Winemaker Notes
The Spur 2019 is crafted from blending the classic Bordeaux varietals with Petite Sirah, which offers a distinctively California expression. Each varietal is farmed, harvested, and handcrafted individually to achieve their greatest expression prior to assembling the final blend. The 2019 vintage provides an aromatic profile of black cherry, spiced cranberry and subtle oak with complementary notes of graham cracker and clove. The dark fruit aromas carry through to the palate which is framed by fine tannins, and a rich, lasting, and elegant mouthfeel.
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petite Sirah, 9% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
With a hint of sweet earth reminiscent of the Old World on the nose and palate, this always-approachable red is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Petite Sirah, 7% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. It's concentrated and creamy, with round tannins and compelling notes of melting dark chocolate and rich plum. Spiced, roasted coffee beans go deep, but the overall character is plush, with generous, gobby fruit. This wine way overdelivers.
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James Suckling
Attractive dark-fruited character with notes of ground cloves, leather, cardamom, cedar and graphite. Steady and toned with medium to full body and finely polished tannins. Structured and long.
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Wine Enthusiast
Deep and delicious, this full-bodied but soft-textured wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon overflows with plump black cherries, blackberries and baking spices backed by light tannins. Good concentration and a creamy mouthfeel add to its enjoyment.
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.
A warm sub-appellation of the greater San Francisco Bay AVA (American Viticultural Area), Livermore Valley mainly hides behind the shielding effects of the bay’s eastern hills. However, late afternoon winds cool down summer nights as daytime heat rises from the Central Valley in the east, pulling the cold, foggy, bay air inland. This cooler evening air permeates the Livermore Valley's foothills, making this an ideal environment for the development of phenolic ripeness and concentration in its wine grapes.
The Livermore Valley is one of California's oldest wine regions and has played a crucial role in shaping California's wine industry. Spanish missionaries planted the first wine grapes in the Livermore Valley in the 1760s. Then in the mid 1800s, a man named Robert Livermore planted the area’s first commercial vineyards. Winemaker pioneer C. H. Wente arrived a few years later; today the Wente Chardonnay clone is the source of a majority of California Chardonnay. Furthermore, James Concannon and the Wetmore brothers recognized the virtues of the area’s Bordeaux-like gravel soils and dedicated themselves to making high quality wine from Bordeaux varieties. Today the area is also known for high quality Petite Sirah.