Sterling Vineyards wines have a signature style that is easy to recognize and to enjoy. When you taste a Sterling wine from Reserve to Sterling Vintner’s Collection, you will be drinking an authentic expression of the grape, the land where it is grown and the year in which it was grown.

The Three Palms Merlot is always one of their most anticipated wines. Three Palms Vineyard lies one-half mile southeast of the winery, on the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon and across the Silverado Trail.

The fruit from this special vineyard easily reaches numerical ripeness in early September, yet attaining flavor maturity is a tortuous waiting game. they look for the fruit to dimple slightly and for the black plum jam flavors to evolve. Each variety and blocks are kept separate to allow the individual fermentations to render their unique personalities. The grapes were cold soaked for 24 hours for extraction of color, aroma and flavor. Following fermentation, the wines were pressed at the point when tannins were just beginning to express themselves but before the harsh dry tannins evolved.

The young wines were aged from 18 to 24 months in proportionately new, first and second vintage barrels. About half of the barrels were French oak, which lend spice and vanillin elements to the blend. The other half were air-dried American oak barrels which provide maple caramel notes as well as subtle hints of toasted coconut and cocoa powder. The barrels were racked and returned every three to four months while aging in the chai. Before bottling, the wines were lightly fined for further refinement and delicately filtered for stability.

You are sure to enjoy, and remember, this wonderful Merlot from Sterling Vineyards.