The Vineyards
Merlot tends to perform best in warm climates with a drastic shift in day to night temperatures. Fortunately for us, the diverse appellations of Sonoma County provide many excellent sites for high quality Merlot. We selected grapes from six vineyards across the county. Almost half of the blend is comprised of fruit from the Madrone Ranch, Batto Vineyard and our own Estate Cherryblock Vineyard in the Sonoma Valley , where the hot summer temperatures and long growing season is ideal for forming soft, supple tannins. The other primary vineyard sources, Rancho Miguel and Lyon Vineyards, are in the Alexander Valley , which is known for its ability to craft elegant Bordeaux-style wines from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The smallest portion of the blend is from the Bedford Ranch in Dry Creek Valley , a region known for creating ripe, fruit-forward Merlots.

The Vintage
The 2005 vintage was one of the coldest and longest vintages since 1999. The extended maturation and cooler temperatures produced exquisite tannin structure and complex aromas of fruit, spice and leather. We had to be incredibly patient in 2005, as the grapes didn’t fully ripen until the end of the harves, which is always nerve-racking due to the danger of early rains while fruit is still on the vines. We harvested the grapes from the end of September to the beginning of November at an average brix of 25.2.