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More wines available from Araujo
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$215.03
Altagracia, named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother, is a Bordeaux-style blend vinified in the same manner as the...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$128.96
Altagracia, named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother, is a Bordeaux-style blend vinified in the same manner as the...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$128.96
Altagracia, named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother, is a Bordeaux-style blend vinified in the same manner as the...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$153.62
Altagracia, named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother, is a Bordeaux-style blend vinified in the same manner as the...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$153.62
Altagracia, named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother, is a Bordeaux-style blend vinified in the same manner as the...
More Details
Winery
Araujo
Vintage: 2011
The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines.
In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
From the valleys of California and Chile to the rolling hillsides of the Bordeaux region of France, the one red wine grape varietal you will find in abundance is the Cabernet Sauvignon. This darkly colored grape has been cultivated since the mid 18th century, when it was borne from a cross of fine Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc varietals. Since then, it has spread around the world and has been received with pleasure by wineries looking for a varietal which delivers excellence of flavor and aroma, whilst being hardy enough to resist frost and rot and other such difficulties. Indeed, Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the most recognizable red wine grape varietal on earth, and is easily distinguished by its high tannin level and acidic nature, which is often so beautifully mellowed by being blended with Merlot and other such grapes.
Region: California
Since the 18th century, California has been a hugely important and influential wine region, acting as a trailblazer for other New World wine regions and utilizing an important blend of traditional and contemporary practices, methods and techniques relating to their wine production. Split into four key areas – the North Coast, the Central Coast, the South Coast and the Central Valley – Californian wineries make the most of their ideal climate and rich variety of terrains in order to produce a fascinating range of wines made with a long list of different fine grape varietals. Today, the state has almost half a million acres under vine, and is one of the world's largest wine exporters, with Californian wines being drunk and enjoyed all across the globe.
Country: United States
For three hundred years now, the United States has been leading the New World in wine production, both in regards to quantity and quality. Wine is actually produced in all fifty states across the country, with California leading the way by an enormous margin. Indeed, as much as eighty-nine percent of all wines to come out of the United States are produced in California, where the fertile soils and sloping mountain sides, coupled with the long, hot summers provide ideal conditions for producing high quality, European style red, white and rosé wines. With over a million acres of the country under vine, the United States sits comfortably as the fourth largest wine producer in the world, where imported grape varietals from all over the Old World are processed using a successful blend of traditional and contemporary techniques.
Appellation: Napa Valley
In the United States of America, one wine region seems to stand head and shoulders above all others. The Napa Valley of California has long been considered one of the world's premier wine regions, and the wineries which operate in this idyllic landscape now have generations of expertise when it comes to coaxing the very finest flavors and aromas from the imported varietals which thrive there. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel have become the flagship grape varietals of the Napa Valley, however, recent years have seen much expansion and experimentation undertaken by the large and small wineries which call the valley their home. With ideal climatic conditions for viticulture, and wonderfully rich and fertile soils, the Napa Valley continues to grow and impress each year.