2015 Kunde Merlot, Sonoma Valley
Supple and velvety textured, our 2015 Merlot offers a delectable mix of blackberry, clove, and brown sugar aromas. The core flavors are a complex weave of blackberry and black cherry with a hint of butterscotch that plays out against a full mouth tannin structure. The velvety mouthfeel and structured body of our Merlot make it a very food friendly, easy sipping wine.
Food Pairing
Pizza with caramelized onions, smoked mozzarella, roasted peppers and arugula
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Winemaking
2015 reflected a great traditional Bordeaux growing season. This year temperatures were slightly higher resulting in ideal phenolic ripeness. Seasons like this allow the grapes to develop ripe flavors with silky tannins, creating a full body and rich mouthfeel. The grapes were left to cold soak for two days and were fermented with their native yeasts. Fermentation included pump overs twice daily and the juice remained on the skins for 30 days. The wine was aged for 17 months in French (25% new) and American (10% new) oak barrels and bottled in April 2017.
Winemaker’s Comments
“The rich volcanic soils of the Kunde Estate create a powerful Merlot. Perhaps it’s the iron content in the dirt that causes the wine to show just a bit more power than is common in the market, but we like a big Merlot! For your next red meat pairing, try substituting this Merlot with your Cabernet drinkers and watch them go back for seconds. It’s seductively rich and smooth and lingers deliciously on the palate.”
Winery: Kunde Family Winery
Owners: The Kunde Family
Founded: 1904
Location: Sonoma Valley, CA
At Kunde Family Estate, our winemaking mission is to craft elegant wines with a real sense of place beautifully balanced and expressive of our dramatic vineyard landscape.
For over a century, five generations of the Kunde Family have farmed our 1,850 acre-estate in the heart of Sonoma Valley a truly remarkable legacy in the modern age of California winemaking. A fervent, forward-thinking vision of land stewardship and sustainability began over one hundred years ago and has been shaped with each successive generation.
Today, Kunde Family Estate is still family owned and operated with a hands-on team of 4th and 5th generation family members at the helm. At the end of the day, every decision we make, every wine we craft, and every experience we provide honors the legacy of founder Louis Kunde, who emigrated from Germany and purchased the original Wildwood Vineyards ranch at the turn of the century in 1904. Cresting the second century was a profound milestone for the family. Moving forward, we remain committed to innovation and state-of-the-art facilities, while also maintaining a deep, personal commitment to sustainable winegrowing and preserving the land for generations to come.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
89 Points, Sanguine and herbal, this wine is hugely concentrated in extracted and intense flavors of blackberry, red currant and cedar. It showcases meaty tannins and rich oak. 6/1/18 VB
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 Kunde Sonoma Valley Merlot - $30 = 18.75%
We were just there last weekend. It was our first time visiting, after living in the area for 2 years and being in the industry. They make really solid wines and have QPR across their entire spectrum of wines. We had the Merlot and liked it a lot, picking up a bottle. It definitely needs some air to unwind when you do open it up, though. Pretty tight when we had it at the winery. At the 6 bottle mark, this price point is ridiculous and almost $1 less/bottle, with shipping nonetheless, than what we were able to score it for with industry insider pricing. You won’t be disappointed.
@chipgreen Hi Chip! Admittedly, we left Walla Walla so I could explore some other areas and round out more winemaking skills I couldn’t get staying in Walla Walla. But, I’m always looking for an opportunity to go back. The wines I made there hold a special place in my heart and the quality for the price is outstanding. If the right opportunity came up, I’d be back there in a heartbeat.
This is one of my favorites from this winemaker. It shows great potential down the road and comes at a good price point. This deal makes it even more compelling. Thinking I should just get a case. This and their century vine are my top picks from Kunde. I have a vertical of this Merlot. It’s well made.
Sorry for the late report all, was running back from a delayed flight and just barely was able to get the bottle from the delivery location. And please bear with as this is my first report.
After a couple of hours cooling the bottle down in the wine fridge (58 degrees), I popped and poured.
On the nose heavy dark fruit and alcohol. Tasted blackberry and leather. Really makes the mouth pucker and drys it out. Seems very tight.
