Sbragia Merlot

Tasting notes & discussion 24

Typically $39/bottle from Sbragia Family Vineyards
Vintage 2018 from Dry Creek Valley
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by participating winery or licensee, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Sbragia Family Vineyards: “…the wines Sbragia Family Vineyards produces from both Sonoma and Napa are intensely personal, an expression of single vineyard terroir, and history that runs through it all. I’m proud to say my son Adam now makes our wines. He has found the perfect balance of honoring how Gino and I made wine and putting his own stylistic stamp on the bottle. He continues the pedigree of high scores, awards won and a profile of all together big, rich, polished and most importantly, delicious Chardonnays, Zinfandels, and Cabernets.”

S’Bragi

TASTING NOTES: “Our Home Ranch Vineyard, which we’ve farmed for decades, surrounds the family home at the southern end of Dry Creek Valley, consistently producing richly concentrated Merlot grapes from the soil’s rocky clay loam components. It weaves hypnotically through herbal, earthy notes of sage into cherry cola, clove and cedar. A vibrant acidity brightens up the blackberry, black currant, mocha and plum flavors. Well structured, our Merlot tapers with a round, lush finish.” (AbV 14.7%, pH 3.5, TA 6.3 g/L)

VARIETALS: 95% Merlot, 5% Petite Sirah

BARRELS: 18 months in French oak, 60% new.

PAIRS WITH: N/A

THAT REMINDS ME OF: Bragi, Norse god of poetry and skalds.

The most eloquent of the gods, whose name is attested to being the source of the Old Norse term for poetry bragr. A singer and storyteller, and he has a very long beard. Might be related to Odin somehow, but it’s unclear whether he’s his son, brother, or cousin? He would marry Iðunn, a goddess associated with youth and beauty, which provides a fun contrast to Bragi’s rather rugged looks, mainly that beard.

Perhaps one of the most well-known stories about him is in the Lokasenna, where Loki shows up at a feast and insults literally everybody there personally. Bragi is the first to object to his presence, but Odin has to let him in to honor a pact. Loki proceeds to greet everybody but Bragi. Trying to resolve things, Bragi offers gifts to make peace with Loki, but Loki decides to start the insult-fest by targeting Bragi first, and then his wife.

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If I am, I didn't not know it

If I am, I didn't not know it

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