| Our Chloe Merlot is a full-bodied, elegant wine with a rich burgundy color palette, soft tannins and smooth acidity. Abundant flavors of freshly picked blackberries, black cherry and ripe plum lead to a plush, velvety mouthfeel followed by delicate notes of vanilla, mocha and spice. This complex, sensuous wine is exceptionally well-balanced with sophisticated intensity and a silky finish that lingers on the tongue. The Merlot grapes for this luscious wine are grown in our San Lucas Estate Vineyard located in southern Monterey County. The diurnal temperature shift in this micro climate is perfectly suited for this prestigious grape varietal to thrive. Warm, sunny days allow the grape skins and seed tannins to fully develop, while the cool climate nights and foggy mornings allow for a long ripening season and help maintain natural acidity. The unique “shaly loam” soil of San Lucas Estate Vineyard provides exceptional drainage, allowing development of small, concentrated berries that deliver intense aromas, robust flavors with a rich mouthfeel. The Merlot grapes are picked at night while the temperature remains cool. The clusters are then destemmed, keeping the concentrated berries whole, leading to a couple days of cold soak before inoculation and fermentation. The wine then undergoes malolactic fermentation and is barrel aged for 12 months in French and American oak. |
