March 2018 Wine Club Newsletter

March 2018 Wine Club Newsletter

GREETINGS FROM SONOMA Spring is right around the corner, and with that comes a lot of anticipation. As discussed in December, our vineyard crew has been working hard all winter to prune the vines and prepare them for the 2018 vintage. We ve been fortunate this winter to receive a decent amount of rainfall which helped our vineyards establish cover crop and replenish their soils. Now, we patiently await bud break marking the beginning of another exciting growing season! Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery has been in operation for 114 years. A Sonoma Tradition since 1904 is how we describe our winery. Since our inception over a century ago, we ve been able to refine nearly every area of our operation. Strict farming protocols, relationships with exemplary growers, harvest practices, blending trials, and aging regimens are just some of the areas we ve been able to perfect over our tenure. As a result, we have consistently produced wines of high quality that showcase the best of what Sonoma has to offer. Sebastiani s commitment to building and maintaining the trust established over the last century is the upmost priority for our winery. To do this, we continue our commitment to quality while exploring the latest winemaking practices and technologies. With this in mind, our goal with each wine we produce is to coax the best characteristics from the fruit, thus producing wines that are expressive, approachable, and nuanced. The selections releasing in this shipment of wines do just that, and will make great additions to your meals and gatherings this season. For our white selection, we have the 2017 Clone 378 Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley. This Sauvignon Blanc comes from the northeastern corner of the Russian River Valley in the Chalk Hill AVA. The complexity of the terroir, diverse climates and soils provide a bit of grassiness to the wine. Moving into the reds, the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir combines fruit from estate vineyards in Carneros, and a lesser extent from Russian River Valley. Finally to round out this shipment, we have two excellent bottlings from the. The 2015 Merlot is sourced from well drained, alluvial soils, and the 2015 Gravel Bed Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in gravel beds similar to those found in Pauillac in Bordeaux. Year after year, it brings us great satisfaction to deliver wines of remarkable quality, expression and consistency as a benchmark producer in Sonoma. We thank you for being a part of the Sebastiani family and sharing in the Sonoma tradition. Sincerely, David Nakaji, Winemaker

2017 CLONE 378 SAUVIGNON BLANC, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY Our 2017 Clone 378 Sauvignon Blanc is composed of 100% Sauvignon Blanc fruit from the Russian River Valley. Notes of lemon, fresh cut grass, guava and floral fill the aroma. The palate is light yet vibrant, with flavors of grapefruit zest, peaches, and lime. A wet stone minerality neatly ties up these flavors and leads to the refreshing finish. Retail Price: $26.00 Wine Club: $19.50 Reorder Price: $18.20 Appellation: Russian River Valley Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc Cooperage: 6 months in oak Alcohol: 13.9% 0.65 g/100ml ph: 3.24 2016 PINOT NOIR, SONOMA COAST Our 2016 Pinot Noir is a wonderful example of a cool climate Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. Ruby in color, it opens with aromas of Maraschino cherry, clove and background hints of toasty oak. The palate is medium bodied showcasing flavors of cherry, jasmine and dusty cocoa. Its bright acidity is balanced by lingering tannins and sweet vanilla oak on the soft finish. Retail Price: $19.00 Wine Club: $14.25 Reorder Price: $13.30 Appellation: Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County Composition: 100% Pinot Noir Cooperage: 6 months in new and used French and Hungarian oak Alcohol: 14.04% 0.60 g/100ml ph: 3.68

2015 MERLOT, ALEXANDER VALLEY This 2015 Merlot fills the glass with a dark crimson color and is swarming with aromas of Bergamot tea, cassis and mocha. The palate is silky and seductive with blackberry, forest floor and dried herb flavors. Lingering notes of tea leaves and a dusty minerality round out the palate for a pleasant finish. This Merlot is approachable now and will only improve over the next few years. Retail Price: $28.00 Wine Club: $21.00 Reorder Price: $19.60 Appellation: Composition: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Cooperage: 13 months in French and Hungarian oak Alcohol: 14.7% 0.54 g/100ml ph: 3.77 2015 GRAVEL BED CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ALEXANDER VALLEY Our 2015 Gravel Bed Cabernet Sauvignon integrates impeccable structure and balanced flavors. Dark crimson in color, the aroma is dominated by fragrant notes of cherry liquor, tobacco leaf and a wet stone minerality. The entry is smooth yet powerful, with fruit forward blackberry flavors that unfold into black cherry, mocha, toasted oak and clove. Its gravely terroir shines bright on the finish, with a distinct minerality wrapped up by a nice acidity and refined tannins. Retail Price: $60.00 Wine Club: $45.00 Reorder Price: $42.00 Appellation: Composition: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Malbec Cooperage: 18 months in 90% new French oak Alcohol: 15.2% 0.57 g/100ml ph: 3.67

FOOD & WINE PAIRING by Robert Smith, Master Sommelier 2015 Merlot, This 2015 Merlot is well matched with an herb-crusted grilled lamb burger topped with crisp bacon and feta cheese. The Merlot s array of dark fruit alongside its savory notes of dried herbs and cocoa pair remarkably with the gamey and earthy tones of the burger. The bacon and feta cheese foil seamlessly with the acidic qualities of the wine. What better way to kick off spring grilling? FEATURED WINES Sonoma Club 2017 Clone 378 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley 2015 Merlot, Sonoma Reds Only Club 2016 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2015 Merlot, Proprietor s Club 2017 Clone 378 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley 2015 Gravel Bed Cabernet Sauvignon, Proprietor s Reds Only Club 2015 Merlot, 2015 Gravel Bed Cabernet Sauvignon, REORDER OFFER 30% off retail 2017 Clone 378 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley 2016 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2015 Merlot, 2015 Gravel Bed Cabernet Sauvignon, Save 30% and receive 1 ground shipping on all case orders. Orders can be full or mixed cases. Offer applies to any of the featured club wines above. To order, please contact the Wine Club at 866-485-6622, or at wineclub@sebastiani.com. Offer expires April 23, 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS Save the Date Mark your calendars for 2018 and don t miss our upcoming events at Sebastiani! Sebastiani Italian Festival Sunday, May 20, 2018 2pm 5 pm Sebastiani Harvest Celebration Saturday, September 8, 2018 2pm 5pm RSVP information to come. For up-to-date event information, please visit our events page on our website at https://www.sebastiani.com/events/winery-events 389 fourth street east, sonoma, ca 95476 wineclub@sebastiani.com 707.933.3200 open 10 am to 5pm www. sebastiani.com ct permit #lsl.0001291 wa permit #357042 item #sv0318