Merlot 2023, 13th Street Winery

TASTING NOTES
Intense crimson in the glass with notes of blackberry compote, licorice, and peppercorn. Medium-bodied with flavours of ripe plum, fruit cake, black currant, black raspberry, soft licorice, touch of smoke and graphite with bright acidity, soft tannins, and balanced finish.
Enjoy now with grilled lamb with a plum compote, hard cheeses, and pastas with rich beef ragu pasta.
VQA Niagara Peninsula
VINTAGE NOTES
A mild winter, accompanied with warmer than warmer-than-average temperatures led to an early start to the growing season in 2023 (Bud break recorded May 5th). Conditions throughout the Spring and Summer were highly variable, a mix of extreme heat and cool spells with intermittent and isolated heavy rains caused a wide range of fruit maturity among most varieties. This led to a slightly delayed start to the 2023 harvest (3rd week of September. Two weeks later than 2022). Once harvest began, conditions were near perfect, consisting of mostly dry, warm days and cool nights with little precipitation. The first grapes to come into the cellar were Chardonnay for sparkling. Followed by aromatic whites and lighter reds such as Riesling and Gamay from late September through mid-October. Later ripening reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were harvested mid to late November concluding harvest. Overall quality was good to excellent, with yields ranging greatly from varietal to varietal. Wines should have the capacity to age for the medium to long term.