Tasting Notes

Our 2015 Barrel Select Merlot was chosen from our finest barrels of the vintage---ones that showed extraordinary sense of place, as well as exceptional texture and balance.This Merlot’s aromas reveal dark, rustic black cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit notes with hints of dark chocolate, wild sage and violet. The focused entry expands on the palate into sumptuous, darker fruit flavors of blackberry and black plum alongside warmer nuances of vanilla, allspice, kola nut and black pepper, all influences from aging in French oak barrels. Supple tannins and vibrant acidity beautifully frame the flavors and carry them through on the long more bitter espresso-like finish. Only 304 cases were produced and they are available exclusively at the winery.

Winemakers Note

We hand-harvested the Merlot clusters into half-ton bins to minimize crushing and then quickly brought them to our winery. We then destemmed the grapes maintaining approximately 60 percent whole berries to maximize fruitiness during fermentation. For gentle extraction of varietal character, we cold soaked the must for two days before the two-week fermentation. Aging in 50 percent new French oak barrels wove vanilla and toasty oak nuances through the lush, silky flavors.