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In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Bartholomew Broadbent, Laely Heron, and Loren Sonkin convene at one of San Francisco's finest restaurants, Incanto, to taste and discuss Merlots that rock.
Theme: @#$% Sideways! Merlots that Rock
Region: Sonoma County, California
Alcohol content: 14.6%
Varietals: Merlot (94%), Malbec (4%), Cabernet Sauvignon (2%)
Producer Notes:
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Background: Chateau St. Jean’s Reserve wines are crafted by selecting the vineyard lots from throughout Sonoma County that offer the most generous fruit expression and the ability to age. Our estate vineyard in Kenwood comprises 47% of this blend. Located in the Sonoma Valley at the foot of Sugar Loaf Ridge, Chateau St. Jean is a 250-acre estate with 90 acres planted to wine grapes. Additional Merlot sourcing for this wine came from the Cornerstone Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the Belle Terre Vineyard in Alexander Valley and the Malbec from the Asti Vineyard in northern Alexander Valley.
Wine Notes: Beautiful aromas of ripe blackberry, plum and cola lead into a rich, mouth-coating entry. Highly concentrated, structured and well balanced, this Merlot’s chewy tannins surround layers of wild berries, black tea and sweet baking spices that lead to a long, juicy finish.
Experts:
Bartholomew Broadbent, CEO of Broadbent Selections. Bartholomew was named as one of the "fifty most influential people in the wine world" by Decanter Magazine. He is also widely considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on Port and Madeira. Learn more about Bartholomew Broadbent.
Laely Heron, Owner and Winemaker at Heron Wines. Laely's unconventional upbringing in Africa, Asia Europe and the US may explain the wanderlust which has led her passion for international wine studies and winemaking. She began at the Institute of Enology in Bordeaux, and worked in the US, Australia and Scandinavia before starting Heron Wine 13 years ago. Today she makes wine in France, Spain and the US. Learn More about Laely Heron.
Loren Sonkin is an IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder/Winemaker at Sonkin Cellars.
Location: Incanto Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, Situated in the heart of one of San Francisco's most charming residential neighborhoods, Incanto's rustic Italian setting, with its handcrafted stone, antique brick and woodwork, 16th century Latin parchments, and private dining room dedicated to poet Dante Alighieri, provides a uniquely warm and inviting dining environment.
Incanto's daily-changing menu honors old-world traditions including house-cured meats, unusual regional pastas, fresh local seafood and a commitment to sustainably grown and harvested produce. Incanto's award-winning wine program features one of the most diverse Italian wine lists in the United States and an ever-changing lineup of more than twenty wines by the glass, half-glass, half-liter, and flight.
