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What We Say 2005 Old Vine Mataro
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
Today’s selection from Trinitas Cellars is truly an exceptional wine and at today’s price of 25% off is also an exceptional value.
SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:
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Mission Codename: The Monastrell
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Revisit Trinitas Cellars and retrieve their under-the-radar, but particularly excellent Mataro, a delicious blend of 81% Maataro (Mourvèdre), 9% Black Malvoisie, 7% Petite Sirah and 3% Alicante Bouschet
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Trinitas Cellars
Wine Subject: 2005 Trinitas Cellars Mataro Old Vine Mourvèdre
Winemaker: Kevin Mills
Backgrounder: Late to budbreak and late to ripen, the Spanish-origin varietal, Mourvèdre, is used primarily as a blending component in GSM blends (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre), this distinct varietal makes an interesting primary component in today’s selection. Today’s superior wine is a delicious treat that is filled with great character and interesting, evolving flavors.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Gorgeous dark garnet, with a clear but darker heart and deep color right out the the plum-colored edges of the wine. When swirled, this wine has a soft springy look. When it settles, it leaves behind ultra widely-spaced legs that crawl slowly down the edges of the glass
Smell – Richly spicy floral fruit drive the initial nose of this intriguing wine. Aromas of violets, darkest red rose, dark cherry, blackberry and herbs merge with soft aromas of dried fall leaves, white pepper and softest oak.
Feel – Initially smooth and sloftly wet, this wine goes dry and then dryer. The effect is really interesting and very pleasurable. Medium, softly gritty tannins emerge, but do not dominate.
Taste – Bold but natural flavors of ripest blackberry, dark cherry, black plum and cassis lead the way. These are followed by thyme, clove, soft cinnamon and soft mixed spices with hints of black and white peppers – and dark chocolate.
Finish – Evolving and dynamic, this wine starts cool and clean, but then, as it coats the mouth, a dryness emerges – and keeps on emerging. The wine does not dry your mouth completely, and the effect of the drying ultimately leads to a mouthwatering cascade – which causes a rush of fruit and spice to return to your palate!
Conclusion – The 2005 Trinitas Cellars Mataro Mourvèdre a very exciting and very interesting wine! I was really surprised by how excellent this wine is. While I have always come to expect excellent wines from Trinitas, my limited experience with Mourvèdre led me to expect a wine that was less delicious, less fun and certainly less intriguing. This rich and bold wine shows great fruit, a big feel and deep aromatics, but it is down-to-earth and has the sort of bright acidity to make it an excellent companion to most meals. If you are looking for something unique, something excellent and something intriguing, this wine is a sure winner! Did I mention that the wine is intriguing?
Mission Report:
Below is a recap of Agent Red’s original mission when he visited Trinitas Cellars:
Located at the southern end of the Napa Valley, nestled behind the Meritage Resort & Spa and buried in and underground cave, lies a remarkable secret: Trinitas Cellars.
Trinitas first came to my attention while on stakeout during a prior mission. I was on a vetting mission and was keeping an eye on a potential new asset. If this person proved to have the connections that she was reported to, I’d be recruiting her by days end.
I had followed her to the Meritage Resort, when she was having what looked to be a poolside meeting with a group I recognized as some heavy-hitters in the biz. These guys are all business and so I knew that my target must have the chops that her dossier suggested.
A waitress offered me a menu but I politely waved it away. Instead, I simply asked her for a glass of their best house Pinot Noir.
The wine arrived. The waitress set it down on the table in front of me. I handed her a $20 and told her to keep the change. I sat and watched my target for some time before finally picking up the wine.
I inhaled deeply – and the hairs on my neck stood up. This, I could tell, was one excellent wine! I spent the next several minutes enraptured by the wine. It was a young wine, I could tell, but it was very impressive.
When I finally looked up, my target was gone! How could I let myself be so distracted? On scanning the area, my eyes came to rest on an anomaly in the landscape; The hill that sat behind me, over my right shoulder, was obviously manmade. I had seen enough ‘hills’ like this to know that it was a wine cave!
I got to my feet and dashed toward the hill. Cleverly concealed as it might have been, I quickly found the entrance. Once inside I made my way through the cavern, eventually finding – a full tasting room!
And there, at the bar, was my target and her cohorts.
The woman behind the bar beamed at me and said, “Welcome to Trinitas Cellars!”
Trinitas, eh? This requires deeper investigation…
Agent Red, out!
