Nose
It possesses bright cherry, plum and spicy violet aromas and flavors.
Palate
It possesses bright cherry, plum and spicy violet aromas and flavors. The entry is of ripe fruit and the finish is long and lingering with light mocha and toasted oak notes. Sangiovese provides elevated aromatics and great natural acidity and Merlot provides the broad shoulders and mid-palate texture.
Growing Conditions
The 2010 vintage was good for Napa Valley Sangiovese and Merlot. A wetter than average year was followed by a cool growing season. As the season wore on, growers and winemakers pulled leaves to assist in the ripening. Just following, a heat spell in excess of 100 degrees pushed the ripeness level up and raisined many vineyards, decreasing the yield substantially. Sorting was key to great wine production in 2010 and some beautiful wines were produced.
Winemaking
The grapes used to make this wine were gently destemmed, and placed in small, open topped fermentors where the fermentation proceeded to extract color and flavor for in excess of 21 days for the Sangiovese and 17 days for the Merlot.
Aging
After pressing, the wine was placed in small, French and American Oak barrels for 17 months prior to bottling.
Food Pairing
It will pair with a great variety of foods including grilled chicken and pork, pasta dishes and aged cheeses.
