2005
MERLOT, NAPA VALLEY
•WINE•
Varietal composition:
77% Merlot,
10% Malbec,
8% Cabernet Sauvignon,
5% Cabernet Franc
Flavor descriptors:
Perfumed aromas of ripe wild berries and subtle vanilla lead to full-throated black-fruit flavors of blueberry, blackberry and dark plum. Fine-grained tannins provide a velvety mouthfeel. Boldly delicious from start to finish.
Wine analysis:
Total acid: 0.66%
Final pH: 3.49
Residual sugar: 1.46% (Dry)
Alcohol: 15.2% by volume
•VINTAGE•
Overall, 2005 was significantly cooler than usual. A wet spring and heavy May rains delivered more than twice the normal amount of rainfall in Napa Valley. The late storms caused delay of budbreak and bloom for all varieties, and once they began, the vines grew quickly. Vineyard crews carefully thinned foliage, removing more leaves in our vineyards than ever before to bring the vines into balance and ensure ripening. Temperatures in May and June were cooler than usual, followed by a hot July and a return to the cooler pattern for the remainder of the growing season and through harvest, which started up to a full month later than average in most Napa Valley vineyards. We harvested grapes for this Merlot over a month-long period from September 22 to October 24. The long hang time allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, fostering excellent development of aromatics and flavors and setting a relatively easy pace for the vineyard and winemaking teams.
Grapes: Harvested at 26.2º Brix (average) with 0.75% initial acid and 3.30 pH
•VINEYARDS•
Appellation:
Napa Valley
Grape Sourcing:
51% Stags Leap District AVA, 32% Los Carneros AVA, 10% To Kalon Vineyard - Oakville AVA,
7% from other Napa Valley vineyards
•WINEMAKING•
Hand-harvested in cool morning hours
Fermented at 88ºF in stainless steel tanks
21 days maceration (skin contact) to soften tannins
In-barrel malolactic fermentation
14 months aging in medium-toast French oak barrels (15% new)