Quercegobbe Merlot Price €38.00
Sensory features: Intense ruby-red in colour. Rich aromas of red fruits with subtle notes of spice, balsamic traces and eucalyptus. Extremely elegant with a pleasant mineral flavour, fine tannins and an enduring bouquet. Body, alcohol content and acidity are all well balanced. Persistent, vibrant and harmonious on the finish.
Grape variety: 100% Merlot
Vineyards: Quercegobbe translates as ‘hunchback oak‘ named after the vineyard in which the grapes are grown. The vines were planted in 1997 close to the cellar in San Lorenzo, on the edge of the Mediterranean maquis, on a hillside facing the sea. It is an ideal position for Merlot as it is well-ventilated. The soil is very similar to the clays of Pomerol, where Merlot thrives. The soil is rich in manganese and metals, brought here by erosion and deposits from the nearby Metalliferous Hills.
Vintage information: The first ten days of September were very hot, slowing down the maturation of tannins. Light rain mid-month moderated the temperature, giving good day/night temperature variation until the end of October. Harvest of the grapes was later than usual, starting in early October.
Vinification: The grapes were harvested in the coolest hours of the day and the wine was left to ferment in conical wooden vats at a controlled temperature. At the end of the process, it was aged for 15 months, first in new 600-litre demi-muids and then in barriques. Complete malolactic fermentation took place during this period. The wine continued to age for a further 10 months in bottle before release.