RUINART CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS

“The thing about champagne, you say, unfoiling the cork, unwinding the wire restraint, is that is the ultimate associative object. Every time you open a bottle of champagne, it’s a celebration, so there’s no better way of starting a celebration than opening a bottle of champagne. Every time you sip it, you’re sipping from all those other celebrations. The joy accumulates over time.” …. David Levithan (American Writer).

With an average retail price of $70 U.S., (though you can find it, occasionally in the $50s), I’ll concede this is not my everyday Champagne, albeit my favorite.  Ruinart is the oldest established Champagne house, exclusively producing champagne since 1729.  This “Blanc de Blancs” (white of white) is 100% Chardonnay.  Champagne, however, IS WINE and it presents itself, as does other wine, in many forms. “Blanc de Noirs” (White of Black – white wine from red grapes) can be a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, or simply Pinot Noir.  It may come as vintage or as a blend of several years (non-vintage).  And then there is the dosage – the measurement of sweetness injected into the wine after disgorgement that determines its finish as an unsweet to sweet dessert wine with gradients in-between.  So, while I must admit this Ruinart Blanc De Blancs is, for me, a special occasion wine, it is so only because of its price and my economic status.  Many Champagnes cost less (though, for me, few deliver more).

The point being, it is wrong to categorize Champagne (mind lock it) as celebration wine.  With all the styles in which Champagne may present itself, one could easily serve different styles of Champagne throughout each course of a grand meal: from the aperitif to and including dessert just as you do with wine.  It’s Champagne’s association with celebration that has stunted its sales growth here, limited its appreciation and given rise to that horrid image of pop, cheer and laugh as the wine foams out of the bottle and then gets served.  

In fact, Champagne’s natural acidity makes it a natural for food pairing.  Try a rose with salmon.  Try a Blanc de Blancs with chicken (even fried), oysters, creamy cheeses, shellfish, linguine with white clam sauce, caviar and appetizers containing caviar, salty foods and dishes made with cream sauces, steamed, fried or grilled seafood (as long as the sauce is not overpowering).

I recently enjoyed this wine with a “crab fest” of steamed King Crab Legs and Dungeness crab clusters, grilled shrimp, saffron dusted scallops (a mistake) and a spinach soufflé.   

SO WHY SHOULD YOU ENJOY THIS WINE?

To begin, Ruinart opens with a soft pssst, not a loud pop – the mark of well-made Champagne (be certain to chill any bottle so as to reduce the pressure when opening).  Pour this luminous, glistening Champagne – the color of golden straw – into the glass and notice that the mousse is not aggressive.  Such excessiveness – for me – just gets in the way.  No, everything about this Champagne is finessed. Bubbles are extremely fine and shockingly persistent, carrying to the glass’s rim all the aroma and palate pleasing tastes one could hope for.

The unique chalkiness of the soil that these Chardonnay vines grow in and the cool climate of the area assure perfect expression of the acidity in these grapes from Ruinart’s estate vineyards in Sillery and Brimont (the ancestral home of the Ruinart family) and from premiers crus only in the Cote des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. Using only the best of recent vintages, these are blended with 20-25% reserve wines.     

Ruinart maintains chalk quarries deep underground the city of Reims where the wine rests after first sitting on its lees for four years after the second fermentation.  The result is a crisp but rounded and creamy wine that is a study in elegance.  Malolactic conversion provides rich creaminess to the mouthfeel, but the wine remains crisp and cleansing.  For a Champagne, it is surprisingly full bodied, while yet being lightened by its citrus character and delicate mousse kept fresh with the most persistent of very fine bubbles.  On the nose: hints of toast, honey, butterscotch and almond play with notes of white flower and green apple.  The palate delights in brioche, lemon crème, and hazelnut.  Lychee adds an exotic touch. While apparent, none of these flavors are brutish, instead they are suggested.  A hint of cantaloupe? The fruit emerges through the sharp acidity which, itself, is opposed by amazing creaminess.

Other tasters refer to poached white peach, lemon meringue pie, angel food cake, butter cookie, lemon peel hints and jasmine.   Different words, I think, for essentially the same experience.  All appreciate the minerality in the finish of this wine.

