Somerston Stornoway Red Blend 2012
(Napa Valley, California) - [AG 91]

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Notes from the Winemaker:

The 2012 Somerston Stornoway is our fourth release. Each vintage seems to top the previous one. This right bank inspired wine jumps out of the glass with expressive aromatics of blueberry, espresso, and oak spice. The wine is rich and concentrated, yet balanced and elegant. The palate is focused with dark red fruits, spice and blueberry. The balanced acid profile builds up to a firm and somewhat reluctant finish that will age and develop over the next 20 years.

Appellation/Vineyards
Somerston wines are selected from single blocks of our 1615 acre estate, high in the eastern hills of Napa Valley. This estate bottled wine was sourced from our most expressive Merlot vineyard, Stornoway Block 4. This vineyard has an average elevation of 1,150 feet above sea level.

Winemaking
The Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot were hand picked and delivered to the winery. The grapes were destemmed and sorted, then pumped into tanks for a 5 day cold soak at 50 degrees. When the fermentation began, we pumped the tank over twice per day. The native yeast fermentation lasted for 14 days. The free run was drained from the tank overnight. The wine was barreled down into 65% new French oak; the balance was put into once used French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in the barrel. The wine was aged for 24 months and bottled unfiltered.

BLEND: 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petite Verdot
ALCOHOL: 15.1%
TOTAL ACID: 5.9 g/l pH: 3.82
BRIX AT HARVEST: 26.8
CASES PRODUCED: 318
RELEASE DATE: April 2015

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91 Points - Antonio Galloni:
"The 2012 Red Blend Stornoway is a bit darker and richer than the estate's Cabernet, but it doesn't have that wine's sheer immediacy and appeal. Hints of tobacco, smoke, cherry compote and licorice emerge over time, but the Stornoway remains compact and not fully expressive." - Antonio Galloni (October 2014)

91  Points - Tasting Panel:
"A Right Bank-inspired Bordeaux-style blend with juicy blackberry and spice; ripe and balanced. 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot."