Wine Review: Tasting Wines of BlackStone of Sonoma County
By Marisa D'Vari | November 29th, 2009 | Category: Wine reviews | No Comments »
Blackstone Merlot
Sometimes I get so caught up in my studies of the Old World I discover it has been months since I've sipped wine from the new world, especially California. Winemaker Gary Sitton of Blackstone Winery in Sonoma sent me some of his new releases ...
The Pinot Noir 2007 ($20) is rich and expressive on the nose of sharp red fruit on the absolute peak of ripeness. The fruit is ripe and red on the nose, and balanced on the palate with juicy red flavors that would pair well with salmon, pork, composed salads.
I really like the Merlot 2007 - very rich and complex, tasting more expensive than its $23 price tag. On the nose notes of spice and red fruit. On the palate, more ripe, red fruit and spice with a lingering finish of vanilla and licorice.
The Cabernet Sauvignon is a great steak wine ... ripe red and black fruit, vanilla, a balanced with with the kind of high acidity and pungent tannins needed to match a steak. Vineyards used in this wine include the Knights Valley, an up and coming region. ($20)
The Rubric 2007 (their finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from their best vineyards) is quite delicious ... rich concentration of fruit, good length, and fabulous structure.
Chardonnay Reserve 2007 - apple pie a la mode, vanilla, creme brulee -- the flavors that make up the standard California chard. $15
Winemaker Sitton remarks this is his third crush, and for the first time he is seeing in the wine the changes he's been making all these years in the vineyards and winery, which range from picking the fruit at the optimum time of physiological ripeness to changing the oak profile. Good going, Mr. Sitton.
Send to a Friend Twitter Facebook del.icio.us Digg StumbleUpon
Building Buzz: How To Reach And Impress Your Target Audience
Creating Characters: Let Them Whisper Their Secrets