Silica Merlot 2020
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Golden Mile Slopes
Cases Produced
201
Acid
5.48 g/L
pH
3.79
Aging
Definitely one for aging, keep 5-7 years or more.
Residual Sugar
.32 g/L
Alcohol %
14.2
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Medium burgundy with dark cherry highlights.
Nose features cassis, black berry jam/cherry pie filling and plum, really big dark fruit. some candy licorice notes (red) in the background. Oak comes in secondarily, sweet vanilla pod/cocoa from that. Great depth and complexity.
The palate is smooth with nice weight and medium tannins, finishing warm with plenty of baking spices.
Production Notes
Harvested October 15th, 2020. Fermented in tank for 4 weeks, pressed and then aged in new (30%) & neutral French oak barriques for 18 months. 2020 was an exceptional, viticulturally balanced vintage, with budbreak and flowering happening in the end of April and early May respectively, followed by steadily warming temperatures, minimal forest fire pressure and a long, frost-free fall. 201 cases produced.
Some interesting barrel information!
2 new Francois Freres barriques: 1 x Exclusif (36 months wood maturity) medium-tight-grain Medium toast, as well as 1 x Exclusif tight-grain MX toast--uses the Medium toasting temperature for a longer duration. One new Ermitage barrique as well: Allier forest, Medium toast, wood maturity not indicated however minimum is 24 months.
Food Pairing Notes
Matches Steak au Poivre, stuffed portobellos and creamy/smoked cheeses.
Other Notes
Our 10.5 acre vineyard is over 50% Merlot, and we have two different clones, one of which was bred at UC Davis and the other in Pomerol, in Bordeaux. This wine is made from the Pomerol clone and was planted together with the Silica block, across different soil types but sharing the same rows. The name "Silica" refers to the sandy soil in the section on the vineyard, which lends the wine distinct characters due to smaller berry size (increased tannin and concentration of flavour), elevated pH (due to more frequent drip irrigation). Using only 30% new oak and encouraging expression of the grapes, the result is a structured, deeply complex Merlot that can be enjoyed now, or hold for aging.soil types but sharing the same rows. The name "Silica" refers to the sandy soil in the section on the vineyard, which lends the wine distinct characters due to smaller berry size (increased tannin and concentration of flavour), elevated pH (due to more frequent drip irrigation). Using only 30% new oak and encouraging expression of the grapes, the result is a structured, deeply complex Merlot that can be enjoyed now, or hold for aging.