2004 VINTAGE WINES

2004 Cuvee Maggie Claret
Alder Springs Vineyard
Exuberant dark raspberry fruit swirls with vanilla, deepening to black cherry and currant on the finish. Baking spices and flowers lend complexity to the mix. Balanced by ripe tannins, this rich and lively beauty rewards today and will for years to come. Created to commemorate a 5-week visit to the winery in 2004 by a female Magnificent Hummingbird (2nd-ever sighted in California), this wine is dedicated to spring's special miracles. 70% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc. 65 cases produced.
$26 750 ml $76 1.5 L

2004 UltraViolet (Claret)
Alder Springs Vineyard
Exotic perfumes of sandalwood and star anise introduce a palate of dark plum spicecake flavors, currants, and charcoal. Youthful tannins give way to dark fruits that gain in depth and intensity with time in the glass. Like the 2003 UV, this is a great barbecue wine! 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc. 212 cases produced.
$26 750 ml $76 1.5 L

2004 Cabernet Franc
Alder Springs Vineyard
A muscular ballerina, this dark beauty shows subtle oak influences of incense, charcoal, cedar, and toast. A core of intense dark fruit on the middle palate, with fragrances of rose petal, violets, and lavender, only hint at the complexity that will emerge with time. Decant in its youth and enjoy for years to come. 100% Cabernet Franc. 125 cases produced.
$29 750 ml $82 1.5 L

2004 Syrah
Alder Springs Vineyard
This classic, intense wine is the essence of Syrah. Violets in the nose with a dark ruby color, the palate oozes deep, dark licorice, blackberry-blueberry jam concentrate with tar and eucalyptus. A creamy middle palate and a lengthy meaty finish make this Syrah a fine match for rich, spicy meat dishes such as pork, lamb, and bison. 100% Syrah. 150 cases produced.
$36 750 ml $100 1.5 L

2003 VINTAGE WINES

2003 Review

Double D's Wine Diary
Daniel Dawson
Back Room Wines-

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship: Violet-Green Winery makes "Alder Springs Vineyard" reds, and makes them very very well! Just received Violet Green Merlot "Alder Springs" 2002. Owners & Winemakers Lina Carro and Don Wattenbarger live and make their wine in my hometown of Eureka, California (Humboldt County, five hour drive north of San Francisco). They drive two hours south of Eureka to "Alder Springs," near Laytonville in Northern Mendocino County (dizzy with directions now?) to get their world-class wine grapes. The wine: silky, concentrated, intense deep berry/cherry. Luxurious mouth feel like cashmere...how Merlot should be but usually isn't. Those who know "Alder Springs" say Merlot is the least successful grape there. This wine will change their opinion.

Violet-Green's 2003 reds will be part of Holiday Newsletter. I've tasted all of them and they're some of the best, new California reds I've tasted in a long, long time. Very small production. I first tasted their wines at the big "Family Winemakers Tasting" in San Francisco this past summer. My mouth lit up with flavor, then my eyes shined in excitement.

In a nutshell, the Merlot is cinnamon & nutmeg on black cherries, cassis and mocha. Cab Franc is the "restrained one"with a little lavender, big plum, resin, and velvet. "UltraViolet" is a Cab Sauv/Merlot blend. It's luscious, showy and the don't-think-just-love-it-wine of the bunch. The Syrah is no holds barred huge. Espresso, port without the sugar, darkest chocolate. Dry-rub, heavy-smoked pork ribs is the way to go.

*Special Limited Pre-Release Sampler Pricing for our Mailing List

2003 Merlot
Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino - SOLD OUT

2003 UltraViolet (Claret)
Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino - $26
Dense, rich, husky black fruit and creme de cassis make our proprietary Claret a powerhouse! Firm tannin structure promises excellent aging potential. Aged 19 months in French oak. 150 cases produced.
$411 /case of 12 750 ml

2003 Cabernet Franc
Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino - $29
Thick blackberry-blueberry fruit introduces the seamless, complex flavor experience of this low-cropping varietal. Purity, concentration and deep aromatics combine to make this extraordinary wine our sweetheart of the vintage. Aged 19 months in French oak. 75 cases produced. $468 /case of 12 750 ml

2003 Syrah
$36 (750 ml) $105 (1.5 L) Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino
Indigenous yeast fermentation contributes to an ideal balance of concentrated wild black fruit flavors laced with licorice and firm structure. A real big boy. Aged 19 months in French oak. 150 half-cases produced.
$282 /half-case 750 ml

2002 VINTAGE WINES

SOLD OUT

2002 Merlot
Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino - $26
A bold, spicy Merlot blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine displays a strong middle palate, long finish, and plush mouthfeel. Its complex spicy red and black fruit flavors pair well with a broad range of foods, especially grilled foods. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels. 180 cases produced.
$297/case of 12 750 ml

Vintages: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 - 2002