California Merlot Adastra Merlot from the 2003 harvest is a top rated wine that was Oak barrel aged for over 19 months. With an inviting nose and taste of cherry, plum, blackberry, brambles and clove, this Merlot has a full, concentrated and pleasing mouthfeel. It is well-balanced, with a long finish. Adastra Merlot 2003 is an age-worthy wine that will complement a wide array of culinary fare.

The name Adastra is taken from the Latin saying per aspera ad astra, "through striving to the stars." Adastra strives to produce intense, complex wines that capture the essence of its twenty-acre, CCOF-certified organic vineyard -- a unique combination of fog, soil, grapes and stars in the Napa Carneros. Family-owned, Adastra is run by Chris Thorpe and son-in-law Edwin Richards.

RATINGS: GOLD MEDAL - Prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2007

Here are some facts about the 2003 Adastra Merlot:
Grapes: Merlot
Harvest Dates: September 25, 2003
Yields: 2.71tpa (cl 3), 3.14 tpa (cl 6)
Maceration: 15 days on average
Alcohol: 14.9% by volume
pH: 3.68
TA: 0.63
Bottling Date: April 19, 2005
Barrel Aging: 19 months in oak
Cooperage: 100% French oak; 50% new oak (Demptos & Nadalie)
Production: 498 cases