Pepperwood Grove Merlot
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Dark ruby in color with aromas of cherry, cedar and a hint of oregano. This Merlot shows flavors of dark plum and black cherry, with a touch of French oak driven Vanilla notes.
Intended to serve as a "go to" crowd pleaser, it is highly versatile wine. Enjoy it at the park with some jack cheese, sliced apples, and a baguette; with your favorite pizza after a long day at the office; or serve with beef stew on a cold winter day.
Embracing a traditional négociant model of winemaking, Pepperwood Grove winemakers Greg Kitchens and Gloria Mercado-Martin search the world's best growing regions for fruit that will produce the perfect blend of quality and value. Using "pair it with Pepperwood" as their guiding principle, they craft crowd-pleasing reds and whites that can be readily enjoyed at nearly every occasion and pair easily with a wide variety of cuisines.
Tied to the history of the so-called “lost grape of Bordeaux,” Carmenѐre, the story of Chilean Merlot is a fascinating one. For decades in Chile the former was actually thought to be Merlot, so the two were typically planted together and harvested at the same time. Since Merlot is an early-ripening variety and Carmenѐre much later-ripening, the resulting wines often tasted unripe and vegetal. Not until 1994 was Chilean Carmenѐre identified correctly. As awareness grew, growers and winemakers began handling both grapes more optimally, leading to significant improvement in the wines.
Today Merlot ranks as the third most planted variety in Chile, behind Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. It is mostly found in the following valley DO’s, from north to south: Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua, Curicó and Maule. It can appear both in blends or on its own. Either way, Chilean Merlot tends to show characteristic aromas and flavors of ripe plums, dark berries and herbs, often accented by oak, with a mouthfeel that is round and full.