If you still believe that Champagne is fit only for celebrating occasions, perhaps you’ll begin to consider that Champagne can make any occasion special and any meal an occasion. 

Sante!

……………. Jim

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ETCETERA:

Ruinart, founded by Nicolas Ruinart in the Champagne region in the city of Reims in 1729, is now owned by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy).

Ratings:  

James Suckling                  93

Wine Spectator:                 92

Wine Enthusiast:               92

Robert Parker:                   90

Awards

Munis Vini 2014:               Gold

Munis Vini 2015:               Silver

Munis Vini 2016:               Gold

Producer:                            Champagne Ruinart   ruinart.com

Imported By:                      Moet Hennessy USA, Inc. (NY, NY)

ALC:                                  12.5%

Dosage:                              8g (Brut)

CHATEAU GRAVILLE-LACOSTE GRAVES 2017

“Great wine is about nuance, surprise, subtlety, expression, qualities that keep you coming back for another taste.  Rejecting a wine because it is not big enough is like rejecting a book because it is not long enough, or a piece of music because it is not loud enough.”  —  Kermit Lynch   “Adventures on the Wine Route”.

Think of Bordeaux and wine in the same thought and likely it’s red wine that immediately comes to mind.  But if I include the words Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle next to Bordeaux, you’re likely to pause just a moment, and then try to remember the various white wine regions of France.  The whites of Bordeaux fell off our national attention span in the late 1980s.  And with some exceptions, the extraordinary price escalation of the region’s reds kept publicity focused on that color.   Add in that it’s such a global marketplace that even regions within the same country compete for our attention.  Sauvignon Blanc?  The Loire.  The Rhone produces delicious white wine.  So does Burgundy. So too does the Cotes du Roussillon and Alsace, as does Italy, Australia, Spain and the U.S.   It’s easy to forget that of “before” when so much of the “now” is pushed between our ears.

Plating With Fresh Dill, Organic Red Grapes,
Satsuma Mandarin & a Slice of Blood Orange.

So when I was putting together a very simple lunch recently and my “new” favorite white Rhone was out of stock, I brought along a very nice Cotes du Roussillon instead.  But it wasn’t nice enough.  More expensive, yes. But not acidic enough to be palate cleansing with a simple lunch of salmon and cream cheese on bread with various accompaniments.  My brother came to the rescue with this Graves from his collection.  More specifically: a white wine of Herve Dubourdieu of Chateau Graville-Lacoste in the Graves AOC.  Not Sauternes or Barsac or the Loire, but Graves – how easy to have forgotten and how sad to have done so.  And thanks to Herve Dubourdieu and my brother, Bill, who rescued the lunch.

A dry white, with delicious minerality and cleansing acidity, the Chateau Graville-Lacoste is unusual in its proportion of Semillon (75%) in the blend. It’s finished with 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.  Fermented to dryness, the wine finishes crisp and cleansing, pairing well against the oily Salmon and fat of the cream cheese while yet remaining rounded.  Fruity, with some herbal character, the wine offers lychee, citrus zest and lemongrass opposed by baked apple and lemon butter in a Wallenda of balance.   Its ARP is $19. What’s not to like about this?

I’d like to enjoy this wine again, paired with a platter of seafood: crab, shrimp, oysters and scallops, maybe some broiled and crusted white fish along with a green salad and a crusty baguette.  Pair it also with cheddar or several semi-soft cheeses., but try it.  Not something I instinctively thought would do well with Cheddar, I later made some flourless gnocchi and a sauce of various aged cheddar along with crumbled bacon and broccoli and paired it with this wine.  It was delicious. In your quest for new regions and varietals, perhaps you’ve been away from the whites of Bordeaux for too long and it’s time to reacquaint yourself with them.  They might just surprise you with nuance, subtlety, and an expressive quality that will keep you coming back for another taste.                            

Sante!

…………. Jim

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Winemizer.net does not accept any advertisements, nor is it affiliated with any winery, vineyard, importer or distributor.  You may be assured that any opinions are not economically biased (though they may not be appropriate to your individual and unique palate.

TECH SPECS & ETC:

Varietals:                     Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc & Muscadelle (see Above)

Appelation:                       Graves, Bordeaux, France

Soil:                                  Clay & Limestone on Fissured Rock

Age of Vines:                   45-48 Years

Vinification & Aging:      Stainless, 6 Months

Bottled Unfiltered

ARP:                                 $19 U.S.

