2020 Saltbird Cellars Merlot

Tasting Notes
This velvety smooth red greets the nose with blueberry pie and baking spices. Notes of dark fruits and thyme follow, finished by light acidity and Lady Grey tea tannins. Pair with barbecued meats and S’Mores by the campfire.

Process
The 2020 season started out cool and overcast but during the peak of summer, there were many hot dry days that led to lovely clean & ripe fruit. This vineyard in Southold is right up against the Peconic Bay which often leads to the discussion of terroir when tasting grapes from this particular block. These vines consistently produce a densely concentrated Merlot, in every vintage. The winemaking process included whole-berry carbonic maceration, extended skin contact extraction, and 19 months of neutral and second-year oak barrel aging. The result? A mouth-watering, brambly Merlot with fat and silky tannins.

Varietal
100% Merlot