Clos du Bois Merlot 2003
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When Clos du Bois was founded in 1974, Sonoma County was better known for its prunes, walnuts and dairy farms than for its wine grapes. With more soil types than France, Founder Frank Woods recognized the potential of Sonoma County as a world-class wine growing region, and it is here in Sonoma's Alexander Valley where Clos du Bois has been making outstanding wines for more than three decades. Woods' vision was to marry the best of California wines, which were rich, fruit forward and robust, with the best of French wines, which had an undeniable elegance. With a focus on sourcing the best quality grapes from Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and the surrounding North Coast, the resulting collection of wines highlight the best of Sonoma County in a style that is both elegant and approachable - the signature of Clos du Bois.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.