C. G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery - All Products

May QC The Allure of Blends

Mon, 7 May 2012 15:44:00 GMT

May QC The Allure of Blends
Buy Now: ~~$120.00~~ $84.95

BlendsInspired by Imagination and Creativity

Interlude is ablend of zinfandel, primitivo, syrah and petite sirah. SierraLegend is a blend of syrah, primitivo, cabernet sauvignon andcabernet franc.

This is ourfarewell to the Double Gold Medal Winner, 2008 Interlude ~ Sold Outafter this offering.

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2009 Sierra Legend, Estate

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:14:00 GMT

2009 Sierra Legend, Estate
Buy Now: $35.00

Winemaker’s Notes:

This is my fifth vintage of SierraLegend which is a blend of Syrah, a Rhone variety, CabernetSauvignon and Cabernet Franc, both Bordeaux varieties, andPrimitivo originating in Croatia but lately cultivated mainly inItaly. Creating new blends, especially from wines that areinherently different is by far the most fulfilling and excitingpart of my job as a winemaker.

Inky purple incolor, the 2009 Sierra Legend has intense aromas of dark berriesand chocolate continuing onto the palate with a burst of flavors. This wine which has a structuredacidity with a remarkable balance hardly reveals the identity ofits components. While the fruitflavors play a dominating role, you can identify some savory, smokyand earthy notes that continue all the way to the longfinish.

All the grapesused for this wine are Estate grown. .

Varietal Content:

35% Syrah

25% Primitivo

20% Cabernet Sauvignon

20% Cabernet Franc

Appelation: Shenandoah Valley,California

BottlingDate: January 27,2011

CasesProduced: 684

Alcohol: 14.3% by Volume

pH: 3.6

Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%

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2009 Encontro

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:38:00 GMT

2009 Encontro
Buy Now: $30.00

Winemaker’s Notes: This is the first vintage of “Encontro” which is a blend of Barbera, Primitivo, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. The name symbolizes the serendipitous encounter in the Sierra Foothills of these 4 varieties of wine originating in different parts of the world. In this blend the four varieties are acting in synergy and harmony, creating a wine with a unique identity and an exciting personality without any one of the components becoming dominating. In a way this is the art of blending. Blending has been practiced in old world wine regions for centuries. Old world wines are not named after the variety but under the name of the wine growing region or Appellation. In some wine regions of France and other old world countries the government regulates the specific varieties that can be grown in that region. In Bordeaux, for example there are only six varieties of grapes that can be grown and used for Bordeaux wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Carmenere and Petit Verdot. “Encontro” is in a way an exclusive blend. I have searched but could not find a blend made out of these four varieties anywhere in the world. This wine has strong berry and plum aromas which carry to the palate with an explosion of flavors including black cherry and mocha. This wine has good structure, complexity and a well balanced acidity. It has a lingering finish of black cherry, mocha and spice. This wine has elegance and complexity and is definitely a food wine. Varietal Content: 30% Barbera, Sierra Foothills 30% Primitivo, Estate Grown 30% Zinfandel, Estate Grown 10% Petite Sirah, Estate Grown Bottling Date: 8/23/2011 Cases Produced: 470 cases pH: 3.4 Alcohol Content: 14.8% Residual Sugars: Less than 0.1%

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2009 Interlude

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:54:00 GMT

2009 Interlude
Buy Now: $25.00

Winemaker’s Notes:

“Interlude” is the latest wine to join the collection of blendsthat I started creating almost from the beginning of my wine makingcareer. One of the differences between “Interlude” and the otherblends is that we produced an adequate amount of this wine forsales in the broad market.

Interlude” is composed of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah andPrimitivo. The Zinfandel and Primitivo contribute fruitiness to theblend while the Syrah and Petite Sirah add the backbone and thestructure along with savory, smoky and earthy flavors. This istruly a blend of new world and old world varieties which areremarkably compatible acting together with synergy and harmony.

I created this blend purposely to be a food wine. It is anelegant wine that can enhance the flavors of any food. The name“Interlude” which is the instrumental music played between theparts of a song was appropriately chosen as a metaphor to theinteraction between wine and food.

