The Wines

Dear Friends,

Late luxuriant rains rescue northern California as spring moves forward with its business of birth and bloom. At Violet-Green, we take our cue to present you with a new spring collection of fine wines to delight the senses and welcome in nature’s new year.

Bordeaux varietals ruled in 2007 at Violet-Green. Among the many stars at Alder Springs Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon made some of their finest showings ever in 2007 and we feel that the strength of this vintage is reflected in this new set of wines we offer today along with our earliest tasting notes on the vintage.

The Cabernet Franc grape, whose fragrance wine writer Jancis Robinson describes as “dazzingly aristocratic,” intrigues more than ever in 2007 with its depth and concentration of very dark fruit. Compared with past vintages, the 2007 Cabernet Franc resembles the dark and powerful 2004 vintage packaged in a sleek and sophisticated structure of sinew, vibrant fruit and supple tannins. We both agree that this year’s Cabernet Franc easily lives up to its noble pedigree.

Our newest addition, “La Croix” (The Cross) arrives in time to celebrate its namesake’s sixth birthday. Maggie, the rare Magnificent Hummingbird who visited us in 2004, did not leave without giving birth to a large, colorful hybrid-cross son (deemed by ornithologists to rank as even rarer than his famous mother). To honor the bold beauty and sheer size of The Cross we made a right bank blend reminiscent of St. Emilion, crossing almost equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot for this debut. The result does justice to its name: a wine that intersects a delicious contrast of elegant ripe red fruit flavors against the dark fruit components of these two Bordeaux varietals.

With its cosmic swirl of four Bordeaux varietals, the 2007 UltraViolet claret offers up a dark purple glass of pure pleasure. This well-balanced wine is easy to love with its lush layered palate of dark fruit and a mouth-filling texture that allows it to pair easily with a wide variety of foods.

These youthful wines may be enjoyed today but they are built to last for years to come making them a smart investment in future happiness. We accept orders via FAX, phone, e-mail, or post, and we always enjoy hearing from you.

We believe that you will find at Violet-Green that increasingly rare bird: a small winery still owned and operated by two owner-winemakers who monitor every step of the winemaking process from grape to bottle, producing wines that you can pull from your cellar with confidence and pleasure for years to come.

Salut!

Don Wattenbarger & Lina Carro
Co-Owner / Winemakers

 

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2007 VINTAGE WINES

2007 La Croix (the cross)
Alder Springs Vineyard
Fresh strawberries and luscious framboise aromas and flavors fill a generous mouthfeel that plays against a backdrop of dark fruit and licorice with a long toffee finish. Contrast and intensity characterize this “Right Bank” style Bordeaux blend named for the unique hybrid-cross descendant of a female Magnificent Hummingbird and male Anna’s Hummingbird born at the winery. Decant in its first year to enjoy now and over the next 8-10 years.
60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. 75 cases produced.
$26

2007 UltraViolet Claret
Alder Springs Vineyard
Aromas of mint, chocolate, and baking spices introduce intense black and dark red fruit flavors that meld into a sweet middle palate impression of black fruit, currants, and dark chocolate. This well-balanced, deep and concentrated wine exhibits a mouth-coating texture that finishes long in a mix of graphite, dusty mint, chocolate, and tar. Drink over the next 10 years.
50% Merlot 41% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Petit Verdot 3% Cabernet Franc. 150 cases produced.
$26

2007 Cabernet Franc
Alder Springs Vineyard
Concentrated perfumes of dark raspberries, licorice, and violets preface a liqueur-like Bordeaux fruit intensity that is full-bodied but not heavy in the mouth. This sophisticated wine offers a lengthy palate of dark varietal fruit that extends into a long persistent finish of blackstrap, tar, and supple tannins. Enjoy today and over the decade to come.
100% Cabernet Franc. 100 cases produced.
$29

2007 Mixed Case sampler Specials

Nest of Swallows (12)
6 UltraViolet, 4 Cabernet Franc, 2 La Croix
$309

Nest of Swallows (6)
3 UltraViolet, 2 Cabernet Franc, 1 La Croix
$159

Vintages: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 - 2002