Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Carneros
Acid
0.57g/100mls
pH
3.51
Alcohol %
14.8
2018 Hyde Vineyard Merlot
In Stock
Carneros is a special, if not magical, place for Merlot. A place where the grapes can hang deep into October, developing additional layers of ripeness without losing the freshness or acidity. Taste a bit of Carneros history from this duly famous vineyard.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Exotic dark fruits predominate on the nose with blackberry cobbler, crushed stone, anise, and violets. The hits keep on coming with the palate delivering a burst of sweet dark berries, followed by notes of saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and cocoa powder. Taste a bit of Carneros history from this duly famous vineyard. 192 cases produced; Available only at the winery.
Vineyard Notes
To re-launch our program, we went straight to Larry Hyde, who has been growing grapes in Carneros for over 40 years. Block #38 features a selection of Merlot from the historic “Three Palms” vineyard planted on St. George rootstock. The quadrilateral cane configuration opens up the canopy for light penetration, and we leave only 1-cluster per shoot, so each grape cluster hangs freely, never crowded by its neighbor. The yields are miniscule.
Production Notes
We picked our 1.25 acres (only 3.85 tons) on the 16th of October and proceeded with what we know best, gentle Pinot noir treatment (de-stemming without crushing and open-top fermentation) to coax out the expression of this unique site of beautiful red clay. After fermentation we aged the five barrels for 20 months prior to unfiltered bottling. Cooperage selection included Rousseau for spice, and Francois-Frères for sweetness.
Food Pairing Notes
Our winemaker suggests pairing this luscious wine with equally rich dishes such as grilled lamb chops, beef stew, or prime rib.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Carneros
Acid
0.57g/100mls
pH
3.51
Alcohol %
14.8