2006 Vivacé  Ermitage Blanc

Russian River Valley White Table Wine.

Release Date June 2, 2008

47% Marsanne
47% Roussanne
6%  Chardonnay

Release price:  $60

Vivace’ - A musical term meaning “lively, brisk, quick and bright.” This Ermitage Blanc takes its inspiration from the great white wines of the Northern Rhone Valley in France .  The grapes for this cool-climate white wine were picked in California ’s Russian River Valley on October 20, 2006. We obtained the “secret” to making this wine while visiting with a great wine maker in the south of France .  With an equal blend of Marsanne and Roussanne plus a generous dollop of Chardonnay, this wine was adged sur lees in 50% new French oak for more than a year. Once bottled, it was aged an additional six months prior to release to permit the flavors to fully marry.  This is not your typical fat and bottery Chardonnay, nor a flowery Sauvignon Blanc.  It is a very complex combination of flavors imparting layers of butterscotch, apples, honeysuckle and pears with spicy notes of nutmeg and cinnamon.  It has an excellent balance and a long finish.  One taster characterized it as a “new world front pallet and an old world finish. Serve blind to challenge your most discriminating guests.

Wine Makers Notes

Bud Break                                                  April 12, 2006

Veraison (ripening begins)                         August 12, 2006

Harvest                                                       October 26, 2006

Weather Notes:                                      The 2006 growing season was marked by cool nights and warm days.  Excellent conditions in the early fall resulted in a good crop and             excellent very well balanced fruit at harvest.

Alcohol                                                    14.0%

Harvest  Brix                                           23.1

(sugar content)

Harvest pH                                              3.56

Harvest TA                                              .54

Final Blend:                                              47% Marsanne, 47% Roussanne, 6% Chardonnay

Cooperage:                                             50% New French Oak

Tasting Notes:                                         Very complex nose of butterscotch, apples and honeysuckle with an extraordinary spicy nose with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Light golden color.  Extraordinarily long finish of slightly toasted pears. This wine is very unusual, it will go exceptionally well with Pork and Lobster and will be a great foil for spicy curry dishes.