App. 1: Dole de St-Leonard Appellation: Central Valais Region: Valais Village: Saint-Leonard Estate Vineyard/ Grand cru: N/A Grape Varieties: Gamay and Pinot Noir Country: Switzerland Sub-region: Sierre District
Climate Conditions: In Valais, the rainfall is low but the annual hours of sunshine are the highest in the country. Which lead them to enjoy a favoured climate benefitting from both sunshine and dry weather with mild temperatures late into autumn. Nevertheless, this canton is subject to a multitude of microclimates due to its complex and tortuous relief as well as numerous local winds. In St-Leonard, there is the Lienne River which runs through the village and an infamous underground lake along the line. The village is on a lower slope of the mountain therefore their vineyard will get enough sunshine equally. Soil Composition: The soils around Saint-Leonard, as all along the Valais, are a medley of schistous, gravelly glacial deposits – free-draining and rich in minerals brought down from the peaks above. The vines are blessed with a south-easterly aspect, helping them to make the most of the intense alpine sunlight here, and are kept relatively dry by the rain-shadow cast by the peaks above. Dole or Red wine from St-Leonard.
Type of wine:
Character of the wine: When blended can make approachable, rustic wines that are typically consumed within two to five years of bottling. The wine’s weight is fairly light with aromas of sour cherry, cranberry and leather characteristics. Commonly associated flavor profiles are fairly simple and include raspberry, strawberry and cherry. Serving temperature: 13oC
Food Harmony: Dish 1: Beef stew; Creamy and Salty dish with a heavy taste and dice carrot and green vegetable on a side. Dish 2: Grilled Beef marinated in red wine sauce; A beef marinated in red wine sauce for 3 hrs make the meat juicier, soft and just a nice touch then grilled until the outside get crush and crispy.
References: Frazier, K. (n.d.). Opus One. Retrieved 3 15, 2012, from lovetoknowhow wine: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Opus_One Opus One Winery. (n.d.). Opus One Winery. Retrieved 3 15, 2012, from Opusonewinery.com: http://en.opusonewinery.com/ Pitcher, S. (n.d.). Twenty Years of Opus One. Retrieved 3 15, 2012, from thewinenews.com: http://www.thewinenews.com/febmar00/feat.html Thompson, B. (1993). The wine atlas of California and the Pacific Northwest : a traveler 's guide to the vineyards. New York: Simon and Schuster.