A Merlot from our 41-year-old estate vines. This wine is a field blend that contains 11% Malbec, Grapes are grown, picked and co-fermented. Year after year, one of our most saught-after wines, loved by those who appreciated classic varieties crafted to show balance and accompany great food..
DaKine Vineyard is our Estate Merlot block. It is nestled at the bottom of an east-facing hill on Westside Road in Healdsburg. Original vines were planted in 1988 for Arrowwood Winery with budwood obtained from the famous “Three Palms” Merlot vineyard in Napa Valley. In addition, ¾ acre of Malbec (clone 1) was established in the middle of the site. In 2005, Oded bought the property from the Mondavi family and began farming the grapes. Oded named the vineyard “DaKine”(pronounced Dah-kain), a Hawaiian-Creole English expression that could mean anything and can be used to describe anything, even complex concepts such as terroir.
DaKine Merlot is lush with black currant, violet and plum aromas with that signature note of dried herbs. The generous mid-palate is full of sweet-tasting tannins, and dark chocolate flavors. As always, this is our favorite wine to pair with a rare Filet Mignon or a beef carpaccio.
Varietal: 89% Merlot, 11% Malbec
100% Dakine (Estate) Vineyard - Russian River Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.75
TA: 6.6 g/L