Kestrel Merlot 37.5 Brix Dessert Wine 375 ml
From the winery: "The color is that of a dark rose or garnet possessing light color. The presentation is profound and penetrating. Flavors and aromas are honey, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and a fabulous streak of ripe mango. At times there also appears to be some nice ripe papaya fruit as well. The rich life-giving acids and sugars are in great balance. The structure is full and very satisfying. I estimate this wine possesses a solid 15 to 25 years of cellar potential. No need to trouble yourself with preparing a dessert. This wine is dessert in a glass!"
MORE INFORMATION
From the winery: "The fruit was hand picked and sorted. I estimate approximately 45 - 50% of the berries were raisined as a result of natural dehydration and the Botrytis cinerea mold. As this was a very late harvest, the maturity of the fruit was reflected in the 37.5 Brix, 3.8 grams of acidity per liter and pH of 3.80. The fruit was gently pressed, yielding 130 gallons of syrupy juice per ton. The juice was settled two weeks prior to racking to a stainless steel fermentation tank. Acid was added (seven grams per liter) to boost the wine's acidity and firm-up the palate. The Wadenswil 27 yeast strain (Swiss in origin) was used to conduct the primary fermentation. The yeast fermentation lasted 42 days, about three times the normal length! This wine was sterile filtered at bottling to ensure no fermentation takes place in the bottle."
