Wine By Nine

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.

Red Wine by Bernardus from Central Coast, California. Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3%Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec The Marinus Vineyard in upper Carmel Valley is planted with a blend of traditional Bordeaux varieties in separate blocks. These areas were identified as having distinct terroirs. Different planting and growing strategies are used with each block to develop components for blending in the final wine. The 2002 growing season was warm and sunny, but without any of our notorious and dreaded autumn heat-spikes, so the vintners were able to choose their picking days based on perfect ripeness levels. This provided an excellent balance of both ripe and bright fruit flavors. As always, the Marinus Vineyard was harvested block-by-block, varietal by varietal, according to ripening patterns over a four-week period. This growing season enabled the grapes to fully ripen with round tannins and moderate alcohol levels. The winery uses the traditional Bordelais method of destemming prior to fermentation and pumping over the tanks two to three times a day. Macerations last from ten to thirty days depending on the character of the grapes. After completing malolactic fermentation the new wine is transferred into small French oak barrels for sixteen months of aging. One half of the barrels are new oak to add dimensions of flavor and texture while respecting the character of the fruit. Complexity and balance of the wine is enhanced by the multiple lots from the different vineyard blocks. The last months before bottling the final blend is held in large oak upright tanks to encourage the integration of flavors.

Red Wine by Concannon from Central Coast, California. Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), Merlot (11%), Petite Sirah (4%), Petite Verdot (3%) The Limited Release Assemblage Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegantly structured, rich Cabernet Sauvignon which displays dark berry, cassis, cherry and chocolate flavors. This full-bodied wine exhibits some spiciness and earthy tones as well as mushroom and smoky influences. Oak aging softens the tannins for a long, intense finish. Enjoy with rare filet mignon, thyme encrusted pork tenderloin, balsamic grilled vegetables or dry-aged rib roast with sage jus.