BLENDING TABLE RESERVE

The connection between a vine and the soil it’s planted in creates the essence of a wine. Reserve wines are vineyard-specific creations produced in limited quantities from distinctive sites in Sonoma County. Lorraine Hynes hand-selects the best lots of fruit from each vintage that capture the unique qualities of these prestigious vineyards. From these selections we craft small-batch wines which are reserved exclusively for winery guests, wine club members, and those who shop with us online.

THE LABEL

The artwork from our designer Michelle Petz graces the labels of our Reserve wines. Petz met Tien Moyle during the making of Aiden, Audrina, and Ryland’s Fun Adventor and the two artists have continued to collaborate over the years on a variety of creative projects, including more than a social eventa as well as the interiors and exteriors of the Blending Table Winery in Sonoma County.

MELANIE VINEYARD

he Melanie Vineyard sits at the center of Alexander Valley, one of Sonoma County’s warmest sub-appellations. Comprised of fertile volcanic soils that reside at a higher elevation than most other Sonoma vineyards, Melanie is an ideal location for Bordeaux varietals because the weather stays consistently warm. Planted to moderate rootstock and Clone 7 Cabernet, this gravelly clay loam vineyard features 30-year-old vines. Out of this maturity comes really expressive, high quality fruit. It’s a perfect example of how excellent farming practices combined with good soil and climate work to create impressive reserve level wines with vintage-to-vintage consistency.

THE WINE

Despite the ongoing drought in California, 2008 was an outstanding vintage that produced extremely high quality grapes. Warm, dry conditions throughout spring and summer, helped reduce yields. From this climate we harvested smaller than normal berries that were richly concentrated. Our 2008 Melanie Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon boasts impeccable structure and great fruit extraction. Aromas of wild berries, juniper, and baking spices transition to high volume flavors of cherries and cassis interwoven with earthy elements like espresso beans, toasted wood, forest floor and dried flowers. It’s dark, dense, and seriously delicious.