Sebastiani Merlot

Wine information: Sebastiani’s first century in Sonoma winemaking began when Samuele emigrated from the Tuscany region of Italy in 1895 and started Sebastiani nine years later. A stonemason by trade, he quarry-mined the Sonoma hills for cobblestones that were used to build the streets of San Francisco. He worked long hours and saved carefully to buy land in Sonoma County, from which he would make wine for the Sonoma community and San Francisco’s restaurants. The winery was the only one in Sonoma County to continue operations through Prohibition, making a small amount of sacramental and medicinal wines. In 2008 vintner and entrepreneur Bill Foley acquired the winery from the Sebastiani family and it became part of Foley Family Wines. The Merlot grapes for this wine were sourced from two different “old vine” blocks (30 years old) of Sebastiani's vineyards in the Alexander Valley and is aged for 10 months in new and used French oak. With a very dark garnet color, this wine has bright black cherry and mocha aromas with traces of toasted, vanilla oak. The flavor again displays deeply concentrated black cherry and embodies jammy fruit yet refrains from being flabby due to its proper tannin and oak structure. The finish persists with toasted oak and berry flavors. Easily, this is the most hedonistic Merlot made by Sebastiani. “Here's a polished young Merlot that's sophisticated enough to accompany a fine meal, yet doesn't selfishly demand all the attention to itself. It's very dry, smoothly tannic and crisp, with herb-infused blackberry and cherry flavors. Will take some age, and should be terrific with roast pork.” 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast.

 
     

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