Goldschmidt Chelsea Merlot

Vintage:
20
10
Release Date:
Not released
Vineyard:
Chelsea,
4 acres
Production:
1065
cases
Alcohol:
14.4
%
Residual Sugar:
2.0 g/l
Varietal:
100% Merlot
pH:
3.6
0
Total A
cidity:
5.5
1
g/l
Aging:
1
Year, Allier
T
he fifth
vintage of
Dry Creek
Merlot
from twenty
-
five
year veteran
winemaker, Ni
ck Goldschmidt
, and his
daughter, Chelsea
.
Nick
sources
the
fruit from his
ranch
located on
Dry Creek Road. The exceptional
c
ombination of
climate, exposure
and soil in the Dry Creek Appel
l
ation stamps its signature on this classic varietal
.
The site

s r
iver
soils and sandy loam permit enough water retention to promote full grape maturity yet discourage
the overly
-
vigor
ous Merlot from producing high yields.
V
i
ntage Notes:
For
grape
growers 2010 was o
ne of the most challenging
growing seasons in recent memor
y
with
overall yield
county
-
wide estimated to be
10
-
15% below average
.
First came
a
very
wet
winter (thankful
ly breaking a
three
-
year
drought) followed by a wet, cool spring leading into an extraordinarily cool, foggy summer. The spring felt like
an
endless winter
that put
the ripening curve
about
four we
eks behind
in s
ome vineyards. The
heat
didn

t show up
until two days in late August a
nd then it was a little too much of a good thing, with temperatures well above 100°,
hitting 108° in some spots
.
For winemakers
the vintage
shows
o
utstanding quality and c
oncentration
with t
he l
o
ng cool growing season
allowing
great acid ret
ention in the fruit and extending
time for flavor development without the higher sugar levels
associated with warmer growi
ng conditions. The warm weather in October was timed perfectly to bring the fruit to
the needed ripeness levels.
Slower ripening at cooler temperatures resulted in the 2010 harvest being
physiologically ripe with fully matured tannins,
but with lower sugar levels, and consequently lower alcohol
levels
overall. This makes these wines
more food
-
friendly and suited to a broader array of pairings.
Winemaker Comments
:

When people look for a M
erlot they are seeking out a wine that has depth and volume
of fruit in the mouth. To
o often Merlot under
-
delivers
with
dry tannins and a distinct la
ck of fruit. What I look for in
making this wine is a caber
net
-
type merlot. One that is full and ripe
and totally over
-
delivers. Fresh fruit is the
order of the day but one with depth and complexity that only comes from great vineyards and meticulous
winem
aking.

Region Description

(mer loh) Deep in color, high in alcohol and low in tannins, this grape is grown mostly in California, France, Washington, New York and Chile. The aromas and flavors can be plummy, chocolaty, and even redolent of tea leaves. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon although it is the most prevalent grape variety in Bordeaux.