Sterling Three Palms Vineyard Merlot 2004

"This world-class expression of Merlot offers dar fruit, clove, vanilla and toasted coconut scents. Layers of blueberry, plum, caramel and cocoa framed in a structural core open like a flower. Oak, acid, fruit, tannins and alcohol are in perfect balance. The finish lasts for nearly a minute."
-Wine News

Three Palms Vineyard lies one-half mile southeast of the winery, on the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon and across the Silverado Trail. For millennia, when Selby Creek flooded, rocks and small boulders were carried on to the vineyard, creating an alluvial fan soil type. The rocky soil stresses the vines, creating intense and concentrated fruit more typical of a mountain vineyard. In addition, the rocks tend to retain heat longer and more efficiently, insulating the fruit at night. These elements work together to create a unique microclimate and an incredible vineyard from which to source grapes.