20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304 Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232 Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE Cheers! from the Duke of Bourbon The Duke is ever on the alert for the rarest of the rare, significant bottlings and the finest packaging. This one, ZD Cabernet Sauvignon, Abacus, might just be a triple-threat. (Note the lack of a vintage designation in the name of the wine.) ZD, established in 1969, is located on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. They are well-known for producing outstanding wines, notably Cabernet Sauvignon. Abacus combines the best qualities of an aged wine with the best of a youthful wine together in one sumptuous mouthful. Incredible depth and complexity along with a deep, lingering finish are backed by an intense fruit character. The concept was born on a de Leuze family retreat, when ZD Winemaster, Robert, and his brother, Brett, were enjoying a wonderful old Cabernet Sauvignon. They agreed that the deep complexity and subtle nuances that develop in older wines are always accompanied by a loss of fruit. What if there was a way to blend the elegance of an older Cabernet Sauvignon with the intensity of fruit found in a younger wine? Always eager to accept a challenge, Robert took on the task of creating such a wine unlike any other produced in the world. The result is a "solera-style" multiple-vintage blend of every ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ever produced held in barrel until bottling. The first bottling, with the 1992 - 1998 vintages, was released November 1, 1999. Approximately 15% of the total blend was bottled in distinctive custom bottles, totaling 200 cases. The remainder was returned to barrel to await the next infusion of youthful fruit. Prior to the second bottling, the 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was added to the blend. This is the ongoing cycle of the ever-evolving solera - each year Abacus will increase by one vintage, gaining more and more complexity. It truly stands as a legacy to all future ZD winemakers. The Duke's staff tasted this unique wine very carefully, especially in view of the fact that it is very expensive. To say it was stunning may be an understatement. It has a beautiful aroma, a delicious, elegant flavor with a long, lovely finish. This gem will really show you pleasure as you age or drink it. We rated Abacus a classic wine, 95+ on the Duke's scale. The Duke has this rare and precious bottling available for $325.00 per bottle. Buy 3 or more for $299.99 each! The packaging lives up to the wine - the bottle itself (pictured, above) is produced in a custom mold and comes in a velvet-lined box with the Abacus charm (pictured, left) on the neck, showing the beginning and ending vintages for that bottling. This is the sixth bottling which includes vintages 1992-2003. (Those of you who know how to use an abacus could have figured that out.) Call today to get your share of the hard-to-find gem! Think of fine wine! Think of the Duke! Home Vine-Line Join Our Mailing List Private Cellars Email Specials Currently Available Wine Futures Duke's Gift Catalog Recent Arrivals Big Bottle Bonanza Email the Duke Wine Association Events Duke's Wine Library Vine-Line Back Issues Map to the Duke Terminal 55 Wine Storage Lockers We are Happy to Deliver or Ship! Just Call (818) 341-1234 or outside California (800) 4-FINE-WINE Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 9AM - 6PM Pacific Time Web Page Production by Fuji Publishing Group. This URL is http://dukeofbourbon.com/es041019.html Copyright © 1995 - 2008 Duke of Bourbon Produced by Fuji Publishing Group All rights reserved.