Oberon Wines Cabernet & Merlot (4)

Sunday, August 12, 2012

I, Oberon, whom some might call the king,
Bring now to you a Cab and a Merlot
Need not ye thank me, rather, do your part
And bring me things to grill that pair with each.

Ah, Robin Good! A man of taste! I see
you bring the pork chops. Well met, well met.
For you, I give Merlot, 2008
the vintage; and do itst go with other
meats (like steak or salmon, chicken most foul,
or pasta that runs wild in fairy lands)
and now you sit at table on my right
if only so that you can fill my glass.

But think me not a ruler unhospit
For my largess extends to you as well.
Pick up thy steak, or ribs of baby’s back,
and take my cab, the one thing they will lack,
for cherry, berry, toffee and besides:
vanilla toasted, opens up the ayes.
And if this night grows cold endure the chill,
Lord Oberon will teach thee how to grill.

2008 Napa Valley Merlot 750ml 2-Pack

• Vintage: 2008
• Varietals: 92% Merlot, 7% Syrah, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Appellation: Napa Valley
• Barrel Aging: 18 months in French oak
• Alcohol: 13.6%
• pH: 3.78
• TA: 5.53 g/l

Winemaker, Tony Coltrin accomplished a vibrant layering of flavors in this Oberon Merlot by sourcing grapes throughout the Napa Valley. Blending fruit from classic and emerging appellations allowed Oberton to take advantage of different soil types and microclimates from around the valley. With the diversity of flavors, he created a well-rounded mouthful of wine.  To naturally soften tannins and enhance varietal complexity, they gave the wine 28 days of skin contact. The wine was pressed and transferred it to French oak barrels to undergo a long malolactic fermentation for roundness and depth. Blending in the Cabernet Sauvignon added interesting nuances to the lush berry flavor profile of the Merlot.

2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml 2-Pack

• Vintage: 2008
• Varietals: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petite Verdot
• Appellation: Napa Valley
• Barrel Aging: 18 months in French oak
• Alcohol: 13.7%
• TA: .59 g/100ml
• pH: 3.79 g/l

To create Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Tony Coltrin sourced grapes from throughout Napa Valley’s finest winegrowing regions, including Rutherford, Atlas Peak, Wooden Valley, and their own Oso Vineyard at the northeastern end of Napa Valley. By blending fruit from Napa’s volcanic hillside soils and the deeper alluvial soils of the valley floor, Tony accomplished his goal of crafting an outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon that boasts a beautifully rounded mouthfeel and layers of rich, complex flavors.  After the grapes were gently hand-harvested, de stemmed and crushed, the juice fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with an extended post-fermentation maceration that beautifully married flavors and tannins, giving Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon its lovely, seamless texture. Malolactic fermentation in barrel, combined with 18 months aging in French oak barrels, further concentrated the wine’s rich cherry, dark berry and cassis flavors, adding subtle nuances of toasted vanilla and toffee. 

Woot