The 2018 North Coast Merlot opens with aromas of cherries, creamy vanilla, and cinnamon sticks. The palate is medium-bodied, with well-integrated acidity and flavors of red and black fruit, cherry cola, and baking spices. Soft velvety tannins and toasty oak lead to a mellow finish. The 2018 growing season was unusually mild and smooth. A warm spring allowed for good fruit set for almost all varieties, and mild weather throughout the year provided ideal growing conditions. There were no significant heat waves, resulting in long hang times. The harvest period was extremely long, from September 20th to October 25th, which allowed for complex flavors and the grapes to ripen to the highest quality. Vineyards: This North Coast Merlot is made from grapes harvested from our own finest estate vineyards in Lake County and Sonoma County. Most of the grapes are from volcanic fields in the mountains of Lake County, and the wines are characterized by their structure and concentration. After destemming, the grapes are crushed and soaked in cold water for two days, then the temperature is raised for alcoholic fermentation. After fermentation, the grapes are pressed and left to rest for a while, and then mixed with aubergines from France and Hungary.
The wine was transferred to barrels and stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation and aging, filtered, and bottled. A small amount of Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon was blended in for a balanced aroma and flavor. Sebastiani Vineyards dates back to 1825, when Franciscan missionaries, with the assistance of local Native Americans, planted the first vineyards near Solano, San Francisco, which became some of the oldest vineyards in Northern California. Founder Samuel Sebastiani immigrated to the United States in 1895 and had experience producing wine in Tuscany, Italy, before acquiring the vineyards in 1904. Samuel was able to save enough money by hauling stone from quarries in the hills and mountains of Sonoma. These stones formed the foundation of the San Francisco sidewalks, which remain to this day. Using the skillful and advanced techniques he learned before immigrating to the United States, he began making high-quality Sonoma wines. Soon after Samuel's death in 1944, his son Augusto Sebastiani and his wife Silvia took over the family business, increasing the winery's production by 100-fold and leading the winery to success with innovative ideas and premium varietals, including popular magnum prices. They introduced "Nouveau" Gamay and Beaujolais to the US, and created a blush wine known as Pinot Noir Blanc, called "Eye of the Swan", whose colour recalls the pink eye of the Australian Black Swan. Through all their endeavours and efforts, August quickly gained a reputation as one of America's most skilled and innovative winemakers. Marie-Ann, the third generation of this famous winemaking family, continues to play a leadership role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sebastiani Cuneo. Today, Mary Ann is focused on a long-awaited two-year project to restore and improve the original 1903 winery. All of the traditional grape varieties thrive in Sonoma, but each one seems to have its own ideal spot in the county in terms of climate, soil, elevation, sunshine, and the vineyard's own resources. After nearly 100 years of growing grapes and making wine in Sonoma County, she feels deeply that these are the best grapes to emulate.