Wine of the Week!
Bernardus 2002 Estate Marinus, Marinus Vineyard   $38    

Here’s a wine of the week that hails from one of the most spectacular pieces of geography in America: the Monterey Peninsula.  The wine is Bernardus, 2002 Marinus. 

The inland vine covered hills of the Marinus Vineyard are the source of this Bordeaux style California wine.  Mostly Cabernet, it’s a sensual blending with Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec added. 

It’s got the deep, dark berry fruitiness of Cabernet, with a bit of a rustic, leathery quality. We even sense a hint of eucalyptus from the trees that line the valley road.  And even though it’s a young wine, the tannins aren’t edgy at all. 

This is a complex and delicious wine that you can Pop the Cork on tonight or put away for a special occasion a few years down the road. 

Here’s an idea - Father’s Day is near and the ideal day to savor a juicy steak and our timely wine of the week.  Maybe not an “everyday” but a terrific treat.

Bernardus’ Marinus is about thirty eight dollars.   

Pop the Cork™

Wine on the Radio – June 6, 2008

Winemaker’s Notes and Comments:

Our Marinus vineyard in upper Carmel Valley is planted with a blend of the five traditional Bordeaux varietals. The vineyard is separated into a number of small blocks according to soil type and exposure. Each block has its own unique terroir and is cared for with its own strategy in order to ensure its best expression.
The 2003 summer was generally warm and sunny with beautiful moderately warm weather throughout the critical months of October and November. This was especially beneficial for our Marinus vineyard, since we typically pick late in the season in order to get perfectly ripe grapes. As always, each block was handpicked individually, in order to maximize quality.

Bernardus follows the traditional Bordeaux method of destemming the grapes prior to fermentation and pumping over our tanks twice a day. Macerations last from ten to fourteen days. We make our pressing decisions based on the extraction rates of each fermenter, sometimes pressing before complete dryness in order to moderate final tannin levels. After completing malolactic fermentation, the new wines are transferred to small French oak barrels for sixteen months of aging. The wines are kept in their individual lots until a few months before bottling, when the final blend is made.

The color we see in the glass is deep crimson and nearly opaque. Aromas are redolent with ripe black plums and cherries accented by notes of spice and smoke with a hint of earth. The flavors of ripe red fruits and spice notes fill the palate. The texture is very full and rich with firm supporting tannins. The finish is very long with flavors that linger on and on. Drink now, but over the next ten years this wine will become smoother and more complex.

The final blend is:
Cabernet Sauvignon 73.3%
Merlot 19.6%
Cabernet Franc 3.6%
Petit Verdot 1.9%
Malbec 1.6

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.

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