Maeve Pesquera, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar’s Director of Wine and Hall Winery President Mike Reynolds, have announced the release of Fleming’s newest boutique private label wine – Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a collaboration between Fleming’s Wine Director and Hall’s Director of Winemaking Steve Leveque and assistant winemaker Megan Gunderson. This limited edition premium boutique wine is produced exclusively with Hall’s estate grown grapes from its vineyards in Napa Valley. Production was limited to 350 cases of 750 ml and 60 cases of magnums. Prior allotments have sold out quickly. The wine sells for $20 a glass or $80 a bottle.
This year’s Forty-Six Diamonds is a Bordeaux-style blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot that are sourced from the Hardester Ranch Vineyard in Napa’s Pope Valley located just beyond Howell Mountain, a few miles northeast of Hall’s state-of-the-art winemaking facility in Rutherford. An additional 12% each of Merlot and Syrah come from Hall’s Napa River Ranch Vineyard that straddles the famous Oak Knoll and Yountville AVAs.
Says winemaker Leveque: “This velvety Cab blend has rich and opulent aromas of black cherry, spice and toasty oak. The full red fruit palate is vivid and focused and gives way to supple tannins and a long, balanced finish.”
Beginning with the 2004 vintage, Fleming’s Director of Wine has annually collaborated with the world’s leading wineries and winemakers to create the limited-edition, private label Forty-Six Diamonds and to make each vintage truly one of a kind. The goal every year is to make food friendly, harmonious wines that reveal their distinctive origins. Each year the wine label is designed by artist Thomas Arvid, renowned for his lifelike wine works of art that grace Fleming’s restaurants.
“Forty-Six Diamonds represents our commitment to create a unique and memorable wine experience for every Fleming’s guest,” says Pesquera. “It was a joy to work so closely with Hall winemakers Steve and Megan for this year’s release. I truly love all our limited edition Forty-Six Diamonds wines, but this Napa Valley Cabernet may be our best yet.”
Past wineries and winemakers have included Michael and Rob Mondavi, Jr. of the famed Napa family, proprietor John Komen and winemaker Ken Deis of Flora Springs, Georges and Franck Duboeuf of Beaujolais, Axel and Walter Schug of Schug Winery, and Salvatore Ferragamo and Nicolo D’Afflitto of Super Tuscan Il Borro Winery in Italy.
posted by Tiffany Haslacker
