97 Reserve Merlot Vinas del Sol

Merlot 77%, Cabernet Sauvignon 14%, Cabernet Franc 9% This Reserve Merlot is loaded with ripe fruit. It unveils bright fruit such as ripe black cherry, currant, juicy plum and wild berries. It is elegantly integrated with hints of caramel, smoke, and toast. It is complex, rich, and has deep fruit flavors that are extremely well balanced. This Merlot has a long pleasing finish. Merlot is produced in a unique style, 1/3 whole cluster berry fermented in small open top fermenters to facilitate maximum flavor and color extraction. The cap is punched down several times a day over a period of 7 to 10 days. When fermented dry, it is pressed off and racked into French Oak barrels. The Merlot is aged in 100% French Oak from the Allier, Never and Troncais Forests, for twenty-three (23) months. The wine is further aged for an additional 6 months in the bottle. Aging in the bottle allows the wine to rest and round out its natural fruit flavor and aromatic attributes. Nichols Winery & Cellars TM Nichols Winery is a small winery, established in 1991 to produce ultra premium wines with limited production of each Varietal, around the 1,200 case level. The winery produces Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Zinfandel. It is located in the Central Coast?s Edna Valley, CA. Paso Robles/San Miguel Wine Region; San Miguel is a warm wine growing region next to Paso Robles, California. The warm days and cool nights are ideal for Merlot, in that the grape likes warm temperature to show its true character of revealing forward bright wild berries, plum and cherry flavors. Cool nights allows the vines to shut down and rest for the next days push for enhanced flavors. This climate also allows for a long growing season with long hang time which matures the flavors and gives them depth.

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