Steltzner "Claret" 2007

Steltzner Vineyards & Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 2007
68% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Merlot / 12% Cabernet Franc

Taste
Impressive aromas of Lambert cherries and earth travel from nose to finish while the medium bodied, velvety-textured dances in the glass! The perfect wine for those couples seeking one's love for pinot noir with another's passion for cabernet.

What heck is Claret?
Claret derives from the French “clairet,” a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century. It is a protected name within the European Union, describing a red Bordeaux wine, accepted after the British wine trade demonstrated over 300 years' usage of the term.


Claret is occasionally used in the United States as a label for red wine in the style of the Bordeaux, ideally of varietals authentic to the region. The French themselves do not use the term, except for export purposes.

The color "claret" resembles the red hue of Bordeaux wine. It has become a slang term for blood, as in "tapping the claret" meaning giving someone a bloody nose!

From the Steltzner website...
Eleanor, Queen of Aquitaine, divorced Louis VII of France and married Henry II of England (1152), securing Aquitaine independence from France. The English had grown fond of

Claret, the principal export of Aquitaine province, Bordeaux. Spawned from these events, the 100-year war (1337-1453) ensued over women's property rights and Claret. This historic merchants' wine reached its popularity zenith the 19th century England, Claret emerged as the fashionable beverage of choice.

In the English quest of leisure and sociability, it was served in the afternoons at the grand estates and manor houses. In the tradition of those merchants past we are thrilled to carry on the legacy of Claret!

What the heck is Aquitaine?
The Region of Aquitaine's Old Province of Gascony
Gascony, which is now known as the Pays Basque, is located in the Region of Aquitaine which is the most southwestern region of France. It is an historical region which had its greatest extent in the Middle Ages.

The name Gascony comes from the Basques who were in the area in the sixth century. It was part of the Carolingian Empire after it was conquered by the Franks.  Henry II, of

England, ruled Gascony in the 1100's. As part of Aquitaine the land was fought over by the French and English during the Hundred Years' War.