Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Verite from Sonoma County, California. French for joy, La Joie emphasizes Cabernet Sauvignon and represents a Pauillac-style wine. The wine is deep purple in color, spicy and intense in the nose, with density and structure from its Cabernet Sauvignon dominance. A saturated dense purple color emerges from the 2003 La Joie. A blend of 75.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.8% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, it offers up smoky, sweet scents of lead pencil shavings, cedar, spice box, volcanic earth, black currants, and smoke. With excellent fruit, full-bodied power, a layered texture, and an exceptionally long finish, it is not as accessible and plump as La Muse, and will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age. It should drink well for 20-25 years. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 95 Points

Red Wine by Dominus from Napa Valley, California. The 2004 blend is comprised of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. No Merlot was used in the blend this year. The 2004 vintage is deep red in color, with an intense nose of vanilla, black currants and cedar. The elegant integration of the tannins and fruit is noticed immediately. Flavors of warm mulled spices on the mid-palate complement the balanced and complex structure. The long, aromatic finish exhibits notes of leather and cardamom. The wine is charming and fragrant, and will age gracefully. It is recommended that this wine be decanted prior to serving, to allow it to develop its full potential. This is especially important when serving young Dominus wines. This very generous and well-ripened offering starts out with an involving display of cherries, cassis, herbs, sweet oak and loam in its deep and decidedly complex aromas, and it follows with equally wide-ranging flavors that show a real sense of layering and plenty of depth. Ripe, but always in balance and firmed by a good dose of youthful tannins, this latest Dominus bottling is among the winery's very best efforts ever, and it is certain to get better yet over the next decade. -Connoisseurs' Guide

Red Wine by Mount Veeder from Napa Valley, California. This fabulous mountain Cabernet blend is hefty in tannins, but its so delicious and balanced, it's totally dinkable now... - Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection This wine expresses the lush, concentrated fruit character of the Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the steep terraced slopes of our mountain estate. Refined tannins add texture and depth to the intense blackberry flavors of the wine.

Red Wine by Mount Veeder from Napa Valley, California. Mount Veeder was the first winery in California to have one vineyard planted to all five Bordeaux varietals. The Mount Veeder Reserve is an elegant statement of the winemaking philosophy that blending creates a wine more than the sum of its parts. Crafted from small lots of exceptionally concentrated fruit from our three ranches, this distinctive red wine is the essence of power and finesse. Blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 3% Malbec Appearance: Dark garnet red Aroma: Very dense and brambly. The dark black fruit is complemented by sweet anise, sage, bay and toasty oak notes. Flavor: Rich, supple and dense, loaded with dark blackberry fruit and ripe mountain tannin. Chewy, big-boned and intense, the flavors fill the pallet and continue with blackberry and coffee notes rounding out the long finish.

Red Wine by Chateau St. Jean from Sonoma County, California. Cinq Cepages (Five Varieties) is a Bordeaux-style blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Merlot (9%), Cabernet Franc (7%), Malbec (4%), and Petit Verdot (3%). Each component is aged separately for two years in small French oak barrels (47% new) before blending. Once the wine is assembled, it spends six months in the bottle before release. Inviting aromas of boysenberry and violet define the nose of this flagship Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. A rich and dense entry begins with layers of black raspberry, mocha and hints of blueberry. The palate offers a graceful balance between fruit extract and fine-grained tannins. This deep, concentrated wine has a classic Cinq Cepages structure with beautiful oak integration and a lushness throughout that leads to a lingering finish. - Margo Van Staaveren, Winemaker

Red Wine by Chateau St. Jean from Sonoma County, California. Just beautiful California claret. -Wine Enthusiast Cinq Cepages (Five Varieties) is a Bordeaux-style blend consisting of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot. Each component is aged separately for two years in small French oak barrels (56% new) before blending. Once the wine is assembled, it spends six months in the bottle before release. Fruit for this Cabernet Sauvignon was selected from the finest Bordeaux variety vineyards in Sonoma County: 60% from Alexander Valley, 15% from Sonoma Valley, 15% from Knights Valley, 6% from Russian River Valley and 4% Dry Creek Valley to assemble a wine that showcases Sonoma County. The Alexander Valley grapes highlight bright berry with back notes of dried herbs, while the Sonoma Valley fruit is from the St. Jean Estate Vineyard, and brings black and dense mountain fruit to the blend. The Knights Valley fruit adds a firm mouthfeel and pronounced tannins and the Dry Creek Valley grapes tend toward dark, dense black cherry and berry fruit flavors with a rich mouthfeel. The Russian River Valley brings exotic aromas and lush textures to complete the blend. A classic Cinq Cepages, the 2003 vintage offers the signature chocolate-covered cherry and boysenberry aromas that have come to define this flagship Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. Lush, elegant and gracefully balanced, the wine delivers sweet plum and dark berry flavors and an exotic floral note that wraps around big, juicy tannins. This highly concentrated wine has beautiful oak integration and a lushness throughout that leads to a lingering finish.

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 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 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 HdV from Carneros, California. Varietals: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon A seductive, complex nose of mature black fruit and spice tease the senses. In the mouth, layers of rich fruit flavors combined with cinnamon and peppery spices lead to a deep and vibrant finish. A wine of purity and density with elegant and soft tannins, Hyde Vineyards trademark acidity carries the wine from start to finish assuring its longevity. The 2003 HdV Red needs decanting at an early age or to be opened at least an hour before serving. The wine should continue to improve for another six to ten years. It will be a great addition to grilled steak, filet mignon, venison or quail.

Red Wine by Justin from Central Coast, California. The 2005 Isosceles is dark purple with a slight crimson overtone around the rim. Aromas of boysenberry, leather, mocha, mint and cassis combine with light layers of caramel and vanilla resulting from the extended oak aging. A soft, fruit forward, elegant entry segues into a mid palate with length and complexity. Seamless, integrated tannins marry with ripe fruit, and flavors of coffee, butterscotch and hint of pencil lead on the finish of this wine. The 2005 Isosceles is very young, and will continue to evolve from now through 2025.