2001 Provenance Carneros Merlot

Provenance Vineyards focuses on provenance, the French idea that the geographical origin or source of grapes is integral to the character of the wine. Located in the heart of Rutherford, Provenance owns estate vineyards but also sources grapes from such legendary vineyards as Three Palms, Georges III and Wildwood. The estate’s inaugural release was a 1999 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, and it specializes in single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. David Galzignato is winemaker. The estate is owned by Treasury Wine Estate, an Australian enterprise with a portfolio of premium wine estates.

Carneros AVA, also known as Los Carneros, is at the southern end of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys at the top of the San Francisco Bay. The 8,000 vineyard acres are mostly planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both of which thrive in the district’s cool, marine climate. Carneros became an AVA in 1983 and it has attracted foreign wine companies along with local producers. It has been especially appealing to European producers of sparkling wines including the giant Spanish cava producers Codorniu and Frexinet, and the French Champagne house Taittinger. Codorniu in Carneros is called Artesa, and Frexinet’s Carneros brand is Gloria Ferrer. Taittinger calls its Carneros winery Domaine Carneros. The European producers also make still wines in Carneros.

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.