2019 Ghost Vines Merlot

The final release of Darcie’s original wine, first produced in 1996. These mature, low-yielding vines run north to south yet tilt to the west with a shallow red clay soil and persistent breeze that forms the ideal combination for growing world-class Merlot. We painstakingly hand-sort every cluster and grape that goes into our open top fermenter to eliminate green stems that can cause bitterness in the final wine.

Fittingly, the aromas and palate of this last vintage are little haunting. Amidst aromas of ripe red plums and Bing cherries arise telltale aromas of aromatic summer grasses and sage. On the palate, this final release shows off its dimensionality with layer upon layer of juice-bleeding cherries, eucalyptus and cocoa. Winemaker Julian Halasz noted that this final release is “well-structured” and “concentrated,” and as age-worthy as a Cabernet Sauvignon, and Darcie Kent notes a “chocolate brownie” finish.