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Saturday, December 23, 2017

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Imagine Rhapsody Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Imagine Rhapsody Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Still catching up with my blogposts for our getaway weekend to visit friends Bill and Beth, Bill opened a spectacular selection of wines, for a wine dinner, for a picnic outing, for casual sipping and for serious tasting. This wine was one such wine from one of our favorite and most colorful producers, Cliff Lede. That comment is partly based on this label or series of labels of single vineyard designated wines from vineyards, or specific sections of vineyards, known as Blocks that Lede happens to name after his favorite, famous, notable or infamous classic rock-n-roll albums or songs. For example, one such blend is derived from Grateful Dead’s "Scarlet Begonias" from the Twin Peaks vineyard and from Cream’s "Sunshine of Your Love" in the Poetry vineyard, and of course this Imagine Rhapsody that Bill opened for this occasion.

Cliff Lede Vineyards was established in 2002 by Canadian born Bordeaux enthusiast Cliff Lede, following his acquisition of a sixty acre estate in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. He built a 'A' team with winemaker Christopher Tynan and David Abreu, considered the best viticulturist in Napa Valley, to replant the vineyards. He built a state of the art, 25,000 square foot winery and cave system etched into the hillside overlooking the estate vineyards. We've visited the Lede estate on may of our Napa trips. Our private tasting at the Estate with Bill and Beth was a highlight of our Napa Wine Experience in 2009.

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Imagine Rhapsody Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Bills comments on this wine: "Rock Blocks are always fun since they change from year to year. The 2007 is medium garnet in color with a touch of bricking at the rim. The color belies the freshness of this wine. This is a bit more fruit forward than the 2008 with notes of bright red fruit...raspberry, strawberry cherry and cola. Less brooding than the 2008 and a touch less structured. This is right at the apex of its drinking window."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=8690984

http://cliffledevineyards.com/

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