Winemaker Notes
The picturesque estate consists of 21,349 acres and straddles both Lake and Napa Counties where cougar, bear and wild boar still roam the remote hills. Despite the vastness, Langtry's vineyards are limited to 400 prime acres, ensuring the highest quality.
Langtry Estate & Vineyards currently produces approximately 120,000 cases of wine annually with distribution throughout the United States. From cane to canopy, to rootstock and clone, Langtry Estate believes that the signature of the wine remains in the soil and climate and in varietals chosen for their synergy with the land.
While Langtry has enjoyed significant critical success, the winery has emerged as one of the top producers of two of the hottest varietal wines on the market today, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc. Each year, Langtry ranks among the top medal winning wineries at professional wine competitions, and the winery's Petite Sirah has won more gold medals and best of show awards than any other Petite Sirah in the world.
As Lake County’s most southern appellation, Guenoc Valley is only a few minutes north of Napa Valley. This region is a leader in the production of high quality, bold, dense and voluptuous California Petite Sirah.
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, especially in California, Washington and Australia. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, these are sometimes referred to in the US as “Meritage” blends. In Bordeaux itself, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in wines from the Left Bank of the Gironde River, while the Right Bank focuses on Merlot. Often, blends from outside the region are classified as being inspired by one or the other.
Tasting Notes for Bordeaux Blends
Bordeaux Blends are dry, red wines and generally have aromas and flavors of black currant, black cherry plum, graphite, cedar and violet. Cabernet-based, Left-Bank-styled wines are typically more tannic and structured, while Merlot-based wines, modeled after the Right Bank, are softer and suppler. Cabernet Franc can add herbal notes, while Malbec and Petit Verdot contribute color and structure.
Perfect Food Pairings for Bordeaux Blends
Since Bordeaux red blends are often quite structured and tannic, they pair best with hearty, flavorful and fatty meat dishes. Any type of steak makes for a classic pairing. Equally welcome with these wines would be beef brisket, pot roast, braised lamb or smoked duck.
Sommelier Secrets for Bordeaux Blends
While the region of Bordeaux is limited to a select few approved grape varieties in specified percentages, the New World is free to experiment. Bordeaux blends in California may include equal amounts of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, for example. Occassionally a winemaker might add a small percentage of a non-Bordeaux variety, such as Syrah or Petite Sirah for a desired result.
