Hestan Vineyards Stephanie Proprietary Red Wine 2009
(Napa Valley, California)

About the Winery:
Hestan Vineyards was born from the culinary passion of Stanley Cheng and his wife, Helen. This husband and wife team has combined innovation and passion to create award winning wines. Stanley pioneered hard-anodized cookware in the 1970s and has continued to improve the ways we cook through innovations and he keeps that innovation going through his wines.

The Hestan and Meyer labels are the product of renowned winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, with the philosophy that quality wine begins in the vineyard. The Stephanie wines are named for the owners’ daughter, a concert harpist. They are artfully crafted by winemaker Jeff Gaffner and offer a virtuoso expression of the site’s varietal composition. Jeff began his career at Chateau St. Jean working with legendary winemaker Richard Arrowood to produce the winery’s celebrated 1996 Cinq Cepages, named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine. Over the years, Jeff has developed a reputation as a master-blender and specialist both in the vineyard and cellar. He has received critical acclaim for his site-expressive winemaking and signature elegant style.

About this Wine:
The Stephanie Proprietary Red is a Bordeaux-style blend made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc; aged 28 months in French oak. Mouth-filling layers of cranberry, dried raspberry, lavender, violet and cola are lifted through the elegant finish by lingering sweet oak tannins. Decant for at least one hour or cellar for 10 to 18 years.