2003 Merlot
2003 Merlot
Wine Notes
by Barnard Griffin
Vintage Notes
This 2003 vintage Merlot could be the best yet!! The aromas of black current, blackberries and currants predominate. There is a healthy dose of medium toasted oak barrels. You see a great vintage in this 2003 Merlot with moderate tannins and good acid backbone. This wine drinks great now and has some punch worthy of 6-8 years aging.
2003 Tulip Merlot
Vineyards
The 2003 growing season was hot with deep ripening fruit that gave us wines of good color, structure and depth. This is a wine with great weight on the palate. My winemaking philosophy remains constant as I blend the great characteristics of various vineyard sources to develop the best wine in the bottle. Here is the breakdown of my Merlot vineyard sources used in the 2003 vintage:
Conner Lee Vineyard Columbia Valley/Columbia Basin
Wahluke Slope Vineyard Columbia Valley/Wahluke Slope
Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Columbia Valley
Caroway Vineyard Columbia Valley/Columbia Basin
Champoux Vineyard Columbia Valley/Alder Ridge
Wine Making
Bordeaux yeast was used at a Max fermentation of 88 degrees F
Pump-overs 2 to 3 times daily until fermented to dryness
7650 cases produced and Bottled 7/05
Malo-lactic positive
Aged in both American and European oak barrels—Medium Heavy Toast