
2017 Firestone Vineyard The Chairman Series Merlot, Santa Ynez Valley
Winemaker Notes
2017 had a moderate amount of rain during the winter. We had early budbreak and a mild spring and summer. Our first pick was August 31st. There was a short heat spike in early September which lasted about one week, then back to consistent mild weather again, allowing us to pick each block at the optimum time. The Firestone vineyard was completely picked by October 27th.
Composition
98% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Wine Specs
Vintage
2017
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Santa Ynez Valley
Acid
6.8 g/L
pH
3.5
Aging
20 Months in French, American and Hungarian Oak, 30% New
Alcohol %
14.5
Vineyard Notes
The Santa Ynez Valley is located just two hours north of Los Angeles and five hours south of San Francisco, adjacent the cold Pacific Ocean. With the greatest concentration of wineries in Santa Barbara County - roughly 18% of its total land planted to vineyards - it is among the favorite weekend destinations for wine aficionados in the Central Coast region.
Production
622 Cases Produced