 |
|
Wine Details
Price:
$25.00 per bottle
Description:
The source for this Merlot is a small, family-owned vineyard about a half-mile west of our winery. In the past we had been bringing fruit from as far away as San Luis Obispo County, but going forward we've decided to concentrate our efforts on local fruit, the closer to the winery the better. We want to explore the winegrowing possibilities of the cooler climate on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley appellation. The Besson vineyard Merlot block is hidden from the main road, in a tree-ringed vale next to a small creek that runs through the middle of the Besson ranch. 2001 was a great vintage for this Merlot, a warm fall allowed us to fully ripen the fruit. Medium dark ruby in color, the wine displays intense aromas of cassis and red cherry, with a slight green-olive note that is a reflection of ripe Merlot. Flavors include black pepper and black cherry with a soft lingering finish. Although delicious now, we believe this wine will improve with a year or two of additional bottle age. Cheers!
|
|
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.
|
|