Westwood Winery Legend Proprietary Red Blend 2018
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In its third vintage, this superbly expressive red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Mourvedre emits scents of jasmine, plum blossoms and cafe mocha. Winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky fermented the wine in closed-top stainless steel tanks as well as a French oak upright tank. Aged in 30% new French oak for 20 months. The palate mirrors the nose, adding a graceful array of floral notes with more robust flavors ascending to heavenly levels of black raspberry, coffee, and dots of white pepper that cause the mouth to salivate.
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The Somm Journal
In its third vintage, this superbly expressive blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Mourvèdre was fermented by winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky in closed-top stainless-steel tanks as well as a French oak upright tank and was aged in (30% new) French oak for 20 months. Scents of jasmine, plum blossom, and mocha are mirrored on the palate, which adds a graceful array of floral notes while ascending to heavenly levels with robust flavors of black raspberry, coffee, and dots of white pepper that cause the mouth to salivate.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Legend Proprietary Red is an interesting blend of 45% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Tannat, and a splash of Petit Verdot. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by loads of blackberry and blueberries fruit intermixed with plenty of peppery herbs, menthol, and graphite. This rich, full-bodied effort has a delicious juiciness, polished tannins, and a notable sense of class and balance.
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Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable
Beginning with the cleanest organic and sustainably farmed grapes coupled with the best winemakers in the world, wielding the best equipment available, Westwood wines are meant to elevate the important moments in your life. Expressive, elegant and textured, the wines are unmistakably California, but are crafted for those who appreciate an elevated experience. Reflecting two decades of work and planning, Westwood’s voice is decidedly unique - as unique as their 33 acres in Annadal Gap, Sonoma.
Westwood is a truly unique site, located in the northern end of the Sonoma Valley. The climate is on the cooler side, with the vines covered in fog of the morning, bathed in sun early afternoon, then cooled by the westerly winds off the Pacific Ocean during the afternoon. Endowed with a diverse soil composition, Westwood is able to grow a wide variety of Pinot, Syrah and Grenache clones and other rare varietals not often seen in this region. In 2014 the Estate became biodynamically certified, to preserve the health and longevity of this special site for generations ahead.
Westwood formally teamed up with Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky of Atelier Melka in 2017, world-renowned winemakers and producers of many “100-point” wines. Philippe Melka was born, educated and trained in Bordeaux and was named by the Wine Advocate as “one of the Top 10 Winemakers in the World”. On seeing our Annadel Gap vineyard, Philippe exclaimed, “Westwood has already been gaining great acclaim and attention for award-winning wines from this unique and unexpected gem of a vineyard. Looking ahead, we’re excited to unlock the soul of this special site and take the wines even higher”.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.