2010 LaZarre Wines Paso Robles Merlot

Tasting Notes

The grapes for our first Paso Robles Merlot release were hand selected from the Halter Ranch Vineyard, deep in the Westside of Paso Robles and what is being considered by some as a true Premier Cru vineyard site. They were de-stemmed and fermented in small one-ton open top fermentation vats. Upon dry, the must was pressed, settled, and the wine taken down into a mix of new French, American, and neutral barrels. The wine saw two rackings over the two+ years it spent in barrel. The result is an intensely colored wine with dark aromatics of black cherry cola, cedar, clove, and pencil shavings. Flavors of plum, blackberry, and chocolate/caramel with an immense plushness at the mid-palate. A persistent thread of acidity lifts the dark fruits well into the finish. There are pretty substantial tannins that wrap around the tongue. Pair with beef, lamb, or as an aperitif.

ABV

15.0%

Varietal

100% barrel aged Merlot

Cases Produced

298

Cooperage

75% New French Oak, 10% New American Oak, 15% Neutral

Bottling date

February 19, 2013