In our recent blind tasting of California “Bordeaux blends” we had some surprises. My group of 10 people swirled, sniffed, sipped and…
The Bordeaux-blend lineup:
- Realm The Bard 99 Points
- Schrader Wappo Hill 97 Points
- Cervantes Red Blend 96+ Points
- Marciano “M” Red Blend 97 Points
- Blackbird “Paramour” 97 Points
- Amulet “G3” 95 Points
- Frias “Prado” 96 Points
- Mt Brave 95 Points
- Revana “Estate” 95 Points
- Skipstone “Preface”
The result was amazing. The 2019 Skipstone Preface beat the “big” names.
Skipstone Preface received 5 first, 2 second and 3 third place votes.
Realm The Bard received 2 first, 4 second and 2 third place votes.
Cervantes received 2 first, 3 second and 3 third places votes.
Skipstone Preface is made by Philippe Melka. The grapes are sourced from their hillside vineyards on the Mayacamas range, located in the southeast portion of the Alexander Valley. Farmed sustainably and certified organic, grapes were all handfarmed, hand-harvested at night to preserve freshness and integrity of the grapes.
Skipstone Preface 2019 Bordeaux Blend, Alexander ValleyGGWC 79.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12 or more
Use code PREFACE during checkout
The sensational 2019 vintage rightfully has been receiving early praise in the region. The moderately warm days long into the growing season yielded high flavors, mouth-filling dark fruited wines, and plush, soft tannins across the Skipstone lineup. Immediately giving on both the nose and the palate, Preface is a delightfully enjoyable wine. A sweet core of plum, cherry and fig anchors the wine on the palate with supporting notes of aged leather, pomegranate, and balsamic reduction. A deft use of oak during the aging process adds hints of powdered
cocoa and cedar. This serious wine persists on the palate that carries the dense fruit through to a strong, lingering finish.
Winery Notes: “2019 was ever so slightly cooler than average, notable for even warm days with minimal heat spikes or threats of rain during harvest – conditions that allowed this vintage a long ripening window that yielded fully mature flavors. August picked up several days of higher nighttime temperatures, which ramped up the ripeness of flavors and dialed back acidity and tannin during the last month of the growing season. The resulting 2019 wines are profoundly deep and luxuriously textured wines. The entire Skipstone lineup exudes a core of mouth filling dark fruits, and plush, soft tannins. The 2019 wines are some of the most imminently pleasing wines in this stage of their youth we have ever produced, and they have a dense core of fruit that will support several decades in the cellar if you can resist the temptation to enjoy now. Only 448 cases were produced.”
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Call 415-337-4083 or email frank@goldengatewinecellars.com for availability and priority allocation