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| We create hand-crafted wines one barrel at a time from San Diego grapes, mostly our own. We know each of our 1,173 vines by name and each grape cluster is inspected. At harvest, we cold-soak the juice several days to extract wonderful fruit flavors. During fermentation, we punch down by hand four times a day to extract more flavors and color. After fermentation, we press gently by hand using a basket press to extract free-run wine and just the right amount of tannins. After the new wine has settled in holding tanks and undergone malolactic fermentation, we practice battonage (stirring up the lees by hand) to extract more flavors and improve mouth feel. The wines are then racked into either French oak or hybrid French/American oak barrels to age for a year or two to impart subtle oak flavors. Finally, the unfiltered wines are quality inspected by a dog's nose before bottling and labeling by hand. Our wines are available for sale direct from the winery online, email, or over the phone. We classify our wines into 5 categories: Fruit Forward/California Style; Light/Fruit Forward Style; Subtle European Style; Earthy; "Port"-style/Late Harvest Sweet. Fruit Forward/California Style * 2011 Petite Sirah ($36) * 2011 Tempranillo ($36) * 2011 Four-Friends Grenache Blend ($36) * 2011 Blue Cuvee - Zinfandel/Carignan/Nebbiolo - 26 * 2012 Grenache/Tempranillo Blend "Merleatage" - 36 * 2012 Petite Sirah - 26 * 2012 Tempranillo - 26($36) * 2012 Pinotage ($26) * 2010 Tempranillo ($26) * 2010 Four Friends Grenache Blend ($26) * 2010 Petite-Petit, a blend of Petit Sirah, Petite Verdot ($26) * 2008 Petit Verdot ($36) * 2008 Merleatage blend ($50) * 2006 Nebbiolo ($50) Clearance 2010 Syrah - 15 2011 "Stephanie Stomp" blend of Zinfandel/Tempranillo - 15 Light, Fruit-Forward Wines * 2009 Mourvedre, Paso Robles ($36) * 2009 Petit Verdot, Paso Robles ($26) * 2009 Montepulciano, Guadeloupe Valley ($19) * 2014 Bluey's Blush, Tempranillo Blush-Wine ($24) Subtle, European Style * 2009 Merleatage blended wine ($26) * 2011 Merleatage blended wine ($26) * 2009 PST Petite-Sirah Tempranillo Blend ($36) * 2012 Merleatage Grenache/Tempranillo blend ($36) Earthy Wines * 2009 Aglianico, Guadeloupe Valley ($26) * "Ugly Hanako", 3-Aglianico Blend from 2009, 2010, 2011 ($26) Port-Style, Late Harvest, Sweet * 2009 Tawny Port-style ($39 750ml); $25 (375ml) * 2012 Late Harvest Zinfandel Ruby Port-style Winemaker's Tasting Notes: 2011 Estate Petit-Sirah Yummy purple! The 2011 Petit-Sirah is a delightful balance between fruit, acid and tannins with beginning, middle and end. A big wine yet at only 13% alcohol still easy to drink, enjoyable with or without food. Deep purple, opaque color, tastes of currants, plumbs. Bulk aged sur lees with battonage for 20 months in new French oak barrel. Unfiltered, only 24 cases produced. One of the winemaker’s favorites. If you’re a Petit-Sirah fan, this wine is for you. Note: the 2012 is good, too. And the 2013 in the barrel is awesome. 2011 Estate Tempranillo Cherries! This is the best Tempranillo we’ve produced and everything the winemakers dreamed about. Classic Tempranillo nose with a bite of cherry fruit, balanced acid and tannins, an enjoyable, lingering finish. Bulk aged 19 months sur lees with battonage in new French oak barrel. Unfiltered, only 3 cases left! $36 (Available direct from the winery and at Major Market.) Note: The 2013 Tempranillo may just be better! 2011 Four Friends – Grenache Blend A delicious, delightful Rhone-style blend, 50% Grenache, blended with Tempranillo, Petite-Sirah and Carignan. All of the grapes estate grown, except for the Carignan which came from the next valley over. Aged in a new hybrid French – American oak barrel 14 months, notes of caramel, smoke, cherries. Another terrific wine from the 2011 vintage! May be enjoyed with or without food. $36 (Available direct from the winery and at Holiday Wine in Escondido.) Note: the 2012 edition of the Grenache blend is really good too! 2009 Mourvedre (Paso Robles) Strawberries! The 2009 Mourvedre is a surprising light color, delightful, medium bodied red wine, 13% alcohol, with hints of strawberry fruit in the nose. The grapes were cold soaked for 1 week before fermentation to extract maximum fruit flavors. The wine has become one of our favorites. It may remind you of a Pinot. The 2009 Mourvedre is made from Paso Robles grapes. Traditionally a Rhone varietal and often used for blending with Grenache and Syrah, the Blue- Merle offers a chance for its fans to taste a wine starring this grape. The wine was aged in a French Oak barrel for over a year before bottling. Only 30 cases produced and just a few case left. As a lighter wine, the 2009 Mourvedre is perfect with appetizers, pesto pasta, spicy foods and also goes well with fish. Just a few cases left. $36 2009 Petit Verdot (Paso Robles) Light & Floral! The 2009 Petit Verdot is a very floral, light red wine, 13% alcohol with strong tastes of cherries. The 2009 edition is made from Paso Robles grapes. Traditionally a Bordeaux varietal used for blending, the Blue-Merle offers a chance for its fans to taste a wine starring this grape. The wine is 100% Petit Verdot aged in a French Oak barrel. Only 23 cases produced and just a few cases left. As a lighter wine, the 2009 Petit Verdot