Steve McIntyre is one of the most knowledgeable viticulturists in California. He and his team manage 12,000 acres of vines in Monterey County and have planted or farmed nearly one quarter of the vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. Kimberly Vineyard is in the warmer Arroyo Seco AVA just to the south; known to produce deep, powerful and well-structured Merlots. Both were among the first properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands to be SIP (Sustainability In Practice) Certified.
Composition: 100% Merlot
Tasting Notes: Ripe fruit from a warm site with the elegance & structure of a cool climate locale. The palate is full of blackberry, anise, cassis and dried currants. Below that is a bed of juicy black fruit and supple, silky tannins. This wine will age well over the decade.
Pairings: Grilled red meats, hearty Bolognese, leg of lamb, roasted root vegetables, molten chocolate cake, and campfires.
Winemaking: The long hang-time allowed the vines to linger in the photosynthetic “sweet spot.” This accelerated the various benchmarks associated with vine physiology such as bloom, fruit set & veraison. After a five-day cold soak, the juice was fermented in small, half-ton bins with little intervention other than twice daily pump-overs and the occasional punch down. Once in barrel, the wine was not racked until just prior to bottling.
Case Production: 250 case/year
Winemaker: Byron Kosuge
