Stella Maris - Columbia Valley Red Wine 2001

Tasting Note
Beautiful fruit and a dark, concentrated color. A mouthful of wine that packs in ripe plums, cherry and black currant with layers of vanilla, clove and chocolate. Well integrated oak adds to the wine’s complexity and structure. The finish is long and generous, expressing supple tannins with ripe fruit characters typical of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Acclaim
90 Points - Wine & Spirits
Vintage
Mild winter and spring weather continued into a long, warm, dry and stable growing season, providing excellent conditions for the grapes to ripen to maturity. The month of August saw the onset of a prolonged period of warm, cloud free, sunny weather and low nighttime temperatures. September harvest conditions were ideal with very warm, clear days and cool nights and fruit had intense flavors, abundant sugar and moderate balancing acidity. Berry size was smaller than usual, producing fruit with ripe varietal characteristics. Overall, fruit quality was excellent, contributing to the state’s fourth consecutive outstanding vintage.
Vineyards
Winemakers selected Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the best vineyards in the Walla Walla and Columbia Valleys. Vines are 5-20 years old and grow in very deep sandy soils. The final blend consists of fruit from the vines of seven different vineyard lotsWinemakers selected Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the best vineyards in the Walla Walla and Columbia Valleys. Vines are 5-20 years old and grow in very deep sandy soils. The final blend consists of fruit from the vines of seven different vineyard lots
Winemaking
Ripe grapes were destemmed and crushed, leaving 25% whole berries intact, then inoculated with various strains of yeast, including Prise de Mousse and Fermirouge All lots were fermented in 2.5 ton open top fermenters. The must was punched down 2-4 times per day to extract optimal flavor, tannin and color during the 5-day fermentation on the skins. Free run juice was racked to barrels to finish primary fermentation. Aged for 19 months in (79%) French and (21%) American oak, using 73% new and 27% one-year-old barrels. Wine was racked every three months for clarity, with a total of six rackings.
Technical Data
Total acidity 0.57 g/100ml pH 3.73 Alcohol 14.5% Bottling date June 2003 Blend 56% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon
Food Pairing
Filet mignon, Roast pork loin and Robust cheeses. Download Recipes