ALC:                                 12%

Imported By:                     Kermit Lynch* (See Quote Above)

                                                                            

LYNFRED WINERY’S 2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

“Wine is like a liquid representation of who [the winemakers] are and what makes them tick. It's also all about making memories. Your olfactory senses are intrinsically linked to memory, so when you're sharing a bottle of wine, and then having it again, you're dredging up memories. And for me that's just a super romantic, beautiful, poetic thing.” …. Brie Roland, "How to Drink Wine Without Looking Dumb or Going Broke"

Thanks go out to the winemakers at Lynfred Winery (Andres Basso previously of Concha y Toro and Rodrigo Gonzalez with experience from Casa Lapostolle) for producing this 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon.  In the process, they unknowingly saved my dinner.  Having some basil pesto made and saved from my summer’s harvest, I prepared wild caught, pink shrimp and finished them in warmed pesto.  Some spiralized zucchini with aglio y olio finished with grated Parmesan Reggiano and a petite filet mignon basted in herbed compound butter completed the meal.    

It was one of those rare occurrences where everything came out nicely.  The problem was the wine. I had at the ready a red blend from Napa Valley assuming my guest would prefer it. She didn’t, nor did I. Much too fruit forward.  But I had a backup: a Barbaresco – no expense spared. An Italian Nebbiolo against a meal structured to be somewhat Italian should work. And actually, it was delicious but didn’t pair well against the filet.  Not taking any chances, I also had the Lynfred 2015 opened.  The Cab happened to be their monthly release (December).  Cab works, of course, with beef.  But shrimp?  Well, I had the bottle anyway, so “no harm”.  A Somm at Lynfred (now at a satellite location though still with the winery) talked of pairing Cab with lobster and it was a standing disagreement between us.   Now I think he’s on to something. Then again, I’m not sure I would sauce a lobster with pesto.

The reason for the red blend was that my guest often finds Cabernet Sauvignon too tannic.  But this rendering of Lynfred’s (90% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10 % Merlot) was eminently drinkable.  Sourced from the Jones Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope of Washington and Lodi (Central Valley California) and vinified at the Roselle (Illinois) winery, the Cab was not tannic (which was my guest’s concern).  And with Washington fruit, the wine was better restrained; for me – more elegant, when blended, than the heavier and too fruit-sweet wine of the more prestigious area within California.  My concern with Lodi grown grapes has subsided over the years, tasting what Zinfandels this appellation has produced.  With 110,000 acres in size and producing more wine grapes that any other California appellation, Lodi’s claim to fame was also its marketing “boat anchor”.  Bigger is not best.  And bigger, by definition, means numerous micro-climates, plots of different soil, and different exposure within the behemoth AVA.  An experience that delivers less than expected blemishes the entire appellation.  (Another reason for more earnestly considering dividing this appellation).

A Glass I Enjoyed (And Yes, Paid For)
While Doing "Research" At
The Winery

As I like to say, “What’s inside the bottle” tells a better story (when selecting from such an appellation) than what’s on the label. And what’s in this bottle is – and worked – perfectly.  Cassis, green pepper, cherry on the nose in a wine that appears deep garnet in the glass.  Forrest berries and baking spice on the palate. Some grip makes itself evident, though moderated and the tannins soften and gentle even more with air.  Air, not needing to be excessive, is nonetheless this wine’s friend.  Decant and appreciate aromas that now add violet and sweet tobacco (unlit cigar) to those already mentioned. Add in slight hints of mocha, vanilla and black pepper.  The taste benefits also with the addition of blueberry, toasted oak, cedar and dark (unsweet but not bitter) chocolate.

And then there is the spice.  Not spice as in “hot”.  Spice as in “tasty”.  In fact, this wine is made so deliciously complex with spice that I continue to buy and taste bottles of it to better understand.  The winery’s promo refers to “sage,” but I find it much more complex and intriguing. In fact, one of the reasons I so enjoy this wine is its spice:  enjoyable while yet being difficult to narrow down.  Clove, black licorice, black pepper intermingled with vegetative tastes of green bell pepper and eucalyptus and dried green tea.

