The incredible quality of the 2018 vintage is on full display in our Estate Merlot. The wine is sensationally dense with ripe plum, boysenberry, and blackberry that leap out of the glass and coat the palate. The smooth, rich fruit is complemented by milk chocolate, fresh tobacco, sandalwood, black licorice, violet, and mocha. The choreography of how the voluptuous fruit wraps around the volcanic minerality while merging with the velvety tannins makes for an intriguing ballet in the mouth that simply leaves you wanting more. Decant for one hour to let this beautiful peacock strut its stuff! 

Ripening over a nearly identical window of time as our cabernet franc and treated with similar winemaking techniques, our five merlot blocks were harvested between October 17^th and November 8^th, fermented in stainless vat and aged for a year in French oak, 40% new. To our merlot core, itself a blend of clones 3, 181 and 348, we added 12% cabernet sauvignon from three of our favorite vineyard blocks for structure and intensity, and just a kiss of cabernet franc to provide lift and complexity.