Inside the Winery :

In this picture, Gustavo is aerating the wines to release any trapped fermentation gases.

Usually we are ‘barreled down’ by the end of November but this year Gustavo still has a number of wines that have not been pressed out. He is putting them through an extended maceration process which means that he is breaking down the tannins in the skins by soaking the grapes in their own juice for an extended time beyond fermentation. This makes up for the shortened ‘hang time’ that we experienced this year. If the grapes are able to reach optimum maturity the extended maceration isn’t necessary but this year he is extending this process for anywhere from 13-25 days after the primary fermentation.

Holiday Season in Napa Valley

From the Harvest Series of photos, merlot being brought in through a very yellow vineyard. 2007 has been a great year for our wines, and we're sure you'll agree when you taste them. With all new releases of Merlot, and Barbera on the way, we're excited for the upcoming vintages. Check the website often for changes coming soon! GustavoThrace

Bronwen's Cheese Selection:

Here is our cheese selection to go with the 2003 GustavoThrace Cabernet Sauvignon,
" The 2003 Cabernet, with its firm tannins and luscious berry fruit, would work well with a relatively fresh and crumbly cheese like a Caerphilly or even Cheshire. The best Caerphilly I've tried is Gorwydd, made by Maugan and Kim Trethowan in Llandewi Brefi, Wales."
- Bronwen Bromberger

Saute together 1 minced onion and 1 large, minced carrot in 2 T. Butter until soft and just starting to brown. Add 3 cups cooked lentils - we use the vacum sealed packages from Trader Joe's that are already cooked - 1 cup wine- this is a crossover dish because of the heartiness of the lentils and the lightness of the scallops so it's up to you to choose a red or a white - a few thyme sprigs and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce liquids till almost dry and remove from heat. In a separate pan fry 4-6 slices chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pan to drain. In the fat remaining in the pan sear 3 scallops per person until well browned on both sides and just cooked through. Remove scallops to a warm plate> Pour off any remaining fat in the pan from the scallops, deglaze the pan with a hefty splash of wine, deglaze the pan, stir in about 1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream and any accumulated scallop juices. Plate with a mound of the lentil/vegetable mixture and top with three seared scallops. Drizzle sauce over and around the pile. Sprinkle with the crispy bacon pieces. Enjoy!

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In This Issue

Special Offer

Taste Napa Valley

This wine is perfectly balanced, pretty, elegant and really only shows the tannin structure on the finish. There are up front flavors of cassis, licorice, mint and roasted red fruits but your tongue will search out hidden pockets of tannins and flavor bursts long after you’ve swallowed the wine. This is much more of a Bordeaux style of Cabernet and will continue to age well in the bottle for another ten years.

Go to the WINE SHOP

Coming Soon:

Starting in December of 2007 Napa Wine Merchants will be having wine classes in the evening with Norma Gentry. Please call us for more information.