2015 Pedestal Merlot - 1.5L

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, provided the vision for this limited release wine.

An early spring and hot weather conditions during the summer growing season defined the 2015 Columbia Valley vintage. Building on the success of our ongoing canopy management program, we worked with growers throughout the season to hand-prune and trim each vine to protect the grapes from too much afternoon sun and to establish good airflow inside the canopy while maintaining a uniform fruit zone. When fall arrived, conditions nights finished ripening beautifully, and small, thick-skinned berries marked the vintage and produced outstanding, fruit-forward wines.

Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted before fermentation to remove any green materials that might impart harsh tannins. Afterwards, most lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 1,500-gallon upright wood tanks to add richness on the palate. The finished wine was aged 22 months in French oak barrels, 85% new.