2004 Cuvée St.E (CUVEE SERIES) -- J. Lohr Winery Shopping Cart -- St.E Cuvée 2004

<A HREF="http://www.jlohr.com" TITLE="J. Lohr Winery"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/jlohr/BW.gif" ALT="J. Lohr Winery" NAME="J. Lohr Winery" BORDER=0></A> <H1>2004 Cuvée St.E -- J. Lohr Winery Shopping Cart</H1> $50.00 <IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/jlohr/images/Cuvee-STE-label-lg.jpg" ALIGN=right ALT="2004 Cuvée St.E" NAME="2004 Cuvée St.E" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10> VINTAGE The 2004 harvest for Cabernet Franc, the base of the J. Lohr Cuvée St. E, was very early. This was the first year we began to deeply investigate Block 3 and how we could use thinning and pruning to manipulate the quality of the fruit. This meant cane pruning to 1.5 canes per side and doing extra-heavy thinning just prior to the completion of veraision (coloring of the berries). The results were clear, with improved color and greater general wine density. The best and perhaps most challenging aspect of making this wine is managing the varietal leafiness that is sometimes present and the resulting abundant or extractable tannins that can sometime force its hand in fermentation. The payoff, however, is a wine with great density, undeniable varietal character and the strength to age over time. J. LOHR CUVÉE ST. E The Cuvée Series was created to allow J. Lohr winemakers a chance to blend small premium lots into cuvées that represent the basic varietals grown in three different areas of Bordeaux. In this case, the Cuvée St. E showcases the varietals of the St. Emilion region on the Right Bank. The major varietal in St. Emilion is Cabernet Franc, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are few locations in the world that can achieve such density in the Cabernet Franc grape while maintaining its varietal integrity, which surely makes it a star in this region. TECHNICAL DATA Origin:                           Paso Robles AVA Composition:               87 % Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 2% other Total Acidity:              0.68 g/100 ml pH at Bottling:             3.6 Alcohol:                       15.13% by volume Residual Sugar:           Dry Vinification:                 Stainless steel fermented                                       Malolactic fermentation in new French oak Maturation:                 22 months in new French oak Bottling Date:             August 2006 Production:                 370 6-bottle cases WINEMAKERS COMMENTS The 2004 J. Lohr Cuvée St. E has a dark ruby-red color and good density. The aroma is dominated by red currant, dark cherry, berry fruits and a slight floral element. There is an underlying hint of leafiness and spice common to the Cabernet Franc varietal. The fruit is accompanied by lovely toasty oak, which also carries a spicy component. The palate builds throughout the wine, starting with fresh currant fruit, leading to a full mid- and lingering rear-palate, boasting the chewy tannins which so often accompany this varietal in Paso Robles. Of the three blends in the J. Lohr Cuvée Series, this one lends best to cellaring. I will, however, drink mine tonight with a calzone stuffed with pork fillet, pine nuts and spinach. Other products in the category <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr/Category9" TITLE="CUVEE SERIES">CUVEE SERIES</A>: <A HREF=http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr/Product450 TITLE="2004 Cuvée PAU"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/jlohr/images/Cuvee-PAU-label-sm.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="2004 Cuvée PAU" NAME="2004 Cuvée PAU" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10></A> <A HREF=http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr/Product450 TITLE="2004 Cuvée PAU">2004 Cuvée PAU</A> -- VINTAGE Making the J. Lohr Cuvée PAU is always a pleasure. Fruit selection and direction are two of the key elements to making this wine a success, as is scouting the vineyard early enough to identify grape quality to ensure the fruit reaches its potential. The 2004 harvest was one of the earliest on record, with the grapes reaching their peak in mid-September. Usually, one lot of fruit always stands . . . <A HREF=http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr/Product453 TITLE="2004 Cuvée POM"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/jlohr/images/Cuvee-POM-label-sm.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="2004 Cuvée POM" NAME="2004 Cuvée POM" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10></A> <A HREF=http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr/Product453 TITLE="2004 Cuvée POM">2004 Cuvée POM</A> -- VINTAGE 2004 was one of the earliest harvests on record in Paso Robles. It was also the first harvest of our Creston Vineyard. I often hear people say that younger vineyards are not as good as older ones, the primary reason being that the vine achieves ‘balance’ as it reaches maturity. The first crop is often in a state of artificial balance. The vines are so small that the canopy is open with a very . . . <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com/jlohr" TITLE="J. Lohr Winery Products">J. Lohr Winery Products</A> <A HREF="http://www.jlohr.com">J. Lohr Winery</A> J. Lohr Winery Online Store powered by Nexternal <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com" TITLE="ecommerce solutions">ecommerce solutions</A>