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	The glowing reports of grape quality during the 1997 harvest are being exceeded by the quality of the wines themselves, and it is pretty much agreed that the vintage has produced some of the best red wines California has seen in decades. The reasons for the extremely high quality of the 1997 fruit began with the 1996 growing season which, because of low crop yields, caused large energy reserves to be stored in the vines. The health and integrity of the vines was further enhanced by the soil's high water table which compensated for a warm, dry February and one of the earliest budbreaks on record. The Merlot crop conformed to the same high quality found in the Cabernet, and the finished wine differs from last year's more in degree than in kind. Extract levels are higher, flavors more concentrated, and tannins rounder and smoother. The wine boasts lush, black cherry aromas and flavors and a long, silky finish.
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