But I’m getting lost in describing this wine without getting to the point that it served so well against the shrimp in pesto. Cleansing and complimentary.  The acidity cleansing the palate of the oil in the pesto, the wine’s spice complimenting the basil, cheese and spice used in making it.  I so enjoyed this wine that I will be making this dish again as an excuse to open another bottle and revel in its complex spice.  Needless to say, it paired well against the petite filet mignon, but that was no surprise. Thanks, Lynfred.  I suspect whenever I open a bottle of your 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, I’ll remember the moment.

Cheers!

……………..Jim

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Lynfred Winery           http://www.lynfredwinery.com/

15 S Roselle Rd

Roselle, IL 60172

(630) 529-9463

Tastings Rooms Also in: Wheaton, Naperville and Wheeling

TECH SPECS & ETC:

Sourcing:         See Above

Blend:              See Above

Brix:                 24.5

Aging:              American Oak, 24 Months

RS:                   0.4%

Ph:                   3.7

TA:                   6.75 g/L

Cases Produced: 507

Release Date:  12/1/2018 (See Note)

NOTE:

Lynfred’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon will be available to the general public on March 1, 2019 priced at $25.25.   It is available presently to members of either the “New Release” or “Red Wine” club and discounted at $20.

 

JAYSON (PAHLMEYER) RED WINE NAPA VALLEY 2010

“Wine enters through the mouth, Love, the eyes. I raise the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, I sigh.”  ― William Butler Yeats

I’m sorry WSET.  At my age and with my eyesight, I can’t see the difference between Deep Purple, Ruby, Garnet or Tawny.  (I’m going with Garnet on this one).  But looking at Jayson’s 2010 red wine Napa Valley, I can tell that it paints the glass with Napa Valley color.  Rich, ripe juice with deep fruit that is so particular to and characteristic of Napa Valley.  Decadent. So deep it absorbs light like velvet without a sheen.  It is one of my “markers” in blind tastings even before inhaling the wine’s aroma.

If you’re a fan of Napa juice, this may be your chosen glass.  At 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s only 3% shy of being eligible to be labeled as such.  Merlot makes up 17% with 6% from Cabernet Franc and the 5% being made up from Malbec.  The significant percentage of Merlot softens the blend allowing for the wine’s drinkability on release. It is produced and bottled by Pahlmeyer in Oakville, California and modeled after the blends of Bordeaux, if you accept that Napa can model Bordeaux.

Pahlmeyer is one of those names that causes heads to turn and draws “oohs and aahs” in the trade.  “Jayson” wines are created from declassified Pahlmeyer lots, a concept that began in Bordeaux in the 18^th century as a means of using high quality lots not chosen for a chateau’s premier wines. Some wineries may attach an initial and the numeral “2” as an indication on the label when doing this.  Others (particularly in France) will use different names entirely with little indication on the label that the wine has been declassified (so you may not know it is attached to the famous estate).  In “Jayson,” all the grapes for this wine are grown and vinified by the same standards as for Pahlmeyer wines.    

“Jayson” was awarded 90 points from Wine Spectator, commenting that the wine was “… pure, rich and persistent, displaying a vivid core of blackberry, expresso, vanilla bean and dried herb notes.”   I didn’t get the expresso, but enjoyed brown spice that they did not mention.

 Whatever you detect, I encourage you to decant this wine and save a remainder for the second day.  In my tasting (the first day) I decanted a half bottle, allowed it to air for just under two hours and thought the nose to be all berry dominant.  This was enhanced with hints of allspice and clove. The taste was all rich and ripe berry (black) fruit with cassis underlying.   The texture was syrupy and glycerin-like; the wine full-bodied.  As a “Bordeaux”, it lacked (for me) the dust and earthiness of “old world” wine.  Although dry, it was not “chewy.”  In fact, it gave me a “sweet” impression from its level of sun-drenched, warm weather fruit ripeness.  Tannins were so smooth they were absorbed into the fruit. All this is intended to be descriptive, not critical.  If you find red wine, in general, too dry or your special guest does, again – this could be the wine you want in your glass.

