Foppiano Russian River Merlot 1998
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This Merlots juicy youthfulness makes it an excellent match with Spring Lamb, herbed pastas and grilled brochette of beef. It also makes an excellent companion to chocolate-based desserts, and fruit salads with dark berries as the main ingredient.
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1999-
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Foppiano Vineyards is proud of their Italian heritage and deep, 120-year roots in the Russian River Valley. The story of Foppiano Vineyards is a family epic full of tradition, perseverance and contributions to the history of Sonoma County and the wine industry. Founded in 1896 by Giovanni Foppiano, Foppiano Vineyards is Sonoma’s oldest continually operated, family-owned winery. Their family has supplied northern California with wine for over a century surviving Prohibition. They believe that through the strength of family and a commitment to quality, their traditions will be maintained and thrive. The vision of the fifth generation of the Foppiano family guides our winery into the future while creating a world class wine program representative of their history.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Sonoma County, Foppiano Vineyards sits on a 160-acre estate in Russian River Valley, an American Viticulture Area Louis M. Foppiano helped to establish. Cooling morning fog and warm summer days created the ideal microclimate for grapes. Since 1896 their estate vineyards have produced ripe, expressive fruit, enabling our award-winning wines to speak for themselves, vintage after vintage. Their estate Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay vineyards thrive in the temperate climate of the Russian River Valley. Foppiano Vineyards’ premier location, combined with their foundation of core family values, has allowed them to produce quality wines for over 100 years. With a great respect for the earth, the family farms their land sustainably and provides the highest level of care and maintenance. It is their goal to ensure the vineyards continue to produce quality fruit for many years to come.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.