Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1051430
f a l l 2 0 1 8 | 3 1 Fetzer 2017 Echo Ridge Sauvignon Blanc, California ($10) Fragrant nose of lemon skin/grapefruit citrus with slivers of leafy-green herbaceousness. On the palate, bracingly dry, fruit-driven quali- ties in a light- medium body are punctuated by the lemony acidity. Fetzer 2016 Shaly Loam Gewürztraminer, Monterey ($11) Pungent lychee/ white-peach fra- grance with the slightest green leafiness. Lush, light-medium body (12.5% ABV) with juicy, medium-sweet, and spicy trop- ical-fruit notes lifted by balanced acidity. Fetzer 2017 Sun- dial Chardonnay, California ($10) Straw-gold color and honeyed apple/pear/pine- apple aromas nu- anced with herbal notes. Rounded, medium-full body with a combina- tion of grip and viscosity. Fetzer 2016 Flatbed Red, California ($10) An exuberantly plummy blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, and Teroldego. Plush, playful fruit spiced with a dash of pepper- corn, a squeeze of pomegranate, and some mocha- coffee smokiness progresses toward a full-flavored fin- ish (13.5% ABV). "Sustainability sets Fetzer apart," says Elizabeth Drake, the company's Regenerative Development Manager. "It's in our DNA . . . and it is exactly what Barney Fetzer had in mind when he founded the company 50 years ago." A Sampling of Fetzer Vineyards Wines Fetzer 2016 Eagle Peak Merlot, Cali- fornia ($10) It's in its Bordeaux varietal program that this winery currently excels—particularly with this wine, which absolutely soars with its pure, lush, black- cherry varietal aroma filigreed with sprigs of mint and leafy herbs. The flavor profile manifests in perfectly rounded, layered, buoyant qualities on the sumptuous palate. A first-class rendering—as "Merlot" as a Merlot can be at any price. Fetzer 2016 Anniversary Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($10) This commemorative bot- tling way overdeliv- ers, with a focused, concentrated cassis/ blackcurrant nose highlighted by beauti- fully underplayed vanillin-oak flour- ishes. Full-bodied and deftly structured with modestly muscled tannins, it exudes cassis sensations wrapped in velvet and a chewing-tobacco beefiness toward the finish.