Cotes du Crow's is Morgan's blend of the two predominant southern Rhone red varieties.
The Vineyards
Cotes du Crow's is sourced primarily from the San Lucas and Arroyo Seco appellations of Monterey. Temperatures are warmer
down valley as the coastal fog doesn't always reach the area, yet overnight lows are still quite cool which retain acidity and lengthen the growing season.
The Vintage
The 2006 vintage ran about a month later than normal, due to a cold, wet spring that delayed the fruit set. The summer weather was typical for the region. The Grenache and Syrah were harvested from early October through the second week of November. The cool vintage retained acidity and the wines tend to show bright fruit along with a nicely structured style.
Vinification, Aging, and the Art of the Blend
The goal is to produce a wine that has the bold, spicy, rich flavors of the Southern Rhone with a dose of California sunshine. To achieve this, the wine is fermented in open top fermenters using manual punch down for optimum extraction and structure with soft tannins.
After primary fermentation, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels, of which 20% are new, for malo-lactic fermentation and 10 months of aging. The wine showed nice structure, yet maintained finesse with a 55% Syrah/45% Grenache blend. One can still taste the qualities of each grape with this blend, though, interestingly enough, that was not possible with a 60/40 blend. After assembling the blend in the summer, the wine was bottled, unfined, in August 2007.
Aromas, Flavors, & Palate Impressions
Medium-rich ruby red color with blue-black highlights. Nose and palate impressions of violets, blueberry jam, mint, pomegranate, strawberry, spice, and pepper. Medium-bodied, soft tannins. A versatile food wine, it walks the fine line between being a substantial wine and a wine that is easy to enjoy.
The Vineyards
Cotes du Crow's is sourced primarily from the San Lucas and Arroyo Seco appellations of Monterey. Temperatures are warmer
down valley as the coastal fog doesn't always reach the area, yet overnight lows are still quite cool which retain acidity and lengthen the growing season.
The Vintage
The 2006 vintage ran about a month later than normal, due to a cold, wet spring that delayed the fruit set. The summer weather was typical for the region. The Grenache and Syrah were harvested from early October through the second week of November. The cool vintage retained acidity and the wines tend to show bright fruit along with a nicely structured style.
Vinification, Aging, and the Art of the Blend
The goal is to produce a wine that has the bold, spicy, rich flavors of the Southern Rhone with a dose of California sunshine. To achieve this, the wine is fermented in open top fermenters using manual punch down for optimum extraction and structure with soft tannins.
After primary fermentation, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels, of which 20% are new, for malo-lactic fermentation and 10 months of aging. The wine showed nice structure, yet maintained finesse with a 55% Syrah/45% Grenache blend. One can still taste the qualities of each grape with this blend, though, interestingly enough, that was not possible with a 60/40 blend. After assembling the blend in the summer, the wine was bottled, unfined, in August 2007.
Aromas, Flavors, & Palate Impressions
Medium-rich ruby red color with blue-black highlights. Nose and palate impressions of violets, blueberry jam, mint, pomegranate, strawberry, spice, and pepper. Medium-bodied, soft tannins. A versatile food wine, it walks the fine line between being a substantial wine and a wine that is easy to enjoy.
Reviews
Wine of the Week, Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences
87, Connoisseurs' Guide, March 2008
