Offers a modest core of cedar, dried currant and earthy lead pencil flavors that turn increasingly austere. Drink now. 4,893 cases made.Red-ruby. Aromas of dark raspberry, mocha and chocolate. Juicy, spicy and firmly built, with bright acids giving shape and focus to the raspberry and tobacco flavors. Finishes firmly tannic and persistent. This rather tightly coiled merlot needs at least two or three years of additional bottle aging.ESTATE GROWN! 2002 marks the debut of those precious words on our Merlot label, meaning that the grapes came from only our estate vineyards and we had total control over their quality from bud break through vinification all the way to the bottling line. As such, you can rest assured this wine will be great. Still a baby, the 2002 Merlot already offers rich red fruit in the mouth ? cherries, plums, strawberries, and currants ? complemented by notes of cassis, licorice, leather, and a hint of green tea. The mouthfeel is full and structured, yet never loses the suppleness that is Merlot?s hallmark. Pleasantly dusty tannins provide underlying structure, and a long, smooth finish makes this wine eminently sippable.
