2020 2020 Merlot
Cole Ranch is not only the smallest AVA in California, but the smallest AVA in the United States! Farmed by partners Mike Lucia and Jill Shadek, of Rootdown Wines, its a sight to see! They’re actively rehabbing and replanting a lot of the vines, but the Merlot is from some of the older plantings at the vineyard. Merlot is a quintessential food wine, and a great addition to the Raft lineup.
Technical
Tasting Notes
With it's deep dark chocolate nose, this wine is a real crowd pleasure. Multiple levels of red and purple fruits to draw you in, and an effortless tannic structure to keep you there.
Details
We all know 2020 was a hard fire season for many in Sonoma and Napa Counties. When we were staring down the barrel of a nearly half of our red wine production being smoked out, Mike Lucia saved the day with this lot of Merlot from the Cole Ranch AVA.
The wine was picked October 6, 2020 and brought to the winery were it was 100% destemmed. After three weeks of cap management, it was pressed and finished secondary fermentation in barrel. Racked just once, and bottled with minimal Sulphur, unfined and unfiltered on August 16, 2021.