2017 OBELISCO Merlot
AVA:Red Mountain
Winemakers:Ken Abbott
Blend:81% Merlot, 19% Malbec
Vineyards:100% Obelisco
Bottling:261 cases 750ml
Alcohol:14.6% vol.
Barrels:35% new – 100% French
Tasting Notes:Beautiful deep red color. The first aromas to hit the nose are of tart raspberry, cranberry and cherry, mixed in with vanilla and subtle basil like spices. The first sip is surprisingly full and deep for a Merlot with dark cherry, and concentrated berry essences in the silky texture of tangy dried spice and cardamom. As the flavors spread onto the palate, the bright berry flavors spring forth and then fade into the warmth of spice that makes the tongue tingle just a bit. The tail is strong and lasting as the spice fades into dark plum and boysenberry. This is a Merlot that wakes the palate and leaves you feeling like you just had a premium party in your mouth that you won’t forget for awhile. The acids and tannins are nicely balanced.
Cellaring:Because it is made from Red Mountain Merlot and Malbec this wine should age well for the next 10 to 12 years. Because it is Obelisco fruit it is soft and inviting now.
Production:All the fruit for this wine is from Obelisco Vineyard. The high density planting yields smaller berries, which contribute to the concentrated flavors, yet this vineyard always makes wines with luxurious tannins and mouth feel. The aging vineyard is producing naturally tannic wines that do not need as much new oak to give it structure.
Harvest notes:The 2017 Merlot like other years was the first red grape harvested from the Obelisco vineyard, with exception of the early pick of Cabernet for Rose’. 2017 seemed like yet another decent year of heat and of course the normal challenges. It seems like no matter what the weather throws at us and scares us with, the Merlot finds that time in late September/Early October to just hang with cool nights to develop its’ flavor. Once again, we had great hang time for flavor development without
