Our Merlot is grown on a single vineyard which has produced fantastic wines vintage after vintage since being planted in 1998. The clay-rich soil on which the vineyard is established has a high gravel content which facilitates even drainage. The block is somewhat of an enigma, ripening almost perfectly evenly without significant intervention or irrigation management.
Despite being an easy vineyard to manage, we give this vineyard a great deal of attention and love, especially with respect to leaf-plucking. This is done manually two to three times per year in order to expose the berries to sun earlier and reduce herbaceous and under-ripe character in the wine. Late ripening in the 2009 vintage gave the grapes ample time to develop soft tannins and a deep, rich texture.