Tilia Merlot

Merlot bottle image

Wine Description

The Tilia wines are made at Bodegas Esmeralda in the Eastern region of Mendoza. They are made by Alejandro Viggiani, a winemaker and viticulturist in charge of all Catena family vineyards in Eastern Mendoza. The grapes for this Merlot were sourced from vineyards sites in both the Eastern and Southern regions with elevations ranging from 1,968 to 3,937 feet above sea level. The wine is aged in oak for nine months.

Tilia imagery
Tilia imagery
Winemaker Gonzalo Llensa
Sustainability Specialist Guillermina Van Houten
Tilia imagery
Luján de Cuyo mountain & vine
Tilia imagery
Wild Pollinator owned by Catena Zapata
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Acclaim
"It has a lovely nose, one of the best I have found for this varietal, with vibrant dark cherry, black plum and mineral notes. The palate is well-balanced with fine tannins. It is very pure, with crisp dark plum, tar and a savory edge on the finish. This is how Argentinean Merlot should be done. Superb."
— Neal Martin, Oct 2012
“Medium bright red-ruby. Lively aromas of dark plum, chocolate, herbs and menthol. Juicy, fresh and supple, with black cherry and dark berry flavors lifted by a light peppery note. Finishes juicy and persistent, with sweet, firm, dusty tannins and notes of licorice and pepper. This nicely made midweight merlot revealed a touch of sweetness with air.”
— International Wine Cellar, Mar 2013
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Eastern and Southern Mendoza
Soil composition
Sand and loam
Training method
Pergola in East, VSP in South
Elevation:
1800 - 3600 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Exposure:
Northwestern
Harvest time:
March - April
First vintage of this wine:
2006
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
20
Varietal composition:
100% Merlot
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
8 days
Fermentation temperature:
78.8 °F
Maceration technique:
Pump over, punch down, aeration and delestage
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French and American oak
Length of aging before bottling:
5 months
Age of Aging Container:
10% New
Length of bottle aging:
6 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.74
Acidity:
5.45 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Residual sugar:
<2 g/L