Wine Maker Notes This Merlot opens with aromas of fresh cranberry, black pepper and rosehips. The palate reveals bright flavors of strawberry and pomegranate with underlying clove and other subtle brown spices. Fresh and fruity, this is an incredibly approachable wine. The grapes for this Merlot were fermented in a combination of open and closed top fermenters to maximize concentration and extraction in the final blend. Each lot was aged separately in 100 percent French oak (40 percent new) for 19 months before blending and bottling.