Well Knock Me Sideways, Merlot is Back!

The last vintage of Merlot from Sculpterra was back in 2012, so it’s great to see it back in the tasting room. Cabernet Sauvignon’s thinner-skinned sibling (Cabernet Franc being one of its parents) has often taken a back seat, thanks to it’s generally softer nature. It’s easy to forget though that without it, we wouldn’t have the likes of Chateau Petrus and Cheval Blanc. 

It was a Chilean Merlot that first got me into red wine, and led me to visit Saint Emilion in France. I have a lot to thank Merlot for.

How it’s Done at Sculpterra

Sculpterra’s 8 acres of Merlot vines were planted in 1995, making them some of the oldest on the property. They’re expertly trained with vertically positioned shoots, ensuring evenly ripe fruit, and a controlled yield. The 2016 Merlot spent 16 months ageing in oak barrels. Only 225 cases were produced. I bruised a rib while doing punch-downs on this wine in a 1-ton bin… 

Tasting Notes (Pre-Release Taste 10/20/18)

Vibrant, medium+ garnet red colour

The nose was a little indistinct at first but opened up in time, as expected for a wine this young. 

Ripe plum, cherry and blackberry fruit, some vanilla, cedar, and creamy toffee hints. Medium intensity. 

Medium+ tannin and acid show the youth of this wine.

Dry but somehow creamy mouthfeel. Rich, but not too heavy. Ripe fruits and a good finish.

Conclusions

I’m a fan of Merlot so, of course, I like this wine. It’s only just been made available in the Sculpterra tasting room and it’s still young, so decant it now or cellar it for a few years. Either way, you’d be mad not to try it. Swing by and see if it’s open for a taste, or just go ahead and order it from Sculpterra.com. This wine retails for $38.

For more wine reviews, please take a look at my main blog page.