Forefront by Pine Ridge Carneros Merlot 2012
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A FOCUS ON QUALITY. Long before Napa Valley became known as the one of the world’s most remarkable winegrowing regions, the Andrus family understood its potential. They founded Pine Ridge winery in the now-famous Stags Leap District. Experimenting with clones, rootstocks and winemaking techniques, they paid meticulous attention to every detail, from vineyard to bottle, and embraced innovation in the pursuit of ever higher quality.
NO BOUNDARIES. After developing Pine Ridge, the Andrus family began to explore other emerging wine regions, from the Pacific Northwest to New Zealand. In Oregon, their Burgundian philosophies brought wine quality to a new level. They adopted the grand cru model, with its emphasis on terroir, and cultivated numerous French clones that they matched to the region’s growing conditions. To provide ideal aging temperatures, they drilled the state’s first underground wine caves. Their forward thinking helped to establish Oregon as one of the world’s premier Pinot Noir producers.
The passion, commitment and adventurous spirit of the Andrus family is well known within the wine industry. With ForeFront, we honor their vision and their contributions with wines that challenge the traditional.
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.