2005 Chalk Hill Merlot 750ml

At Chalk Hill, Merlot is as significant a wine as Cabernet Sauvignon: different in character, but profound, powerful, and every bit as extracted, structured and ageable as Cabernet With a host of new clones of Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties reaching full maturity on the estate, the coincidence of a great vintage in 1999 was cause for excitement Temperate, consistent weather provided substantial hang time for our Merlot, and the fruit ripened evenly and fully throughout all blocks, leading to a well-paced harvest during the first two weeks of October The season also offered deliciously abundant crops of Malbec, which, with its dense color and plush middle tannins, is a gracious complement to Merlot Three new clones of Malbec, UCD 04, UCD 06 and UCD 08, were blended into the 1999 Merlot along with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc The Malbec, however, makes the largest impact, both in the wine's velvety texture and its core of blueberry and blackberry flavorsTraditiona l techniques captured t

At Chalk Hill, Merlot is as significant a wine as Cabernet Sauvignon: different in character, but profound, powerful, and every bit as extracted, structured and ageable as Cabernet With a host of new clones of Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties reaching full maturity on the estate, the coincidence of a great vintage in 1999 was cause for excitement Temperate, consistent weather provided substantial hang time for our Merlot, and the fruit ripened evenly and fully throughout all blocks, leading to a well-paced harvest during the first two weeks of October The season also offered deliciously abundant crops of Malbec, which, with its dense color and plush middle tannins, is a gracious complement to Merlot Three new clones of Malbec, UCD 04, UCD 06 and UCD 08, were blended into the 1999 Merlot along with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc The Malbec, however, makes the largest impact, both in the wine's velvety texture and its core of blueberry and blackberry flavorsTraditiona l techniques captured t