Nose
The nose is rich with Cabernet traces of ripe red currant, eucalyptus and black pepper laced with Merlot jammy red fruit fragrances. Barrel aging adds a delicate touch of vanilla and tobacco.
Palate
On the palate, an unctuous, sweet entry leads to a full-bodied, complex wine, with smooth, finely grained tannins that expand and linger on the finish.
Growing Conditions
La Piramide Vineyard: aluvial origin. Clay topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom.
Adrianna Vineyard: aluvial origin. Gravel and limestone. Rounded rocks in the bottom
Harvest
“El Año Mendocino,” the Mendoza Year we call it. After a small cool vintage 2017, which we call “El Año Bordelés” (the Bordeaux Year) and a small, very cool and rainy year in 2016 “El Año Bourguignon” (the Burgundian year), we finally got a vintage that is classically Mendozan: dry, cool, sunny and with moderate yields in every region from the lowest to the highest altitudes.
The summer of 2017 started out warm but then cooled off during the 2018 harvest months of February, March and April. This, in addition to the lower rainfall, gave rise to optimal balance in the fruit, with beautiful natural acidity, regional aromatic expression and smooth tannins.
Winemaking
Selected yeast. Max. Ferm.Temp. 27-30ºC, for 16 days, 19-22 days maceration
Aging
12-14 months in French oak barrels.
Appearance
Saint Felicien Cabernet-Merlot is an elegant, complex wine of a deep red ruby color.
