Once & Future Merlot 2020, Sangiacomo Vineyard, Carneros, Sonoma County, California

The Sangiacomo block of Merlot, formerly 13-year-old Riesling vines, was budded to Merlot in 1987 and interplanted to reduce spacing in 1991. The soil is shallow gravel clay-loam, which is ideal for Merlot. Originally, the trellis was a bilateral cordon vertical shoot position set-up. Due to the timing of the Carneros winds, which are frequently coincident with flowering and fruit set, a great deal of shatter resulted in very low crop levels. In some years, this imparted a fairly strong jalapeño character to the grapes. To combat this, the Sangiacomos have added an additional fruiting cane to the system, which increases the crop, bringing it into balance with the canopy and providing more harmonious ripe flavors. The combination of soil, trellising, crop, and canopy management, along with the cool Carneros climate, produces some of the most delicious Merlot in California. The Sangiacomo block of Merlot, formerly 13-year-old Riesling vines, was budded to Merlot in 1987 and interplanted to reduce spacing in 1991. The soil is shallow gravel clay-loam, which is ideal for Merlot. Originally, the trellis was a bilateral cordon vertical shoot position set-up. Due to the timing of the Carneros winds, which are frequently coincident with flowering and fruit set, a great deal of shatter resulted in very low crop levels. In some years, this imparted a fairly strong jalapeño character to the grapes. To combat this, the Sangiacomos have added an additional fruiting cane to the system, which increases the crop, bringing it into balance with the canopy and providing more harmonious ripe flavors. The combination of soil, trellising, crop, and canopy management, along with the cool Carneros climate, produces some of the most delicious Merlot in California. “The 2021 Merlot Sangiacomo Vineyard is magnificent. In fact, the 2021 is one of the best vintages of this wine I can remember tasting, going back to the Ravenswood days. Low yields in 2021 and improvements in farming are among the factors that contribute to the wine’s character. Deep and explosive, the 2021 possesses tremendous richness and power to burn. It’s an especially savory Merlot that captures the essence of Sonoma Valley. Sweet floral accents lift the finish effortlessly.”