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Sonoma Mountain Estate
V. 2001
- 92 POINTS - Wine Spectator
- 94 POINTS - Wine Enthusiast
- 94 POINTS "A breakthrough effort for Benziger..." - Robert Parker, Jr.
- 95 POINTS "...Certainly one of the best ever for Benziger." - Wine Access
Technical Information
Yields at the Benziger Sonoma Mountain Estate are naturally low due to the quality of the soil and steep terraces, with an average harvest of less than two tons per acre. The Biodynamically grown hillside fruit was picked at the height of maturity and cold soaked for five days before the indigenous yeast fermentation. Maceration of 18 - 23 days was employed to develop the flavors and subtle tannins. The wine was pressed directly to barrels in November where malolactic fermentation was initiated by existing microbes in the barrel. The wine was barrel aged in French oak for seven months, blended, then returned to barrel for an additional year. The wine is deeply colored and very rich; an elegantly powerful Cabernet based wine, which has intense fruit character and layers of toasty, spicy oak. Fleshy and long on the palate, it has at least a decade of potential development ahead of it. Enjoy with a variety of dishes including barbecued lamb, filet mignon in truffle and black pepper sauce, garlic roasted lamb with oregano pesto, eggplant lasagne, and hearty roasted summer vegetables.
- Alcohol 14.5%
- Total acidity .59
- pH 3.77
- Residual sugar .1%
Vinification
- 80% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 11.8% Cabernet Franc
- 6.7% Petit Verdot
- 1.5% Merlot