2007 Pure Lake County Merlot

About This Wine

PURE Merlot is a pure expression of California’s Lake County winegrowing region.

Within Lake County (north of the Napa Valley), the Clear Lake appellation is the largest defined vineyard area. It completely surrounds the lake for which it’s named, and its perimeter has around 9,000 acres devoted to grapevines.

And within the Clear Lake appellation you’ll find the Red Hills District, where such famous names as Beringer, Kendall-Jackson and Beckstoffer are attached to the vineyards. More than half of the grapes used to make the 2007 PURE Merlot were grown in the Red Hills, where the soils are of volcanic origin from neighboring Mount Konocti.

When we say that the wine is “pure,” we mean exactly that. It’s a 100-percent varietal wine, meaning that its entire aroma and flavor spectrum — sans a hint of spice from aging in oak barrels — comes from Merlot grapes. Dense, rich, luscious, concentrated and layered, the 2007 PURE Lake County Merlot provides pure drinking pleasure.

About Merlot

Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon but with less tannin and fruit. Delivers earlier maturing wines. Often blended with Cabernet; on its own may soften with age, though fruit flavors may fade.

Tasting Notes

• Grape Composition:100% Merlot
• Grape Source:60% Red Hills & 40% Clear Lake in Lake County, Calif.
• Aromas & Flavors:Plum, Black Cherry, Vanilla, Coconut, Fig & Toasty Oak
• Aging Vessels:70% French & 30% American Oak Barrels for 7 Months
• When to Drink:Now Through 2011
• Food Pairing Suggestiona grilled cheddar burger, or lamb chops.

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