Agent White, reporting:
Is Agent Red losing it? Does he need glasses? The sign above the wine cave clearly reads, “Trinitas Cellars”. At least he returned to HQ with samples of that Pinot Noir. The Pinot, of course, turned out to be a 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir from Trinitas – and today we are proud to present you with an opportunity to try this special wine for yourself.
As for Agent Red and his mission worthiness, we are recommending that he be placed under closer scrutiny. His wine-finding skills are still top-notch, but his methods and his reports leave just a tad to be desired!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Trinitas Cellars cave tasting room and winery can be seen, behind the Meritage Resport & Spa, in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Trinitas
Holiday Bonus:
Trinitas has graciously provided a glass Trinitas holiday ornament for all Operatives that order 6 or more bottles today!
About This Wine:
Mataro, a.k.a. Mourvèdre, was made famous by the fruit grown near the banks of the Rhône River AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape in Southern France. Like the Mourvèdre grown in Rhône, our Mataro is planted near the banks of a river (the Sacramento River). The deep sandy soil has protected our vines from phyloxera and has aided in the development of intense flavor and mouth feel.
Mataro, once widely planted in California at the turn of the century, is now just a footnote in our industries history. Particularly resistant to oxidization, Mataro is capable of producing wines with firm structure and rich, dark fruit. Scented of violets, dark cherries, chocolate, and eucalyptus with Provencal herbs and green tobacco leaf, this wine is delicious presently and will age for well over a decade.
The Winemaking: Picked at optimum ripeness for flavor at about 25.5˚ Brix, this wine was cold soaked for 3 days before fermentation. It was then allowed to ferment slowly for over 14 days at a relatively cool temperature. This modern fermentation method and the use of gentle irrigation pump-over devices, insured the maximum extraction of color and the preservation of fruit flavors without the over extraction of bitter tannins from the skins and seeds. Aged for 14 months in approximately 27% new American and French oak, this wine should age gracefully for 10 years.
The Vineyard: The source of this amazingly complex wine was planted over 120 year ago. This old vineyard of Mataro, in Contra Costa County, is still producing only a mere 1 to 1.5 tons of fruit per acre. Growing in the low vigor, sandy soils around the little Bay Area town of Oakley, this Mataro was co-fermented with a small amount of Black Malvoisie growing in a small block from the same vineyard. Later, during the aging process, a small amount of Petite Sirah was added for structure and color.
The Vintage: The 2005 vintage has been labeled by many as an inconsistent year but those who were patient reaped the benefits. The growing season was delayed by a wet cold April causing inconsistent berry formation in some sites ultimately resulting in low yields. The summer months were a rollercoaster of hot and cold temperatures and on September 3rd a spectacular storm shook Northern California. The storm was followed by severe heat in mid-September. For the finale, normal warm weather helped achieve the flavors, colors and ripeness that winemaker’s desire. Despite such a nail biting season the 2003 vintage was a success with ripe bright flavor and supple tannins.
About The Winery:
Trinitas Cellars celebrates the connection among sun, soil and humanity by working closely with its grower society throughout Northern California to source a broad range of varietals from the regions where climate and soil conditions are most favorable. Small quantities of these exceptional-quality grapes are then handcrafted into an approachable California-style wine to be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food. The Busch family balances their resources to grow their business and benefit the community and their faith, by honoring and serving God in all they do.
Trinitas, the Latin word for Trinity, is the fundamental principle of Christianity. Trinity also symbolizes Sun, Soil & Humanity, which are the three ingredients evoking the perfect wine. It further reflects the triumvirate of the Wine Country lifestyle, Meritage Resort & Spa, and Trinitas wines.
About The Winemaker:
Kevin Mills – Kevin Mills grew up in Oklahoma where he and his family have grown vines since 1977. After years of hard work and many “interesting” wines they decided to go to school. Kevin enrolled in Grayson County College’s Viticulture and Enology program at Denison, Texas and together started Canadian River Winery. Kevin met Tony Peju of Peju Province Winery and mentored under then Peju Winemaker Sean Foster for four and a half years. Kevin took the winemaker position for Trinitas Cellars in January, 2007. His emphasis is to mainstream Trinitas with top tier Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals. Kevin has introduced Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet programs to the Trinitas Portfolio.
Technical Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 0.76g/100ml
pH: 3.74
Production: 367 Cases
Suggested Retail: $25.00
