spell Chardonnay, let alone make it.

Reeling from the economic effects of Prohibition, the California wine industry's coming of age was postponed to the late 1960s. California enologists began to marry science to the traditional art of the winemaker. Viticultural areas became classified; some best suited to "cool climate" grapes, such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay; others to the classic Bordeaux varietals. The search was on to find the best varietals for California and the most favorable locations in which to grow them.

Cabernet Sauvignon soon became the darling of the California wine industry and all the best Napa Valley wineries were releasing 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Beaulieu Vineyards - one of the finest producers of the 60s and 70s - advertized the fact that their Cabernet was unblended by announcing it in red on the back label. California's Cabernets got better and better as science led the way to excellence.

A vineyard-designated wine for under $10? It's possible with Valentin Bianchi's Dona Elsa Estate in Rama Caiida, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina. Situated at around 760 meters above sea level, Rama Caiidas's sandy calcareous and alluvial soils contribute to the wine's richness. Fresh and fruit forward, the Elsa has aromas of the ripe plum and violets continue through to the palate. Weighty on the palate, the wine is still surprisingly light, with silky tannins this wine is delightful and the perfect accompaniment to richer, fatty fishes like salmon, pork and beef.

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.

It is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.
Long 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, spherical 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 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.

The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.

Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.

In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:

Typical Cabernet Sauvignon Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors
Varietal Aromas/Flavors:
Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: black currant, blackberry, black cherry
Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Herbal: bell pepper, asparagus (methoxy-pyrazine), green olive
Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Spice: ginger, green peppercorn, pimento
Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box, musk, mushroom, earth, leather

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.

It is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.

Long 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, spherical 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 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.

The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.

Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.

In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:

Harris Vieneyard is located in Western Oakville , just east of the Branding Iron Vinyard. N&N's 5 acre block offers a southern exposure and soil of gravelly clay loam. Thihinning passes allow eadh cluster to hang freely optimizing the threllis system and taking advantage of the warm clien to reach full maturity Tasting notes:Cartacteristic of Oakville, theis Merlot has a nice core of raspberry fruit combined with notes of earth and spice. The sweet, tostay oak addds complexity and the firm, yet supple, tannings provide length to the finish.

Bright fruit centering on blackberry and boysenberry pie. Medium bodied, slight spicy complexity, very little tannin, and quite refreshing. Although the alcohol is in excess of 15%, the bright acidity and excellent balance belie this fact. I think that it is a classic zinfandel that drinks well now but should continue to develop over the next several years for those who have patience. 311 cases bottled.

One of the fine Pinot Noir from Malm Cellars

Pinot Noir is often described as being a "difficult" grape, to grow, to deal with in the winery, and to find truly great examples of, but fans are passionate about this veriety, as sensually expressed by the dialogue between Miles and Maya in the 2004 movie "Sideways."

Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for the purpose of making wine. Ancient Romans knew this grape as Helvenacia Minor and vinified it as early as the first century AD. Recognized worldwide as a great wine grape, pinot noir has many alias and is grown in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria (called Blauburgunder or Spätburgunder), Brazil, Canada, Croatia (Burgundac), Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany (Spätburgunder), Greece, Hungary, Italy (Pinot Nero), Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland (Clevner, but labeled "Dole" when often blended with Gamay Noir), and the United States.

The reputation that gets pinot noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of Burgundy (Bourgogne), France. For most of wine history, this two-mile-wide, thirty-mile-long stretch of hills, called the Côte d'Or ("Slope of Gold"), is the only region to achieve consistent success from the pinot noir vine.

The quality of Bourgogne is due to a number of factors. Its vineyards slope gently down toward the East, providing the vines with long sun exposure yet avoiding afternoon heat. The soil there is very calcareous (chalky; containing calcium carbonate), offering good drainage. Well-drained soils have a higher average temperature, which assists ripening. Pinot noir seems to reflect more pronounced Gout de Terroir, or flavor of the soil, than other black grape types, making vineyard site selection a critical factor.

Difficulties plague pinot noir at every step, from propagation to even its bottle-aging characteristics. Genetically unstable, the parent vine may produce offspring that bear fruit that is nothing like the parent's in the size and shape of the berry or cluster and will frequently even have different aromas, flavors, and levels of productivity. There are 46 recognized clones (genetic variants) of Pinot Noir in Dijon, France. Ampelographers estimate there are as many as 200 to possibly 11,000 clones of pinot noir worldwide. By comparison, cabernet sauvignon has only twelve identifiable clones.

