This light brick colored wine shines as a slightly transparent red. For those that love older wines, this vintage, still has flavors to express. This vintage is 85% Merlot & 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aromatics off the glass are blue raspberry, dried ripe raspberry, and a hint of black pepper. Swirling deeper into this complex vintage is a tang aromatic when hovering over this note it reminds the drinker of an orange peel and mulled spices, a slight dry oak tickle hits the back of the nose.
As the wine enters the mouth so does a cascade of citrus that catalyzes salivation. This 21 year old wine still holds soothing tannins that linger long after the wine has been swallowed. It would do well paired with a blue cheese and candied walnut desert or a light meat such as rabbit.
2003 as a Year
As a year 2003 was about as perfect as they get. With light rainfall in the winter, cooler spring, warm to hot summer, a couple of heat spikes right before harvest these grapes picked out on time in mid September into October.
Graph of annual temperature variance in Napa in 2003.