The dark berry aromas which dominate in this wine carry to thepalate adding herbal and earthy notes. The sustained finish bringsin more dark fruit, cocoa with hints of smoke and licorice.

Varietal Content:
40% Zinfandel, Shenandoah Valley
25% Syrah, Estate Grown
22.5% Petite Sirah, Estate Grown
12.5% Primitivo, Estate Grown

Bottling Date: 8/23/2011
Cases Produced: 1450
pH: 3.5
Alcohol Content: 14.4%
Residual Sugars: Less than 0.1%

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2008 Primitivo Block #4 -May VOM

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 16:24:00 GMT

2008 Primitivo Block #4 -May VOM
Buy Now: ~~$150.00~~ $100.00

Winemaker’sNotes:

Primitivo,which is also known as Zingarello is the major growing grape ofApulia in Southern Italy. Zingarello makes a heavy strong wine withthe alcoholic potency of port. DNA testing has confirmed thatPrimitivo is genetically related to California’s Zinfandel. Basedon DNA profiling, it has been theorized that both Primitivo andZinfandel are clones of the Croatian variety Crljenak.

This Estategrown Primitivo comes from a two acre vineyard block that we callBlock #4. I have chosen to make this wine from grapes produced inthis block because it produces more flavorful and concentratedfruit.

This wine wasmade in our “Submerged Cap” Fermentation Tank. It was aged inpredominantly French oak barrels for about 10 months. This wine hasvery floral fruity aromas which carry to the palate. You can detectraspberry, Marion berry, black cherry, plum, blackberry and evenpeach aromas and flavors. This wine has good structure, complexityand a well balanced acidity. It has a lingering finish of blackcherry, mocha and spice.

Varietal Content: 84% Primitivo, Estate Grown, 8% Petite Sirah,Estate Grown, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Grown
Bottling Date: August 27, 2009
Cases Produced: 867
Alcohol: 14.4
pH: 3.55
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%

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2008 Cabernet Franc, Sierra Foothills

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:22:00 GMT

2008 Cabernet Franc, Sierra Foothills
Buy Now: $35.00

Winemaker'sNotes:

CabernetFranc, a genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon along with SauvignonBlanc, is one of the major red grape varieties in the world whichis normally used as a blending wine. In Bordeaux it is usedextensively as a minor component along with Merlot, Petit Verdotand Malbec and blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, the major player ofthat region. St. Emilion in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, wherethis grape variety is known as Breton, have the most plantings ofCabernet Franc in the world.

Cabernet Francis more versatile to growing conditions than its off springCabernet Sauvignon and thrives in the warmer climate and sandysoils of our region. Contrary to the Cabernet Franc that grows inthe cooler climates of Bordeaux and the Loire, our Cabernet Franchas a deep red color and is abundant in refined tannins making thiswine full bodied.

We blendedthis Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot forcomplexity and structure and aged it in French oak barrels for 15months. The sweet aromas dominated by plum and violets, carry tothe palate revealing more exotic flavors reminiscent of blackcurrant and cassis accented with cedar and cocoa. The sustainedfinish adds hints of mocha and tobacco. This is a well structuredfull body wine with a perfect balance. While the wine is enjoyableright now it can be stacked away for a generation.

VarietalContent:
80% Cabernet Franc
10% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Petit Verdot
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
pH: 3.55
Residual sugar: Less than 0.1%
Cases Produced: 480
Bottling Date: 3/4/2010

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2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Shenandoah Valley

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:20:00 GMT

2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Shenandoah Valley
Buy Now: $18.00

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2009 Due Amici, Gallery Collection

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:35:00 GMT

2009 Due Amici, Gallery Collection
Buy Now: $30.00

Winemaker'sNotes
The name “Due Amici” translates from Italian as two friends, inthis case the two varietals Primitivo and Zinfandel. The Croatianvariety Crljenak Kastelanski (sirl-YEN-ack kastel-AN-ski) is theorigin of both varietals. Crljenak Kastelanski, Primitivo, andZinfandel are all genetically identical, their differences arisingfrom the clonal selections process.

