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Wine Details
Price:
$45.00 per bottle
Description:
A thirty-acre parcel of the Behler Vineyard, which produced most of the grapes for this reserve Merlot, is set in the heart of the original Sonoma Valley estate. Its soil—well-drained rock and gravel topped with rich loam—ensures small quantities of concentrated fruit, while its microclimate, tempered by cooling breezes and morning fogs from both the Pacific and the San Francisco Bay, is key to developing the superior complex flavors of wild cherry, chocolate, coffee, and plum that distinguish this wine. Throughout the vineyard, canopies are thinned for increased sun, which further concentrates flavor and color. Hand harvested in late September, the fruit was crushed and racked in oak to age for twenty-four to thirty months, then held an additional ten months before release.
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Varietal Definition
Merlot:
Merlot is known as a Noble Bordeaux varietal. Although it came to France in the first century, it was not named until the 1880s. Merlot was originally used only for blending, as it is soft and compliant, very useful in softening other Bordeaux wines like Cabernets. Recently in California and Chile it became popular as a 100% varietal wine. Merlot tends to be easier to grow in a variety of soil conditions and is harvested earlier in the year than Cabernet. Although most Merlots are made to be drunk earlier, there are many with complexities of a Cabernet. Flavors of plum, black cherry, violet, chocolate and orange pair well with rich, red pasta dishes, hearty chicken dishes, and any beef combination that you fancy. The perfect match of course is chocolate. Not only does the chocolate compliment the wine and vice-versa, but the essence of both flavors linger eternally.
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