2020 Merlot
An opulent Merlot that showcases expressive aromas of fresh cherries, plum, black currant, cassis, and a hint of leather. This wine is round, focused, and luscious with a medium to full body and fine tannins layered with flavors of red and black fruit, finishing with great acidity.
The season began as one of the coldest we have seen with 22 nights of below-freezing weather between February and May 2020, causing some damage to the new buds. Soils remained dry from drought and lack of rain. The majority of our spring rain came in mid-May, when the clusters were flowering, and caused some shatter, reducing the crop size. The remaining growing season was mild and the weather was ideal. With harvest on the horizon, we experienced multiple days of severe heat, with temperatures in Carneros reaching well over 100 degrees and causing major crop loss. Hyde Vineyards was not impacted by the fires and the crop was all harvested prior to their occurrence. This vintage was challenging from multiple angles, but the resulting wines show great concentration and are reminiscent of the 2015 and 2017 vintages.