2003 Foley Merlot La Cuesta Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley California. 13.8% alcohol. $12 a glass at Endless Vines. Deep red color, deep hue, lovely aroma of berries, cherries and chocolate, good fruit and spice tastes with strong oaky notes, medium mouth feel, long finish. Except for that oakiness, this is quite a nice wine – able to overcome [a bit] my prejudices against oak and Merlot. 4*.
Winemakers Notes: Merlot vines of an age of thirty years or older. As it has matured, the La Cuesta Vineyard's three acres of Merlot vines have become a source of superb fruit. The vineyard is composed of gravelly chemise shale and lies on a southeastern facing slope with excellent drainage, stressing the vines and resulting in tiny, concentrated grapes the size of blueberries. The vineyard is dry-farmed and the canopy is closely managed to ensure proper sun exposure. These two factors of vineyard microclimate and management are critical to encourage the clusters to achieve maximum ripeness.
The wine is racked into sixty gallon French oak barrels procured primarily from Seguin Moreau. Approximately 20 percent of the wine is aged in new oak barrels and 80 percent in seasoned wood of not more than four years' use. Following a period of approximately 24 months in barrel, the wine is blended and bottled without filtration.