About The Wine
Our Tower 15, 2018 Merlot features a deep garnet color with classic smooth tannins and rich fruit flavors. The grapes for this limited-quantity vintage are sourced from Giffs Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley, where beautiful Merlot vines were planted in 1978 and have been organically farmed ever since. This wine was aged in 20% new French oak barrels and 80% neutral French oak barrels. The majority of our Merlot was added to our 'Swell' blend, leaving only a limited amount for this single varietal bottling.
The AVA
The Santa Ynez Valley is a long, east-west corridor, with very cool temperatures on the coast that become progressively warmer inland. Consequently, several varietals do well, from Pinot Noir in the west to Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc in the east. Rhone varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, and Viognier also thrive in the Santa Ynez.
Winemaker Notes
Fruit forward, showing big blue and black berries with earthy graphite and stone components.
