2004 Red Meritage Livermore Valley ~ Vendimia 2004 Wine Style Vendimia, which means ‘harvest' or ‘vintage' in Spanish, is the proprietary name for this Bordeaux-style blend. This Red Meritage is a subtle, sophisticated wine that has elegance and finesse. Each varietal was aged separately in small oak barrels before being masterfully blended to showcase the best attributes of each of the grape types. Flavor Profile The 2004 Red Meritage has hints of herbal tea aromas blend with complex notes of coconut, cherry and undertones of anise. With well integrated oak, this wine displays read more...black cherry and mint flavors on the palate, with soft, velvety tannins and a medium long finish. Varietals 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 21% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc Aging The components were aged separately in a mix of new and old French, American, and Hungarian oak from one to four months old. After careful selection by the winemaker, the wine was finally aged as a blend for at least 15 months in French oak barrels prior to bottling. Vineyards Murrieta's Well is named after the legendary gold rush-era desperado, Joaquin Murrieta, who camped by the artesian well on the property on his way to Mexico to sell wild horses. Previously owned by Louis Mel, this historic property was brought back to life in 1990 by viticulturalist Phil Wente and winemaker Sergio Traverso. (hide)