2021 Wood Family Vineyards “The Captain” – Continuing to Soar!
The Winery and Background
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley, with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2/
and
Her awards are extensive and too numerous to list here in this article.
The Wine “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Captain, is named after Rhonda Wood, who was a captain for US Airways. She continues to fly private planes today. Each of the components of this wine were easily discernable by itself before having the food. The blend is 62% Merlot, Cabernet Franc 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10% and Malbec 3%. This blend combined so much into the drinking experience. First on the eyes a royal purple with deep red hues and medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, floral aromas of roses and violets greeted the senses. On the palate, here is where each component could be recognized and accounted. The Merlot providing the dominant mocha covered berries, Bing cherries and plum. The Cabernet Franc, without striking pyrazines, contributing pipe tobacco, caramel with blackberry flavors. The Cabernet Sauvignon contributing more on the finish with rugged tannins (perhaps why only 10%) and Malbec providing a soft landing. The finish combined mad a beautiful balance between tannins and acidity that produced a smooth and graceful landing. Aged in French oak barrels for 20 months, 252 cases were produced. The wine will be released mid-August and is sure to be a sellout. Her 2020 “Captain” was awarded 94 points from Wine Enthusiast and received the Editor’s Choice Award and each of the varietals winning various awards.
The Food and Wine Pairing “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Had the wine with a butter garlic flank steak. Ingredients included salt, black pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch, canola oil, butter, beef broth, minced garlic cloves, sliced green onions and chopped parsley. Served with snow peas quickly sautéed and a combination short and long wild rice. The wine with its varying varietals, provided enough acidity and tannins to cut through the butter, garlic, and beef and yet enough fruit to balance each morsel when chewed. A good food pairing with a complex wine.
Sláinte,
Michael
July 16, 2023 at 10:59 am
Reblogged this on the_corkreporter and commented:
Interesting article