California blends ripe for enjoying
The reputation of Napa County in California is one of being the best area for wine in the United States and one of the premier wine regions in the world. It takes a combination of factors to acquire this high level of praise. Nature plays a big part in providing the right combination of altitude, soil and weather conditions for grape growing. The human aspects of wine making are also a very important part of the equation.
It is up to knowledgeable and daring people to determine the right grape varietals to be planted in the area that is best for that varietal. The skill of the winemaker in picking out the proper equipment and techniques for producing fine wines are an integral part of the finished offering.
Land is not cheap in Napa. A 30 acre plot with a permit for a 100,000 gallon winery will cost you about seven million dollars. To get a return on your investment you must produce a top quality wine and be able to sell it for premium price.
It takes business acumen, farming skills and a bit of luck in weather and marketing to make a winery successful. It takes a lot to produce wines that rate more than 90 points in top wine rating periodicals. In the seven year history of Bennett Lane Winery in Napa owners Randy and Lisa Lynch have achieved this remarkable feat.
Created from a blending of 87 percent sauvignon blanc, 11 percent chardonnay and 2 percent muscat the 2009 Bennett Lane Maximus White Feasting Wine ($30-35) offers magnificent floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom with stone fruit and tropical fruit notes. The flavors of the wine bring out peach, plum, pineapple, mango and orange traits. This is a great wine for a light summer meal of a fresh garden salad and steamed shrimp. Try this wine with a selection of Port Salut and muenster cheese.
Napa is known for its great cabernet sauvignon crops. The wines made from these grapes are highly regarded worldwide and the prices that these wines can command are some of the highest in all of the Wonderful World of Wine. Many garner a bouquet of medals and awards in wine
competitions.
The 2006 Bennett Lane Maximus Red ($30-35) is a blend of 65 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent merlot, 10 percent syrah and 5 percent malbec. Floral aromas of violets and roses provide a backdrop for the blueberry, plum and cherry fruit traits. In the mouth this offering shows cherry and raspberry with vanilla, toast and coffee.
This is a nice wine to enjoy while relaxing on a Saturday evening. Don't be in a hurry when you open a bottle of this wine. Take your time and savor every sip. Enjoy this wine with a filet, baked potato and sautéed mushrooms.
The Maximus wines from Bennett Lane are their entry level wines. They produce enough of these wines so most wine lovers will be able to experience the wines from the winery. They also make some cabernet sauvignon releases that are less than one hundred cases of total production. These wines are priced in the $125 range.
Not every winemaker that produces quality wines is lucky enough to have enough property in Napa. Many winemakers need to source grapes from other parts of California to create their wines. Such is the case with the wines of
Mandolin.
The grapes for the 2008 Mandolin Central Coast Merlot ($15-20) were harvested in the Hames Valley of Monterrey County. Cherry, black pepper, cedar and vanilla traits are found in this very pleasant easy drinking wine. Try this wine with your next pizza.
The pinot noir grape needs a cooler climate to bring out its best so the grapes for the 2009 Monterrey Pinot Noir ($20-25) were harvested in the Santa Lucia Highlands region in Monterrey County. Cherry, raspberry and strawberry fruits are the dominant traits in this nice reasonably priced Pinot Noir offering. This is a nice wine to have with turkey or roast chicken.
There are great wines created in Napa County however the prices tend to be out of the range for everyday drinking. To find more affordable wines you must look for offerings created in other counties in California.
Check the wines in your local wine shop. Buy a few high end Napa wines for cellaring and special occasions along with a few affordable Central coast wines for every day drinking.