Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Source Napa from Napa Valley, California. Paramount is exemplary of Napa at its finest. This premier red is a bold blend of fruit from several distinguished Napa Valley vineyards. These sites have been chosen as they have historically produced exceptional grapes, all unique and expressive of their particular place within the valley. At the core of the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon from both mountainside (Diamond Mtn) and the Family Home knoll-top (Oakville); Merlot comes from the Mayacamas foothills behind St. Helena; Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from the slopes of Spring Mountain. Outstanding as these wines are alone, judiciously blended they come together to create a wine much greater than the sum of its parts. The rich aromas of graham cracker and toasted walnut mingle with game, plum, cola and black olive. A strong line of acidity helps to keep the rich palate in balance and supports both the juicy red fruits and the dark smoky flavors. Blackberry, tar and black licorice linger on the persistent finish. Paramount is a full bodied, well structured wine bursting with layer upon layer of flavor. Enjoy the long satisfying finish. Once opened the wine will evolve and give enjoyment for many hours. It will continue to develop in the bottle over the next 3-5 years. Enjoy with red meats (especially steaks), lamb and hard cheeses.

Red Wine by Col Solare from Columbia Valley, Washington. Col Solare is a winemaking partnership between Tuscany's Marchesi Antinori and Washington state's Chateau Ste. Michelle that began in the vineyards of the Columbia Valley with Piero Antinori's on-going attraction to unique viticultural regions. In 1990, Piero made his first trip to the Columbia Valley. Impressed by the quality and diversity of Washington wines, Antinori began discussing a partnership with Chateau Ste. Michelle that would challenge them both to step out of their own proven perspective to achieve something new. The idea took hold, and Col Solare was born with the 1995 vintage. Grapes were gently crushed and pumped over twice daily during a ten-day fermentation. At dryness, a portion of the wine went through an extended maceration of about two weeks to increase extract. We moved the wine with gravity into new and one-year-old French oak barrels; each barrel was racked periodically throughout 22 months of barrel aging. Sensational chocolate and caramel aromas join with an earthy note and a hint of tobacco to introduce a wine with generous black currant and black cherry set off by a trace of allspice. Silky with both abundant, soft tannins and plenty of muscle, this is a wine of significant dimension. ...The terrific 2002 Col Solare is unquestionably the finest to date. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 20% Syrah, it explodes from the glass with aromas of black fruits, tar, and licorice... -Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Almaviva from Chile, South America. Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Fragrant and aristocratic nose, with notes of cherries, blackberries and cigar box. Smooth tannins and the sweetness of bitter chocolate.

Red Wine by Ch?teau Beau-Sejour B?cot from St-Emilion, France - Bordeaux. Very grapey and fresh on the nose, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a complex, subtle aftertaste of vanilla, blueberry and cream. Long and refined. Best after 2012. Wine Spectator 92 points A strong effort from the Becot family, this blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a saturated dense ruby/purple color, sweet notes of creme de cassis, cherries, earth, and subtle herbs, a spicy, medium to full-bodied, soft, opulent style, and a fleshy, long finish. Enjoy this hedonistic yet complex wine over the next 12-15 years. Just under 6,000 cases were produced. Robert Parker - Wine Advocate 91 points

Red Wine by Vilafonte from South Africa. Series C. This wine is made from the most intense, powerful wines from the vineyard; very deep concentrated fruit; a predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc with some Malbec/Merlot to round it out. It has a high percentage of restrained new oak which integrates well with the fruit. It has great length. Cabernet Sauvignon 82% Merlot 9% Cabernet Franc 7% Malbec 2%

Red Wine by St. Supery from Napa Valley, California. Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec The fruit for this red blend was harvested during the cool hours of early morning to maximize fresh flavors. Crush occurred in St. Supery's cellar prior to fermentation and maceration on the skins, after which the wines were drained and pressed to barrels for maturation. After a year in predominantly French oak, a preliminary blend was created and that blended wine put back into barrel in order to begin the process of marrying the flavors of the component varietals. Another twelve months later, the wines went through final evaluation to complete the blend. From the out start the 2003 El? is an amazing wine, there is great depth of both aroma and flavor. The wine begins with hints of cocoa, blackberries and toasted oak. Upon further investigation, one picks up kirsch and black cherries. Elegant, supple and gracefully balanced, and finishing with a lively burst of ripe fruit and supple tannins. Drink now through 2013.

