By Grand Napa Vineyards
Napa Bridge 2010 Red Blend

Technical Details
Blend: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah
Titratable Acidity: 5.65 g/l
pH: 3.7
Alcohol: 14.00%
Residual Sugar: 0.10 g/l

Vineyard Notes
In some years, winegrowers must feel like baseball players in the batting cage, swinging at whatever Mother Nature throws their way. For vintage 2010 in California’s renowned Napa Valley, this was the case. Rainfall returned after three dry years, pushed bud break, flowering and fruit-set back by at least two weeks at the front end of the growing season. Due to the cloud cover, there was no frost damage in 2010. The summer brought cooler than normal temperatures, where constant vigilance and rigorous canopy management averted mildew or pest problems. The ten-day to two-week lag continued into a later than average veraison. Winegrowers were faced with a two-day heat spike into triple digits for the first time in the season, coinciding with the first day of harvest on August 24. With canopies thinned to adjust for the cooler season, grapes at various sites experienced some sunburn. The damage was variable site-to-site with many vineyards reporting no sunburned clusters at all. The relatively cool growing season, coupled with the unexpected heat spikes in late summer, resulted in a late and shortened harvest with lower yields. Vintners were excited about what they tasted from the vineyards: concentrated flavors that will materialize into elegant, structured wines - almost European in style.

Tasting Notes
This Napa Bridge 2010 Red Blend shows forward black currant, red plum and cranberry flavors, with ripe and rich tannins that extend through a sustained finish. While very approachable now, this beautifully balanced wine has the structure and concentration that will be rewarded with another five to eight years of cellaring.
[Information provided by IWLC]