Nose
The 2012 Merlot Bosche has sweet black cherry, Santa Rosa plum and blackberry fruit components. With great depth of aroma and flavor, there are nuances of sweet oak spice, cocoa powder, aromatic cedar, cinnamon, clove and white pepper.
Palate
The oak spice is very well integrated, not dominant but provides a substantial backbone to the complexity of the wine balancing the abundance of fruit depth. The flavor is big, voluptuous, soft and velvety, with rich great depth of black cherry fruit. The tannins are well integrated providing a very long fruitful finish. This is a collector's Merlot!
Growing Conditions
This growing season was ideal and some would venture to say... “perfect”. With textbook conditions for spring bud break, the vines continued steady growth over the spring, flowering and fruit set. Classic weather promoted a very even set of fruit that was abundant but not overcropped. The long summer days brought a normal veraison, initiating the ripening period that achieved our goals before the fall rains. Harvest was a winemaker’s dream.
Harvest
9/14 for merlot @ 25.3° brix and 10/3-10/16 for cabernet @ ave. 24.6° brix
Bottling
April 2014
Winemaking
After a 5 day cold soak, the wine was fermented in stainless steel fermentors at 75°-86° for 10-28 days skin contact.
Aging
Aging: 59 gallon barrel agingBarrels: French oak with 42% new oak Cooperage: World Cooperage, Nadalie, Sylvain, Demptos and MarchiveAged in Barrel: 17.4 months
Appearance
Dark ruby in color.
