The Vintage

The 2003 vintage was another outstanding year, as far as, quality was concerned. The long warm days of fall allowed the fruit to reach maximum maturity, while the cool nights helped maintain the natural acidity of the fruit.

 

The Vineyard

The 2003 Merlot came entirely from our own Kestrel View Estate Vineyard in Prosser, Washington, a site known for producing wines with deep color and firm tannins. The fruit was hand harvested in early October, offering ample time for it to fully ripen. To further enhance the quality of the fruit, crop levels were maintained below 4 tons per acre. Low crop levels concentrate the fruit flavors, hasten ripening, and generally produce wine of higher quality.

 

The Winemaking

At the winery the fruit was visually inspected to remove any imperfect clusters and leaves before crushing and destemming. The fermenting juice, or must, was pumped over twice daily to extract the perfect amount of color and tannin from the skins before pressing. After the completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was inoculated with malolactic bacteria to initiate secondary fermentation. Once this was accomplished the wine was aged in 30% new Eastern European oak barrels for 20 months prior to bottling.

The Wine

The 2003 Merlot is a big, full bodied, deeply colored wine full of flavors of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, dried fruits, and dark cherries. Layered behind these notes are spicy tones of tobacco, oak, cedar, and vanilla, followed by a long lingering finish. The firm tannins will allow you to enjoy this wine now or cellar it for many years to come.

PH: 3.43 TA 6.3g/liter ALC: 13.9% RS: <1 g/liter

Blend: 97% Merlot, 3% Malbec

Cases Produced: 1,704

Date Released: December 2005