I let it breath for about 2 hours and revisited. The alcohol has mellowed a bit and you still get the dark fruit and now a bit of chocolate bTannins are still there.
Paired it with sushi as that was what the wife picked to order. Went well with spicy tuna roll. The spice opened up the wine a bit and gave it a more rich mouth feel. Wine also held its own with fattier fish.
I would say the wine benefits from food, and I would not hesitate to serve it with dinner, but myself, would not drink it on its own.
Hope to revisit and and some notes tomorrow.
Thanks for the opportunity and sorry for the late report!
Unfortunately, I got a bottle arrival notification just as I landed to start a long-weekend trip out of town. I still haven’t tried any, but I told my fiance to grab the bottle and give me tasting notes. I also asked her to save half for me tonight when I get home! I’ll update when I get home with my own feedback.
She had put it in the fridge for about 45 mins. She felt it rather tannic and still a bit young - could handle a few years to age and mellow out some. Bottle mentions the dark chocolate and that was the clearest aspect of the flavor profile. It also had tastes of cherries and raspberries, specifically the tart portions of those flavors profiles. It had hints of alcohol when first opened, but most of that was lost with giving it 45 minutes to breath in the glass.
She had had it on its own for the first half glass, but enjoyed it more with dinner - would go well with something with a bit of spice or peppery flavor. Was a good wine, but we aren’t normally Merlot types. Won’t be a buy this time - but an upcoming move make those generally unlikely at the moment. At this price, might otherwise get a six-pack to save and bring as gifts in the future. Wouldn’t likely plan to gift and/or drink this in the next few years.
Late lab report. Like others, pressed for time but here’s the review.
Yum.
Popped and poured for the two of us on a warm first summer Sunday in Maryland.
Nice rich aroma. Good tannins.
We’re enjoying it by itself at a backyard visit with my in-laws. Everyone enjoys it. Dark chocolate and cherry come through immediately and make for a rich flavor with a smooth finish.
We didn’t get the strong alcohol aroma that others noted. I tend to be sensitive to that and was pleasantly surprised.
I mentioned that this would pair well with beef. Better half says it drinks well by itself too. I agree. This one hits our sweet spot and the deal seems like a great value. I’m about to hit buy after ‘Say it.’
Kunde holds a special place for me, as it was one of our favorite stops on the 2012 RPM Tour. RPM and Woop greeted and hung out with the wine tasting vets that day, as there was an overlap between the newbie tour and the veteran tour. They had a different itinerary than we did. That left @neilfindswine to tend to us newbies.
On the bus, Neil regaled us with the tale of a failed attempt to pitch a reality show where he and a buddy traveled around in a RV doing wine tastings (I would have watched it!) and educated us on the lady who bought wines for Costco. We had a great conversation at 1400’ at Kunde’s outdoor mountain-top tasting room (after a somewhat precarious drive up the mountain in our tour bus). I have felt a kinship with Neil ever since - he is just a super nice and fun guy.
I don’t remember the Kunde Merlot specifically but I am a fan of their Cabs and my wife loves all their whites. I am not supposed to be buying right now, but… I have a friend at work who is all about Merlot so this will probably end up being my very first split with a co-worker.
I’m in for the case with ice packs and expedited shipping!
Tasting Notes
2015 Kunde Merlot, Sonoma Valley
Supple and velvety textured, our 2015 Merlot offers a delectable mix of blackberry, clove, and brown sugar aromas. The core flavors are a complex weave of blackberry and black cherry with a hint of butterscotch that plays out against a full mouth tannin structure. The velvety mouthfeel and structured body of our Merlot make it a very food friendly, easy sipping wine.
Food Pairing
Pizza with caramelized onions, smoked mozzarella, roasted peppers and arugula
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Winemaking
2015 reflected a great traditional Bordeaux growing season. This year temperatures were slightly higher resulting in ideal phenolic ripeness. Seasons like this allow the grapes to develop ripe flavors with silky tannins, creating a full body and rich mouthfeel. The grapes were left to cold soak for two days and were fermented with their native yeasts. Fermentation included pump overs twice daily and the juice remained on the skins for 30 days. The wine was aged for 17 months in French (25% new) and American (10% new) oak barrels and bottled in April 2017.
