88 Points - Wine Spectator

We proudly include Merlot in our small family of wines as a varietal that excels at our Margarita Vineyard. The 2006 vintage comes from blocks 38 and 39 at Margarita Vineyard, both of which occupy an ancient riverbed in the Trout Creek Canyon area of the vineyard. Here, well-drained rubble soils and incoming coastal breezes guide the grapes to optimal intensity and structure. The result is a wine that truly captures the essence of Merlot, with silky black fruit flavors and a luscious texture.

 VINEYARDS
Our estate Margarita Vineyard is situated along the top of the Cuesta Grade, approximately 22 miles south of the city of Paso Robles and just 14 miles as the crow flies from the Pacific Ocean. Here, the surrounding peaks of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range act as a gateway between the ocean-cooled environs below the grade and the warmer climes above the grade. When the days heat up in the areas north and east of Margarita Vineyard, the air rises to create a vacuum that pulls marine breezes and fogs inland over the peaks, and right through the vineyard. This phenomenon creates one of the coolest growing environments in the Paso Robles appellation, resulting in fruit of remarkable dimension and complexity. As the only vineyard in its vicinity, Margarita Vineyard is alone in benefiting from the climatic attributes of its location.

 WINEMAKING
After destemming and light crushing, the must was fermented in stainless steel tanks with daily pumpovers. Fermentation was initiated with D254 yeasts for enhanced mouthfeel and complexity. A small lot of Malbec was incorporated into half of the Merlot during fermentation for enhanced dimension and structure. The co-fermenting of the two varietals ensured seamless integration of the Malbec into the silky mouthfeel of the Merlot. After fermentation, the wine was immediately racked to a combination of French and American oak barrels, where it aged for 16 months prior to bottling.

TASTING NOTES
The 2006 Merlot offers high-toned aromas of black cherry and blueberry with hints of cola. A smooth, silky texture brings flavors of black currant, blueberry, mocha and vanilla cream. The finish is cool and velvety, with hints of blackberry and clove spice.

CUISINE PAIRING
The smooth, velvety flavors of our 2006 Merlot appeal to a wide variety of dishes. Recommended pairings include herbed veal burger, grilled lamb chops with rosemary, pan-roasted chicken with prosciutto, and petit filet mignon.