Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot 2003
Region: Napa Valley
Winery: Sterling Vineyards
Variety: Merlot

Winery Notes:

"Merlot is a benchmark varietal for Sterling, and we take great pride in this wine. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks. The juice was pumped over the skins 2-3 times daily, then pressed at near dryness. Keeping the lots separate, we put the wine to barrel, some prior to malolactic fermentation, some after. After 12 months of aging, the various lots were blended and bottled.

A dense, dark plum in color, the wine offers aromas of black cherry, raspberry, toasty oak, nutmeg, and cloves. Luscious flavors of blackberries, cherries, cocoa, cedar, and vanilla lead to a full, well-textured finish. The Sterling Vineyards 2003 Napa Valley Merlot pairs beautifully with New York steak, lamb chops and grilled Portobello mushrooms.

The majority of the fruit for the 2003 Sterling Vineyards Merlot was grown in premium vineyards located in the heart of the Napa Valley, with a smaller portion of fruit sourced from top vineyards in Sonoma County. This combination of varying microclimates and soils produced a wine of excellent structure and varietal character."

Posted by kimannwall on October 16th, 2007 at 12:52pm | report comment