BLACKBIRD VINEYARDS Artisanal producer of Pomerol inspired wines in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley The 2009 vintage was a milestone year due to our expanded partnerships with a selection of Napa Valley’s most prestigious vineyards. The Stagecoach Vineyard in the eastern hills of Napa, Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, Crocker & Starr in St. Helena, and the further maturation of the Blackbird estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll District yielded unprecedented quality levels. According to Winemaker Aaron Pott, “This is a magnificent vintage. The composition, structure, and nuance of the 2009 Principal wines will continue to evolve, making these exceptional collector wines to age for 20 years or longer.” Perched to seize the day as Oak Knoll’s foremost Merlot is Blackbird Vineyards, located in the heart of the district. Since 1999, this former walnut orchard, first planted with 5717 vines two years earlier, has quietly provided fruit to many of Napa’s finest winemakers, for whom it has yielded astonishing reviews and stellar scorings. Purchased by entrepreneur Michael Polenske in 2003, Blackbird Vineyards is now an ultra premium label in its own right. (Fittingly, ‘Merlot’ is French patois for ‘Little Blackbird.’) From Screaming Eagle to Harlan Estates, Napa Valley is undoubtedly an international standard bearer for Cabernet Sauvignons. With the designation of Napa’s fourteenth AVA, Oak Knoll District is now well poised to bring forth the prominence and elegance of Merlot from this region.Similar to the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, Oak Knoll District is indigenously akin in its profile as a district with its soil composition, microclimate, as well as its rural, rustic qualities. Merlot based wines of Pomerol have historically challenged the first growths of Bordeaux, a forbearer to Oak Knoll’s future. AS WITH PREVIOUS VINTAGES, ILLUSTRATION, PARAMOUR, AND CONTRARIAN REMAIN LIMITED IN PRODUCTION. Blackbird 2011 ‘Arriviste’ Rose - 12/750ml Net $216 912 case production Request________Case(s) 40% Cabernet Sauvignon/35% Merlot/27% Cabernet Franc Saignée method, cold fermented for 6 weeks, sur lies and cold stored The 2011 Arriviste is an alluring, salmon red-colored rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. On the nose, strawberry and iris aromas meld with notes of orange zest. The wine displays enticing flavors of red cherry and blueberry on the mid-palate, carrying a clean, bright acidity on to the lingering finish. The 2011 Napa Valley harvest was challenging due to much rainfall, but allowed for the grapes to be picked at lower alcohol levels than in the past, producing this spectacular rosé. Blackbird 2009 ‘Illustration’ - 6/750ml Net $540 WE 92 726 case production Request________Case(s) 81% Merlot/16% Cabernet Franc/3% Cabernet Sauvignon 21 months in French Oak barrels - 75% new, 25% seasoned The 2009 Illustration demonstrates elegant notes of cherry and toffee with long, luscious floral aromas. The well balanced mid-palate offers great density and abundant flavors of coffee and stone fruit. The finish is persistent in length with sophisticated tannins leading to a smooth mouth feel. Drinking well upon release, Illustration will age beautifully with time in the cellar. Blackbird’s 2009 vintage wines showcase grapes farmed with an ideal hang time, offering wines with bright flavors, balanced sugars, and acidity. Blackbird 2009 ‘Paramour’ - 6/750ml Net $540 WE 92 502 case production Request________Case(s) 61% Cabernet Franc /25% Merlot/14% Cabernet Sauvignon 21 months in French Oak barrels - 75% new, 25% seasoned The 2009 Paramour offers exquisite aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and rich coffee on the nose. Detailed layers of black cherry combine with fine- grained tannin and cedar overlay. The succulent finish is round and balanced, providing persistent length of flavor. Paramour will continue to develop with time in the bottle for the next decade or more. Blackbird’s 2009 vintage wines showcase grapes farmed with an ideal hang time, offering wines with bright flavors, balanced sugars, and acidity. Blackbird 2009 ‘Contrarian’ - 6/750ml Net $540 WE 93 477 case production Request________Case(s) 41% Cabernet Sauvignon/35% Merlot/24% Cabernet Franc 21 months in French Oak barrels - 75% new, 25% seasoned The 2009 Contrarian opens with expressive scents of toffee, dark chocolate, blackberry, and smooth vanilla. On the palate, flavors of black fruit complement layers of intricately structured fine-grained tannins that hold great density and weight. The finish is polished, supple, and harmoniously