Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Proprietary Red 2008
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Illustration represents the core – the heart – of Blackbird Vineyards. Every element of Blackbird's multi-faceted wine portfolio draws inspiration from this singular, Pomerol-inspired Merlot. It is an undiluted illustration of the passion, time and concentration invested in creating elegant, multi-layered wines. Illustration challenges the notion that Cabernet Sauvignon is the only age-worthy red wine crafted in the Napa Valley.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Lush. smooth and complex, this Merlot-based blend seems capable of a little development in the cellar. It's pretty tannic, although the cherry fruit is sweet and bright. Try holding for a year or two, but if you pop the cork now, give the wine a few hours of decanting.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Illustration, which tends to be mostly Merlot blended with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, possesses a dark ruby/purple color as well as big, sweet aromas of mocha, coffee bean, black cherries and spice box. Fleshy and medium to full-bodied, it has slightly more tannin and structure than the 2008 Arise. This is a project of up-and-coming wine consultants, Aaron Pott and Sara Gott. The goal is to produce Right Bank Bordeaux-styled wines from various blends. As I wrote last year in issue #186, I thought the 2006s and 2007s were strong offerings, and the four outstanding efforts in 2008 are better than the 2006s, but not quite as good as the 2007s because they are less opulent and exuberant. Nevertheless, they are rich, expressive wines made from fruit grown in the Oak Knoll region of the southern Napa Valley.
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Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.