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The Vineyards
Located in the northern reaches of the Alexander Valley , the Lyon Vineyard is one of our premier sources for the Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. The rich soil is a blend of alluvial gravel, sandstone and iron-rich volcanic rock, providing the perfect balance of texture and mineral content to produce expressive, elegant and intense red wines. The base of the Alexander Valley Merlot is from the Old Vine and Block 10 sections of the Lyon Vineyard, planted primarily with Clone #3. The Malbec is also sourced from the Lyon Vineyard, contributing rich tannins and color to the blend. A small amount of Merlot and Petite Verdot is sourced from the Alexander Valley vineyard of Rancho Miguel, for bright fruit flavors and round, plush mouthfeel. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from our Cherryblock Vineyard is also blended in, to balance the opulence of the Merlot.
The Vintage
A cooler-than average spring led to delayed budbreak in 2005; however, a slow and steady May and June allowed a good fruit set and balanced cluster count. Summer weather was mild with average temperatures, with the exception of August, which was cool. The dip in temperatures made the clusters and berry weights greater, spurring some last-minute cluster thinning during veraison for low yields and high fruit intensity. Merlot loves a cool Fall, which it got with a gentle heat spike in early October setting the stage for full ripeness well into late October. We harvested from October 5 to 20, 2005 . was brought in October 24 th, and the average brix was 26.5.
Winemaking
Initial fermentation started with a 3-day cold soak, followed by a brisk, warm fermentation, which occurred over the course of 15 days. We pressed the still-fermenting juice off of the skins to control tannins and allowed the fermentation to complete in barrel. The Block 10 lot was blended with the Petite Verdot, while the Old Vine block was blended with the Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in barrel. After six months in barrel, the lots were blended together and the small amount of Petite Sirah added, for increased complexity. Then, the wine was aged in new and one-year-old French oak barrels until bottling in Spring 2007.
Winemaker's Notes
This Merlot is dark crimson in color with glints of violet and ruby. The aromas display black tea, black cherry, fresh blackberry and a hint of rose petal. The extended oak aging lends notes of espresso, dark chocolate and cinnamon. The long, even ripening helped create very fine-grained tannins that are coating, yet velvety, and perfectly balanced by the juicy berry fruit and sour cherry acidity. Elegant and refined, this is a wine to drink now with BBQ tri-tip or roast pork Alternatively, because it is structured like the Merlots from Pomerol, it is able to age for three to four years for a softening of the tannins and emergence of secondary aromas of leather, tobacco and tea.
Located in the northern reaches of the Alexander Valley , the Lyon Vineyard is one of our premier sources for the Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. The rich soil is a blend of alluvial gravel, sandstone and iron-rich volcanic rock, providing the perfect balance of texture and mineral content to produce expressive, elegant and intense red wines. The base of the Alexander Valley Merlot is from the Old Vine and Block 10 sections of the Lyon Vineyard, planted primarily with Clone #3. The Malbec is also sourced from the Lyon Vineyard, contributing rich tannins and color to the blend. A small amount of Merlot and Petite Verdot is sourced from the Alexander Valley vineyard of Rancho Miguel, for bright fruit flavors and round, plush mouthfeel. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from our Cherryblock Vineyard is also blended in, to balance the opulence of the Merlot.
The Vintage
A cooler-than average spring led to delayed budbreak in 2005; however, a slow and steady May and June allowed a good fruit set and balanced cluster count. Summer weather was mild with average temperatures, with the exception of August, which was cool. The dip in temperatures made the clusters and berry weights greater, spurring some last-minute cluster thinning during veraison for low yields and high fruit intensity. Merlot loves a cool Fall, which it got with a gentle heat spike in early October setting the stage for full ripeness well into late October. We harvested from October 5 to 20, 2005 . was brought in October 24 th, and the average brix was 26.5.
Winemaking
Initial fermentation started with a 3-day cold soak, followed by a brisk, warm fermentation, which occurred over the course of 15 days. We pressed the still-fermenting juice off of the skins to control tannins and allowed the fermentation to complete in barrel. The Block 10 lot was blended with the Petite Verdot, while the Old Vine block was blended with the Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in barrel. After six months in barrel, the lots were blended together and the small amount of Petite Sirah added, for increased complexity. Then, the wine was aged in new and one-year-old French oak barrels until bottling in Spring 2007.
Winemaker's Notes
This Merlot is dark crimson in color with glints of violet and ruby. The aromas display black tea, black cherry, fresh blackberry and a hint of rose petal. The extended oak aging lends notes of espresso, dark chocolate and cinnamon. The long, even ripening helped create very fine-grained tannins that are coating, yet velvety, and perfectly balanced by the juicy berry fruit and sour cherry acidity. Elegant and refined, this is a wine to drink now with BBQ tri-tip or roast pork Alternatively, because it is structured like the Merlots from Pomerol, it is able to age for three to four years for a softening of the tannins and emergence of secondary aromas of leather, tobacco and tea.