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Primer Paso

Primer Paso Wine Details
Price: $39.99 per bottle

Description: A Syrah with a touch of Malvasia Bianca and Muscat. More delicate and perfumed than the 2004, this years Primer Paso 2005 is a bit a more sophisticated. Wet campfire smoke, orange peel, tangerines, pomegranate, and a hint of green melon on the nose. Milky and silky mouth feel with a spicy orange pekoe, orange cream-sickle finish. Enjoy this now. Don’t wait. It goes well with almost anything including but not limited to fresh popcorn with truffle salt. Seriously.

Varietal Definition
Malvasia:
Semi-classic grape cepage of ancient, probably Greek, origin. Widely grown in Italy as distinctive area sub-varieties, such as Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia Istriana etc. Used to produce dry and sweet white, and light red, wines with high alcohol content and residual sugar. Also widely grown in Portugal and the island of Madeira where the important wine-name Malmsey is an English word corruption of Malvasia.
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.
Syrah:
Syrah is the eight hundred pound gorilla of Rhone grapes! In the vineyard and the winery, Syrah is typically an easy grape to work with - healthy, early ripening, resistant to mildew and rot; suitable for winemaking in a variety of styles. The wines from Syrah are tannic without being harsh. The wines will have a taste and smell of dark blue fruit like blackberries and blackcurrant, with a strong spicy side where one can find freshly ground pepper and other spices. Syrah is famous for its part in the French blends, such as Côtes du Rhone and Châteauneuf du Pape.


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