Nose

Rich, dark and luscious, with effusive ripe blackberry, currant and cassis aromas that grab you by the nose and pull you deep into the glass, this is clearly a big Cabernet drinker’s Merlot.

Palate

100% varietal, this wine has massive structure and a profound level of extract. Sweet fruit and amply chewy tannins waltz languidly across the palate with flavors of chocolate and espresso, coating the entire palate and resolving in a finish that goes on and on.

Growing Conditions

Truly reflecting the best of our best, each year our Vintner’s Select Merlot allows us to showcase our finest single lot of Merlot. The decision is not an easy one – our unique position at the top of Spring Mountain allows us to produce an exceptional spectrum of wines year after year after year. In 2001, as in the 1999 Vintner’s Select Merlot, this extraordinary lot comes from our Mountain Top Vineyard.

Bottling

Bottled: Sept. 2003.

Winemaking

Fermentation: Alcholic & Malolactic in Stainless Steel Tanks.

Aging

Cooperage: French Oak.