Wine on the Radio - May 26, 2003

Carneros

 

Los Carneros.  The Ram.  Not a new truck, but an area that straddles both Napa and Sonoma Counties.

 

Carneros is a wide area with San Pablo Bay as the dominating influence and it's home to wind swept hills, great conditions for the cooler climate varieties like chardonnay and pinot noir . . . and acidic, crisp wines.  

 

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Carneros are birthed on the wind.  Cooling winds off the Bay push the vines and grape clusters to hang on!  

 

The leaves turn away from the wind to shield the moisture on their underside.   The result is grapes with less developed sugar content.

 

Carneros region wines are leaner than those from the more protected parts of Napa and Sonoma .

 

It's more like France's Burgundy than California .

 

So if you like your chardonnay crispy and tart, or prefer pinot noir that has a clean bright strawberry flavor, then look for Carneros on the label.  

 

Pop the cork™.

 

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