R.A. Harrison Nobility (375ML half-bottle) 2006
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"After several decades of working with botrytis, I have very distinct ideas about winemaking," explains Roger Harrison, the winemaker. "Balance is essential. How would I describe this wine? Layers of apricot jam, sweet fig, vanilla and honey, a balanced acidity with Asian spices, crème brulee and a rich honeyed finish."
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Here's a fancy dessert wine that's super-sweet, yet has the crisp acidity needed for balance. It erupts in ripe apricots, pineapples and peaches that taste like they were baked into a rich crème brûlée custard. Give it a bit more concentration and it would be sensational.
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Wine Spectator
Fragrant honeyed lemon notes have wonderful spicy tobacco and fresh ginger root hints. The ripe, sweet-tasting dried apricot notes are balanced with a soft acidity. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2014
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After 25 years perfecting these rare dessert wines at Beringer, Roger launched his own winery, R.A. Harrison Family Cellars, dedicated to special botrytised wines. The winemaking and grapes selected for these wines are very similar to those used at Chateau Y'Quem.
Apart from the classics, we find many regional gems of different styles.
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Responsible for the vast majority of American wine production, if California were a country, it would be the world’s fourth largest wine-producing nation. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of red wine styles, and unlike tradition-bound Europe, experimentation is more than welcome here. California wineries range from tiny, family-owned boutiques to massive corporations, and price and production are equally varied. Plenty of inexpensive bulk wine is made in the Central Valley area, while Napa Valley is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious and expensive “cult” wines.
Each American Viticultural Area (AVA) and sub-AVA of has its own distinct personality, allowing California to produce red wine of every fashion: from bone dry to unctuously sweet, still to sparkling, light and fresh to rich and full-bodied. In the Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate vineyard acreage. Sonoma County is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé and Zinfandel. The Central Coast has carved out a niche with Rhône Blends based on Grenache and Syrah, while Mendocino has found success with cool climate varieties such as Pinot noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. With all the diversity that California wine has to offer, any wine lover will find something to get excited about here.