pairs well with Thanksgiving turkey, spicy food or appetizers. $26 2009 Aglianico – “Ugly Hanako” (Guadeloupe Valley) Earthy! The 2009 "Ugly Hanako" is a beautiful wine made from Aglianico grapes and named for our daughter. (Both the wine and daughter are complex). Originally an Italian varietal, these grapes came from across the border in Mexico's Guadeloupe Valley. It is a full bodied red wine, 13% alcohol, complete with strong tannins. The grapes were cold soaked for 4 days before fermentation to extract fruit flavors, which are present in the wine, which expresses the soil of Mexico where it was grown (some people are able to detect a touch of brine). The wine was bulk aged for almost 2 years before bottling in August, 2011. The wine will continue to mellow as time passes by. Only 30 cases produced. The wine combines fruit with tannins and earthiness. If you like earthy wines, this is for you. If you don't like earthy wines, stay away from it. This wine is meant to be enjoyed with meals. We suggest meat dishes and / or cheese. $26 Just a few cases left. 2012 Pinotage The grape comes from the marriage of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Our edition is fruit forward with a lingering finish and hints of brine from the vineyard soil in neighboring Bonsall, CA Terrific with cookouts. $26 2010 Petite-Petit Reserve $26 Our Petite-Petit is made by blending Petit Sirah (50%) with Petit Verdot(50%). The wine is dark, fragrant and well balanced. This edition of Petite-Petit was aged in the barrel for 3 years before bottling! $26 2009 Montepulciano – “Monty” (Guadeloupe Valley) The 2009 "MONTY" is a medium body red wine made from Montepulciano grapes. Originally an Italian varietal, these grapes came from across the border from Mexico's Guadeloupe Valley. 13% alcohol. The grapes were cold soaked for 4 days before fermentation to extract fruit flavors, which are present in the wine. The Monty expresses the soil of Mexico where it was grown (some people are able to detect a touch of brine). The wine was bulk aged for almost 2 years before bottling in August, 2011. The wine will continue to mellow as time passes by. Only 30 cases produced. This wine is meant to be enjoyed with meals. We suggest meat dishes and / or cheese. (The winemaker’s father loves it with hamburgers.) $19. 2009 "Merleatage" Blend (San Diego County) Tobacco. Named after our Blue-Merle Aussie, Merleatage is the label reserved for our finest blended wine. The 2009 edition is a blend (one barrel each) of floral Petit Verdot, tasty Cab Franc and bolder, dark Petite Sirah with 15 gallons of Cab and a touch of our Tempranillo thrown in for a little extra spice. The wines were bulk-aged for almost 2 years before bottling in the summer of 2011. The wine is a "mellow" wine, some would say in the French style with a balanced blend of fruit, body and light spice and notes of "tobacco." This wine is featured in our shared tasting room at the Hidden Valley Enoteca. 82 cases produced (for once) so this wine may be around a bit longer than our other wines. We hope you'll enjoy the Merleatage as much as we do! $26 When this is sold out, we'll roll right into the 2011 "Merleatage." 2010 Estate Tempranillo Tempranillo Fruit! Easy to drink. The essence of Tempranillo fragrance on the nose. Bulk aged for 20 months in light French oak, the Estate 2010 Tempranillo is a fine example of a pure Tempranillo wine that is light and “easy to drink.” (Note: The 2009 edition is "bolder" if you prefer a richer wine. The 2011 edition is more “fruit forward” with stronger tannin.) $26 2010 “Four Friends” Grenache Blend The 2010 Rhone-style blend is 50% Grenache grown right here at the Blue-Merle Vineyard blended with Tempranillo and Petite Sirah from our own vineyard and a little bit of Syrah from Frank Bon’s nearby vineyard. What's interesting about this wine is that Grenache & Tempranillo are recognized as a common blend in Spain, while Grenache & Syrah are commonly blended in France's Rhone Region. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak, before bottling in June, 2012. The Syrah adds spice. This is one of our “stronger” wines. $26 2011 Merleatage A blend of 25% Petite Verdot, 50% Malbec (both of those from the same vineyard) and 25% Carignan. We're letting this one age in the bottle a bit more while to develop more complex flavors. Meantime, try the 2009 Merleatage - one of our most popular wines. 2009 Nebbiolo Desert, Tawney, "Port"-Style Wine Just a limited amount has been bottled. Nebbiolo fruit, fortified to 18%, a hint of sweetness, hints of nuttiness. This one is made in the "tawny" style. It is NOT very sweet - ideal if you like drier desert wines. $25 for 375m 2013 Estate Tempranillo This could be our best Tempranillo ever! Perfectly balanced. Classic Tempranillo taste, fruit, balanced acid and tannins, an enjoyable, lingering finish. Bulk aged over 12 months sur lees with battonage in new French-American oak barrel, so the oak flavors share the stage. Unfiltered, only 24 cases produced. $36 (Available direct from the winery.) Rare wines: We still have a few bottles left of the 2008 Merleatage, the 2008 Petit Verdot (San Diego), the 2006 Nebbiolo, and the 2007 Petite Verdot. These are terrific wines, easy to drink, so unusual, so rare, so good. Contact us for additional details. |
