The Merlot was sourced from grapes grown from our Oakville estate, where we have one and one-half acres planted, and blended with grapes from the Truchard vineyard in Carneros, Napa as well as the Galleron vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley. We feel this wine is a classic style worthy of distinction as a blend from the best of three Napa Valley vineyard sites.
FERMENTATION AND AGEING: After the grapes were put through the crusher/de-stemmer, the must was inoculated with cultured Montrachet yeast. Fermented at an average of 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the sugar to alcohol conversion was completed within eight days in stainless steel tanks. The must was pumped over at least three times daily to enhance color, flavor and tannin extraction from the skins. After two rackings the wine was transferred to hybrid American/French oak barrels, 50% new oak with 50% second fill. The wine underwent its own malo-lactic conversion in the barrel over an 18 month ageing period.
CHARACTERISTICS: A hedonist’s dream! This delicious, concentrated wine has aromas of black currants, ripe plums, dark cherry licorice, and cocoa. It has a silky full bodied entry on the palate, with tamed/controlled tannins, plenty of sweet oak, and a luxuriously long finish. With proper storage, this wine will age admirably for ten years, however, we feel it is drinkable now. Great with a juicy T-bone steak.
Varietals
: 100% Merlot
Harvest
: We handpicked 6.39 tons of Merlot from October 24th-October 27nd, 2006.
Ageing and Cooperage
: 18 months in 50% new French, American, and AO/FO hybrid barrels
Alcohol
: 15.0%
Sugar
: 26.2 Brix
Acidity
: 0.60 g/100ml
pH
: 3.5 units