This perfectly balanced Russian River Chardonnay is a classic showcase from one of the premiere cool climate growing regions of Sonoma County. Aromas of pear and red apple peels complement a second layer of vanilla and butterscotch. On the palate we find a creamy texture and crisp acidity with flavors of dried apricot, baked peach pie, and caramel. This wine was aged for 9 months in French oak barrels form a lingering toasty finish.

The 2009 Long Blue Line Cabernet has been sourced from the Alexander Valley appellation of Northern Sonoma County, one of the top Cabernet growing regions in all of California. This product has been specially created for the Air Force Academy as the inaugural wine in what will become an ongoing series of Long Blue Line wines. Owner, James Blanchard, is a 1998 graduate of the Air Force Academy and 20% of the sales of these wines will go to the Association of Graduates to benefit cadet programs. Our hand crafted, artisan wines exhibit the utmost quality as expected with any product representing our United States Air Force Academy.

The 2009 Long Blue Line Chardonnay hails from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, a region producing some of the world's best Chardonnays. This product has been specially created for the Air Force Academy as the inaugural wine in what will become an ongoing series of Long Blue Line wines. Owner, James Blanchard, is a 1998 graduate of the Air Force Academy and 20% of the sales of these wines will go to the Association of Graduates to benefit cadet programs. Our hand crafted, artisan wines exhibit the utmost quality as expected with any product representing our United States Air Force Academy.

This perfectly balanced wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel, four individually expressive varietals, finding harmony in the bottle. This wine was specially created to honor the men and women of the MH-53 Pavelow helicopter. Although this aircraft has been retired, its memory will live on. A portion of the proceeds from this wine will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation who's mission is to provide full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.

This light white wine has a fairly transparent, almost golden color to it. The aromas are heavy on the citrus fruit, with a nose of grapefruit, pineapple, and lemon peel. There is also light floral influence lingering in the aroma. Flavors on the palate reflect the nose well with a burst of grapefruit combined with apricot, peach, and even lemon drop candy. The crisp acidity is pleasant in the mouth with a long finish of tangerines. This wine would be ideal for warm summer nights on the beach and would complement meals of white fish, grilled scallops or especially fresh salads.

The third vintage of our Cabernet Sauvignon, named for James's second son, is the first to be sourced from the award winning Laurel Springs Ranch, a small three acre vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. The grapes were harvested at dawn and sorted by hand before going into one-ton bins for a five day cold soak to extract maximum color and tannin structure. The wine was fermented in these bins before being aged in French Oak barrels for 20 months. This is a perfectly balanced wine, with layers of aroma like forest floor, roasted coffee and cocoa. The palate finds flavors of exotic spice, black cherries, and rich dark chocolate. The tannins are lush on the mouth feel with a long finish that leaves hints of vanilla from the oak influence. This wine will only improve in the bottle with aging potential of 7-10 years.

Our inaugural vintage of Zinfandel, named for James's first son, was sourced from a hillside block on the Windsor Oaks Vineyards in the cool, mild climate of the Russian River Valley. The 2009 harvest was an excellent vintage, with consistently cool mornings and evenings, and warm days to allow the grapes to reach an even ripeness. The grapes for this wine were hand-picked and sorted to ensure only the finest and evenly ripe clusters make it to the crush pad. The wine went through a two day cold soak process to properly extract deep color and rich tannins, before undergoing fermentation. The wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months prior to being bottled. This softer Zinfandel is an understated and elegant delight, with flavors of strawberry jam and cranberries. Aromas of raspberry fields are complimented on the nose by the slightest hints of licorice. The silky smooth finish also has a touch of cinnamon spice that lingers in the finish. This wine is bright and fresh now, but will continue to age and evolve in the bottle nicely for 5-7 years.

The inaugural vintage of our Russian River Valley Pinot Gris is being named the Peoria Pink based upon the color of the wine and this wine will be used to raise funds for breast cancer awareness. The fruit was sourced from the Windsor Oaks vineyards, with a cool climate influence that is perfect for Pinot Gris. The afternoon winds that flow through the sloping hills of this particular vineyard block ensure steady and even ripening of the grapes and a balance in the acid levels. Gentle stirring of the lees during the stainless steel aging process gives the wine an almost creamy mouth feel and texture. Floral aromas entice the nose while flavors of apricot and white peach fill the palate, all completed with a crisp citrus finish.