This is our5th vintage of Due Amici which has been very popular with our club.This vintage is a blend of 47% Primitivo, 47% Zinfandel and 6%Cabernet Franc. Following the tradition the Zinfandel comes fromthe Original Grand Pere Vineyard which is 140 years old. Thisvineyard produces fruit which has unusually small berries and smallclusters for Zinfandel resulting in a wine deeper in color andrioer in flavor. The Primitivo and the Cabernet Franc come from ourestate vineyards. These hillside vineyards with their shallowdecomposed granitic soils produce berries of intense flavor. Afterfermentation in our submerged cap tanks the wine was aged for overa year in French oak.

This “DueAmici” has very rich fruity aromas of blackberry plum and blackcherry and an earthy smell which reminds me of walking in theforest. The flavors almost explode in the palate adding layers ofdark fruit, chocolate and a hint of black pepper. This is anelegant wine that has a perfect balance and a sustained finish.This wine drinks well now, and will improve with several years ofbottle age.

Varietal Content: 47% Primitivo, Estate Grown, 47% Zinfandel, “TheOriginal Grand Pere Vineyard”, 6% Cabernet Franc, EstateGrown
Appellation: California, Shenandoah Valley
Bottling Date: 2/15/2011
Cases Produced: 389
Alcohol: 14.9% by Volume
pH: 3.55
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%

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2008 BDX, Gallery Collection

Thu, 5 May 2011 04:59:00 GMT

2008 BDX, Gallery Collection
Buy Now: $35.00

Winemaker’s Notes: B.D.X. is a blend of three Bordeaux varietals ofCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot blended inapproximately equal proportions. This is the only Bordeaux blendthat I have ever made. A typical Bordeaux blend consists of Merlotand Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet Franc, with small additionsof Petit Verdot and Malbec. Thus compared to a Bordeaux blendB.D.X. has a high level of Petit Verdot which is made possible dueto the very favorable weather conditions in the Sierra Foothillthat enables this variety to ripen.

Bordeaux, the most famous wine region in the world is subject tounstable weather conditions. The weather in this region can changeabruptly before harvest delaying the harvest or even forcing aharvest when the grapes are not completely ripe. When this occursit severely affects the harvest compromising the quality of thewine.

B.D.X. is a full body wine, dark ruby red in color withdistinctive cabernet aromas of black currants and black cherry. Thedark fruit carries all the way to the palate revealing herbalqualities of cedar, bay leaf and thyme. When making Bordeauxvarietals I am always wary of potential bell pepper, asparagus andgreen olive flavors which I don’t like to have in my wines. Thiswine is completely devoid of any traces of these flavors. Thesustained finish has more dark fruit adding nuances of smoke andleather.

Varietal Content: 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Foothills, 33%Cabernet Franc, Sierra Foothills, 33% Petit Verdot, SierraFoothills

Bottling Date: 8/24/2010
Cases Produced: 362
pH: 3.5
Alcohol Content: 13.9%
Residual Sugars: Less than 0.1%

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2008 Barbera, Sierra Foothills

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:33:00 GMT

2008 Barbera, Sierra Foothills
Buy Now: $24.00

Winemaker'sNotes

Barbera is themost widely planted grape in the Piemonte region of Italy. Alba andAsti are the two growing regions in Piemonte in which the varietiesand yields are regulated by the government. Barbera grows very wellin the Sierra Foothills yielding grapes that are for the most partfruitier and more aromatic than their Italian counterparts.

Made in our"Submerged Cap" Fermentation Tank and aged in predominantly Frenchoak barrels for ten months, this wine has a definitive Barberaidentity. If you like Barbera you will love this wine, and if youare not a Barbera fan, this wine may make you change your mind. TheBing cherry and plum aromas carry into the palate with an explosionof bright fruit tapering off unexpectedly into a tampered softfinish. This wine shows great acid balance, good structure andcomplexity and is definitely a food wine.

Varietal Content: 91.4% Barbera, 8.6% Zinfandel
Appellation: Sierra Foothills, California
Cooperage: 100% French Oak
Bottling Date: August 27, 2009
Cases Produced: 847

Alcohol: 14.2
pH: 3.35
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%

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