Merlot from the Wetzel Family Estate has a reputation for being a big, complex wine. First produced in 1984, this has been a classically structured wine each year, often showing as much tannin as many Cabernet Sauvignons.
The 2021 growing season enjoyed near-perfect growing conditions. The year began with unseasonably warm temperatures, and lower than normal rainfall. This was followed by weeks of steady daytime heat and cool evenings, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly. Harvest began on September 9th. At harvest, the quality of the fruit was excellent with high acidity and intense flavors.
We prune our Merlot vines heavily and drop fruit several times during the growing season so the remaining clusters ripen evenly. Winemaker Kevin Hall has found that fermenting Merlot at a slightly lower temperature than some of our other Bordeaux varieties maintains the lush flavors and structure. After fermentation the wine spent 15 months aging in a combination of French and American oak barrels.
This wine impresses red wine lovers immediately with spicy aromas of black cherry, plum, boysenberry, cassis, vanilla and oak in the glass. Our Merlot is full bodied with big flavors of black cherry, plum, cassis and slight chocolate. This is a big structured Merlot with beautiful balance and a long, textured finish.
2020: 93 points & Editors’ Choice - Wine Enthusiast
2019: 92 points - James Suckling
2018: 91 points - Decanter World Wine Awards