Nearly every affliction known to affect vines is common among pinot noir vineyards. Although quite tolerant of cold climates, it is particularly susceptible to Spring frosts, because it is one of the earliest-leafing varieties. The sharpshooter leafhopper finds pinot noir a perfect host. This bug carries Pierce's Disease, which can destroy an entire vineyard in as little as three years. Leaf-roll virus is prevalent in almost all pinot noir plantings over ten years old. The pinot vines are not very vigorous and often lack adequate leaf cover to protect the fruit from birds, which do much damage. Even if the grapes survive the birds, if not picked promptly at maturity, the thin-skinned and tender berries shrivel and dry out rapidly (notice this shriveling in the photo), resulting in a raisiny aroma and neutral flavor.

Pinot Noir is also one of the more difficult wines to ferment. Partly due to the presence of 18 amino acids, which are naturally balanced in this variety, Pinot Noir ferments violently, often "boiling" up and out of its container, speeding the process out of control. Color retention is a major problem for the thin-skinned berries. Pinot is very prone to acetification and often loses the sometimes promising aromas and flavors it seems to display through fermentation and aging, as soon as it is bottled.

There is one component in which Pinot Noir seems naturally quite rich, three to four times higher compared to other varieties, especially when it is grown in cooler and more humid climates: resveratrol. While this may not affect the aspects of sensory enjoyment, it may draw the attention of health-conscious consumers.

Pinot Noir shows some promise and has a possible future in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, and in New Zealand, although all may prove to have growing seasons that are generally too short and too humid for consistently outstanding results.

The popular image persists that California Pinot Noir is a light, fruity wine of no consequence, but California vintners over the past twenty years have been improving site and clonal selections, viticultural methods, and vinification techniques to increase their record of success. The nominees for Best Supporting Appellation in California Pinot Noir are much the same as for Chardonnay: Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County); Russian River Valley (Sonoma County); Carneros (in both Sonoma and Napa Counties); Anderson Valley (Mendocino County); as well as the Pinnacles (Monterey County) and, recently, Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County).

Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate and in the memory. Its aroma is often one of the most complex of all varietals and can be intense with a ripe-grape or black cherry aroma, frequently accented by a pronounced spiciness that suggests cinnamon, sassafras, or mint. Ripe tomato, mushroom, and barnyard are also common descriptors for identifying Pinot Noir. It is full-bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic nor tannic, with substantial flavor despite its delicacy. The most appealing quality of Pinot Noir may be its soft, velvety texture. When right, it is like liquid silk, gently caressing the palate. Pinot does not have the longevity in the bottle of the darker red wines and tends to reach its peak at five to eight years past the vintage.

This is N&N newest chardonnay. The Medina vineyard was planted in 1969 in the cool Green Valley Sub-sistric of Russian River. The soil is a classic Goldridge sandy loam.
Tasting Notes This win is rich with flavors of grapfruit, lime and stone fruit didplaying a classic mineraity. It has great textuyre, acidity, and length.

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.

It is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.

Long 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, spherical 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 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.

The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.

Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.

In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:

Typical Cabernet Sauvignon Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors
Varietal Aromas/Flavors:
Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: black currant, blackberry, black cherry
Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Herbal: bell pepper, asparagus (methoxy-pyrazine), green olive
Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Spice: ginger, green peppercorn, pimento
Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box, musk, mushroom, earth, leather

Once again, South America delivers the values like no one else in the world. We would be hard pressed to find a Cabernet Sauvignon at this quality level anywhere else in the world for this price. Subtle currant, plum and fig aromas, a splash of vanilla on the palate and a touch of earthiness in the finish that is the hallmark of Chile. We can keep shaking our heads at California Cabs at three times the price or we can buy this by the case with equal satisfaction.

91 points and the #1 wine on the "Top 100 Best Buys of 2007" from Wine Enthusiast: "A year or two ago when Paul Hobbs began consulting for Toso things changed for the better. This is the rare Best Buy that can swim with the big fish and give them a run for the money. Pop the cork and enjoy lusty dark aromas of Turkish tobacco and berry compote. In the mouth, there's a riot of fruit flavors to ponder followed by a smooth, lusty finish." (12/1/2007) 90 points and a "Best Buy" in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. (no tasting note given, Dec. 2007) That's right we can actually offer you a #1 wine from someone's list. Those end of the year best lists are so frustrating for us. We usually have our stock answer, "Sorry, it sold out months ago." But not this time, this time we can say, "How much would you like?" And I couldn't think of a better wine to give to any customer looking for sheer value. This Malbec is attached to Paul Hobbs and it shows. His trademark velvety texture and boisterous fruit flavors are all on display here. The solid tannins keep everything held together while the sappy boysenberry fruit, clove spice and vanilla laced finish are sure to please.

Vogt Vineyard is stuated atop Howell Mounbtain, along the northeast edge of the Napa Valley. The 14 acre vineyard has a suprisingly warm climat produces a dense and structured wine typical of hillside Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tasting Notes Dark and Bold with aromas of white blossom, spice and cedar. Firm and impressive, theis wine opens with jammy flavors of boysenberryt and cassis with a floral essence