2002 Merlot
Wine Details
Appelation: Red Mountain
Vineyard(s): Klipsun Vineyards
Blend: 100% Merlot
Harvest Date: 9/14/2002
Bottling Date: 5/5/2004
Alcohol: 13.5%
Details: 25.1° brix / .64 TA / 3.62 pH
Retail Price: $29.00 / Cases:
Wilridge Winery
Vineyards
The 2002 Merlot is Wilridge's twelfth vintage from the prestigious Klipsun Vineyards on Red Mountain in Washington State. Recently, Klipsun was named one of the top 25 vineyards in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine. Wilridge is proud to have been the first winery to produce a vineyard-designated bottling from Klipsun Vineyards.
Harvest
The grapes were picked on September 14 (typical for Klipsun) at 25.1° brix, .64 TA and 3.62 pH. The grapes were hand harvested and delivered to the winery in a refrigerated truck.
Winemaking
The fruit was hand sorted at the winery and fermented on the skins for 14 days. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels. 242 cases were bottled on May 5, 2004. The wine was further bottle aged for two years prior to release.
Winemaker Comments
“The 2002 Klipsun Merlot may be the best Klipsun Merlot I have ever produced. Klipsun Merlot is never a wimpy wine (I like to say that it is Merlot for people who like to drink Cabernet) and can take several years to soften and develop in the bottle. We held the 2002 for two years in the bottle to ensure that it would be ready to drink upon release. I suggest drinking it now or over the course of the next eight years. Try it with spring lamb."
Past Reviews
- "91 points. What Merlot should be."
- "92 points. One of the best American Merlots."
- "Wilridge is becoming a perennial best-bet Merlot out of Washington." —The Wine Enthusiast.
- "Wilridge's secret is the quality of its raw materials." —The Wine Spectator