One More Bottle of Wine: Lynfred Winery 2004 Reserve Cabernet/Merlot

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Mar 17, 2009 7:30PM

Lynfred Winery in Roselle is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since its 1979 inception, Lynfred has grown to become the largest winery in the state and is a major force in trying to keep Illinois a "full reciprocity" state in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision in Granholm v. Heald, although distributors aren't making it easy.

In Chilean-born Andres Basso, Lynfred also has a talented winemaker on staff. Basso's resume includes tours of duty at Concha y Toro, Washignton State's Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards, and Napa Valley's Merryvale Vineyards. Basso's wines tend to coat the palate with bright fruit and clean finishes, making them compatible as either a great food wine or for just wanting a glass around the house. That's how we came to the revelation of Lynfred's 2004 Reserve Cabernet/Merlot.

According to Lynfred marketing director Christina Anderson-Heller, this red blend uses 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Jones Vineyards in Washington's Columbia Valley; the Merlot grapes come from one of Lynfred's brokers in Lodi, CA. After maceration and fermentation, Basso ages the wine for 30 months in French oak barrels, to give all that fruit just a hint of spice. Tannins are minimal and with a residual sugar content of .2 percent, it ages gracefully. The overall flavor is reminiscent of a fruit bomb from the Pacific Northwest, except not as syrupy sweet. If you're looking for a pizza wine, this matches perfectly with, say, something from Phil's in Bridgeport.

This wine retails for $35 at Lynfred's Tasting De Vine stores (127 West Front Street,
Wheaton, 630-752-9463 and 21 West Jefferson, Naperville, 630-420-9463) or at the winery gift shop (15 S. Roselle Rd., Roselle, 888-298-9463). Once you try it, you'll want to delve deeper into the growing business of Illinois wineries and vineyards.