2015 Heritage Merlot

Winegrowing and farming are challenging, and always have been. The rewards though continue to propel us forward. In the early years of America’s founding, President Thomas Jefferson planted grapes at Monticello and cultivated his vineyard. Today, the Jefferson Merlot Clone is revered for its strength, ability to adapt to its surroundings, and flavor. Our oldest Merlot blocks on the Ranch’s north side are planted to this clone and it is this connection to our past that we honor with the name Heritage. The area where the grapes are sourced is a hilly, upper slope with heavy clay soil.

This wine offers primary aromas of purple plums with hints of floral perfume, cloves, sea spray, and fresh herbs. There is a subtle hint of the chaparral that surrounds our vineyards giving this Heritage Merlot a true sense of place. On the palate, the entry is smooth with great concentration. The Cabernet Sauvignon component of this blend provides a solid tannin framework that supports flavors of espresso, ripe cherry, and rosemary, followed by a lingering finish.

Vintage
Cool, overcast conditions in May influenced the vines to set less fruit than normal. Fortunately the temperature rebounded and gave us one of our warmest years on record, but without the excessive temperature spikes we often see during warmer vintages. We also harvested earlier than in previous vintages. The result of these conditions was a lighter than expected crop but with more intense aromatics and increased concentration, and generally lower alcohol.