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2009 Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge Red Half Case
Red Blend • Sonoma • Dry Creek Valley • Red Wine
6 x 2009 Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge Red
If you're all about life's simple pleasures – sleeping in on a rainy day; just making that yellow light; not getting short-changed again by the coffee-cart guy – then you'll love this red. It's a surprisingly delicious weeknight wine that won't break the bank. Michel-Schlumberger has been making Maison Rouge just for members of its mailing list since 1997, and each year, it's a read more...
6 x 2009 Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge Red
If you're all about life's simple pleasures – sleeping in on a rainy day; just making that yellow light; not getting short-changed again by the coffee-cart guy – then you'll love this red. It's a surprisingly delicious weeknight wineRead more...
6 x 2009 Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge Red
If you're all about life's simple pleasures – sleeping in on aRead more...
6 x 2009 Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge Red
If you're all about life's simple pleasures – sleeping in on a rainy day; just making that yellow light; not getting short-changed again by the coffee-cart guy – then you'll love this red. It's a surprisingly delicious weeknight wine that won't break the bank. Michel-Schlumberger has been making Maison Rouge just for members of its mailing list since 1997, and each year, it's a delicious, versatile, food-friendly wine that's carefully blended from small lots of estate-grown fruit.
This wine is the perfect party pour, too. Because it's a blend of so many different grape varieties – Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Viognier – no one particular character, aroma or flavor stands out too aggressively. With each mouthful, a lush berry flavor slides into a wide mid-palate of black fruits, spice and vanilla. It's a simple, well-crafted, tasty red – end of story.
But to be perfectly honest, whenever I open a bottle of Michel-Schlumberger it's an emotional and sensory experience that reminds me of the beauty of the estate – even this jaded, been-there-seen-that wine professional is always taken aback by the estate's surroundings, the character of the vineyards and the philosophy of the winemaking. This winery has been cranking out the good stuff for more than 30 years using Old World techniques that let the terroir of the vineyards speak, lending character and personality to the delicious wines.
Don't want to get sentimental? No problem. Just enjoy this for what it is. And you don't even need a corkscrew – which is good, considering how quickly you'll want to get into the second bottle ... and the third ...
Tasting Note
This is my new favorite house red. Dark and layered with notes of juicy red cherry, raspberry, currant and blackberry, this wine is a quaffable gem. Sweet spice with plum and hints of vanilla and black pepper help to round out the well-integrated tannic structure and yummy finale. The wine is perfect for sharing with friends at a barbecue – grill up anything from ribs and chicken to filet and lamb. Eat up and drink up. (14.9% ABV)
Punky Mahle has more than 15 years of experience in the wine and food industries, most recently with luxury resorts. Before joining Lot18 as a Napa/Sonoma Wine Specialist, Punky was a sommelier with The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the wine director for the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix. Punky currently lives, works and plays in Napa Valley. She’s thrilled to share her backyard with Lot18 members and be able to bring the region’s most exciting wines to the community. Learn more about Punky here, or follow her on Twitter: @punkytime
More About Dry Creek's Western Edge
The special growing conditions of Dry Creek Valley give its wines a character of elegance. The relatively cool growing season nourishes a distinctive balance in the valley's grapes, ripening them slowly and evenly.
Notched into the western edge of Dry Creek Valley like a small amphitheater, Wine Creek Canyon nicely sets the stage for ripening. The Canyon juts into the coastal range just at Dry Creek's temperate mid-section, piercing the valley's western flank. Michel-Schlumberger's rolling benches buttress the canyon's northern hillsides, and generally slope south, an exposure that gives them a full day's worth of sun. At the same time, vineyards on these benches are closer to the ocean than most – the Pacific is only 17 miles away. Shortly after 5 o'clock the ocean air arrives, and during the ripening season Michel-Schlumberger's vineyards are among the first to cool down.
At the end of a working day, if you were to walk along the forest at the western edge of our vineyards, you would experience this change of climate firsthand. It is the time of day when the sun has closed upon the horizon and shadows are cast long over the vines. Ahead, on the terraced uplands to the north, grow the treasured Jackson clones of Cabernet. Most of those vines are still in sunlight, and should you step out into that light, you would feel the heat of a western day. But here in the shadows a distinctly cool and constant breeze has begun to flow out of the trees and into the vineyards. This breeze feels remarkably like air conditioning. Its noteworthy cooling power goes a long way toward explaining how grapes in this little pocket canyon can ripen fully and succulently, without losing their composure.
—From the Michel-Schlumberger website
Availability
This product ships to the following states:
California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
