Production Notes
Varietal Content: 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot; Cooperage: 100% French oak château-style barrels (60 gallons); Age of Barrels: 99% New
Winemaker Notes
A warm site with free-draining soils, Three Palms consistently delivers focused red-fruit flavors balanced by signature minerality. A classic expression of Three Palms, this wine begins with enticing aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, earth, ginger spice and graham cracker pie crust before revealing a core of red-fruit dominated flavors highlighting red currant and sweet cherry. Supported by a broad, rich entry and additional layers of blueberry, plum, cardamom and coffee, this powerful Merlot has firm, robust tannins and will benefit from decanting or additional aging.
Production
The 2007 growing season began early and was unusually dry, with rainfall totals that were 50 percent below average. Cool spring weather continued into the summer with temperatures down by approximately 5 degrees from August through October. The cool, steady weather produced a long harvest spread out over 80 days. This relaxed pace allowed us to pick in multiple passes, ensuring ideal ripening and flavor development in the fruit.