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Wine Details
Price:
$19.90 per bottle
Description:
We made A Noble Blend in the spirit of Edelzwicker or Gentil , the traditional Germanic-varietal blend of the Alsace region of France. The literal translation of Edelzwicker is “a noble blend” – Noble, also happens to be Heidi's family name. Our original intent in choosing to produce this proprietary blend was our knowledge that many of the oldest plantings in this valley were Germanic varietals which have proven to be extremely successful in this climate. Much of the 2005 A Noble Blend originates from 17 year old plantings and these mature vines tend to be naturally lower in yield and produce more complex and intensely flavoured grapes. Blending allows us to utilize the different characteristics of each variety (or of the same variety from different sitings) in order to help us achieve natural balance as well as adding greater complexity to the wine. The 2005 Noble Blend is a blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Kerner, Muscat , Pinot Auxerrois and Ehernfelser.
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Varietal Definition
Gewürztraminer:
Cultivated for over a thousand years, this white-wine grape (sometimes referred to simply as Traminer) is thought to have originated in the village of Tramin (or Temeno) in Italy’s Alto Adige region. Gewürztraminer grapes are planted in Alsace, a French region between Germany and France that specializes in excellent dry Gerwürztraminer wines. They’re also cultivated in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Czechoslovakia, and Ukraine. Because they perform better in cooler climates, Gewürztraminer grapes have not done well in many of California’s warmer growing regions. However, they thrive in cooler California areas such as Carneros, Anderson Valley, and Monterey County, as well as in parts of Oregon and Washington. The German word ‘gewürz’ means ‘spiced,’ and these wines are known for their crisp, spicy attributes. They’re highly fragrant, with flavor characteristics of litchis, roses, and spices such as cloves and nutmeg. Gewürztraminer wines are available in varying degrees of sweetness -- dry, medium-sweet, and late harvest. Because of the grape’s pinkish (sometimes yellow) pigment, Gewürztraminer wines are some of the more deeply colored of the whites, many have gold or peach tones. The distinctive color and aroma of these wines make them easily recognizable by those familiar with this varietal wine.
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Riesling:
On the sweeter end of the spectrum, some of the best dessert wines should give thanks to the Riesling varietal. Riesling is known for its complementary nature of combining balanced acidity with sugar. Rieslings are made dry to sweet, but it is the sweet style Riesling that brought about its popularity in the United States. With the rise of spicy sauces, marinades and dips to flavor our meal, Riesling plays a part in taking off the edge of the heat. Riesling is known for a number of signature characteristics: floral, citrus and pear. Riesling has peaked in California with 11,000 acres planted. Today, Monterey County’s cool-climate areas and its long growing season produce good amounts of character for the Riesling grape. Outside of
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Pinot Blanc:
White grape popular for the dry white wines it produces. Increasingly grown in California, the Northwest, Northeast, Canada.
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Auxerrois blanc:
Auxerrois is a grape variety for white wine which is especially grown in the North East of France and who is best called Auxerrois blanc, in order not to confuse this type with the red Malbec that is called Auxerrois in the Cahors region. The wines which are made of these grapes are quite neutral in taste, with high acids and a high alcohol concentration.
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Kerner:
Grape developed from a cross between the Riesling and Schiava Grossa grapes. The latter variety is known as the Trollinger in Germany where it is mostly grown. Used to produce a Riesling-like white wine said to often reach "Auslese" Pradikat quality.
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Muscat:
Muscat, thought to be one of the oldest grape varieties, is grown worldwide. It is vinified in a multitude of styles, from still to sparkling, and dry to sweet to fortified. Also called Moscato, Moscatel and Muskateller, it is a sweetly aromatic, fruity grape that has many genetic variations and colors. It probably originated in Greece but maybe the independent sultanate of Muscat in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula had something to do with it. Over 200 different varieties and derivatives to the Muscat family exist today. Muscat Canelli, Orange Muscat and Black Muscat are varieties most planted in California, which makes primarily still wine. More unusual is Muscat fermented to total dryness, which leaves greater alcohol levels and no residual sugar. Some Muscats are aged in oak to provide additional complexity.Today’s recommended Muscats represent many of these styles, so use the tasting notes and percent of residual sugar - listed if provided by the winery - to find a wine you’ll enjoy. The more sugar and the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine, though wines above 10 percent alcohol can also be somewhat sweet.
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Traminer:
Parent grape of the popular Gewurztraminer clone. Still grown in France and in California but almost everywhere has been replaced by its much more intense and spicy offspring clone.
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