Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Merlot presents inviting aromas of dried cherry, currant, herb, clove spice and toasted oak. A plush mouthfeel unfolds with deep red fruit flavors accented by cassis, blackberry, tobacco, peppercorn, vanilla and dark chocolate. Supple tannins and energetic acidity add length to a smooth, rounded finish.
The beautifully balanced weight of the 2021 Merlot makes an excellent match for beef stew, veal chops, vegetable lasagna and lamb shanks in red wine sauce.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
This 100% Merlot is a knockout made with grapes grown on an ancient seabed and aged 17 months in French and American oak. A dusting of cocoa settles atop plum, ripe black cherry, and cinnamon as the wine's creamy texture engages with supple tannins and mineral-charged acidity.
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Wine Enthusiast
Lively lavender aromas elevate the dark berry and thyme scents on the nose of this bottling. The core of blueberry fruit on the palate is cut by oregano, marjoram and cracked-pepper flavors.
We are a family-owned winery specializing in estate-grown wines from Margarita Vineyard, the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles appellation on California’s Central Coast.
Just look at a map of Paso Robles wineries and at the very southern tip you will find our Vineyard. Here, amid the rugged Santa Lucia mountain range just 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Margarita Vineyard stands alone as the only vineyard in its vicinity, and thus the only vineyard to benefit from the extraordinary growing conditions of the area. Margarita Vineyard resides in the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, which was first planted to vines by Franciscan missionaries in 1774.
Ancient Peaks and Margarita Vineyard are owned by three longtime local winegrowing families—the Filipponis, Rossis and Wittstroms—who are actively involved in the daily operations of the vineyard and winery. Ancient Peaks wines are crafted under the guidance of Mike Sinor, a local winemaking veteran and one of the highest-rated winemakers on the Central Coast.
Ancient Peaks implements numerous sustainable viticultural practices to ensure natural quality in their wines while protecting the rich, native environment surrounding the Margarita Vineyard. Their practices have earned SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certification for Margarita Vineyard, the leading standard for viticultural sustainability.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Composed of steep mountain slopes of ancient Salinas River origins at 900 to 1,400 feet in elevation, Santa Margarita Ranch is in the southern portion of the greater Paso Robles AVA.