Winemaker’s Comments
“The rich volcanic soils of the Kunde Estate create a powerful Merlot. Perhaps it’s the iron content in the dirt that causes the wine to show just a bit more power than is common in the market, but we like a big Merlot! For your next red meat pairing, try substituting this Merlot with your Cabernet drinkers and watch them go back for seconds. It’s seductively rich and smooth and lingers deliciously on the palate.”
Specifications
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
$314.49/case at Kunde Family Winery (including shipping)
About The Winery
Winery: Kunde Family Winery
Owners: The Kunde Family
Founded: 1904
Location: Sonoma Valley, CA
At Kunde Family Estate, our winemaking mission is to craft elegant wines with a real sense of place beautifully balanced and expressive of our dramatic vineyard landscape.
For over a century, five generations of the Kunde Family have farmed our 1,850 acre-estate in the heart of Sonoma Valley a truly remarkable legacy in the modern age of California winemaking. A fervent, forward-thinking vision of land stewardship and sustainability began over one hundred years ago and has been shaped with each successive generation.
Today, Kunde Family Estate is still family owned and operated with a hands-on team of 4th and 5th generation family members at the helm. At the end of the day, every decision we make, every wine we craft, and every experience we provide honors the legacy of founder Louis Kunde, who emigrated from Germany and purchased the original Wildwood Vineyards ranch at the turn of the century in 1904. Cresting the second century was a profound milestone for the family. Moving forward, we remain committed to innovation and state-of-the-art facilities, while also maintaining a deep, personal commitment to sustainable winegrowing and preserving the land for generations to come.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, July 19th - Tuesday, July 23rd
Kunde Sonoma Valley Merlot
6 bottles for $79.99 $13.33/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2015 Kunde Sonoma Valley Merlot
Great family winery, excellent wines. Still enjoying some '04 reserve Cabs and my last few mags of the '05 Merlots.
And from Wine Enthusiast:
89 Points, Sanguine and herbal, this wine is hugely concentrated in extracted and intense flavors of blackberry, red currant and cedar. It showcases meaty tannins and rich oak. 6/1/18 VB
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/kunde-2015-estate-merlot-sonoma-valley/
fwiw
@kaolis The verbiage is always helpful! Points are, imo, dumb.
Thanks for digging these up.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 Kunde Sonoma Valley Merlot - $30 = 18.75%
Sounds tasty - has anyone tried this lately? Kinda sounds like a more complex “velvet devil”, which I am a fan of
We were just there last weekend. It was our first time visiting, after living in the area for 2 years and being in the industry. They make really solid wines and have QPR across their entire spectrum of wines. We had the Merlot and liked it a lot, picking up a bottle. It definitely needs some air to unwind when you do open it up, though. Pretty tight when we had it at the winery. At the 6 bottle mark, this price point is ridiculous and almost $1 less/bottle, with shipping nonetheless, than what we were able to score it for with industry insider pricing. You won’t be disappointed.
@winejosh hey can you refresh my memory, which winery are you again?
@winejosh
Nice to see/read you again. Do you miss Walla Walla at all?
@scott0210 hey Scott - since moving to CA 2 years ago… I was at KJ - Freemark Abbey but just left 3 months ago to work for Duckhorn.
@chipgreen Hi Chip! Admittedly, we left Walla Walla so I could explore some other areas and round out more winemaking skills I couldn’t get staying in Walla Walla. But, I’m always looking for an opportunity to go back. The wines I made there hold a special place in my heart and the quality for the price is outstanding. If the right opportunity came up, I’d be back there in a heartbeat.
Big fan of Kunde. Good general crowd pleasing wine. We actually served the Merlot (plus other wines as well) at our wedding. In for a 6 pack.
This is one of my favorites from this winemaker. It shows great potential down the road and comes at a good price point. This deal makes it even more compelling. Thinking I should just get a case. This and their century vine are my top picks from Kunde. I have a vertical of this Merlot. It’s well made.
