Page 7 - GV2020 Portfolio Master

LAKE COUNTY
Lake County, just north of Napa, has been growing premium wine grapes since the mid 19th
century when people first recognized that the varied soils and microclimates of the region would
produce wines of exceptional quality. In Lake County, grapes are grown in four distinct Aerena
appellations - Guenoc Valley, Red Hills, High Valley and Clear Lake - each with its own Inspired by Teddy Roosevelt’s
powerful and provocative “Man
distinctive soil type. The common factor in Lake County’s diverse terroir is the moderating in the Arena” speech, Aerena
influence of Clear Lake, the largest natural lake in California, which gives the county its name. Wines celebrates the art of wine
Warm days and plummeting nighttime temperatures let grapes ripen at optimum rates for and the everyday heroes who are
moderate sugars with sufficient acidity. The low summer humidity allows botrytis-susceptible mastering their craft. Aerena
brings together a collection of
grapes to adapt well to the environment. Before prohibition in 1921, Lake County had 28 iconic wines that embody the most
commercial wineries, making it the largest pre-prohibition grape-producing county in California, desirable characteristics of each
but the area was slow in recovering as vineyards had been torn out and replaced by pear and vineyard. Crafted by winemakers
walnut orchards. From less than 100 acres in 1965, Lake County vineyard acreage has grown to Aaron Pott and Kyle Mizuno,
Aerena Wines feature distinctive
over 8,800 today and is becoming one of the wine industry’s fastest growing regions. California bottlings from both
well-known and emerging
appellations that embody a sense
of place and a decidedly
drinkable point of view.

Aerena blackbirdvineyards.com
Aerena Chardonnay Sonoma 2017 $203.90 Shooting Star
Shooting Star began as Jed
Steele’s passion project to
Aerena Rosé San Francisco Bay 2017 $239.90 introduce the U.S. wine consumer
to the lesser know varietals of the
world. Varietals such as Aligote,
Aerena Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 $239.90 90 WE Blaufrankish, Barbera and
Roussane are just a few of the
varietals he has grown and
produced. Always experimenting
in a quest to match the perfect
Shooting Star (Kelseyville) steelewines.com varietal with the perfect terrior
(also see Mendocino) Jed’s Shooting Star wines offer
Shooting Star Sauvignon Blanc 2018 $143.93 uncompromising quality at an
affordable price.

Shooting Star Scarlet Red Blend 2017 $119.90
Shooting Star Pinot Noir 2017 $143.93 Steele
Shooting Stat Merlot 2016 $143.93 Jed Steele began making wine in
Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 $155.93 California in 1968. A graduate of
U.C. Davis prestigious Enology
program he has made wine from
Monterey to Mendocino. In 1991
Jed founded his namesake winery
in Lake County. A family owned
winery to this day, the focus is on
Steele (Kelseyville) steelewines.com small lot productions of the
(also see Carneros & Mendocino) highest quality. Most wines are
Steele Riesling $108.00 produced at less than a thousand
cases per year and total
production is less than 65k cases.
Steele Zinfandel Catfish Vineyard 2016 $167.93
Steele Red Blend Persona Non Grata 2013 $167.90
Steele Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills 2017 $239.90 Writers Block
Steele Merlot Stymie 2014 (6pk) $161.90 Writer’s Block stems from
collaboration between Jed Steele
Steele Pinot Noir Sangiocomo Vyd Sonoma Valley 2014 (6pk) $185.90 and his son, Quincy. Quincy
Steele Pinot Noir Sangiocomo Vyd Sonoma Valley 2016 (6pk) $185.90 inherited his father’s passion for
winemaking, and after working
with D’Arenburg in Australia and
Catena in Argentina, Quincy
created Writer’s Block from the
ground up, combining Old and
Writers Block (Kelseyville) steelewines.com New World winemaking
techniques. He selected the
Writers Block Pinot Noir 2016 $155.90 varietals and defined the wine
Writers Block Cabernet Franc 2016 $155.90 making protocols. Of late he has
worked several harvests for
Biodynamic producers in
Burgundy.
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