Niner Wine Estates 2005 Fog Catcher -- Wine Review

Niner Wine Estates
2005 Fog Catcher
California

It was a business deal that first brought Richard Niner to San Luis Obispo County in 1996. The Harvard Business School graduate decided to invest in the Central Coast, and started Niner Wine Estates in 2001. Along with his wife Pam, he opened a stone barn hospitality center in 2010 where guests could sample winemaker Amanda Cramer's Bordeaux, Rhone and Italian varietal wines. While the center lies in their Heart Hill Vineyard on the west side of the Paso Robles AVA, grapes used in the 2005 Fog Catcher grew in their other large holding, Bootjack Ranch, on the east side of the Salinas River. Niner produced 550 cases of its signature wine, a Bordeaux blend of 65 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc, and 10 per cent Merlot. It's big and bold, but not chewy, well-structured and balanced, with good legs. It features raspberry aromas, with cherry, cassis and cranberry on the tongue. It can be enjoyed now, but we suggest decanting to help open it up. Pair it with pasta and meat sauce or a good steak or prime rib with horseradish sauce.

Rating: 14.5/20
Price: $58

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For more information, visit www.ninerwine.com