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The Reserve Series...2008 Merlot - El Dorado 'Reserve'
Source: Gold Hill Vineyard, El Dorado County
Harvest Date: September 30, 2007
Brix at Harvest: 26
Time in Barrel: 18 months
Type of Oak: Neutral French & American
Alcohol: 17.0%
Bottled: April 9, 2009
Production: 112 cases
Winemaker's Notes: This Merlot shows deep classic dark fruit, caramelized apple and powdery cocoa flavors that are redolent of Bordeaux 's Right Bank . This powerful wine is big and rich with huge fruit and low tannins.
The 25-year-old Merlot vines in the Gold Hill Vineyard, which overlook the American River Canyon in El Dorado County , enjoy warm days and cooling breezes at night. This micro-climate allows an optimal ripening cycle for the Bordeaux grape varietals and produces wines of great character.
The grapes were harvested by hand, lightly crushed, fermented in open-top tanks over seven days, punched-down by hand four times a day, lightly pressed and moved via gravity flow. The wine was racked five times and bottled after 18 months of aging in small oak barrels. It is unfined and unfiltered.
The wine is a stellar example of Crystal Basin Cellars winemaking style. It is soft and approachable now but will improve in the cellar for many years.
Bright Hope Designs