Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon - $16.79

Wine Details

Vintage:	2009
Price:	$16.79
Producer:	Ghost Pines
Region:	North Coast
Varietal:	Cabernet Sauvignon
Container Size:	750 ML
Flavors:

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Product Description

Sonoma Spirit, Napa Elegance: Like the unharnessed, free-forming, ghost-like tree with which it shares a name, Ghost Pines represents the long, rich, winemaking heritage of both Napa and SonomaCounties. By departing from traditional single appellation grape sourcing, the Ghost Pines winemaker is able to craft consistently superior “Winemaker’s Blend” wines which showcase the concentrated yet elegant characters of both Napa and Sonoma. Harvest Report: The 2005 growing season began unusually cold and rainy. A heat spell in mid-March helped the growing season begin early. The rain continued sporadically through June, with summer temperatures rarely rising above 90° F. Although the rain held out until late October, the vineyards were able to catch the sun and heat they needed. The long growing season of 2005 was ideal for developing premium Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with good complexity, maturity and flavor. Winemaker Notes: The grapes for Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 were gently delivered whole-berry to the fermenter, eliminating harsh bitterness while maximizing fresh fruit characters. Upon arrival, the grapes were inoculated with Bordeaux yeast strain, optimal for fermentation of premium Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermentation completed in an average of 8 days with temperatures not exceeding 880F, producing clean, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon character. To create a more complex mouthfeel, 100% of our Cabernet Sauvignon completed malolactic fermentation, contributing a complex texture to the already deep, layered flavors. Taste Profile: Employing dual County appellation sourcing for Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, our winemaker was able to blend a wine which accentuates the best of what Napa and Sonoma Cabernet has to offer. Napa County Cabernet provides lush, jammy, ripe fruit into the blend in a very free-spirited manner. The Sonoma County Cabernet adds fresh red and black fruits along with a strong structural foundation in a disciplined manner. The result is a wine that exhibits the best of both appellations. Our Cabernet Sauvignon displays dark fruit jams, bordering on a syrupy character. Aromas of sweet nuts, sweet aromatics and black pepper complement the dark fruit aromas and flavors of this curvaceous wine. The palate is dense and chewy without being overly astringent.

Food Pairings

Category	Pairing
Cheese	Blue Cheese, Provolone, Brie
Red Meat	Roast Beef, Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Veal Carpaccio, Game, Sausage, Variety Meats or Organ Meats, Kidney
Poultry & Eggs	Game Birds
Vegetables	Potatoes, Roasted Mixed Vegetables
Fish or Shellfish	Sea Bass
Sauces	Red Wine Sauce
Herbs & Spices	Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme

Awards and Accolades

	Name	Vintage
	Bronze - 2008 San Diego Int'l Wine Competition	2005

Wine Terms

Name	Value
Cabernet Sauvignon	(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.
United States	Wineries exist in all fifty states, but the most predominant (and best) wine comes from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State, with New York gaining a foothold in the industry. American wines make up about 75% of all wine sales in the US. The appellation system uses the term AVA (American Viticultural Area) to determine where wines were produced, but grape varieties can be planted anywhere in the country. American wineries generally use varietal labeling, and government regulations require that the variety on the label must make up at least 75% of the blend (in Oregon it’s 90%). The words reserve, special selection, private reserve, classic, and so on have no legal definition in the US. Some wineries use these terms to indicate their better wines; others use the words as a marketing tool to move lower quality wines off the shelf.
California	California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.