This is the second vintage of our classic Bordeaux style blend which we have developed for the Blues Cuvee bottling.

This years’ blend is comprised of two of the traditional Bordeaux red varietals, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Due to a very small crop of Malbec at Rancho Sisquoc Vineyard, I was not able to secure any of that varietal for this blend.  Our vineyard sources were pared down to Westerly and Alisos vineyards for both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot lots.

The 2002 growing season was relatively normal in terms of weather.  The first grapes to be harvested were the Merlot at Westerly on September 23rd and the final grapes were harvested at Alisos Vineyard on October 17th.  The grapes were destemmed and fermented in our small open top tanks.  After an average of two weeks of fermentation the wines were pressed off to settle in a tank then racked to French oak barrels to begin their aging period.  The wines spent twenty one months in barrels before being blended and bottled in August 2004.

The wine has a beautiful aroma of dark cherries, plums and spices.  On the palate the wine is medium bodied with elegant flavors of red fruits with a hint of sweet vanillin and nutmeg.  The tannins are smooth but will enable the wine to age for another four to seven years in the bottle.

This wine will pair well with pork tenderloin with apple or orange reduction sauce or grilled wild game such as venison.

Rick Longoria, Winemaker
Release date:  October 1, 2004

Composition:  54% Cabernet Franc: Westerly: 30%
Alisos: 24%
46% Merlot: Westerly: 26%
Alisos: 20%

Alcohol by volume:  14.8%
Production:  460 cases
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