The 2018 Mazzocco Dry Creek Valley Merlot offers alluring aromatics of spicy dark cherry and creamy vanilla are laced with toasty oak notes and a subtle herbal essence. A juicy dark cherry core starts and finishes the wine, while supple tannins and integrating oak gently frame it. Traces of caramel and cedar join layers of cherry, currant and plum mid-palate, where the wine coalesces before the lingering finish. Balanced and easy-to-sip, this Merlot still has plenty of backbone for additional bottle aging.

Located off of West Dry Creek Road at the base of Bradford Mountain, this estate vineyard has unusually deep hillside topsoil consisting of alluvial and volcanic composite that allows the vines a slow, even rate of maturity despite the warm, southwestern exposure. When planting this head-trained vineyard, we had the opportunity to select from an extensive collection of older clones. We selected the Frei Ranch Century clone as the ideal fit with the terrain, and we’ve since found that we chose wisely.