may 2010 wine club newsletter Dear Friends, I can hardly believe we’re about to embark on the summer months once again. The spring flew by as we were busy bottling the last of the 2007 and many of the 2008 vintage reds and even a few of the 2009 whites. Curator Bob Nugent and I have had a grand time, as always, selecting labels to adorn our newest editions. Even after almost 10 years, I never tire of trying to capture and match the spirit of a wine with another artist’s work. It continues to be both humbling and inspirational. For your last installment of the spring, we’ve selected 2009 Wow Oui and our 2007 Mourvèdre. The Wow Oui is positively perfect this time of year as its fresh, crisp flavors are always refreshing in the warmer weather. Mourvèdre actually makes an excellent BBQ wine in addition to being one of my favorite ways to end the day. Sitting on the porch, watching the sun set behind the Mayacamas Mountain range and sipping either of these wines really feels like summer to me. Don’t forget, this is your last paper edition of the Wine Club Newsletter. Come September, you’ll visit the website to download newsletters, recipes and event calendars. Go to www.imagerywinery.com now to view your May recipe. Cheers, Joe Benziger, Winemaker mark your calendars for the 1st Wednesday of the month – imagery after hours started back up as of May 12th!
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may 2010 wine club newsletter
Dear Friends,
I can hardly believe we’re about to
embark on the summer months once again.
The spring flew by as we were busy bottling
the last of the 2007 and many of the 2008
vintage reds and even a few of the 2009
whites. Curator Bob Nugent and I have had
a grand time, as always, selecting labels to
adorn our newest editions. Even after almost
10 years, I never tire of trying to capture
and match the spirit of a wine with another
artist’s work. It continues to be both
humbling and inspirational.
For your last installment of the spring,
we’ve selected 2009 Wow Oui and our 2007
Mourvèdre. The Wow Oui is positively
perfect this time of year as its fresh, crisp
flavors are always refreshing in the warmer
weather. Mourvèdre actually makes an
excellent BBQ wine in addition to being
one of my favorite ways to end the day.
Sitting on the porch, watching the sun set
behind the Mayacamas Mountain range and
sipping either of these wines really feels like
summer to me.
Don’t forget, this is your last paper
edition of the Wine Club Newsletter. Come
September, you’ll visit the website to
download newsletters, recipes and event
calendars. Go to www.imagerywinery.com
now to view your May recipe.
Cheers,
Joe Benziger, Winemaker
mark your calendars for the 1st W
ednesday of the month –
imagery after hours
started back up as of May 12th!
varietal: Wow Oui is our interpretation of
Sauvignon Blanc. Typically thought of as crisp
and sometimes acidic, we soften our Sauvignon
Blanc with a touch of Muscato. This twist adds
lovely floral aromas and a hint of sweetness.
vintage: Rains in May took the edge off the
drought and were responsible for the beautiful
canopies we had going into harvest. Through
the summer, we had 10-12 days of cool weather
followed by 2-3 days of very warm weather.
The heat wasn’t high enough and didn’t last
long enough to damage anything, but it gave
the grapes a good push towards ripening. The
heat bumps brought up the flavors and the cool
weather kept the structure and acid intact.
vinification: Sauvignon Blanc from the
MacLeod family, our friends and neighbors
in Sonoma Valley, was then blended with
organically grown Muscato from our friends
the Bartolucci Family in Mendocino. Free run
Sauvignon Blanc juice was tank fermented in
stainless steel to preserve the crisp acidity and
clean flavors of the grapes. The wine was bottled
in February 2010.
wine: Together Sauvignon Blanc and Muscato
produce a bright, fresh wine with layers of pink
grapefruit, lemony citrus and aromas of
gardenia. Whether providing refreshment from
long, hot days or being paired alongside a light
summer salad, the result is a resounding
WOW...Oui!
2009 wow oui
alcohol: 13.6%, total acidity .65, pH 3.22, 36 stainless steel barrels produced label artist: Fay Jones, Seattle, WA
varietal: This classic Spanish varietal thrives
in the red volcanic soil found on Morine
Vineyard in Lake County. With a high elevation
and the cooling affects of nearby Clear Lake,
this spot produces fruit with deep, rich flavors.
vintage: Overall the 2007 growing season
was paced fairly evenly with a just a few heat
spikes in the early summer. This year, a dry
winter led to a fairly early bud break, but warm
August weather ended up starting harvest early,
particularly for thin-skinned varietals. This
vintage was certainly smaller in quantity than
2006, but in many cases the lower yields meant
more concentrated flavors.
vinification: The grapes cold soaked for
3 days prior to fermentation. Fermentation
went to dryness and lasted 14 days. The wine
was then lightly pressed to maintain a delicate
balance between flavors, color and tannins. The
2007 Mourvèdre spent 14 months in French
oak barrels before bottling in April 2009.
wine: Medium bodied with layered flavors
of blueberry, currant, spice and herbs, our
Mourvèdre is equally lovely with a meal or
on its own. French oak barrel aging softens
tannins and adds complexity to the mouthfeel.
Enjoy our 2007 Mourvèdre with rack of lamb
or duck confit.
2007 mourvèdre
alcohol: 14.6%, total acidity .94, pH 3.77, 27 barrels produced label artist: Barry Buxkamper, Nashville, TN
wine club shipment re-order
imagery may 2010 newsletter price list:May Shipment (Re-order by June 15 to receive 25% off 1-11 btls, 30% off 12+):
2009 Wow Oui | $27
2007 Mourvèdre | $42
other wines:Your Club benefit entitles you to 20% off all Imagery wines: