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Wine Details
Price:
Description:
Rainy Day Fine Tawny Port- I began adding to the solera with the 1989 vintage, laying down a total of seven barrels including the original two barrels (or what was left of them) from '82. The predominant port added that year was Cabernet, but there was also some Lembereger, Merlot, and some odds and ends of previous table wines that fit in well. The Solera now has three tiers, with a total of 15 and 1/2 barrels. Rainy Day is bottled the first week of November each year. All 7-1/2 barrels from the oldest tier are blended, the equivalent of two barrels (about 50 cases) are then drawn off and bottled. An equivalent of two barrels from the second tier are then used to replenish tier 1 and so on. This solera method of blending and aging gives the wine a consistent quality each year as no one wine influences the flavors or the final product. Rainy Day is very smooth and complex with a distinct nutty quality, some chocolate and cherry overtones and of course a tawny color derived from long barrel aging- it's a little drier that our other ports and is excellent just sipping on it's own, maybe with some walnuts and cheese.
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Varietal Definition
Merlot:
Merlot is known as a Noble Bordeaux varietal. Although it came to France in the first century, it was not named until the 1880s. Merlot was originally used only for blending, as it is soft and compliant, very useful in softening other Bordeaux wines like Cabernets. Recently in California and Chile it became popular as a 100% varietal wine. Merlot tends to be easier to grow in a variety of soil conditions and is harvested earlier in the year than Cabernet. Although most Merlots are made to be drunk earlier, there are many with complexities of a Cabernet. Flavors of plum, black cherry, violet, chocolate and orange pair well with rich, red pasta dishes, hearty chicken dishes, and any beef combination that you fancy. The perfect match of course is chocolate. Not only does the chocolate compliment the wine and vice-versa, but the essence of both flavors linger eternally.
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