Dalton Merlot Oak Aged 2013

The wine is viscous and dark purple, it is showing classic varietal qualities of plums, cherries, cloves and homemade jam, balanced by subtle shades of vanilla from the barrel.The wine is viscous and dark purple, it is showing classic varietal qualities of plums, cherries, cloves and homemade jam, balanced by subtle shades of vanilla from the barrel.A good Merlot such as this can be drunk with lasagna, casseroles (meat or vegetarian), grilled meats and barbecued steaks or chickenSourced from the vineyards of Kerem Ben Zimra, the grapes for the merlot were selectively harvested by hand in late September and early October.After a warm fermentation and frequent "rack and return" for wetting the grape cap the wine was pressed out, blended with 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and transferred into 80 percent French and 20 percent American oak. The wine was stored in the barrels for just over one year, which were topped every week.In order to preserve as much of the character of the wine as possible the wine was not filtered before bottling.