Cannonball Merlot 2021, California

2021 vintage – Our favorite Merlot sites lie along the California coastline where fog from the Pacific Ocean makes a daily appearance helping to regulate grapevine growth and fruit maturity. Merlot is a vigorous vine that requires management in the vineyard to achieve the correct balance between vegetative growth and crop level and in more mild climates the weather assists and plays a key role in attaining this balance by regulating vine growth. Winemaking: The fruit is harvested at night or in the early morning and transported to the winery where it undergoes a 3-day cold soak. The must is then inoculated with yeast strains selected to optimize the varietal character. Fermentations are short and fairly warm with minimal handling. The juice is run off the skins and put directly to French oak aging where it completes primary and secondary fermentations and matures for the following 20 months. Aromas: Classic claret with red currant and cherry fruit. Taste: Palate – A mix or red and blue fruit – plum and blueberry accented by a back note of cocoa and an attractive pinch of dried herb. The midpalate tannins are soft but present and provide structure for the berry fruit profile. Restrained bramble fruit, raspberry and boysenberry kissed by a whiff of toffee character from French oak aging linger on the finish with the firm yet fine tannins.