From two of the highest altitude Merlot vineyards in the northern hemisphere we craft a bold, rich red with dark berry, black cherry, and cassis flavors and a sinful smoothness. More reminiscent of Tuscan Sangiovese than west coast Merlot, this wine pairs best with garlic and basil in bold-flavored Italian dishes, such as lasagna and bolognese. It also pairs well with wild game, especially elk.
2020 Merlot
$24.00
Description
Production: 120 cases
In the Vineyard
A light crop on the lower vineyard pushed ripening along quickly, making for an early harvest on September 25th and 26th. The upper vineyard set a heavier crop and was slower to ripen. A shortage of irrigation water prompted a “green harvest” of some 400 lbs. of grapes that were lagging in development and used to make our first Verjus. The vines responded to the reduced crop load by giving us a beautifully ripened harvest on October 12th and 13th.
Brix: 24-26
pH: 3.2-3.4
Titratable Acidity: 7g/l
In the Cellar
The fruit is destemmed without crushing and inoculated immediately after harvest. Individual vats are given one of two different strains of yeast, one to extract aroma and one to extract color. Over the next 3 weeks a slow, cool fermentation peaks at 76 degrees and is followed by an extended cold soak at 45 degrees. Malolactic fermentation proceeds to completion and the wine is cold-stabilized in the Rocky Mountain winter. The barrel works its magic over the the next 20 months and the wine is ready for bottling in the spring of 2021.
