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Wine of the Week! St. Francis 2003 Red Sonoma County $12 ![[article image]](http://www.winexperience.com/imagelib//33f594066a59a60a-5b1b1fc7-1110b707a25--1fc6-135053630.jpg) Do you have a house wine? We’ve got a choice for our wine of the week that certainly could be on your list for one. It’s from St. Francis Vineyards of Sonoma and its simply called Red. St. Francis starts with blend of Merlot and Zinfandel and then adds in some Grenache and Sangiovese. The result: a wine that fits lots of occasions and just about any table. Each grape type brings different flavors to the glass, the plumy Merlot, the jammy Zin, brighter fruitiness from the Grenache and the floral yet acidic addition of the Sangiovese. And you get all of this for about ten dollars. That’s why it’s on our house wine list. And the name? What says it better than simply RED! Now St. Francis is really known for their Merlot and Zin and has the right pedigree for RED. This is fun wine to drink… easy but not simple. Make St. Francis 2003 Red from Sonoma County your own house wine. It’s our wine of the week. Pop the Cork™. Wine on the Radio - March 30, 2007 Winemaker's Notes and Comments: St. Francis Red is a unique, contemporary blend of classic red grape varieties from Sonoma’s master of big reds, Winemaker Tom Mackey. Known for its benchmark Merlot and Zinfandel, St. Francis brings these two great varieties, well established among California’s super premium wines, together with Grenache, a primary grape of the Mediterranean basin of France and Spain, and Sangiovese, the great red vine of Tuscany. Sourced both from St. Francis’ estate vineyards in Sonoma Valley and carefully selected contract vineyards throughout Sonoma County, the wine will change in varietal composition from vintage to vintage depending on the attributes of the harvest each year. Each grape brings its own qualities to the blend. Zinfandel contributes rich, spicy black fruit flavors and aromas with robust alcohol and extract, and Merlot lends dark berry and plum fruit with well-structured yet supple tannins and elegant balance to the wine. Grenache brings generous, bright raspberry and strawberry fruit and a distinctive peppery fragrance to the blend, with Sangiovese contributing subtle flavors of dried cherry offset by notes of leather and mushrooms underscored by a firm, fresh acidity. Each wine is vinified separately and matured in French and American oak barriques, the percentage and age of which most appropriately enhance each varietal in that vintage. The blend is assembled after the term in oak, which will vary according to variety and the qualities of the harvest. Ripe, succulent and fragrant, St. Francis Red’s luscious fruit flavors and spicy aromas chart new territory in a versatile, contemporary blend perfect for foods demanding “red.” Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks: When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently. A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list. Well, don't stop buying it because of that. In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate. A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate. They'll vary. Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001. And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly! Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions. Find one (or more) and pop the cork! Read the fine print . . . Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas. If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. Our information is well researched. Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication. At the same time, recommendations change. Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors. The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show. The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old). Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive! |
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