SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:

Today’s selection from Rutherford Grove is truly a wine of elegance and distinction. If you are a fan of the great Merlot, this wine belongs in your cellar.

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Mission Codename: Gen V

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Secure an exceptional selection from family run Rutherford Grove.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2004 Rutherford Grove Estate Merlot – Napa Valley – Rutherford Bench

Winemaker: Andy Pestoni

Backgrounder:

The Rutherford AVA is among the most famous names in the valley and is primarily know for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Located just south of the town of St. Helena, Rutherford Grove Winery sits between Grgich Hills Estate to the south and Whitehall Lane to the north. For today’s wine, we send Agent Red to investigate and, today, he returns with the winery’s tremendous Estate Merlot. Read his tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet in color with a darker inky core. The concentrated color of this wine extends just out to the rim of the glass where it lightens to a burgundy color. The wine settles quickly when swirled, leaving behind widely spaced legs that start slowly and gain speed as they make their way down the glass

Smell – Bold intensity aromas of sweet blueberry and raspberry, followed by notes of dried violets and ripe cherry. Underneath these are layers of anise, soft spices, sweet wood, dusty earth and a touch of toasted vanilla

Feel – Full-bodied and smooth with rich, medium tannins, and easy acidity and a dense and slightly dusty texture that adds to the overall character of the wine

Taste – Bold and dense fruit with darkly jammy fruit of strawberry, raspberry and other red fruit. These are well integrated with a dose of medium toasted oak that emerges with a slightly creamy vanilla quality. As you delve more deeply into this wine, flavors of dried flowers, anise, soft spice and dark chocolate emerge, completing the delicious palate of this wine

Finish – The long finish of this wine lingers with ripe and rich fruit, soft spice and a dusky texture that invites more big sips

Conclusion – In a word, Delicious! This is a fantastic Merlot that is certain to please any red wine lover, even those skeptical of Merlot. Those in the know when it comes to Merlot, know that, done right, Merlot is the killer table wine. A perfect companion for fine dining or everyday meals, Merlot – this Merlot – has bold but balanced flavors, with great acidity, making it a compliment to your dining. This wine gets our heartiest recommendation!

Mission Report:

Below is a recap of Agent White’s original mission when he discovered Rutherford Grove Winery & Vineyards.

Every now and then wine mixes with another passion, specifically my love of fine historic automobiles. So it was with great pleasure that we accepted an initiation to attend a specific wine tasting event at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles that was featuring the wines and wineries of the Howell Mountain Vintners & Growers Association. (To honest, given the magnitude of great wines, they could have hosted the event at a stock yard and I’d be there).

I asked one of my favorite tasting partners to join me, We’ll call her Agent Fire Cracker for now. So named as she is half French and half Columbian, I’ll let you guess which side won, but she has one of the most sophisticated palates of anyone I know and I wanted her judgment since I was likely to be swayed by all the four-wheeled distractions.

With so many great wineries represented this was both a pleasure but also a daunting task. So many great wines so little time. We used the W.I.N.E. (Wine Internet Nexus Engine) to help us narrow down the specific target wineries and their selections so we could focus on only the best. Fire Cracker and I, with our cover established covertly tasted the wines on our list. So many were great and over the next few months you’ll be presented with our findings.

Today, we are pleased to introduce you to one of those great wineries, the folks from Rutherford Grove and their delicious 2004 Estate Merlot. Strategically located near Herbie – The Love Bug of Disney movie fame, this wine is equally a classic. The folks at Rutherford Grove have an extensive history of winemaker that dates back five generations. Winemaker, Andy Pestoni and the Pestoni family is committed not only producing wines of exceptional character but also to sustainable farming practices. After you taste today’s selection, we are sure you’ll agree that history, tradition and respect for the environment make all the difference.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.