Wine Color: Red

Vintage: 2005

Varietals: 86% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 4% Barbera, 1% Zinfandel

Appellation: 87% Arroyo Seco, Monterey 13% Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay

Winemaker: Karl D. Wente

Alcohol: 13.5%

PH: 3.61

Acid: 0.52 g/100ml

Residual Sugar: Dry

Vineyard:

Where the Arroyo Seco River leaves the Santa Lucia Mountains and
meets the Salinas Valley, it has created a unique agricultural plain composed of
sandstone rocks and sandy loam soils eroded from the slopes of these rugged
mountains. Here, our family has three estate Merlot vineyards, where the
sandstone and loam soils provide balanced nourishment, while naturally
restricting vigor.

Fermentation:

Each vineyard was harvested separately and fermented in
upright fermenters.  Rack and return, which is the process of draining all of the
free-run juice off the cap and then returning the free-run juice back over the top
of the fermenter, was performed twice daily.  This method increases the color
and tannin extractions and improves mouthfeel through the integration of
oxygen.

Aging:

Each blend was aged separately, with part in neutral French and
American oak for at least six months prior to blending.