SOLD OUT! 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Melange

We are extremely excited about the latest news from our winery. The first vintage of Tobacco Road Cellars is SOLD OUT! After a short two months we have sold out of the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Mélange and the only places to carry it now are select restaurants, hotels and one retail outlet in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC market. Tobacco Road’s first vintage Cabernet Sauvignon is made with the inspiration of three world class Napa Valley vineyards, Bozzini, Moulds & To Kalon. A truly impressive and complex wine, the 2004 Mélange was an atypically powerful, opulent, flamboyant offering. Dense ruby/purple with the nose of this wine displays the desired characteristics of deep cherry, graphite, cocoa, earth and a touch of toasty oak that follows through on the palate. The tannins are full but lush, and the palate follows up ripe, black fruits, more cherry, milk chocolate, food friendly acidity and good grip. It is truly a big wine and we knew it wouldn’t be long until others found out for themselves.

A Look Back at the 2004 Harvest:

Our harvest was one of the fastest and earliest in California history, starting at the beginning of August two to three weeks earlier than normal. Our vineyard managers and winemaking team reported a crush of excellent quality fruit and yields per acre that were normal to light. “The crop came in less than estimated and we are very pleased with the wine quality from the 2004 vintage”, said winemaker Kian Tavakoli. “High levels of color and dense flavors should result in some memorable wines,” he added.

The spring and summer months were textbook perfect for grape growing and for a while it looked like the pace of harvest would be nice and even. Mother nature had other ideas, of course, and instead everything was accelerated when a heat spike in early September put a bump in the road for our vineyards. “The early crush helped bring in the crop safely before the early arriving rains,” said Jason Earnest. As sugars rose, acids dropped and our crew found themselves working into the wee hours of the morning to keep pace with optimal ripeness. We had four days of 100-plus degrees that accelerated ripening, making us hustle to get everything in before the grapes turned to raisins. But because the season got an early start, the grape clusters had matured nicely and were ready for picking. We saw unbelievable color, beautiful aromas, and concentrated flavors in the fermenting tanks. As the weather cooled, the grapes were able to ripen more gently and evenly, putting a high potential Cabernet Sauvignon in the tank for us. Our early barrel tastings indicated that the color and tannins in the wine were huge, but in balance with the fruit flavors. And we were right!

Don’t miss the opportunity to get your hands on our next release: Now taking Pre Release Orders!2005 Tobacco Road Syrah White Hawk Vineyard Santa Barbara.

Tobacco Road Participates in Triangle Wine Experience

The Triangle Wine Experience, a three-day food and wine experience, is the area’s premier charity event, filled with winemaker dinners, educational seminars, festive parties and a black-tie gala & auction! Sample fine wines, enjoy exquisite dinners, learn more about wines of interest, and bid on rare collections. Tobacco Road Cellars was proud to donate a custom wood crate featuring three 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Mélange to Friday nights’ event at Raleigh’s Exploris museum. On Saturday evening, Tobacco Road poured wine at the extravagant Black Tie Gala featuring over 200 wines from around the world.

The Frankie Lemmon Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, was established for the sole purpose of supporting the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center. Through fundraising and “friend-raising” events, the Foundation provides much needed assistance – ensuring the availability of therapeutic, specialized education for children, ages 3 to 6, who have developmental delays, language impairments, learning disabilities or mental retardation.

Tobacco Road Donates to Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes

The 2006 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, held the team’s annual “Casino Night,” raised more than $150,000 for the Kids ‘N Community Foundation. The Kids ‘N Community Foundation supports children’s charities and educational programs throughout North Carolina.

The night featured Tobacco Road Cellars wine available for tasting and casino tables with Hurricanes players and coaches serving as the dealers. Games available to play included Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Texas Hold ‘Em. Each participant received special gaming cash to use during the evening, and had the option of purchasing extra cash with all additional proceeds going to the Foundation.

In addition to the casino games and wine tasting, Tobacco Road Cellars donated a custom wood crate featuring three 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Mélange for the silent auction.

The Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation provides much needed funding to children’s charities and education programs throughout North Carolina. With ongoing support from annual special events and the corporate community, the Foundation has funded scholarship programs, youth hockey, educational and literacy efforts, children’s health programs, the arts and other children’s related initiatives. Annually, the Foundation provides cash and in-kind contributions totaling nearly $1 million to charitable and educational programs in North Carolina and Tobacco Road is grateful to be a part of such a wonderful organization.