Vineyards

The 2005 growing season was a hot and dry that developed red grapes with high sugars and moderate acids. All the reds from 2005 will show good structure and depth. Our Merlot has great weight and excellent depth. The mouth feel is full of “chunky” blackberry fruit with hints of chocolate. On my Reserves, my winemaking philosophy is to always choose the finest lots from my finest vineyards and give these wines the best treatment. Here is the breakdown of my Reserve Merlot vineyard sources used in the 2005 vintage:

Wahluke Slope Vineyard Columbia Valley/Wahluke Slope
Alder Ridge Vineyard Columbia Valley
Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain

Wine Making

Bordeaux yeast was used at a Max fermentation of 87 degrees F
Pump-overs 2 to 3 times daily until fermented to dryness
356 cases produced Malo-lactic positive
Aged in 100% New French oak barrels for 11 months.