Man's Best Friend, the Blend

Prologue

Professor George Husmann, Napa Valley, 1887: "A small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in fermentation will give its peculiar character to other varieties deficient in flavor. With what varieties it would make a good blend here in the Napa Valley, remains to be tried further."

The Rest of the Story

Napa Valley winemaker David Moore has the answer. Add 50% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc to produce the 1994 Conn Creek "Anthology." It's the best red wine my panel has tasted so far this year.

The Wine

1994 "Anthology," Napa Valley
Conn Creek Winery, St. Helena, CA.
Production—Strictly a hand-tooled, boutique operation, yielding only 1,420 cases. Critical Opinion—"Amazingly complex and well crafted," author James Laube wrote three years ago about the 1991 vintage. The same words apply to the 1994 just as well.
Contact—Benjamin Myers, (425) 806-3257
Price—$37 range  

Postscript

My panel is not alone in its adoration of this wine. The winemaker himself, David Moore, says "the '94 brings the Anthology series one step closer to perfection." Who took the first step? He was hired as a consultant a decade ago, the late titan of winemakers, Andre Tschelistcheff. Note—For more about this winery, see the April 3, 1998 WineDay titled "Conn Creek, Whatta Boutique."

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College and is Northern California Editor for American Wine on the Web. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers.

WineDay Annex

More articles by
Fred McMillin

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1997 WineDays

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