2019MatthiassonMerlot,Ashes&DiamondsVineyard,NapaValley

<p>This wine is 100 percent Merlot from the Ashes and Diamonds Estate Vineyard. Steve has been overseeing the farming of this classic Merlot Vineyard since 2015,</p><p>The fruit was fermented in a small, open-top tank and punched down by hand two to three times a day, depending on the rate of extraction. The wine was aged in 25% new French oak Bousset barrels and the rest older neutral barrels. The wine was bottled after 20 months of elevage, with no rackings.</p><p>The wine has the richness and aromatic profile of Merlot, with impeccable balance and elegance. The vineyard always gives sweet cherry and chocolate, balanced by dried herbs. 2019 was a warm and consistent year, so the fast ripening facilitated an early harvest before the fruit got too ripe, allowing us to retain beautiful freshness.</p><p>The pH is 3.65, the acidity is 5.6 g/l, and the alcohol is 13.0%. 228 cases produced.</p>