Recently, I had the opportunity to taste several of the Raymond lines of wine including the R Collection.  Raymond, for those of you unfamiliar with the vineyards, is located in Napa Valley and has three locations; one in Rutherford, one in St. Helena and another across from Carneros in the southern end of Napa.  The former two are prime sites for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot while the latter produces wonderful Chardonnays.  We plan to visit the winery this summer and will report back to you on new developments.

Raymond 2005 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine comes from some of the oldest Cabernet vines in the Napa Valley.  The 2005  summer season was somewhat cool, slowing the grape’s ripening process thus allowing for even fruit development.  The wine was aged in oak barrels for 19 months.  While the wine is drinkable now, it has aging potential as well.

Color:    deep red
Aromas/Flavors: ripe blackberry, currant and little blueberry with spice, pepper and earthy accents.  Smooth and full mouthfeel with well integrated tannins and a  moderately long finish.

This wine is sold mostly to restaurants.  Wonderful food match with steak, pork, lamb, game, and duck Raymond 2005 St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

The vines in this vineyard tend to be less vigorous, producing smaller berries and lower yield; the result is a well concentrated wine with a firm tannic structure with aging potential.

As with the Rutherford wine above, the wine was oak aged for 19 months.

Color:     very dark and brooding
Aromas: deep fruits of currant, plum; red cherry, raspberry intertwined with spice, pepper and hint of vanilla and caramel.  A full bodied wine, well rounded and supported by tannins.

Pairs well with steak, ribs, rabbit and pork with a fruit or herbed spice.  Found mostly at restaurants.

Raymond 2007 Napa Valley Chardonnay

This wine comes from vineyards planted on the southern end of the Napa Valley where winds carry the cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean.  This offers the potential of a long, cool growing season……perfect for Chardonnay.  The wine is cold fermented in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the inherent qualities of the Chardonnay grape.  Fifty percent of the Chardonnay is then aged in oak barrels in order to impart a touch of oak and vanilla to the final wine.

Color:     Medium yellow with hint of green
Aromas: Apple and pear notes intermingled with a medley of lemon and lime, orange, toasted almond and vanilla.  A rich and smooth wine with nicely balanced acidity.  Pairs beautifully with a lemon and herbed chicken, richer seafoods such  as lobster, salmon, and halibut and a creamy, lemony based pasta dish.  ~$18.00

Raymond 2005 Napa Valley Merlot

This is really a Merlot blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and comes from vineyards in Rutherford and other nearby growers.  The soil along with good drainage results in a wine with prominent flavors.  The wine is aged in oak for 16 months.

Color:    Deep purple

Aromas/Flavors: rich with raspberry, red plum, red cherry, and cassis;  spice and earth  round out the personality and gives way to a long finish with vanilla notes.  A versatile wine for pairing.  Try it with steak, pork, lamb,   chicken, turkey, duck with a dark fruit sauce, hearty soups and stews or grilled salmon.

Raymond 2007 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

This wine is a blend of California Sauvignon Blanc and a little Semillon and is representative of a light, refreshing white.

Color: very pale lemony color
Aromas/Flavors: soft lemon with waxy notes; pricing ~$15

Raymond 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

This is a deep and dark wine made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and is a blockbuster of a wine made to pair with stews, beef and lamb.

Color:  Deep purple
Aroma/Flavors: currant, cedar, oak, tobacco and peppery spice with flavors of deep and ark fruits such as currant, plum and dark cherry; an earthly overtone  with powerful tannins that coat the mouth and linger for over a minute.  This wine runs around $30 but is worth it.

R Collection 2006 Monterrey Chardonnay

This is a delicious and very affordable white, very representative of a classic California Chardonnay.

Color: a medium, honeyed yellow
Aroma/Flavor: soft aromas of pineapple, lemon, apricot and almond with a lingering finish of vanilla and toast.  This should run in the $mid-teens.

R Collection 2005 California Merlot

The grapes for this Merlot come from Napa Valley, the Sierra Foothills and the San Joaquin Valley, all regions where the weather normally offers warm days and moderate to cool nights.  This results in grapes that ripen evenly.  The 2005 growing season was characterized by cooler than normal summer weather, extending out the growing season and allowing the grapes to ripen in a slow and controlled fashion.

These grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks and subsequently aged in oak for 12 months.  The Merlot was blended with Cabernet Sauvignon for a 75:25 blend.

Color: medium raspberry/dark cherry color
Aromas/Flavors: forward aromas of fresh raspberry, cherry and red plum supported by a firm, but not overbearing, tannic structure;  hints of earth and spice and a toasty vanilla finish that lingers.  If you like Merlot, this is a wonderful expression of the grape and wine and should run in the $mid- teens.

R Collection 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc.  The grapes are resourced from the Rutherford vineyard and other selected Napa growers.  The soils are of a gravelly nature and well drained creating intense and flavorful wines.

The grapes are fermented on the skin in stainless steel tanks and the juice eventually transferred to oak for aging in order to add vanilla, spice and toasty notes.  The addition of the Cabernet Franc adds further structure and depth to the final product.

Color:   Very deep and dark purple hinting at currant and dark plum
Aromas/Flavors: While the color hinted at dark fruits, the flavors were actually more reminiscent of red cherry and plum, raspberry and perhaps a hint(?) of cranberry.  Perfectly balanced tannins keeping the wine honest and  structured and beautiful lingering finish of vanilla, spice and cocoa.  All in all, this wine has a beautiful texture and balance.  Drink it now or                         cellar it for a few years…………runs in the low $20’s.