WINEMAKER’S NOTES

2015 Director’s Cut Merlot boasts gorgeous density and a full body where the flavors grow and build. Impressions of blackberry and licorice give way to floral notes, tobacco and exotic spices while luscious flavors of cherries and blueberries are layered with notes of vanilla, mocha and fig. Fine tannins and good length contribute to the sophistication this wine offers.

FILMMAKING AND WINEMAKING INTERSECT IN SONOMA

In the film business, the “Director’s Cut” emerged as a means for filmmakers to present their own creative vision of a story. At the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Director’s Cut wines were created as a way for wine “director” Corey Beck to craft wines that would reflect his own unique interpretation of the quintessential Sonoma wine. Corey’s vision for Director’s Cut embraces appellation-specific sourcing, meticulous fruit selection, and numerous blending trials so that our wines capture the distinct nuances of Sonoma’s microclimates in a highly refined style well-suited to fine cuisine and premium wine lists.

ALEXANDER VALLEY

Sonoma is known for a wide variety of climates, soil compositions and elevations; Alexander Valley in particular has two distinct climates with the foggy southern portion of the appellation being cooler than the north. Much of the fruit for Director’s Cut Merlot comes from our own estate where warm daytime temperatures give way to cool evenings. This temperature differential extends the growing season and helps create very well balanced fruit. Soil diversity further contributes complexity by delivering a broader range of flavors.

VINTAGE PROFILE

The 2015 growing season was warm and dry, leading to our harvest being complete by early September. The warm, consistent temperatures allowed the fruit to ripen faster than normal and because the crop was smaller, the resulting fruit showed tremendous concentration, texture, and fragrance. From this outstanding vintage we derived Merlot that is weightier than the previous year’s and even more expressive and complex.