Roanoke Vineyards

2004 Merlot

Technical Notes

• 93% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Unfiltered, unfined
• Maceration: 28 days Cab Sauv, 24 days Merlot, 22 days Cab Franc
• 16 months in French Oak, approx. 1/2 new barrels
• 121 cases

Tasting Notes

This lush Merlot displays an invitingly warm plum hue with delightful magenta highlights in the glass, and notably adhesive legs that foreshadow a firm architecture, full body, and long finish marked by confidently composed tannins. A finessed balance of fruit and spice is the key to this wine's wide and savory sense aesthetic; for every hint of plum, berry, or black cherry, there is a complimentary trace of clove, anise, or chocolate, making the wine both an ideal sipper, and a superb wine for the table. Think smoked cheeses, gnocchi with red sauce, blackened fish, lightly spiced stuffed eggplant, or just about anything marinated then grilled. Already drinking well at a young age, this wine should age into an elegantly medium-to-full-bodied Merlot displaying the singular blend of softness and body that characterizes the great Merlots of Bordeaux.