Corley & Corley Reserve

2005 Corley Proprietary Red Wine

Price: $70.00
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  • Print:   Tasting Notes


    QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINE – BEST OF THE BEST (Top 10 of 2008) CALIFORNIA RED BLENDS
    ‘Big, deep, rich, powerful, black fruit, coffee and earth flavors’

    Vinification:
    With the exception of the co-fermented lots, which served as the foundation for the blend, all of the lots were fermented and sent to barrel individually. As is my tendency with this wine each year, the blend was put together in stages over the course of the barrel-aging process. Incremental blending can be thought of as putting together a piece of music. Typically you start with a base melody or rhythm, upon which the rest of the song is based. That’s your catchy riff - and to that you layer the rest of your jam down. The co-fermented lot of Cabernet Franc and Merlot was the riff that I jammed to.

    Tasting Notes:
    Continuing along my musical theme from above, this wine’s opening stanza is a medley of blueberry, blackberry, floral and sweet oak tones. The chorus is lovely, the tannins laying down a solid rhythmic bass line, while the berry aromatics and dark fruit flavors entertain with an “echo” jam evoking some of the old-school boogie-woogie piano jams of old. The finish is sweet, lingering and smoky – like the last song of the evening in a downtown jazz club. – Chris Corley, Winemaker

    Vineyards
    Cabernet Franc (56%)
    Home Ranch Vineyard and Knollwood Vineyard – Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District
    Clone X and Clone 332

    Merlot (28%)
    Knollwood – Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District - Clone 181

    Syrah (10%)
    Knollwood Vineyard, Napa Valley – Oak Knoll District, ENTAV Clone 470

    Cabernet Sauvignon (6%)
    State Lane Vineyard – Napa Valley, Yountville, Clone 337
    Tietjen Vineyard on Niebaum Lane – Napa Valley, Rutherford, ‘Cope’ Clone
    Yewell Vineyard on Ehlers Lane – Napa Valley, St Helena, Clone 337