<H1>2005 Benziger Reserve Merlot, Sonoma Valley (750ml) -- Benziger & Imagery Online Store Shopping Cart</H1>
<B>$42.00</B>
-- <I>Luscious in texture, with layered notes of black cherry, toasted oak, cassis and tobacco, the wine has long and persistent finish. .</I>
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<IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/benziger/images/BZ-05-Res-MerlotLABEL.jpg" ALIGN=right ALT="2005 Benziger Reserve Merlot, Sonoma Valley (750ml)" NAME="2005 Benziger Reserve Merlot, Sonoma Valley (750ml)" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10>
<p><img alt="" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/DROSE%7E1.BEN/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" /><font color="#800000"><strong>VINTAGE <br /></strong></font>2005</p>
<p><font color="#800000"><strong>CASE PRODUCTION</strong></font> <br />764</p>
<p><font color="#800000"><strong>AVAILABLIITY <br /></strong></font>Winery Exclusive</p>
<p><font color="#800000"><strong>APPELLATION</strong></font> <br />Sonoma Valley</p>
<p><font color="#800000"><strong>VINIFICATION:</strong></font> Crafted barrel by barrel from select vineyard blocks, only the finest lots receive the Reserve designation. Sselection process for our Reserve Merlot begins in the vineyard,where we identify sites that consistently produce fruit with complexity and intense flavors. In 2005, six Sonoma Valley vineyards are represented in the Reserve blend. Grapes were culled, crushed and cold-soaked on their skins, thenfermented in stainless steel fermenters. Maceration on the skinsprovided maximum extraction. This wine was bottled in June 2007. </p>
<p><font color="#800000"><strong>VINTAGE:</strong></font> Things could not have started off worse this vintage; with a cold, wet spring and periodic rains during the summer, all matter of fungus and mold were alive and well. _e amount of extra time we spent adjusting and readjusting canopies and mowing and re-mowing vineyard rows, cost us about 20% more than normal. Moving into harvest, just one rain could have knocked us out cold, but then a miracle! 30 plus days of perfect Indian summer. We ended up getting the grapes just the way we wanted them. Unknown to us, the grapes continued to gain weight late in the year. The extra weight slowed and lengthened the ripening process and this combined with great weather brought our grapes to perfect ripeness. The last grapes were picked on November 11, the latest ever for us in Sonoma. The last press load was December 1st and by this time, we were sick of harvest. This was one of those very rare harvests where we got it both ways--exceptional quality and excellent yields. </p>
<div>Alcohol 14.5%, pH 3.75, Total Acidity .62. </div>
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<LI>SKU: 320105
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