2006 Merlot

Case Production

1456 cases

Blend and Vineyard Sources

• 81% Merlot
  • 26% Tapteil Vineyard (Red Mountain)
  • 21% Weinbau Vineyard (Wahluke Slope)
  • 12% DuBrul Vineyard (Rattlesnake Hills)
  • 12% Spring Creek Vineyard (Yakima Valley)
  • 6% Gamache Brothers (Columbia Valley)
  • 4% Seven Hills Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley)
• 12% Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Tapteil Vineyard (Red Mountain)
• 7% Cabernet Franc
  • Weinbau Vineyard Ridge (Wahluke Slope)

Analysis

• pH – 3.62
• Total Acidity – 0.60
• Alcohol – 14.28

Cooperage

60% new oak, the majority of which is American oak with the remaining mostly French oak and some Hungarian oak, all chosen from select coopers and a wide variety of forests.  The wine was on oak for 12 months.

Winemaking

Crushed gently and dropped by gravity into 1.5 ton bins, cold soaked 48 hours minimum, then inoculated with a variety of yeasts, hand-punched and pressed directly to barrel where the wine finishes both primary and secondary fermentations.

Vintage

A wonderful year of timely rains during the growing season and dry ripening conditions allowing for the complete command of the vineyard by the viticulturist and winemaker. The wine shows great fruit character, balance and length.

Tasting Notes

Firm and focused on the palate this is one big Merlot. The flavors are almost piercing in their intensity with loads of classic dark cherry and ripe berry that lingers and becomes more intriguing in the mouth with the rich tannins.