Making the 2025 Rutherford Merlot – Winemaker Guide

If you’re planning to make Merlot this season—or you’ve picked up our 2025 Rutherford AVA Merlot frozen must—this fruit is wonderfully expressive and straightforward to work with. It shows deep color, ripe fruit, and that classic Rutherford profile, with a lingering dark-plum note that is already obvious in the aromatics.

Lab highlights (ETS analysis)

• Brix: 27.0

• pH: 3.64

• TA: 3.5 g/L

• YAN: 99 mg/L

In practical terms, this means ripe Merlot with real natural acidity and great balance.

Quick Winemaker Summary (Read This First)

2025 Rutherford AVA Merlot – Frozen Must

• Chemistry: 27.0 °Brix | pH 3.64 | TA 3.5 g/L | YAN 99 mg/L

• Style: ripe dark plum, classic Rutherford earth, great natural acidity

• Water-back: optional 0–2 Brix (style choice, not required)

• Acid add (optional): ~10 g tartaric per 5-gallon pail to keep freshness post-MLF

• Yeast: BDX for earth/structure • Rhône-style for plush plum

• Cap management: standard punchdowns 2–3×/day — no need for aggressive heat

• Color / tannin support: Opti-Red + FT Rouge Tannin strongly recommended

• MLF: plan on completing it; use MLF nutrient

• Oak: let the plum shine — ≤25% new equivalent; start 20–40 g in carboy

• Overall: easy-to-ferment Merlot with big plum and balanced acidity

Making the 2025 Rutherford Merlot – Details

Let’s dive in!

Style choice: water-back or not?

Use our water addition calculator: CLICK HERE

At 27° Brix, you’re exactly at the stylistic decision point.

• leave it alone → richer, higher-alcohol Napa style

• reduce by 1–2 Brix → slightly lighter, more “classic” expression

• 1 brix dilution - mix .51 liters non-hard chlorine free water with 3.06 grams tartaric acid and add prior to fermentation

• 2 brix dilution - mix 1.06 liters non-hard chlorine free water with 6.36 grams tartaric acid and add prior to fermentation

Neither option is wrong; it’s purely stylistic.

Optional tartaric acid addition

MLF will lower acidity slightly. To keep the wine fresh and lifted:

👉 add ~10 grams tartaric acid per 5-gallon pail

Optional but recommended if you like brightness in Merlot.

Yeast choices

Two clear stylistic lanes:

• BDX → earth, graphite, Bordeaux structure

• Rhône-style red yeast → rounder texture, more plush plum fruit

Both pair beautifully with this chemistry.

Fermentation & cap management

This Merlot extracts easily—no heroics needed.

• moderate fermentation temps (low–mid 80s °F peak)

• 2–3 punchdowns per day

• no need to chase very hot ferments

Deliberate oxygen addition is not necessary; normal cap work is enough.

Nutrients, color, and tannin management

With YAN at 99 mg/L, support the fermentation but keep it simple.

Strong start

Use:

• Go-Ferm or Flash™ during yeast rehydration

Color & body

• Opti-Red at standard label rate

  • color stability

  • mid-palate density

Fermentation tannin

• FT Rouge Tannin (or equivalent)

  • structure

  • color protection

  • oxidation resistance

During MLF

• use your preferred MLF nutrient for a clean finish

Oak program: frame the fruit

The star flavor here is ripe black plum.

• ≤ 25% new oak if using barrels

• for carboys: start 20–40 g oak, taste periodically, add slowly

• preferred: medium toast French oak

• alternatives:

  • American → sweet spice

  • Hungarian → vanilla tones

What to expect in the glass

• ripe black plum

• dark cherry

• cocoa dust

• subtle Rutherford earth

Generous but not syrupy — polished, classic Rutherford Merlot.