Laurel Glen Red Blend California Reds 2006

Winemaker's Notes:

REDS 2006 - WINEMAKERS NOTES Common wisdom tells us that the coastal areas of California, with their variable weather patterns, produce wines of great vintage distinction. On the other hand, the central California wines are more standardized, given the unvaryingly warm summers. This generality, though largely true, is not always easy to apply to the growing conditions in Lodi, as the 2006 vintage proves. Perhaps it's that fabled Delta breeze that makes the difference? While the zinfandel harvest in Lodi often takes place in early September, this year it began in early October, and astonishingly, a couple of weeks before the cabernet harvest at coastal Laurel Glen. Our Lodi petite syrah and 118 year old were picked right on schedule in late September, and were unusually deep and concentrated. So go figure! But how did all this affect the resulting wine? Normally, REDS is predominantly zinfandel, with lesser percentages of petite syrah and carignane, but in 2006 we blended equal proportions of each varietal to add complexity and heft to the blend. The 2006 REDS is delicious, spicy, and rich with zinfandel providing dark raspberry fruit, carignane adding an exotic tang of white pepper, while the petite syrah tones down the tendency of zinfandel to become too jammy and pulls the whole blend together with its deep color and black pepper flavors. Enjoy, as always, with Mediterranean cuisine, and bistro, burgers, and barbeque!