The very dry 2021 growing season gave us a more assertive Merlot than usual, with ample fruit balanced by refreshing acidity and the rocky minerality of our Lost Vineyard site.  The fruit was harvested by hand on September 6, 2021, fermented by wild, native yeasts, aged 19 months in French oak barrels, and bottled in the spring of 2023.  Drought resulted in a small crop in '21 -- 55% below average for the Lost Vineyard block.  Reserving what was needed for the Ranch blend left us with a single barrel to bottle as a 100% Merlot varietal -- 288 bottles, making it what we call a "family wine," but one which we're pleased to share while it lasts.