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Dear %%FIRST%%,With winter’s chill slowly yielding to the promise of spring, we're eagerly anticipating the increased vineyard activity the warmer weather will bring. In the meantime, we are pleased to introduce our loyal customers to two new vintages - our 2011 Pedestal Merlot and 2011 Pirouette Red Wine. With many of our current vintages selling out within weeks of release, we wanted to offer our email subscribers first access to these exceptional wines. Our Key Club members who have signed up to have Pirouette or Pedestal as part of their club selection will be guaranteed their club allocation, and are welcome to order additional wine with their Key Club discounts through this offer. As previously stated, discounts on wine or shipping will now only be available for Key Club members. Please visit our website for information on how to join our Key Club. |
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We’ve teamed up with Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world’s top wineries, to produce this limited release Merlot. The 2011 Pedestal has not yet been submitted for review, but offers the ripe fruit character of previous vintages, all of which have scored 93+ points (see Past Vintage Reviews below).Expressive aromas of wild berry and black currant combine with elegant oak spice to reveal a wine with dense texture and refined structure. Hints of espresso and chocolate on entry are complimented by an earthy spiciness that persists across the mid-palate and throughout a lengthy finish. A balanced wine with vibrant, beautifully integrated flavors. 
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We partnered with world-renowned winemakers Philippe Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr. to craft this enticing red blend. The 2011 Pirouette (not yet submitted for review) is reminiscent of the 98 point (WE) 2008 vintage in that it is the best of both worlds - intense, vibrant and immediately enjoyable in its youth, with firm structure and ripe tannins making it an excellent candidate for the cellar.Intense aromas and flavors of ripe plum, black licorice and cedar shine through from start to finish. Distinctive nuances of cassis, oak spice and mocha on the mid-palate carry the long, supple finish. A bold yet balanced wine with an impressive backbone providing both firm structure and richness.
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Winemaker Notes
"For many places I consult for around the world 2011 was not an easy harvest, but I have to say that I have been very impressed with how the Pedestal in Walla Walla came together. The 2011 Pedestal has an elegant texture while showing many layers of complexity and a profound rich mouthfeel. A wine to cherish in everyone’s cellar!" - Michel RollandAbout Michel Rolland Although Michel’s roots come from Pomerol, home to Bordeaux’s finest Merlots, he crafts wines for many of the world’s most famous wineries, producing wines with an alluring style recognized as the “Rolland Method”. Michel has championed effeuillage (thinning of leaves) and eclaircissage (pruning of clusters) in the vineyard, and his trademarks include aging on the lees in new oak barrels and in-barrel malolactic fermentation. Yet to Michel, those techniques would mean nothing without studying the surround - that is, the blend of personality traits that distinguish the vintner, the vineyard and the grower. Michel’s uncanny ability to recognize the nuances that separate an unexciting wine from something extraordinary is what makes him such an amazing enologist. |
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Winemaker Notes
“For the second year in a row, the Columbia Valley’s growing season was cooler than usual, and we were ready! Very early on, we dropped fruit in the vineyards and thinned out canopies to lower yields and increase sun exposure to the fruit zone. After an extra color thinning at veraison, we had beautiful days through harvest which allowed the vine to achieve the perfect physiological maturity.” - Philippe MelkaAbout Philippe Melka Originally a student of geology at the University of Bordeaux, Philippe's decision to take a wine course forever changed his life. His lifelong, worldwide quest for knowledge has taken Philippe to the Napa Valley (Dominus Estate), Western Australia (Chittering Estate), Chianti (Badia O Coltibuono) and Bordeaux (Chateau Petrus). Named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, Philippe now makes Napa Valley his home, where he has extensive winemaking experience (Bryant Family, Hundred Acre, Vineyard 29, Metisse, and CJ Wines). In 2003 Philippe partnered with Agustin Huneeus, Sr. to craft Pirouette. Agustin Huneeus, Sr. began his career as CEO of Concha y Toro in Chile, before heading Seagram’s worldwide operations and transforming Franciscan Estates. Today he owns Quintessa estate winery in Rutherford, California. |
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PAST VINTAGE SCORES: (2011 vintage not yet submitted for review) 2010 Pedestal 94 points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Wine Enthusiast 2009 Pedestal 95 points - Wine Spectator 93 points - Wine Enthusiast 2008 Pedestal 93 points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Stephen Tanzer 2007 Pedestal 94 points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Wine Spectator 2006 Pedestal 96 points - Connoisseurs Guide 94 points - Wine Advocate 2005 Pedestal 96 points - Connoisseurs Guide 94 points - Wine Advocate 2004 Pedestal 94 points - Wine Advocate 94 points - Connoisseurs Guide 2003 Pedestal 95 points - Connoisseurs Guide 94 points - Wine Advocate |
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PAST VINTAGE SCORES: (2011 vintage not yet submitted for review) 2010 Pirouette 94 points - Wine Enthusiast 92 points - Wine Advocate 2009 Pirouette 95 points - Wine Enthusiast 93+ points - Stephen Tanzer 2008 Pirouette 98 points - Wine Enthusiast 93 points - Wine Advocate 2007 Pirouette 93+ points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Stephen Tanzer 2006 Pirouette 93 points - Wine Spectator 93 points - Wine Enthusiast 2005 Pirouette 92 points - Wine Enthusiast 91+ points - Stephen Tanzer 2004 Pirouette 93 points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Wine Access 2003 Pirouette 93 points - Wine Advocate 93 points - Wine & Spirits |
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As always, thank you for your continued support. We look forward to sharing our newest releases with you! Cheers, |
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