2007 Merlot, St. David's Bench Vineyard

We only make this Merlot in the best years and in very limited quantities. In the cellar it undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation and is aged for one year in French oak barrels. We stir the barrels regularly to make sure every drop of wine has come in contact with the oak. It has a purplish ruby colour and a bouquet of black cherry and dark chocolate. It is a rich, full-bodied wine with cherry and cassis flavours and a silky finish. We built this wine to last and it will continue to develop for 5-10 years after bottling.

We are fortunate to be able to work with the St. David’s Bench Vineyard. It is an incredible site. Because it is so far from the lake and nestled against the Escarpment, we are able to achieve full maturity and ripeness in our reds. We do a lot of hand-work in the rows to help the vine concentrate flavours. For example, we select the best bunches on each vine and remove the rest, we expose the bunches on the East side of the rows in late August then the West side in September, and we will remove individual berries from the hanging bunches if they are not up to par. But the best wines are made in the vineyard so we want to give the winemaking team the best grapes we possibly can.