The 12 LI Wines of Christmas: #12 Roanoke Vineyards 2004 Blend Two
his post is a part of my 12 Long Island Wines for Christmas series
that will run from now until Christmas 2007. See the entire series here.
It’s Christmas day, we’ve opened all of our gifts, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and I’m finally getting around to posting the final wine in my series of 12 Long Island Wines for Christmas.
We’re rounding out this mixed case of Long Island wines with a blend that I’ve enjoyed on many occasions since its release, but has never tasted better than it did last night on Christmas Eve.
Made from 71% cabernet franc, 17% merlot and 12% cabernet sauvignon, Roanoke Vineyards’ 2004 Blend Two ($38) is yet another young wine with great days ahead. But it sure it tasting great right now too.
The nose is effusive, offering cherry and other red fruit aromas layered with brown spices, salt-cured black olive and faintly floral notes. The medium-bodied palate opens with clean, pure red cherry flavors, but soon reveals cinnamon, anise and nutmeg spice, a little vanilla and earthy flavors that remind me of dried fall leaves. It deftly balances power with elegance with rich flavors and smooth, integrated tannins.
