2018 Merlot 4-Bottle Bundle

Engbers Vineyard, Fair Play

TASTING NOTES: This wine has beautifully concentrated aromas of Raspberry liqueur, briar fruit and earthy tobacco. Berry flavors abound, restrained by a respectable amount of tannins for this varietal and a strong mid palate. If you are skeptical of Merlot we think this wine will change your mind.

Tasting Notes Updated June, 2022: We still love the concentration of red fruit and tobacco notes in this wine, which have not faded one bit. Tart raspberry flavors are dominant with supple tannins lending weight across the palate of this nicely structured wine.

WINEMAKING NOTES: 100% Merlot. The Engbers Vineyard is dry farmed, which leads to ultra-low yields of just over 1 ton per acre that gives us a lot of concentrated flavor in the grapes. We destemmed but didn’t crush 80% of the grapes, and we left the remaining 20% as whole cluster, leading to a whole berry, partial carbonic fermentation that allowed us to accentuate the delicious fruit flavors and aromas of this harvest. The 20% stem inclusion enhanced the tannic structure and added a bit more complexity to the wine.

FOOD PAIRING: Baked brie with seasonal toppings like cranberry sauce. Chowders and stews. Stroganoff. Rich dishes with mushrooms. This wine should be a versatile food pairing wine, just avoid pairing it with lighter dishes.

AGING: Aged in 100% extra tight grain Nadalie med+ French oak for 18 months.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: This vineyard in Fair Play neighbors our sister winery, Mediterranean Vineyards, and we’ve been farming it since 2016. The vineyard is dry farmed, which presents more of a challenge and lower yields but also rewards us with additional concentration in the grapes and resulting wines. The vineyard was originally planted in 1974 with periodic replants since and is situated at around 2,000 feet of elevation.