This wine comes from our Legacy Estate Merlot vineyard, which was first planted in 1963, and interplanted with Cabernet a decade or so later.  As winemakers would now agree, it was not a good location for Merlot or Cabernet grapes.  It was too cold, among other challenges.  But this odd, hybrid vineyard is what Anthony Austin, RRV Winemaker at that time, and his apprentice, current Winemaker Giovanni Balistreri, inherited when they took ownership of the estate in 2008.

“The vineyard is characterized by slow ripening & high acidity. It’s really too cold for merlot. But if you can get it ripe, it really does add a dimension to Merlot that is rare. This really needs age to soften the tannins and the acid.” - Anthony Austin

From this singular & unique vineyard came several vintages of Merlot wines that are as distinctive as the vineyard itself.  The cool weather slowed the ripening and increased the acid levels well beyond that of a typical Merlot.  The result is a Merlot with higher acid that can soften over a long period of time and is uniquely structured to age beautifully.

A GOLD MEDAL winner in the TexSom Wine Competition, the 2015 vintage is the "middle child" of the remaining three vintages of the Legacy Estate Merlot vineyard.  It features somewhat stronger fruit & acid characteristics than the 2014 but less so than the 2016. But like all of these wines, it remains wonderfully balanced and presents nuanced, complex flavors that can be enjoyed now or well into the future as it softens and mellows with age.

Drink now or age another 7-10 years.