Our 2023 Merlot

This isn't your "typical" Merlot. It's light, bright, fruit-forward. And because we made it with an old French winemaking technique called bâtonnage (which is extended time with the yeast), it has a creamy finish and a medium body. 

With hints of black fruits and even applesauce (?!), our Merlot also has some peppery notes. Like back-of-your-throat, slightly tingly pepper notes. It’s different and we’re all about it.

Tasting may be romanticized, but believe us, it's not magic. You'll experience the subtle blend of flavors differently than we do depending on numerous factors (including genetics and preferences), but here's what we discovered about our Merlot: 

Tastes we noticed: 

• Blackberry and black cherry
• Cooked fruit
• Black pepper
• Creamy/nutty/bready finish

Food we liked with it: A lot of food goes well with this Merlot because its brightness cuts through other flavors. It's especially good with fatty plates, aged hard cheeses, or traditional classic Italian food. And anything with red sauce; heck, we even added a cup to our pizza sauce!

HEADS UP: Our Merlot needs to be aerated/put in a decanter for at least 30 minutes! Our vintner Nick did such a good job of keeping oxygen out of this wine that its flavors don't properly open up without giving it some air.

• Grapes: 100% Merlot
• Grape Source: Block 7, Sunada Smoot Vineyard of Chateau Robles in Paso Robles, CA
• AVA District: Geneseo District
• Vineyard Sustainability: third-party certified sustainable
• Harvest Date: October 15, 2023
• Bottling Date: September 2, 2024
• ABV: 13.06%
• Free Sulfur Dioxide (sulfites level): 31 mg/L
• pH: 3.51
• Brix: 24.3
• Titratable Acidity: 6.5 g/L