Winemaker Notes
Pale garnet color. Sharp, bright aromas of cherry, berry and cranberry, with secondary aromas of smoked meat, caramel and tea. Light bodied. Mouthwatering cherry and sour apple on the palate, moderate tannins providing a black-tea-like structure. As always, this wine would be ideal with a simple (no sauce) mushroom pizza or bruschetta, an herbed, oven-roasted chicken, seared duck breast or lighter, leaner grilled meats.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
From vines planted in alluvial soils layered over blue and brown shale, Hendry harvested this fruit in the first days of September at half the typ-ical yield. The wine is concentrated and savory, spicy straight through, supported by gentle tan-nins and a wash of blueberry flavors that last.
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.