Wine Profile

Rosemary, sage and thyme (no parsley) - this wine opens with flinty, herbaceous notes on the nose. In the mouth, the wine develops notes of elderberry, blackcurrant and blueberry. Medium-bodied, it has a lot of structure, with enough tannin to stand up to a hearty meal. On the finish, the wine leaves a lasting impression in the mouth with hints of cinnamon bark, fennel and cloves.

About the Vineyard

The Uva Blanca vineyard is nestled at the base of Lake Seneca. Known for its signature view, overlooking Seneca Lake, the Uva Blanca vineyard is one of the preeminent growers in the Finger lakes. With plantings extending to the shore, the moderating effects of the 600-foot deep lake create a macro-climate that generates superb grapes in this this cool-climate. The grower and owner, Ryan William, manages his vineyard with what he calls “responsible viticulture,” using sustainable practices that will keep his vineyards prosperous.

About the Winemaking

For this Merlot, we utilize an extended maceration, with a total of 22 days on skins with and punch downs by hand daily. This lot was split into two fermenters, with part of the wine was fermented 10% whole cluster in an open-top stainless steel 1.5 ton fermenter. The rest of the wine was fermented 15% whole cluster in a 1 ton oak barrel. For the reserve bottle, only free run is used, after aging for 18 months in once-used French oak barrels. After full malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

Recommended Pairings

Startlingly big, this wine is best suited to high protein dishes, such as a garlic roast beef with mushrooms, shepherd’s pie, or an herbaceous rack of lamb. For the vegetarians, pair this wine with a hearty mushroom lasagna or veggie chili. Pair with Manchego cheese and other flavorful, hard cheeses.