2005 Allegro Vineyards Cadenza - IntoWineTV Episode 64

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Is California the only American region producing great wine? In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Bartholomew Broadbent and Pamela Busch convene at San Francisco's CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen for the tasting and discussion of 25 different American wines NOT from California. On what was one of the hottest San Francisco days in recent memory (for those of you unfamiliar with the city, few places have air conditioning in San Francisco), Lisa, Bartholomew, and Pamela weathered the elements and tasted a variety of wines -sparklers, whites, reds, unique varietals, and sweet dessert wines- from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Oregon.

Theme: Underdog Wines. In this tasting IntoWine is featuring wines from American producers found outside the state of California.

Wine: 2005 Allegro Vineyards Cadenza ($35)
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Region: Pennsylvania

Varietals: 59% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol %: 13.5%

Producer Notes:

- Upcoming IntoWineTV Video Themes

- Wine producers and distributors: Find out how to get your wines included in our next session. More info...

Our rare flagship red, true Bordeaux-style wine; aged two years in French oak barrels; bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The 2005 is the latest in a long line of Cadenzas dating back to 1984. This is the first year for it to be based on Merlot. The wine is traditionally made in small lots, from grapes in south central PA. The wine undergoes a three week maceration period, then full ML in barrels, and aged for two years. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The optimum drinking window is somewhere around 2010-2015. The wine will probably live till 2020 to 2025 gracefully.

The Cadenza is inspired by the Bordeaux commune wines. In prior years, they have compared favorably with St. Estephe, whereas this vintage takes a cue from S. Emilion. Allegro strives to make Bordeaux style wines with balance and finesse and complexity.

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.

Pamela Busch, Co-Owner and Wine Director at CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco. Learn more about Pamela Busch.

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