Here at Michel-Schlumberger, the rains have been soaking into the vineyard soil and filling our vineyard’s reservoir. Our dormant vines are in the process of being pruned to prepare them for another excellent vintage in 2019.
In the cellar, fermentations have now finished for all the 2018 wines, and they are aging gracefully in barrel or tank. Already some excellent flavors are developing from our estate’s 2018 vintage. In fact, this month we are preparing to bottle our very first 2018 vintage wines: the “La Bise” Pinot Blanc and the “La Nue” stainless-steel fermented Chardonnay. Also this month we are bottling two very rich and flavorful new wine blends: Bell Tower Red and Bell Tower White.
Recipes for each wine (suggested by Chef Laurence Hauben of Market Forays):
Pinot Noir 2016 Dry Creek Valley* – Grilled Mushroom Flatbread (Food Network)
$40/bottle or $32 with wine club discount
100% Pinot Noir
This Dry Creek Valley hillside vineyard creates grapes with concentrated, richly layered, well-structured flavors. The flavors are concentrated, elegant, layered, and well structured. The grapes were crushed into small open top fermenters. After cold-soaking for three days to extract rich color, the must fermented with native yeast. After fermentation, the wine was gently pressed out, settled, and racked into barrels. The wine was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (20% new). This wine has rich aromas of blueberry and raspberry, with notes of cherry and vanilla and the palate encompasses concentrated berry flavors, lush mouthfeel and long fruit finish.
*Only included in the reds only club.
Chardonnay 2017 Reserve Dry Creek Valley – Silky Winter Carrot Soup (Bon Appétit)
$35/bottle or $28 with wine club discount
100% Chardonnay
These grapes are from a vineyard in the lower reach of the Dry Creek Valley. Here, during the ripening season, the cooling fog tempers the summer heat, allowing the grapes to retain their bright fruit flavors. The grapes were picked in the cool mornings and immediately pressed. After settling, the clear juice was racked into barrels and fermented at a cool temperature to retain fresh fruit flavors while gaining roundness during barrel fermentation. The wine was aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. This Chardonnay has Bright acidity, full peach and apricot flavors, round, rich mouthfeel, and a long fruit finish.
*Included in the mixed and whites clubs.
Le Bon Cochon 2016 Dry Creek Valley – Lamb Ragu Pasta (Food Network)
$45/bottle or $36 with wine club discount
60% Syrah, 40% Zinfandel
The Zinfandel is from two mountain-top blocks (DuPratt and Primitivo clones) that produce extremely concentrated fruit, and the Syrah is from our benchland block (Estrella River clone) which produces rich full Syrah flavor. The grapes were crushed into small fermenters. After cold-soaking for three days to extract rich color, the must ferment on the skins for three weeks to obtain a richly extracted wine. The wine was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (20% new). It has concentrated blackberry and plum flavors, rich mouthfeel and long blackberry finish.
Coteaux Sauvages 2015 Dry Creek Valley – Slow roasted Chateaubriand for two with wild mushroom fricassee (Charlie Palmer)
$65/bottle or $52 with wine club discount
67% Syrah, 22% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah
This “Coteaux Sauvages” expresses the concentrated “sauvage” flavors that are produced from grapes grown in the red soil at the uppermost edges of our estate. The Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah are all from hillside blocks where the light soils allow the vines to make grapes of distinctive concentration. The grapes were crushed into small fermenters. After cold-soaking for three days to extract deep color, the must fermented on the skins for three weeks to obtain a richly extracted wine. The wine was aged for 22 months in tight-grained French oak barrels (50% new). It has dense layers of dark plum and blackberry, full structure, rich mouthfeel, long finish.
Your shipment is being processed on Tuesday, February 5 to allow time for packaging. Your order will ship on Tuesday, February 12. Will-call orders will be available at the winery from Tuesday, February 5 through Tuesday, March 5. If you are a pick-up member, please consider bringing back your reusable wine bag to fill with your new wines. Due to space limitations, your wine will be shipped to the address on file and your credit card will be charged for shipping after the March 12 deadline.
PS: did you know that you can re-order any of your club wines for a limited time for 30% off? Click here to shop now.
If you will be traveling or need to update your billing, shipping, or credit card information, please contact us at (800) 447-3060 ext. 120 or email wineclub@michelschlumberger.com by Monday, February 4 to avoid any extra shipping fees.
An adult signature is required for delivery so we recommend delivering to a business address whenever possible.
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