Product Review
The 100% Merlot cuvée, the 2013 Roberta’s Reserve State Lane Vineyard seemed backward, tightly knit, and not nearly as expressive as it has been in other vintages. Everything is there, and it’s locked and loaded and very elegant, at the same time offering up plenty of chocolate and black cherry fruit, but the tannins and the somewhat unyielding style of the wine made it more difficult to assess than some of the other wines. This wine represents 21% of their total production, or 400 cases, and should turn out to be spectacular, but needs a good 3-5 years of bottle aging. It should cellar beautifully for at least 25-30 years.
Includes red wines where there is either no predominant variety or the blend is proprietary.
California is one of the most diverse wine producing regions of the world. Although it has a history spanning over 200 years, it has experienced most of its growth in the last fifty years. The regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County have become as renowned as France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are by far the most popular fine wine varieties, producers in the Golden State have also experimented with an unparalleled array of diverse varieties, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo.
The country’s most famous wine producing region, Napa Valley stretches from the North bay of San Francisco Bay in the South, all the way up to Mount Saint Helena in the North. Although the climate is suitable for a wide range of varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant and practically synonymous with the region. To account for its geographical diversity, the valley is split up into a number of AVAs. From north to south, the valley consists of Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Yountville, and Oak Knoll. Higher elevation sites include Howell Mountain on the east and Mount Veeder on the west. On its own, Stags Leap District is tucked into the very south east corner of the valley.
Red wine is wine made from dark-coloured grape varieties. The color of red differs based on the grapes variety or varieties used.Interestingly, black grapes yield a juice that is greenish-white. The actual red color comes from anthocyan pigments (also called anthocyanins) from the skin of the grape (exceptions are the relatively uncommon teinturier varieties, which produce a red colored juice). Most of the production centers around the extraction of color and flavor from the grape skin.
