Merlot
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled pork chops, rosemary-infused lamb
✨ Technical Specifications
Scheid Vineyards' Merlot is a beautiful expression of Monterey County's unique climate. While the northern Salinas Valley is famously cold and windy, Scheid strategically plants their Merlot in the warmer, southern microclimates of their estate vineyards, such as the San Lucas and Hames Valley AVAs. Here, the grapes bask in intense daytime sun, allowing the variety's signature black cherry, plum, and cocoa flavors to develop fully, while the brisk evening winds sweeping down from Monterey Bay preserve a vibrant, balancing acidity. Crafted at their state-of-the-art, wind-powered estate winery, this Merlot is aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels, yielding a velvety, medium-to-full-bodied red with supple tannins and a smooth, elegant finish.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1972 by Al Scheid, Scheid Vineyards is a pioneering wine estate nestled in the heart of Monterey County's Salinas Valley in California. Over five decades, the family-owned operation has expanded across twelve distinct estate vineyards, leveraging the dramatic maritime cooling of the Monterey Bay to cultivate diverse grape varieties. Committed to forward-thinking stewardship, the winery is entirely powered by renewable wind energy and follows rigorous certified sustainable farming practices. Scheid Vineyards is celebrated for its diverse portfolio of vibrant white, red, and rosé wines, producing acclaimed varietal bottlings such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Albariño, and Barbera, alongside handcrafted cuvées like the Claret Reserve.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Merlot
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14-14.5%