BLUE BOOK TASTE PROFILE

Appellation: Suisun Valley
Varietal: Merlot


TASTE BENCHMARKS
  Profile #1
Drinkable Style
Profile #2
Reserve Style
Appearance Medium red. Amazingly dark and dense.
Aroma Bright cherry/plum/raspberry red fruit aromas with spice and tea leaf. Bright plum and tea aromas over profound dense tarry notes
Flavor Soft, round, feminine tannins, full fruit flavors. Surprising hardness and structure are possible on carefully selected site/clone combinations. Tannin is hard but fine and refined.
Balance Easy sipping -- soft acidity and moderate alcohol. Intense, closed wines with good acidity and ageing potential.
PRODUCTION CORRELATIONS
Oenological Standard winemaking, 12-15 months in mixed oak. Classic Bordolais techniques, extended maceration.
Viticultural Vigor controlled by balancing 6-7 tons per acre to prevent vegetal aromas, resulting in available wines without much tannin or ageing potential. Clonal combinations and intensive viticulture can achieve remarkable density.
Terroir Mid Valley heavy clays. Aggressive tannins characterize cool, breezy heavy clay sites. One cannot help thinking of the parallels with Pomerol, where the same conditions foster massive wines in that tiny appellation.