Nose
Aromas of rich ripe blackberry with subtle notes of currant, anise and charred oak combine with just a hint of graphite.
Palate
Flavors of black plum and dark mocha, couple with subtle raspberry, espresso and toasted vanillin barrel. This is a wine of fine texture, terrific length and structure.
Growing Conditions
Despite good rainfall in December of 2014, January and February of 2015 brought warm, spring-like daytime temperatures with minimal precipitation. Little rain was recorded in March and April and as the temperatures cooled, the fruit set slowly over three weeks. May stayed warm and we experienced significant hot spells in June, July and August. Harvest kicked off in early September and while yields were light, the quality of our fruit was terrific.
- Rutherford Estate Vineyard
Harvest
In the cool morning hours, the grapes were harvested by hand and brought to the winery where they were hand sorted.
Bottling
August 4, 2017
Winemaking
3% of the sorted berries were placed directly into new French Oak barrels where they went through natural fermentation. The barrels were hand rolled six times a day to encourage cap maceration and extraction from the berries. After fermentation, the wine remained on the skins for an extended maceration and barrel integration. Once complete, the wine was drained and the skins removed. The drained wine then returned to the same barrel to age for 19 months.
Aging
100% French oak (42% new) for 19 months,
3% barrel fermented
Appearance
Deep shades of reds and purples present in this single vineyard Merlot.
Food Pairing
- Red Miso Red Wine Glazed Salmon
- Garden Caponata
- Barely Buzzed Bacon Grilled Cheese
- Baked Sausage and Sourdough Strata
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin
