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Occasionally OnThEdge
(A.K.A. Our Newsletter & Wine Club Sampler)
Greetings once again to our wine club members!
Fall
provides us with a perfect occasion to send our occasional Wine Club
Sampler to our membership! On this occasion we include 1 bottle
each of our new release 2003 Charbono, 2002 Cabernet Franc, and 2001
Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet Sauvignon. All OnThEdge and Jean Louis
Vermeil wines are produced in small lots and offered to our club
members on a first come first served basis. These wines usually
sell quickly. Thus, if, after sampling you are interested in
purchasing additional wines, you should do so promptly. Ordering
information is enclosed with your sampler. We hope you enjoy our
expressive, hand crafted, Napa Valley wines and thank you for your
continued interested in OnThEdge and Jean Louis Vermeil wines.
Occasionally yours,
The
Frediani, Vermeil and Smith families
Fall Club Sampler
2003
Charbono, Frediani Vineyard
$35/btl
reg; 29.79/btl club; 6 btl limit
I
continue to be amazed with Charbono!
Recently, Slow Foods held a dinner at the Silverado Country Club
Resort in Napa. Six Napa Valley winemakers showcased their Charbono.
With one exception all were excellent wines and I felt this tasting
accurately benchmarked Charbono’s varietal characteristics. If you
enjoyed our 2001 (Silver Medal, S.F. Chronicle; Silver Medal Dallas
Morning News, St. Helena Star Wine of the Week), you will equally
enjoy our 2003. (Sorry, no Charbono produced in 2002…). Still
tightly packed with deep purple colors; open a day or so prior to
drinking to release its fresh grape, tar, blueberry, lavender, earth
and the typical clove aromas typical for our Charbono. It finishes
a bit rougher than our 2001. Drinkable now (though a teeth stainer),
it will improve significantly over the next 5-10 years. (Read more
about Charbono on the last page of this newsletter).
2002
Cabernet Franc, Frediani Vineyard
$45/btl
reg; $38.25/btl club; 6 btl limit
We
produced our first Cabernet Franc in 1980 and are excited to once
again offer Cabernet Franc from the Frediani Vineyard. Contrasting
with the C.F. produced in the traditional Loire style (typically
light colored with herbaceous flavors and aromas and soft textures)
best consumed young, our arrogant 2002 is a clear challenge to its
Cabernet Sauvignon siblings. Those of you who know me find me
thrifty with superlatives and should therefore trust me when I call
this a significant wine. See for yourself and sneak a bottle into
your next “big” Cabernet Sauvignon blind tasting. Then, send me the
results. Dense-red-black color and young aromas of subdued smoke
and cassis lead to bold flavors of fresh-roasted coffee beans,
cassis, rich dark chocolate, toasted oak and ripe cherries which
saturate the palette. The long, rugged, ripe finish pleads for at
least 5 years in the cellar. If you really must drink it now,
decant on Friday for your dinner on Saturday. A value.
Forgive me, but I simply can’t control a final outburst: Get it
or regret it!
2001
Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet Sauvignon, Frediani Vyd.
$55/btl
reg; $46.75/btl club; 6 btl limit
Our
third JLV vintage continues in a similar style as the ’99 and ‘00.
After 30 months in French oak and 18 months bottle ageing, decanting
will add to the rich texture and density of this wine. Flavors
trend towards cherries and cassis and at this point I believe the
wine to be a bit ahead of our earlier JLV vintages at the same age.
Scents of subdued toasty oak and a pinch of earth and compliment the
bright fruit. The finish is round and lingering with soft ripe
tannins and hints of vanilla. Again, though quite tasty now
(decanting recommended) with proper cellaring, it should continue to
improve for another 5 years.
Also Available
2000
Zinfandel, Frediani 1956 Vineyard, Library Release
$30/btl
reg; $25.50/btl club; 3 btl limit
Mahogany-sandlewood scents, complex, round, full, lingering flavors.
Smacky! A few cases remain.
2001
Zinfandel, Frediani 1956 Vineyard
$25/btl reg;
$21.25/btl club
Our
richest Zinfandel to date, losing its baby-fat; slowly developing
complexity similar to the 2000 which will reward proper ageing.
2001
Zinfandel, Luvisi 1908 Vineyard
$25/btl reg; $21.25/btl club; 3 btl limit
Rich,
complex, not so-called “old vine” Zin; the 1908 indicates the year
the vineyard was planted—mules, President Taft—preWW1.
2002
Zinfandel, Frediani 1956 Vineyard
$23/btl reg;
$19.55btl club
Very
similar to the 2001 Frediani Zinfandel. Strawberries, peaches,
opening nicely.
2000
OnThEdge Cabernet Sauvignon, Library Release
$35/btl reg; $29.75/btl club; 3btl limit
3 years in the bottle have contributed richness to our last cases of
this juicy cab. Tasty now but should improve for the next 5 years.
2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Frediani Vineyard
Sold Out
Watch
for our 2005 Sauvignon Blanc to be released spring 2006.
Magnums
A few available to club
members.
2002 Pickett Road Red, Frediani Vineyard
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Inquire
Occasionally, maybe two to three times each year we bottle and
release a couple barrels or so of our red blend composed of
bits’n’pieces, heads’n’tails, overs’n’unders, fats’n’skinnies,
odds’n’ends, this’n’thats… You know, small quantities of our
varietal wines which, for whatever reason, did not make it into one
of our varietal bottlings. Pickett Road Red is a terrific,
hearty wine ready for consumption (nothing wimpy or
2-buck-upchuck-able here!) and a terrific value. It is only
available through the tasting room or winery (not from the website)
so please inquire directly. Prices range between $12-16/btl.
Occasionally, we have also been known to bottle a barrel or two of
our unique Spare Parts or quite special
Occasional Red. Though never announced or promoted, once
bottled, these wines are snapped up by a growing pseudo-cult of
locals passionate about wines of exceptional character and value.
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