2018 Ehret Family Winery Merlot, Knights Valley, USA

WINEMAKING NOTES
The fruit for this wine is harvested by hand from the Ehret Family’s estate
Bavarian Lion Vineyards located in Knights Valley. The Knights Valley AVA
is protected from the marine influence of the Pacific Ocean, making it the
warmest AVA in Sonoma County. The vineyards on the estate range from
400-800 feet in elevation and are located just north of Calistoga and east of
Alexander Valley, on the foothills of Mount St. Helena. The unique topography
and soil content make this a most desirable area to grow Bordeaux and
Northern Rhône grapes. The soil consists of well drained, very gravelly and
sandy loams formed from mixed sedimentary and basic rock.

TASTING NOTES
The 2018 Merlot unleashes an abundance of dense fruit flavors on the palate.
Waves of Santa Rosa plum, black raspberry and red cherry, integrated with
light olive notes, open up to layers of hot cocoa infused with vanilla.
The rich aromatics upfront, lead to a similarly rich savory mouth feel
supported by a well-proportioned structure of lithe tannins. In the end,
it’s the copious layering of fruit notes that are the hallmark of this bottling.

BLEND | 85.3% Merlot, 14.7% Cabernet Sauvignon
pH | 3.59
ta | 0.63
aging | 18 months, 22% new French Oak barrels
production | 185 cases
ALCOHOL | 15.5% by volumet.