Red Wine by Cheval des Andes from Argentina, South America. A joint venture between Terrazas de Los Andes and Chateau Cheval Blanc, this wine is a groundbreaking blend of legendary Bordeaux First Growth winemaking expertise with the very best terroir in Argentina. The result is a New World Grand Cru: refined, subtle and complex. Color: Deep black cherry with mauve glints on the rim. Aroma: Upon agitating, dried apricots and floral notes mix with warm scents of tobacco, red berry fruit macerated in brandy, cherry stones and homemade jam, together with cedar-wood, bay leaves and chocolate. Palate: Opens on the palate warm and balanced, with freshness and minerals coming through on the mid-palate, along with black currant, spices and almond. Highly integrated, sweet tannins mingle with a long and elegant finish.

Red Wine by Sena from Chile, South America. The 2003 Se?a reflects the best of the Aconcagua Valley. Fruit-forward and lush, it is full of blueberry, blackberry, cherry, and licorice aromas balanced by smoky notes and vanilla from its French oak aging. The mouth-feel is soft and luxurious, full of sweet ripe tannins and a finish that lingers long on the palate. This wine is delightful today, but will improve in the bottle over the next ten years for even greater pleasure in the future. Food pairings: Roasts, grilled meats, game, duck, beef.

Red Wine by Sena from Chile, South America. The 2002 Se\\xF1a captures the essential elements of the Se\\xF1a style: perfect balance, ripe fruit, complexity on the nose and elegance on the palate. Black cherry, blackberry and blueberry are accented by spicy notes of sandalwood and cedar, with rich undertones of freshly turned earth and cocoa. The aging in new French oak contributed integrated notes of whole vanilla bean and toast. Spicy, chalky tannins create a lively sensation on the palate. The wine fills the mouth on entry and carries through to a long finish. The big tannin structure should allow the wine to age very well and continue to gain in complexity for at least ten years. Food Match: roasts, grilled meats, game, duck, beef.

Red Wine by Von Strasser from Napa Valley, California. Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot,4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc The Sori Bricco Vineyard is one of the pioneer vineyards in the AVA, planted in 1968. The wine is extremely dark and extracted with tremendous depth and concentration. The aromas are of coffee, black fruit, licorice, chocolate, and eucalyptus. Very chewy and viscous on the palate, with flavors of black raspberry, tar and earthiness with a long and impeccably balanced finish.

Red Wine by Stonestreet from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% Merlot, 3.5% Petit Verdot The 2003 Legacy is the fourteenth release of this Bordeaux-style varietal blend. With this vintage, five lots of wine were selcted from estate vineyards in the eastern mountains and hills enclosing the southern end of the Alexander Valley. Elevation holds the key to this wine's combination of boldness and elegance: more than 80% of the grapes used to make this wine were grown at elevations of at least 2,000 feet. Most of the Cabernet Sauvignon was chosen from selected blocks planted at 2,400 feet on Alexander Mountain Estate. A serious Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend from Alexander Valley. Classic, acid and tannin structure with a full dense core. Red currants, cherries, earthy dust and a dense cocoa, dark chocolate, ripe plums, blackberries, bright and pure. Balanced, full and elegant. Graham Weerts, Winemaker

Red Wine by Ch?teau Duhart-Milon from Bordeaux, France - Bordeaux. Dark in color, almost black, with beautiful aromas of spices, blackberry and milk chocolate. Full-bodied and very silky, yet tannic, with a wonderful texture. This is long and caressing. Gorgeous. Best after 2015. -Wine Spectator The 2005 Duhart-Milon is not far behind the 2003 (which I rated 94 points). A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, it reflects the fact that the Rothschilds and their administrator, Charles Chevalier, have been making a major effort to increase quality at this property. Firm and structured, with a deep ruby/purple color and hints of graphite, black currants, licorice, smoke, and earth, it possesses a textured, rich, pure center, strong tannins, and real elegance as well as length. Four to six years of bottle age will be required, and it should last for 20-25 years. -Wine Advocate 90-92