2007 Merlot

Appellation:

VQA Niagara Escarpment

About This Wine:

This wine originates from Merlot grapes grown along the gentle slopes of the Niagara Escarpment. Here, a combination of elevation, limestone-clay soils and on-shore breezes from Lake Ontario provide conditions ideal for ripening this noble variety. Aged for 18 months in barriques, it offers an enticing mix of ripe black fruit, sturdy tannins and plush textures.

Origin:

86% Beamsville Bench (Cave Spring Vineyard); 14% Niagara River

Soil:

Stony, calcareous clay and clay loam till over shale and sandstone; gravelly loam over red shale

Composition:

Harvest Data:

Harvest Date- Oct. 15
Sugar- 22.56º Brix
Titratable Acitity- 5.7 g/L
pH- 3.28
Yield- 3.5 tonnes/acre (61 hl/ha)

Vinification:

14 day maceration followed by gentle pressing and ageing for 18 months in 75% older and 25% new barriques

Bottling Data:

Bottling Date- Aug. 09
Alc./Vol. 13.5%
Residual Sugar- 3.3 g/L
Titratable Acidity- 6 g/L
pH- 3.52
Production- 836 cs. (9L)

Tasting Notes:

Aromas of game, barnyard and eucalyptus prevail with cassis and cedar in behind; the palate is greeted with a soft, generous feel and cherry/cigar-box complexity, giving way to firm yet silky, graphite-tinged tannins which, as they crescendo, carry flavours of ripe blackcurrants, smoke and spice long on the finish (10/09)

Taste Profile:

Dry (D)

Serving Suggestions:

Steak tartare; grilled hamburgers; braised veal shank or rabbit; pork or beef tenderloin with berry coulis; roasts of duck, venison or lamb; prime rib; aged cow’s milk cheeses (e.g., Parmigiano)

Ageability:

This wine possesses the structure, concentration and ripeness to reward cellaring until 2013 at a minimum

Reviews & Accolades:

No Reviews & Accolades for this wine.

Ontario Retail Price:

$24.95

Ontario Availability:

Winery Only