AVVA Cigars & Wine Featured Wine
Our featured wine is the Ghost Pines Merlot, a blend of Napa and Sonoma California County grapes. This wine fairly drenches the palate with fruity, lightly spicy flavor on a sturdy base of richness, complexity and balance. Specializing in very well developed blended wines from various American Viticultural Areas, Ghost Pines delivers a Merlot that is sure to surprise and please.
Ghost Pines is a second label of Louis M. Martini, reserved for wines of multiple AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), in this case Napa and Sonoma, which is actually nothing new for Louis Martini, a Napa winery that has owned vineyards in Sonoma and Lake County for decades. The fruit is explosive -- cherries, blackberries and plum with an integrated layer of spice (cinnamon, clove, vanilla, fennel), superb balance, contained tannin, and great vibrancy that resonates from the nose through to the long, satisfying finish.
From the winemakers notes:
This blend is a true "winemaker's blend" of 60% Napa and 40% Sonoma county wines that gets its "Shoulders" from the Sonoma County grapes, giving it a broad, strong base for the subtler nuances of the Napa Valley fruit to be balanced on. The grapes for Ghost Pines Merlot are gently delivered whole-berry to the fermenter, eliminating harsh bitterness while maximizing fresh fruit characters. Upon arrival, the grapes are inoculated with Bordeaux yeast strain, optimal for the fermentation of premium Merlot. Fermentation completed in an average of 8 days with temperatures not exceeding 88-F, producing clean, expressive Merlot character. To create a more complex mouthfeel, 100% of their Merlot completed malolactic fermentation, contributing a complex texture to the already deep, layered flavors.
This wine is a great example of modern, "Out of the box" winemaking yet still retains the grace and elegance of classic vintages Be sure to come by the shop, pick up a bottle or two and enjoy a very unique wine.
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Our featured wine is the Ghost Pines Merlot, a blend of Napa and Sonoma California County grapes. This wine fairly drenches the palate with fruity, lightly spicy flavor on a sturdy base of richness, complexity and balance. Specializing in very well developed blended wines from various American Viticultural Areas, Ghost Pines delivers a Merlot that is sure to surprise and please.
Ghost Pines is a second label of Louis M. Martini, reserved for wines of multiple AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), in this case Napa and Sonoma, which is actually nothing new for Louis Martini, a Napa winery that has owned vineyards in Sonoma and Lake County for decades. The fruit is explosive -- cherries, blackberries and plum with an integrated layer of spice (cinnamon, clove, vanilla, fennel), superb balance, contained tannin, and great vibrancy that resonates from the nose through to the long, satisfying finish.
From the winemakers notes:
This blend is a true "winemaker's blend" of 60% Napa and 40% Sonoma county wines that gets its "Shoulders" from the Sonoma County grapes, giving it a broad, strong base for the subtler nuances of the Napa Valley fruit to be balanced on. The grapes for Ghost Pines Merlot are gently delivered whole-berry to the fermenter, eliminating harsh bitterness while maximizing fresh fruit characters. Upon arrival, the grapes are inoculated with Bordeaux yeast strain, optimal for the fermentation of premium Merlot. Fermentation completed in an average of 8 days with temperatures not exceeding 88-F, producing clean, expressive Merlot character. To create a more complex mouthfeel, 100% of their Merlot completed malolactic fermentation, contributing a complex texture to the already deep, layered flavors.
This wine is a great example of modern, "Out of the box" winemaking yet still retains the grace and elegance of classic vintages Be sure to come by the shop, pick up a bottle or two and enjoy a very unique wine.