Hawkes 2003 Merlot

Winemaking Notes:
The single vineyard Merlot comes from a few acres on the northern edge of our Red Winery Road Vineyard. It was harvested on October 30, more than a month later than the Merlot from the same block of this vineyard was harvest in 2002. It was given a twenty-one day extended maceration and was aged for eighteen months in 40 percent new French oak, then blended with eight percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the same vineyard.

Tasting Notes:
This wine is even more atypical of California Merlot than was the 2002. It is dry and spicy, deeply colored, with almost aggressive tannins offset by delicate flowery aromas and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg from the French oak.

Technical Notes:

Alcohol:	14.2%
Appellation:	Alexander Valley
Sugar at Harvest:	24.5 brix
pH:	3.72
TA:	.61