Clos Pegase Mitsuko's Vineyard Merlot 1998

1998 is our first vintage to be designated Mitsuko's Vineyard as the plantings are now sufficiently mature to produce all of our Estate grown Merlot. The establishment of Merlot in Carneros has been a recent phenomenon as many Vintners felt the region was too cold for this Bordeaux variety, but we felt that the vines would be more challenged in this environment, creating wines of distinctive character, establishing Clos Pegase as one of the first wineries to plant Merlot in Carneros. Since that time, several other producers have followed suit making this southern extreme of Napa one of the top sites for Merlot in the world. From a very small and demanding harvest, our 1998 Merlot typifies the fine acid structure and vibrant fruit tones, along with a trace mintiness, that speaks of this unique terroir. Aged for 20 months in French oak and bottled without filtration to fully preserve what our vines have offered, we hope you enjoy our latest Merlot. -Steven Rogstad, Winemaker