Crisp. Aromatic. Refreshing.
Just three adjectives are needed to capture the essence of Sherwood House Vineyards‘ 2013 White Merlot, which was bottled last week and is now on sale at the Jamesport winery ($18 a bottle/$6 a glass).
The white wine is made from 100 percent merlot grapes that were gently pressed to minimize color extraction from the skins.
Bursting with flavors of citrus and white peach, the creation is consulting winemaker Gilles Martin’s follow-up to Sherwood House Vineyard’s bestselling 2012 White Merlot, which sold out earlier this year.
“It’s delicious,” Mr. Martin said of the new release. “It has a little bit less of a pink color than the 2012 [White Merlot] because we picked the grapes earlier than usual since they already had a great flavor.”
That great flavor can be enjoyed as an aperitif or paired with a variety of hot-weather foods, Mr. Martin said. But you don’t need to wait until June 21 to pop open a bottle: “It’s not just a summer wine,” he said. “It can be drunk all year long.”
