2014 reflected a great traditional Bordeaux growing vintage - a long warm season ideal for phenolic ripeness. Seasons like this allow the grapes to develop ripe flavors with silky tannins, creating a full body and rich mouthfeel. The grapes were left to cold soak for 2 days and were fermented with their native yeasts. Fermentation included pumpovers twice daily and the juice remained on the skins for 30 days. The wine was aged for 16 months in French (25% new) and American (10% new) oak barrels and bottled in March 2016.
Winemaker Notes
The rich volcanic soils of Kunde create a rich and powerful Merlot. Perhaps it’s the iron content in the dirt that causes the wine to show just a bit more power than is common in the market, but we like a big Merlot! For your next red meat pairing, try substituting this Merlot with your Cabernet drinkers and watch them go back for seconds. I would also recommend you decant this wine well before a meal as we held nothing back!
