A perfect way to explore how various flavors work with the Estate Merlot would be to prepare a couple of small plates. Some mini-kebabs made with ground lamb and exotic spices would be one option, hard cheese and cured meats another. For that classic pairing try a rack of lamb or roasted duck breast.

Merlot can be a rampant grower so we prune the vines to control growth, limiting some of the vegetal flavors you see in many merlots, plus we green harvested several times and retained the bunches that had smaller berries - resulting in a higher skin to juice ratio. All of this led to a wine that has a little more concentration than prior vintages.

Wine maker notes

The 2008 is classic Alexander Valley Merlot which means great structure that supports the wine through a lengthy finish. It is rich and concentrated. On the nose, it’s blueberries and blackberries that are most prevalent. While there is some weight, there is also good balance with black cherry, blackberry and plum the dominant flavors surrounded by a touch of mint and sweet oak.