Winemaker Notes

A great example of varietal Malbec. Bright crimson red color. Intensely fruity with hints of raspberry and blackberry, earthiness, cedar and light spicy notes with sweet vanillin oak in the background. Berry fruit characters dominate the palate in this elegant style of wine which has a similar structure to that of Merlot. The flavor is lingering with a finish of soft, round tannins. Medium term cellaring of two to five years will enhance and complex the wine further.

Malbec grapes for this wine come the Trione vineyards, Nervo Ranch in the Alexander Valley. A portion of the wine was used in the 1999 Reserve Alexandre Meritage blend with the balance being used for this Winemaker's Selection wine. A six-day on-skin ferment resulted in a wine with rich color and fruit without excessive tannic extraction. After fermentation, the wine was matured in small French oak barrels.

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Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.

Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.

SWS60851_1999 Item# 63123