precise. This wine is delicious now and will also age well over time. Blackbird’s 2009 vintage wines showcase grapes farmed with an ideal hang time, offering wines with bright flavors, balanced sugars, and acidity. Cream Wine Company 118 N. Peoria Chicago, 60607 www.creamwine.com [email protected] (312) 421-1900 facebook - Cream Wine Company twitter - @creamwine youtube - creamwine RECUERDO by BLACKBIRD VINEYARDS Mendoza, Argentina We would like to formally introduce you to Recuerdo Wines— two emblematic wines that capture the best of Argentina’s unique terroir. Recuerdo Wines provides one-of-a-kind, exclusive wine experiences, both north and south of the Equator, through its partnership with Blackbird Vineyards in Napa Valley and The Vines of Mendoza in Argentina, two of the world’s leading wine lifestyle companies. This is a “Northern Hemisphere (38° North) meets Southern Hemisphere (32° South)” winemaking partnership. The winemaking team is led by Pablo Martorell, formerly of Clos de los Siete and one of Mendoza’s most famous up-and- coming winemakers; and Santiago Achával, who boasts four of the five highest-rated wines in Argentine history, as judged by Wine Spectator, and the highest-rated Argentine wine to date, according to Robert Parker. Recuerdo means “memory” or “memento” in Spanish. As such, the Recuerdo winemaking team of Santiago Achával and Pablo Martorell passionately believes that each bottle of Recuerdo should not only represent Argentina’s native terroir but also serve as a memory of each and every harvest. The Recuerdo wine label is a tribute to the weeping willow trees on The Vines of Mendoza property. Recuerdo Wines’ state-of-the-art winery is located in the middle of the The Vines of Mendoza’s Uco Valley vineyard and boasts extensive microvinification capabilities and cutting- edge technology. The growing season in Argentina usually occurs from budbreak in October to harvest beginning in February. The Malbec grapes are grown at over 3,700 feet in the heart of the Uco Valley. This prime grape-growing region enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year, a pure irrigation source from the Andes Mountains, rocky organic soils, and a broad variance between day and nighttime temperatures. These conditions allow the winemaking team to produce incredibly concentrated and complex wines with amazing structure and balance. With Mendoza’s dry, sunny and high desert climate, pesticide and herbicide use is kept to a minimum in the vineyard. The Torrontés grapes are grown in similar conditions in Famatina Valley in La Rioja, an outstanding region for Torrontés grapes. Recuerdo 2011 Torrontes, La Rioja - 12/750ml Net $156 WE 88 Order________Case(s) The grapes were sourced from 30-40 year old vines and were harvested at optimal maturity. Fermentation was slow, with selected yeasts, at low temperatures. Aged in stainless steel tanks for three months. The emblematic white wine of Argentina, the 2011 Recuerdo Torrontés is cultivated in the Argentine province of La Rioja. The quality of this region results in extremely aromatic varieties. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its fruit intensity and lively aromatics. Bright, fresh, and full of summer, Torrontés has a clean straw color with aromatic points of lemon spritz, citrus, and tart white flowers. The mouth is filled with tropical fruit, fresh with mineral notes and clean essences. It is streamlined with fresh orange zest that rounds out with acidity and ripe pears that linger into a lush finish. Recuerdo 2010 Malbec, Mendoza - 12/750ml Net $216 Order________Case(s) 85% Malbec/8% Cabernet Franc/5% Merlot/2% Syrah Hand-harvested with cold maceration for 5 days and fermention for 27 days. 20% new and 80% seasoned French oak for 10 months. Punchdowns during the first 15 days for fruit extraction. Synonymous with the red wine of Argentina, the 2010 Recuerdo Malbec is cultivated in Mendoza—the largest Argentine wine region, situated on the eastern side of the Andes Mountains in the Uco Valley. A rich violet hue, this Malbec opens with an alluring nose of lush red fruit, ripe plums, earth, and blackberries. The palate offers spicy, savory notes, robust tannins, and an intense mouthfeel that seamlessly rounds out the finish. This wine pairs well with a variety of heavier fare and will offer a daily respite for lovers of Cabernet Sauvignon and other full-bodied red wines. Buyer____________________________________Account______________________________________Date_____2012 Cream Wine Company 118 N. Peoria Chicago, 60607 www.creamwine.com [email protected] (312) 421-1900 facebook - Cream Wine Company twitter - @creamwine youtube - creamwine.