Tasting Notes – Wente Vineyards Winemakers Selection Meritage 2018

Tasting Notes

Wine: Winemakers Selection Meritage 2018

Grape:  This is a red wine blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec

Color:  Dark purple

Aromas:  Cedar, oak, red and black cherries, anise, currants, baking spice and vanilla bean

Flavors:  dark cherry, blueberry, plum, vanilla, tobacco

Body: Full

Alcohol:  14.8%

Acid: Medium +

Sweetness: Dry

Tannins: Medium +

Balance:  a Bordeau blend that is nicely balanced between the acid and tannins with complexity of flavors

Serving Tips:  55°F to 65°F in red wine classes, decant for 30 minutes

Aging:  up to 20 years

Food Pairings:  grilled meats, rich stews, or aged cheeses

Winery Notes:  C.H. Wente came to America in the late 1800s from Hamburg Germany, learned to make wine from a German by the name of Charles Krug in the Napa Valley, and in 1883 established his first 47-acre Estate and Winery. He chose the Livermore Valley as it was famed for its excellent soils and climate. Livermore Valley is a few miles from the California coast, directly east of the San Francisco Bay and home to some of California’s oldest vineyards. Wente produced sacramental wines throughout prohibition to keep the winery and vineyards in production. After the repeal of the National Prohibition Act (Volstead Act) in 1933, Ernest and his brother Herman Wente released the nation’s first varietally-labeled Chardonnay, a 1936 vintage.  The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards opened California’s third winery restaurant. In addition, the Wente Vineyards annual series launched the Concerts, attracting top entertainers and thousands of guests annually. In 1998, The Course at Wente Vineyards, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Greg Norman, was opened, enhancing the wine country lifestyle of the Livermore Valley.