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Wine (alt.food.wine) Devoted to the discussion of wine and wine-related topics. A place to read and comment about wines, wine and food matching, storage systems, wine paraphernalia, etc. In general, any topic related to wine is valid fodder for the group. |
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2003 B Cellars Blend 25
Wine Subject: 2003 Blend 25
Winemaker: Kirk Venge Backgrounder: Our Wine Spies Operatives loved the 2004 Blend 25 so much that they have been clamoring for more. To make things interesting, we sent Agent Red back to the winery to recover a cache of the wine…. But this time the 2003 vintage of the wine. B Cellars, based in Napa Valley, takes a slightly different approach to its expert wine making. The focus at B Cellars is blending. This is evident, not only among the B Cellars team, but also among their wines. Each wine, or potion, is a unique proprietary blend that highlights the strengths of each component varietal and balances with its other varietals. Read Agent Reds tasting notes below. Those will be followed by our original notes of the 2004 vintage – so that you can compare the differences. Wine Spies Tasting Profile for today’s wine, the 2003 vintage: Look – Dark burgundy with deep concentration of color though its deep and almost black heart. When swirled, the surface of the wine moves fast and then settles fast, leaving behind thick, slow-moving legs Smell – Bold intensity on the nose with rushes of lush blueberry, blackberry, cherry and smokey earthen raspberry, limestone and subtle cigar box or even soft sandalwood Feel – Full-bodied, round up front, then mouth-coating, fleshy, mouthwatering and gradually drying with medium to big tannins that taper to unveil the wine’s big flavors Taste – Delicious, deep, with hugely dark and dusky flavors. Present here are deep layers of dark stonefruit, ripe blackberry, cassis, plum and cherry tempered against a soft and toasty oak with follow-on flavors of flavors of dark chocolate, salty licorice, leather and subtle sweet pipe tobacco Finish – A big and long finish that begins with your mouth thickly coated with feel and flavor- then the flavors linger for a period before they tail off – and then they suddenly bounce back revealing a new sweetness as your watering mouth reminds you to enjoy another big sip! Conclusion – Shout it through the valleys and the vineyards, this is an exceptionally GREAT wine!. We bow to your greatness, Kirk Venge, for your ability to source great fruit and then create magical blends with astounds and amazes us. I’m not kidding around here, I love this wine. It is a big, almost giant wine, but it does not slap you across the mouth or overpower your senses. Rather, what you find here is great balance and sophistication. The aromatics and the flavors reveal the best-of characteristics of each of the three varietals used in this wine. The Syrah comes through as dark and earthy. The Cabernet Sauvignon as rich and dark. The Merlot shows as bright with great acids and bold flavors. If you enjoyed the 2004, please do yourself a giant favor and experience that one-year-older wine. That extra bit of bottle age, combined with the skillful blending makes this wine even better than the ‘04… Which we also raved about! And now, for comparison, the previously shown 2004 vintage: Wine Spies Tasting Profile, 2004 Blend 25: Look – Dark purple, almost black with an inky quality and thick slow legs. Smell – Medium intensity on the nose with tart blackberries and cherries, toasted oak and hints of leather. Feel – Full-bodied, almost chewy in nature, and dry with solid tannins that fade revealing its great flavors. Taste – Juicy ripe and tart blackberries and cherries balanced against oak with layered flavors of black pepper, mocha and spice. Finish – A great long and clean finish that tapers smoothly and continues to reveal its flavors. Conclusion – The Blend 25 is a delicious combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with each varietal complementing the other and also showing the strengths of each. The juiciness of the Syrah balances perfectly the intensity and solid tannins of the Cabernet. If you are a fan of either varietal, then you’ll love this wine. |
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