Fuse Wines Fuse Cabernet 2006

Napa, USA
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Natalie's Score: 92/100 Community Score: 4.6/5 Community Reviews: 3 Add My Review Product #: 239995 Wine Type: Red Wine	Price: $36.95 Alcohol: 14.1% Drink: 2010-2018 Sweetness: Dry Bottle size: 750 ml Winery: Fuse Wines Agent: Profile Wine Group

Note: I publish batches of reviews that I call Good Values Wine Picks. These are from the regular section of the liquor store rather than the Vintages section, and tend to be lower priced and the most widely available of all wines. The last four reviews I did were: March 7, January 4, December 16 and November 20.

Tasting note:

A towering, massive wine with incredible structure, balance, depth and length. Mocha richness, with black fruit, smoke and dark spices. Superb!

Reviewed March 2, 2010 by Natalie MacLean

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Opinions about wine differ greatly as the experience is subjective. You may find it helpful to compare this critical evaluation of the wine with mine as well as your own:

TASTE PROFILE, The Fusion of Cabernet (75%) + Syrah (25%), Creating one Strong Union Inspiration for FUSE comes from the great Chateaus of 19th century Bordeaux which incorporated syrah into their blends. This Napa Valley cabernet + syrah blend fuses the rich, dense and velvety cabernet with the rustic, masculine and elegant syrah creating a wine with a soft, round and exotic finish. FUSE is a new world twist on an old word cabernet blending tradition with a distinct flavor profile. This fusion of flavors produces a wine more approachable at a younger age with an elegant round mouthfeel that will develop complexity as it matures.
The nose combines the sweetness of raspberry and violet with the spiciness of pepper, clove and tobacco, while in the palate the lush currant and plum fruit flavors balance with vanilla, cedar and nutmeg that integrates oak and tannin.
2006 HARVEST BUZZ
An excellent vintage…After a year that kept grape growers on their toes, vintners and winemakers breathed a sigh of relief as the 2006 harvest closed. Flooding kicked off the New Year in Napa Valley, which made for great TV footage, but did little damage to the dormant vines, as cover crops stabilized soils in the vineyards. In mid July, a record-setting heat wave lasted about ten days, but with the crop a few weeks behind, damage was almost nil. This helped to stress the vines a little more, which only helped to produce better fruit flavors. The overall quality of 2006 looks outstanding and should contribute to another great Napa Valley vintage.
WINEMAKING NOTES
The FUSE winemaking program shows off the beauty of this unique blend bringing together
two old world grape varietals in a modern style. Techniques for maximum flavor extraction for both varietals include cold soaking, extended maceration (25-35 days) and frequent pumping over the grape must. This is done to create a heightened sensory experience from this fusion of cabernet + syrah producing a fine balance of fruit and tannins. Prior to bottling, the Cabernet
Sauvignon and Syrah are aged separately in both French and American oak barrels for sixteen months. The barrels are racked a total of three times over the sixteen month period. The medium plus toasted barrels are a combination of French and American oak, selected especially for this blend.
VINEYARD NOTES
Small, artisanal growers with a diverse variety of cooler climate hillside vineyards and warmer valley floor vineyards are selected to create this modern exciting union.

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