Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a very compelling Merlot at a fair price. Aromas of turned earth and black cherry are spiced in cocoa and light mint on the nose. The palate is cleanly presented and firm in texture, showing boysenberry, pepper and toasted pecan on the finish.
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.
Within the greater Monterey County, the San Lucas AVA claims the largest diurnal temperature variation of all of the California AVAs. The area produces a variety of styles.