Kenwood Jack London Vineyard Merlot 1997

The Jack London Rach creates distinctive red wines that have a loyal following throughout the world. The red volcanic soil and pleasantly ware climate of this hillside vineyard combine to produce rich, full-bodied wines. Located on Sonoma Mountain with an eastern exposure, this vineyard gets early morning sun and breezes in the afternoon that temper the day's most extreme heat. The vineyard crew pulls leaves off the vines to fully expose the Merlot clusters to the sun. This encourages early ripening and deepens the wine's color. Following a long, warm growing season with an early bloom, Kenwood harvested the 1996 Merlot crop in mid-September. The juice was fermented in stainless steel and then aged in French and American oak barrels for 15 months.