Sorry for the late report all, was running back from a delayed flight and just barely was able to get the bottle from the delivery location. And please bear with as this is my first report.
After a couple of hours cooling the bottle down in the wine fridge (58 degrees), I popped and poured.
On the nose heavy dark fruit and alcohol. Tasted blackberry and leather. Really makes the mouth pucker and drys it out. Seems very tight.
I let it breath for about 2 hours and revisited. The alcohol has mellowed a bit and you still get the dark fruit and now a bit of chocolate bTannins are still there.
Paired it with sushi as that was what the wife picked to order. Went well with spicy tuna roll. The spice opened up the wine a bit and gave it a more rich mouth feel. Wine also held its own with fattier fish.
I would say the wine benefits from food, and I would not hesitate to serve it with dinner, but myself, would not drink it on its own.
Hope to revisit and and some notes tomorrow.
Thanks for the opportunity and sorry for the late report!
Unfortunately, I got a bottle arrival notification just as I landed to start a long-weekend trip out of town. I still haven’t tried any, but I told my fiance to grab the bottle and give me tasting notes. I also asked her to save half for me tonight when I get home! I’ll update when I get home with my own feedback.
She had put it in the fridge for about 45 mins. She felt it rather tannic and still a bit young - could handle a few years to age and mellow out some. Bottle mentions the dark chocolate and that was the clearest aspect of the flavor profile. It also had tastes of cherries and raspberries, specifically the tart portions of those flavors profiles. It had hints of alcohol when first opened, but most of that was lost with giving it 45 minutes to breath in the glass.
She had had it on its own for the first half glass, but enjoyed it more with dinner - would go well with something with a bit of spice or peppery flavor. Was a good wine, but we aren’t normally Merlot types. Won’t be a buy this time - but an upcoming move make those generally unlikely at the moment. At this price, might otherwise get a six-pack to save and bring as gifts in the future. Wouldn’t likely plan to gift and/or drink this in the next few years.
Late lab report. Like others, pressed for time but here’s the review.
Yum.
Popped and poured for the two of us on a warm first summer Sunday in Maryland.
Nice rich aroma. Good tannins.
We’re enjoying it by itself at a backyard visit with my in-laws. Everyone enjoys it. Dark chocolate and cherry come through immediately and make for a rich flavor with a smooth finish.
We didn’t get the strong alcohol aroma that others noted. I tend to be sensitive to that and was pleasantly surprised.
I mentioned that this would pair well with beef. Better half says it drinks well by itself too. I agree. This one hits our sweet spot and the deal seems like a great value. I’m about to hit buy after ‘Say it.’
a big thanks to Marcia at Kunde. The wine always performs above it’s weight and it’s a delight to work with Marcia. Straight shooter, the best.
Kunde holds a special place for me, as it was one of our favorite stops on the 2012 RPM Tour. RPM and Woop greeted and hung out with the wine tasting vets that day, as there was an overlap between the newbie tour and the veteran tour. They had a different itinerary than we did. That left @neilfindswine to tend to us newbies.
On the bus, Neil regaled us with the tale of a failed attempt to pitch a reality show where he and a buddy traveled around in a RV doing wine tastings (I would have watched it!) and educated us on the lady who bought wines for Costco. We had a great conversation at 1400’ at Kunde’s outdoor mountain-top tasting room (after a somewhat precarious drive up the mountain in our tour bus). I have felt a kinship with Neil ever since - he is just a super nice and fun guy.
I don’t remember the Kunde Merlot specifically but I am a fan of their Cabs and my wife loves all their whites. I am not supposed to be buying right now, but… I have a friend at work who is all about Merlot so this will probably end up being my very first split with a co-worker.
I’m in for the case with ice packs and expedited shipping!
/giphy nutritious-bouncy-toy
@chipgreen I remember it well my friend!!!
@neilfindswine
Just drank one of our 2011 GunBun Gewurz the other day. Another “Neil Saves the Day” story from the 2012 tour!
Killer buy I should about a couple more cases.
We love casemates!!!
@kegookin Thanks! please spread the word!
Would love more Kunde Melot or Cabernet