Merlot 2021, River Stone Estate Winery

This full-bodied Merlot was made to showcase the ripe varietal fruit character expressive of our rocky/gravelly terroir. This wine is presently showing dark berry notes that include black cherry, sweet blackberry, black current, and plum with a hint of French oak. It has a medium body, balanced acidity and moderate tannins that are softening nicely with age.
This Merlot is approachable now, ready for consumption. This wine will age nicely well 7-10 years.
Winemaker Notes: This 2020 Merlot was fermented in both stainless steel tanks (2200, 2850, and 5000 litre) and small fermentation totes to maximize skin-to-juice contact. The wine was receiving 2-3 punch downs daily. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine was pressed to tanks to settle sediment before transferring to a barrel where malolactic fermentation was completed. The wine was aged in premium French oak barrels (33% new) for approximately 18 months.