4 | Wine | Merlot, Sonoma County

"This is a velvety wine with a complex nose of fresh-picked blackberries, black tea, cedar, red cherry and licorice. A fleshy and generous mouthfeel is followed by notes of bittersweet cinnamon, mocha and tobacco. This wine has full, generous tannins that coat the palate, impressive length and lasting acidity."

"For our 2010 Dry Creek Valley Merlot, we co-crushed the Merlot grapes with Petite Sirah to achieve dark fruit flavors and enhance the overall tannic structure in the wine. The grapes were destemmed, but not crushed, before being cold soaked to extract vivid color and intense flavors. We fermented this wine at warm temperatures, reaching 90°F for a few hours, to create a darker, riper fruit profile. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged on fine lees to soften the mouthfeel. This Merlot was aged for seven months in a combination of French and American oak barrels to impart notes of chocolate and vanilla in the finished wine."

"Intricate layers of black cherry, plum, currant, and wild berry mingle with a hint of spice. The soft, delicate tannins of this Bordeaux varietal carry these aromas and flavors to a long lingering finish."

"This Merlot is smooth and elegant with classic flavors and aromas of cherry, chocolate and plum. Its silky structure is balanced by soft tannins and a bold, lengthy finish."

"Still young and unformed, it exhibits phenomenal richness and equilibrium as well as a finish that lasts nearly a minute. Its dense plum/purple color is accompanied by notions of black fruits, forest floor, truffles and spring flowers."