Legendary quarterback Joe Montana has teamed up with veteran winemaker Ed Sbragia to produce a 'gutsy' Cabernet that will sell mainly at charity auctions.
Montana one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, who led American football team the San Francisco 49ers to four major victories in the 1980s retired to wine country in Sonoma's Knights Valley.
He met Sbragia, winemaking chief at Napa's Beringer, some years ago and the two found their tastes in wine coincided.
'Joe and I like really big, gutsy wines,' Sbragia told decanter.com, adding that Montana who has a small vineyard in Knights Valley - first approached him three years ago wanting to get involved in a 'small, good production,' to be offered to a hand-picked list of restaurants, and to charity auctions.
Using Beringer grapes mainly from Howell Mountain, Sbragia has created 'Montagia', a Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend from the 1999 and 2000 vintages, with the help of Montana and his wife Jennifer.
'Jennifer took part in the blending process. She likes a softer wine and so she pushed for the Cabernet Franc,' Sbragia said. Montana himself and Sbragia get together two or three times a year to taste and blend.
'He knows what he likes. It's a gut feeling he goes for a good structure, and he's learning all the time,' said Sbragia, adding, 'I wouldn't have done this if I didn't like what he likes about wine.'
Some 120 cases of Montagia 1999 have been produced, of which a small amount will be sold from the Beringer winery in Napa for around US$75. The 2000 vintage will be relased in 2004.
The 2003 harvest for Beringer will be 'normal to slightly small', Sbragia has told decanter.com, the result of a summer that was generally warm but with some cold periods. Harvesting has started on the Pinot Noir, and the Cabernets 'look great again, with the yield normal to slightly below normal.'
'We are the opposite to Bordeaux this year a little bit later than usual,' Sbragia said. He added that he had hopes for the vintage. 'It's not a giant crop, and it looks good.'
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