2017 Merlot
Notes of dark cherry with soft tannins and the slightest hint of oak, plum and fruit jam. Aged in French oak to create a mellow and rich Merlot you are sure to enjoy. Beautiful caramel finish.
We picked all at 25.0° brix, destemmed and allowed the grapes to wild ferment in bins at 65° for 3 days, then inoculated with a Merlot yeast for another 7 days to extract as much color and flavor as possible. Punch down occurred twice daily, taking care not to smash the seeds. The grapes are fermented, gently pressed and then barreled and aged for 4 years in French oak.
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Varietal | Merlot |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Vineyard | Raptor River |
| Harvest Date | 09/30/2017 |
| PH | 3.00 |
| Aging | 3-1/2 French Oak Barrels |
| Residual Sugar | <0.01 |
| Alcohol | 15.40% |
| Wine Style | Bordeaux |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 07/12/2022 |
| Cases Produced | 93 |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | Oregon |
2021 American Fine Wine Competition Double Gold 93 Points
2020 American Fine Wine Competition Silver 88 Points
2019 San Francisco Chronical Wine Awards Silver
2019 Sunset International Wine Competition Bronze
The spring of 2017 showed slightly cold weather from 32°-45°then plunged into hot temperatures the end of March from 75°-95° through September, while June, July and August showed spikes over 100 °. Heavy fog and morning mist provided moisture as there was not much rainfall for this year.This weather produced very large sized Merlot clusters with juicy, jammy flavor as this berry produced a toasty, crunchy seed and the deep purple skins Merlot is known for.
Tess Barr is one of the less than 10% of lead women winemakers nationwide and proud to be part of the Woman Winemaker Project. A patented formulator, and decorated with 35 issued US Patents, Ms. Barr has filed over 100 inventions at the USPTO.
