For our Dry Creek Valley Merlot, we crushed the Merlot grapes together with Petite Sirah to achieve dark fruit flavors and enhance the tannic structure in the wine. The grapes were cold soaked to extract vivid color and flavor. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged on fine lees to soften the mouthfeel. Our Merlot was aged for seven months in a combination of French and American oak barrels to impart notes of chocolate and vanilla in the finished wine.