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Wine Details
Price:
$60.00 per bottle
Description:
Grapes for the 2004 Las Amigas Merlot were destemmed but not crushed. After cold soaking the fruit for two days, we added a selection of yeasts to start fermentation. Careful monitoring of fermentation, careful separation of the wine from the skins, natural clarification by gravity and the use of age-old Bordeaux techniques produced a Merlot that is elegant yet powerfully rich. The wine was aged in oak—50 percent of which was new—for 20 months.This beguiling wine opens with black cherry, boysenberry pie and pomegranate aromas layered with notes of maple, molasses, clove and nutmeg. Flavors of blackberry, fig and dark chocolate dominate the rich palate. The wine has a medium body with full, ripe tannins that melt into a long plum and black-cherry finish. Pair this lovely Merlot with roasted beef tenderloin, lamb stew or ossobuco.
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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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