Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Red Blend demonstrates a rich concentration of deep red fruits. Ripe currants combined with fresh raspberries and cherries, carrying with them a bright acidity. Laying in delicate violets and subtle tobacco the wine extends with a long, spice-driven finish. The tannins are well integrated and the texture elegant and silky, making this a wine that is drinking beautifully now and will continue to reward with cellaring.
Blend: 52% Malbec, 48% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 52% Malbec and 48% Merlot, the 2017 Aperture Red Wine sports a vivid purple, almost blue color to go with delicious notes of blueberries, crushed violets, raspberries, graphite, and a touch of minerality. A juicy, upfront, fruit-loaded beauty, it has good acidity, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. It's going to drink well for 8-10 years.
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James Suckling
Cabernet takes a rest in this vintage, this is a blend of 52% malbec and 48% merlot and offers a whiff of earthy, iodine-like, ferrous aromas with dark plums and mulberries, too. The palate has a super plush and approachable feel with a plump, ripe, gently sticky tannin texture. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Red Blend is composed of 52% Malbec and 48% Merlot. Medium to deep ruby-purple, it offers aromas of pencil shavings and crushed stone, very slowly unfurling to a perfume of fresh violets, blueberry, crushed black cherry and cassis with nuances of charcuterie, red berries, earth and exotic spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, lush and powerful, with intense fruits and a firm frame of grainy tannins, finishing long, layered and lifted.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.