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Kent Rasmussen began making wine as a home winemaker in 1979. His passion for this hobby, as well as the praise received from his wine-making neighbors in the Napa Valley, inspired Kent to pursue a degree in Enology at U.C. Davis. Kent worked as an assistant winemaker for Robert Mondavi Winery and Domaine Chandon for three years. He then went to South Africa to work one crush. (He confesses that the primary reason for the trip to Africa was to pursue his interest in pre-colonial African history, a discipline in which he had earned an advanced degree.) Kent opened his winery at the family vineyard in Carneros in 1986. From his first release, Kent's wines have been highly praised by the press, trade, wine professionals, and consumers. He makes wines in very small, manageable lots, using techniques that yield wines of exceptional character, flavor, and quality. In 1999, Kent purchased the Keller property on the Silverado Trail. Kent and his wife, Celia, spent the next seven years rebuilding the ramshackle structures, reclaiming the neglected grounds and planting a small vineyard and olive grove. When Kent decided that the winery needed an additional label, Celia, put in a vote for her name to be on it. Celia Ramsay's first endeavor was letterpress printing. Her work in this field naturally exposed her to the first book printed with movable type, the Gutenberg Bible. Celia learned that the paper that Gutenberg used had several different watermarks, including a few different grape clusters. One of these clusters is represented on the Kent Rasmussen label. Celia creates the original art for all of their labels from the ten tons of type and the one ton letterpress that she keeps in the barn behind the house. This wine was sourced from premium vineyards in the North Coast of California, primarily Mendocino and Monterey. The nose holds an array of both major and minor notes. Most pronounced are cherry, berry, and vanilla oak. This is a superb Cabernet that will improve with age, but could go quite well today with prime rib. Serve at 60?F. September 2009 Limited Series Newsletter (.pdf) |
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