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Estate Merlot

Estate Merlot Wine Details
Price: $36.00 per bottle

Description: This is our first offering of Merlot from our estate vineyard. Originally planted simply because Ramona and Deepak enjoy drinking nice Merlots, the rolling hillside site and typically cool "Carneros" climate have combined to produce grapes that fully express classic Merlot qualities. The dominant aromatics on the 2002 Merlot are sweet black cherry, boysenberry and earth. With a bit more time in the glass, sweet oak and Earl Grey tea come forward as well. On the palate, there is a sweet entry with youthful tannins, yielding to hints of roast beef, cocoa powder, Scharffenberger bittersweet chocolate and toasted rye bread. The finish is long, lingering and tapers off with more notes of mixed chocolate. This wine drinks well now, though decanting for a couple of hours allows the Merlot to fully express itself.

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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