Peirano Estate Vineyards “Six-Clone” Merlot
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Peirano Estate Vineyard’s Merlot is produced from 6 different clones of Merlot grown on the estate, including two rare French clones as well as the very rare Italian clone.
- Peirano Estate was the first commercial winery to grow and produce wine from these rare Merlot clones.
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Elaboration: After the grapes are picked by hand, the fruit arrives at the winery ready for its careful journey from grape to wine. The must was inoculated with Bordeaux red Pasteur yeast, fermented to dryness, pressed and settled before being moved into barrels. Aged in French and American oak barrels, of which 15% was new oak, the barrels were specifically selected to compliment the supple structure of our Merlot.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of raspberries, ripe blackberries, boysenberries and anise join together in a single sensation of olfactory bliss. The mouth is filled with an array of flavors, including red cherries, pomegranates and raspberries, with a lingering hint of dried cherries. Bright red fruit tannins and good acidity leave a pleasing, long lasting, soft finish.
PRESS
2016 – 92 pts./Double Gold, Orange County Commercial Wine Competition | Double Gold Orange County Commercial Wine Competition
2021 – 90 Wine Enthusiast
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The man in the awesome red shorts is Lance Randolph, and he is on a mission. His mission is to make the best wine to ever come out of the Lodi Appellation. Lance’s great grandfather, Giacomo Peirano, arrived in San Francisco in 1879 from his home in Genoa, Italy. By 1881, he started farming in Lodi, and year by year he steadily gained a place for himself pioneering vineyard and orchard development. Planted in the early 1880’s, Peirano Estate was one of the first vineyards in Lodi. Located in the very heart of the Lodi Appellation (granted in 1986), Peirano Estate Vineyards grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Viognier, Barbera, Petite Sirah, and has perhaps the largest single block of old, head-trained, natural rooted Zinfandel left in the state of California.
Nestled between the Sacramento-San Joaquin river delta and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Lodi has an ideal Mediterranean climate with deep, rich, sandy-loam soils and abundant quality water. These factors combine to make Lodi a major producer of quality wine grapes. Beginning with the hard work and inspiration of Giacomo Peirano, five generations have grown and harvested grapes from these vineyards for over 100 consecutive years.