Merlot (2015)
SommeliAI Insights
Smooth Paso Robles Merlot with ripe berry fruit, warm vanilla, and a hint of saddle leather on a long finish.
About this wine
This Paso Robles Merlot opens with red and black berry aromas and a floral hint of lavender. On the palate the wine shows ripe plum and blackberry flavors with warm vanilla and subtle spice from oak aging. The texture is round and silky with moderate tannins that frame the fruit and carry through a lengthy finish. Tarrica aged this wine in a combination of French and American oak for 18 to 20 months, which contributes to the vanilla and toasted notes. The wine is made from Merlot grapes sourced from the Paso Robles area, a region known for warm days and cool nights that help preserve acidity and balance.
About the grape
Merlot originated in the Bordeaux region of France and has been planted worldwide for its early ripening and supple tannin profile, valued for both varietal bottlings and blends. The variety carries soft rounded tannins and plum driven fruit, and in Paso Robles it benefits from warm daytime heat that concentrates sugars and cool marine influenced nights that preserve acidity. For the 2015 Tarrica Merlot the grapes were sourced from Paso Robles vineyards farmed or contracted by Tarrica, then aged in a mix of French and American oak for about 18 to 20 months to add structure and oak character. Growers in the region typically use vertical shoot positioning and careful canopy management to balance the vigor of Merlot and avoid overripening on the warm Central Coast sites.
Quick facts
- 👨👩👧👧 Tarrica is a family name made from the owners daughters first names, Taryn and Erica, so this Merlot carries a personal family story.
- 🛢️ The 2015 Merlot was aged in both French and American oak for 18 to 20 months, which is unusually long for an approachable Paso Robles Merlot.
- 🌡️ Paso Robles daytime heat and a nighttime marine layer that can cool vineyards by about fifty degrees helped the 2015 Merlot keep bright acidity and ripe fruit character.
- 🎓 Sam Balakian, the winemaster behind Tarrica, was among the earliest enology graduates from Fresno State in the 1960s, bringing decades of experience to the 2015 vintage.
- 🌿 Bottle descriptions for Tarrica Merlot often mention lavender and saddle leather aromas, a distinctive aromatic combo that makes the 2015 stand out in tasting notes.
Palate profile
Producer
Tarrica Wine Cellars is a family-owned winery established in 2000 in Paso Robles, California, by Sam and Valerie Balakian. The winery's name is a blend of their daughters' names, Taryn and Erica. Sam, a seasoned winemaker with degrees from Fresno State and UC Davis, manages operations alongside Valerie. Their inaugural wine release was in April 2003, focusing on producing value-priced wines that authentically express their varietal character and regional origin. The winery sources grapes primarily from the Paso Robles and Monterey viticultural areas, regions renowned for their ideal grape-growing conditions.
