Shug Merlot, Sonoma Valley, USA 2016 Southern Oregon flint and black pepper nuances

flint and black pepper nuances over bold black cherries

A sanguine nose glimmers with the tang of top soil and iron

the grapes - products of light rather than heat - reach optimal maturity

delicate minerality

The round palate is nicely offset by a savory vein of crushed iron and smoke

Shug Merlot, Sonoma Valley, USA 2016 Southern Oregon flint and black pepper nuancesThis classically structured Merlot is crafted in the Bordeaux style that Walter Schug pioneered in California while winemaster of Joseph Phelps Vineyards (1973 to 1983). The Merlot grapes were grown on the Sangiacomo vineyards in the Carneros district of southern Sonoma Valley. This cooler microclimate provides the longer growing season necessary for Merlot to ripen slowly and develop maximum flavor, while retaining good acid balance. This Merlot has