1998 Reserve Blend
1998 Reserve Blend
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Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Winemaker’s Comments
Winemaker’s Comments
Warm leathery, spicy and toasty aromas dominate the nose with hints of dried cherries and red currants. The attack is polished and mouth-filling with a lively acid backbone of support. Fruit flavors of black cherry and plum mingle with nuances of cedar, cinnamon and dry cocoa. The finish lingers and the overall impression is that of a 1st- or 2nd-growth Bordeaux. Decant 1-2 hours before service. Care should be taken when removing the cork. I recommend using a compression type 'ah-so' cork puller.
Additional Notes
Additional Notes
After a wet winter, the growing season began late with heavy rain and storms lasting into mid-June. Spring was late with bud break about a month behind the previous year. Intermittent rain during late May and June, right in the middle of bloom, caused “shatter” in many blocks. It is partially to blame for the low yields of 1998 reds. Despite the cool June, the weather warmed up in July, but the grapes remained unusually late developing. Verasion was irregular and ripening came very late – 30 to 40 days later than the previous year. This uneven ripening meant that we often could not pick a whole block at once. Instead, we marked the slower ripening areas of the block, passed over them, then returned. Luckily, the weather in September and October was clear and the grapes ripened fully in the cool autumn weather. We finished picking during the second week of November, over six weeks later than in 1997.
