Nose
Color: brilliant deep ruby red
Smell: The primary fruit aromas of blackberry and cranberry combine with the herbal aromas of mint and eucalyptus and a hint of black pepper to create a many-faceted bouquet.
Taste: With its sturdy tannin structure and rich fruit aromas, the Merlot can develop to the full on the palate to display great complexity with depth and length.
Growing Conditions
After a snowy winter, spring brought a prolonged period of
exceptionally dry weather. Low temperatures in March and April
resulted in very late budbreak, which protected our vines from frost
damage resulting from the numerous frosty nights in April. A cool
and wet May ensured a good water supply for the vines. They began
to blossom on the earliest and warmest sites at the end of May to
the beginning of June, two weeks later than the long-term average.
June was a month of high summer temperatures and little
precipitation. As a result, fungal pressure in the vineyards remained
very low. July, on the other hand, was marked by heavy precipitation
and thunderstorms, which continued into August in places. The
average daytime temperatures in August were not too high, which
was extremely beneficial in terms of the fruit and vibrant acidity in
the 2021 vintage.
Harvest
On the earliest sites, the grape harvest began slightly late, on
September 6, and the weather remained very good almost all the
time.
The 2021 grape harvest was somewhat smaller in volume. But from
the beginning there were indications of a very exciting vintage.
Winemaking
Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; destemming followed by slow must fermentation at a controlled temperature and gentle agitation of the must in stainless steel tanks; malolactic fermentation and aging for 12 months partly in big wooden barrels (50%) and partly in barriques using one third new barrels (50%); blending three months before bottling.
Aging
Cool storage at constant temperatures, high level of humidity and as little light as possible
Cellar temperature: 10 - 15 °C
Good ageing potential > 5 years
Food Pairing
Goes well with shoulder of kid braised in olive oil and herbs on asparagus and wild vegetables, beef tagliata on a bed of rocket, rabbit stew or braised leg of lamb with spinach polenta; equally attractive with aubergine alla parmigiana.