On the second day, the wine developed more complexity: adding notes of plum. And the berry notes became more blackberry compote-like incorporating notes of pastry. Allspice and clove were retained, joined by a whisper of pepper.  Most interesting was a taste of unsweetened cherry on the finish that remained on the palate throughout the long finish extended by spot-on acidity.  But all palates are personal and correct for the person owning them.  Notes from the winemaker refer to a flavor of sun-warmed figs. I didn’t get that.  Nor did I get the references to “expresso.”

What I got was a rich and supple, easy drinking wine that presents itself elegantly and with a luscious mouthfeel.   

Cheers!

…………….. Jim

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Winemizer.net does not accept any advertisements, nor is it affiliated with any winery, vineyard, importer or distributor.  You may be assured that any opinions are not economically biased (though they may not be appropriate to your individual and unique palate.

ETCETERA

Jayson-Pahlmeyer Winery:          https://www.pahlmeyer.com/

811 St Helena Hwy South

St Helena, CA 94574

(707) 255-2321

ALC:                                                       15.2%

ARP:                                                       $55 (Current Vintages

J ROCHIOLI 2016 “SOUTH RIVER” CHARDONNAY

"I would happily die with a bottle of white burgundy in my mouth." ....Julia Child

Take a ride with me aboard my time machine, leaving the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, and travelling forward back to 2016 – forty years later and two years ago in September.   That’s when the Chardonnay grapes, grown adjacent to the South River (Russian River Valley sub-AVA) on Rochioli’s estate (in Sonoma, California) were harvested and began their own time journey into becoming wine. 

I tasted this wine side-by-side with a 2013 Meursault (in the Cote de Beaune, France).  Admittedly, not the fairest comparison.  The vintage of 2013 from that region was rated 90 by Wine Spectator and 94 by Wine Enthusiast. Neither publication has yet rated Sonoma’s 2016 Chardonnay vintage. Allowing for time allows for development.  And Tom Rochioli estimated a cellaring period of five to six years for his “South River” Chardonnay, a single-vineyard selection through not his most pricey.  Generally, it’s accepted that white burgundies will have a longer life.  The Meursault’s anticipated cellaring maximum, for example, was eleven years.

Then again, this is not about cellaring.  It’s about taste. And, in that sense, we  (I and another taster) were certainly not doing a validated test for the industry, nor was that our intention.  So what was the point?  It was, based on my assumption, that if you were invited to a dinner in which Chardonnay would be an appropriate wine to enjoy with the meal and you wanted to impress – it’s my assumption that you would bring a French wine and not one from California. 

Is that always the right choice?  France has history. Imports have cache, and France has them both. France’s reputation of producing quality wine has been rightfully earned.  But assuming one is always better carries with it the assumption that the other is always less. We attempted to keep things reasonably equal for this comparison.  So, Le Montrachet was “out.”  The Meursault was from a well-respected winery and vineyard (and will remain unnamed) and of comparable price (the Meursault was $6 less, average retail price).   

The photo here of each wine as it appeared in the glass is a good starting point.  After sniffing and tasting, each wine could be identified. But they were so close, on the nose and on the palate also, as to prove the understanding of subtle difference by definition.  On the first sampling of Rochioli’s “South River,” aromas of oak and burnt butterscotch were forward but with air, lemon brightened the presentation.    

The palate of the “South River” was more involved (our opinion). The oak was apparent, but now subservient to lychee and green apple.  Notes of almond announced.  Lemon was hinted.  As the wine warmed, apricot became present.

This is, perhaps, less a review of “South River” than a comparison of this Chardonnay from Rochioli in Sonoma to that of the Meursault in France.  The natural question, then, is “What’s the difference?”  The answer is “not much” but important to some palates. On the second day, again tasting side-by-side, it seemed the “South River” emphasized lemon on the nose, while the Meursault was still dominated by smoke.  The “South River” (while presenting only slight differences) was brighter: more citrus, more buttery lemon. It may have been a mind trick, based on acidity, but the “South River” had a somewhat zippier body.  I wondered, had the barrel toast not been so heavy on the “South River”?  The Meursault seemed weightier with oak. (I learned later that “South River” was aged nine months; the Meursault was fermented 100% in wood and aged 15 months). And the lemon in the Meursault was less integrated.  It was weighted down with toasted oak and browned butter. Notes of bitter orange were enjoyable, but opposed by a posse of the heavier notes of smoke and oak.

