Purple Cowboy Night Rider Merlot

95% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% mixed reds

Paso Robles

2007

Notes from the Producer

The Vineyards

The grapes for Purple Cowboy come for the most part from Paso Robles, the largest AVA in San Luis Obispo Country. The AVA is famous for its structured Cabernet Sauvignon, but a group of winemakers known as the Rhone Rangers has garnered attention with Syrah, a grape well-suited to this warm region. The appellation is sometimes called Cowboy Wine Country, owing to its previous identity before winegrowing as a ranching and farming area. Daytime summer temperatures often top 90°F. In the evening, the vines are cooled from fog cascading down the eastern slope of the Santa Lucia range which separates Paso from the Pacific Coast. Purple Cowboy is sourced from vineyards in the eastern half of the AVA, which is warmer, drier and typically produces full-bodied wines with rich fruit character, soft tannins and balanced acidity.

Winemaking

Purple Cowboy Night Rider Merlot was fermented in stainless steel at 80°F with regular pumpovers to extract color and flavor.  A portion of the blend was barrel-aged in French and American oak.

AWARDS

“Gold Medal, Best of Class” Jerry D. Mead’s New World International Wine Competition

Tasting Notes

Teeth-staining dark red with hints of purple. Dazzling aromas of crushed black cherries and plums with rose petal, cola and a hint of smoked caramel. Mouth-filling flavors of cherry pie and cassis with silky, cocoa powder tannins on the long finish.  Smooth and full-bodied.

Food Pairings

Try with slow-cooked, smoky barbeque, chili, chicken-fried steak, long-simmered pinto beans, Texas-style Coq au Vin and all your other favorite foods at home on the range.