So what?

That’s for you to decide.  After all, there are those who prefer Chardonnay fermented and aged in steel only.  I belong to the camp of believers that wine should pair with the meal so I enjoy both styles (which includes blends of juice aged in steel and wood).  What’s interesting is that our little, unscientific test resulted in both of us preferring the “South River” from Rochioli.  As a confirmed Francophile, I found that surprising.  I suspect it has to do with the wine being (our opinion) better balanced, lighter, brighter and zippier.  Though oak was apparent, it was restrained enough to prevent the wine from being overpowered by it.

For the detectives out there wondering how a taste could be blind with only two people, I mention that my companion switched the glasses however times she did after I left the room.  She had no idea which glass was from which country as they were poured without her being present.  And, as you saw from the top photo, it would be difficult to visually discern which was which anyway.  We selected by number and the bottles (put away) had been numbered.

Several philosophers have opined along the lines of “No prophet (being) accepted in his home town”.  If there is a moral to this rant, it is this:  Yes, there are certain grapes (Malbec, Sangiovese and others) that are extremely sensitive to the area in which they are grown and I totally accept the reality of terroir.   But Chardonnay is called an international grape for a reason.  It is also the most malleable and that which is most influenced by the winemaker’s election regarding its vinification.  But most importantly, this rant is about assumptions.   Yours.  Wine is an on-going pleasure and assumptions about quality (without on-going tasting over the years) will limit the joy of your wine experience.  You’ll have denied acknowledging how your palate may have changed; how the industry in your own country has changed. You’ll be stuck in a time machine with a dead battery. 

Cheers!

……………..Jim

Follow and “Like” Wine Mizer on Facebook for mini-reviews, industry news and more.

Winemizer.net does not accept any advertisements, nor is it affiliated with any winery, vineyard, importer or distributor.  You may be assured that any opinions are not economically biased (though they may not be appropriate to your individual and unique palate.

Note: “South River” is a limited production, single-vineyard made wine and unlikely to be available at retail though it may be obtained at auction on-line.  “Single vineyard” wines from here and elsewhere, despite being of the same varietal, will produce wines with different nuances.  However, a good place to start with Rochioli’s Chardonnay  is with their “Estate” label.  The 2016 Estate Chardonnay, for example, was rated 91 Points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and is available at most large wine retailers.  

PAIRING THE WINE?

Lobster, scallops and chicken, especially roast chicken, Dijon-tarragon cream chicken, chicken Kiev.  Fish cakes. Eggs Benedict. Veggies with a béarnaise sauce.  Turbot. Grilled veal chops with mushrooms (great with mushrooms).   Pumpkin filled ravioli or lasagna made with butternut squash and white sauce. I made Chilean Sea Bass with an orange-lemon-butter sauce, roasted, then finished with threads of saffron and garnished with citrus rinds. Enjoyed with a green vegetable and baked rings of acorn squash drizzled with pure maple syrup and filled with pecans and baked apple pieces.

For other reviews of J. Rochioli Wines see: https://www.winemizer.net/2018/08/rochioli-vineyards-rose-of-pinot-n-oir.html

Also:  https://www.winemizer.net/2018/04/j-rochioli-russian-river-valley-old.html

And:   https://www.winemizer.net/2014/12/j-rochioli-three-corner-pinot-noir-2010.html

TECH SPECS  & ETC. (South River):

Rochioli Vineyards & Winery:                      http://www.rochioliwinery.com/

6192 Westside Rd.

Healdsburg, CA 95448

(707) 433-2305                 

Varietal:               Chardonnay, 100%

Vines’ Age:         26 Years

Soil:                     Yolo: very deep, alluvial, well drained & from mixed rocks.

Date Picked:       September 7, 2016

Days Fermented:  Primary, 10.  Malolactic, 20

Type:                    Whole cluster, no skin contact, pressed directly to barrel

Barrels:                 60 gallon, 100% French, 30% new, Aged Sur Lie

Aging:                   9 months

Acidity:                 .62gm/100ml

Ph:                         3.50

ALC:                     14.5%

Cases Produced:    223

Rating:                   94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

ARP:                      N/A